Outsourcing Software Development

Outsourcing is the best practical alternative to in-house development.

Outsourcing is the best practical alternative to in-house development. By contracting development abroad, organizations can quickly gain access to experienced developers ready to fill key competency gaps at lower cost with less bureaucratic and administrative overhead.

Outsourcing vs. In-House Development

Hiring developers in-house incurs a lot of costs, making it impractical for many companies. Outsourcing, on the other hand, allows firms that don’t already have the right IT competencies to hit the ground running. By choosing the right vendor, you can get a team of experienced developers that’s ready to go right away — saving valuable time vs. the competition.

Go Big or Go Small

In the outsourcing world, bigger does not always mean better. Smaller vendors can offer a number of advantages over their larger competition:

• Flexibility — Smaller vendors are less burdened by bureaucracy, allowing them to advance through project initialization more rapidly, and adeptly cope with change further down the road.
• Lower levels of Employee Attrition — Employees at a small vendor know they make a valued contribution; key developers are less likely to jump ship and leave your project in a lurch.
• Commitment — A smaller vendor will be more invested in your project’s success. To them, every project is important, and they will make your project a priority by allocating senior developers.
• Accountability — If something goes wrong, you know who to talk to, and the CEO will be much more accessible and willing to straighten things out.

What to Expect from a Good Vendor

Besides software development, your outsourcing vendor should handle many management and administrative tasks, letting you focus more attention on your product and other aspects of your business.

Any outsourcing provider should give you:

• Predictable Software Development Process — A reputable development methodology with consistent reporting and opportunities for feedback to maintain development velocity and keep the project moving in the right direction.
• Requirements Gathering and Software Design — Consulting services to help assess business needs and craft a suitable solution to deliver maximum value within the project’s budget and scope.
• Architecture and Technology Recommendations — Proven expertise in solution architecture and maintaining production software deployments.
• Project Management — Independent teams with experienced managers to oversee development from start to finish.
• Testing and Quality Assurance — Experience in automated testing and necessary software and computer infrastructure to ensure continuous integration.
• Flexible Ramp-Up and Ramp-Down — accommodating contracts that won’t tie you down with a failing development team.
• On-site presence — your vendor should provide an option for an on-site developer or project manager to smooth development and communications.