Factors to consider when outsourcing software development team
You’ve decided to enhance your business processes by upgrading your digital systems, or you have an idea for an app that you want to be developed, but you don’t have the right expertise at your disposal. What do you do? If the idea of carrying out such a project is daunting, outsourcing your software development to a third-party software development team can be the best solution for you.
What is software outsourcing?
Software outsourcing involves contracting a software development company to handle various aspects of developing the software you need. Software development outsourcing is widely used in all industries today, which has turned outsourcing into a multibillion-dollar industry. According to Statista, IT outsourcing will be a $66.5 billion industry in 2021. When outsourcing, you could simply choose to come up with the product idea and allow a team of expert developers to run an entire project for you from start to finish or be involved in parts of the project management.
Some reasons you would consider outsourcing software development rather than recruiting your in-house team include:
Costs
One of the many benefits of outsourcing is that it is more cost-effective than building an in-house team. Your company can save money by making good outsourcing choices to the best teams with the best skills and experience without having to carter for employee benefits. An added advantage is that the team you will hire will already be trained by another company, reducing operational costs.
Access to skills and experienced people
The outsourcing companies usually have a highly skilled team of their own, including developers and any skills you may need to complete your project. The company you contract to outsource has employed its coders, UI/UX designers, product managers and would have experience working with many different clients on a wide range of solutions.
On-time projects
If you’re a small business or a larger company not looking to expand, hiring a dedicated team to work on just one project could be risky, considering you will not need the hires once the project is complete. Outsourcing can ensure that you complete the project without incurring the risks associated with hiring an entire team in-house.
Flexibility
Also, for flexibility, you know that the people you hire may not have all the skills necessary for the project to be completed or something changes, and you need additional expertise. With software development companies, it is easy for the project manager to find another and assign the assignment to a coder already employed by the company without slowing down the project.
Selection process
Many companies around the world are providing software development services and many options to consider when you are looking for a contractor. Here are some things to keep in mind before choosing a firm to hire.
Do your research
Before you start the project, you should have a clear idea of what expertise you will need for the project. You can consult with a firm or go on online forums to understand your requirements to build your vision. Once you know this, you’ll be able to understand what you’re looking for and ideally find an external vendor that has worked on similar projects to yours.
2. Consider your budget
Many companies provide this service at different rates. Establishing a timeline and budget will also make it easier to shortlist the software development companies into the ones that can offer you these services within your budget. However, getting the cheapest company possible, you risk substituting quality for cost. You should consider if they have the right expertise and if they have previously delivered high-quality projects.
3. Project Management
Once you determine what expertise you need, you can develop the timeline of your project.
The next step is deciding how the project will be managed and what contact structure you will use. Consider whether you want to have more control over the day to day tasks, or you prefer to hand over most aspects of project management to the contracted firm.
Contracts can be time and material, which means that you will get billed based on the hours and materials that would have been used to complete the project. You can also choose a fixed contract where all the deliverables are determined before the work starts. You may also have a dedicated team that will solely be working on your project
4. Put measures in place for good communication
Most of the time, these teams will be working away from your office or even offshore, and you need to make sure that you have good communication between you and the developers. Back and forth communication is essential to communicate progress and discuss any challenges you may face in the process. Make use of tools like Slack for communication. Trello and Asana are project management.
5. Security and Privacy
Before you sign a contract, you should ensure that the proper security measures are in place, and this will need to be done because you will be handing our data to the company. Ensure that they have compliance and suitable security measures in place to avoid a disaster where your user data may be breached.
To recap, outsourcing is an excellent option for your business whether you need a big or small project executed in a cost-effective and timely manner with high-quality deliverance. Before starting, you should define your timeline and budget. You should know your budget and thorough research. You should know what the project entails to find the right team to deliver the best results with strong security and privacy measures in place. Lastly, you should maintain good communication throughout.