What's most important when you need to establish a software development infrastructure in your company?

Question

Let's say you work for a huge company which suddenly decides to do custom in-house software development. Additionally, they want to be able to offer successful developments to their customers as well (if any).

Now you are in charge of it.

What would you see as most important to build a successful software development infrastructure?

• flexible to future growth
• flexible on used technologies (projects with c, java, .net, web, mobile, ...)
• What kind of tools (source control, forge, ...), hardware (virtual, seperate dev & production, ..), processes (guidelines, code reviews, ...), etc.

UPDATE: Please don't answer that you need the right people and the right tools. This is exactly what i am looking for.. What are the right tools and what people of what type would you hire first to join your team? Think of it as you will be the lead of that development.

Answer 1

Set yourself up to pass the Joel Test with at least a score of 10.