Let’s say you are the CEO or CTO of your company, and you have the need to outsource your software development processes, what do you do? How do you even begin this project?
Believe it or not, finding the right it outsourcing services company is hard enough, but starting a new relationship with your software development outsourcing team is even harder.
Software development outsourcing is a hard task to carry, one that needs to be taken seriously and be approached carefully for it to work for both parties, meaning you, and the nearshore outsourcing provider.
So, we took it upon us to make a short, sweet and direct list of the DO’s and DON'Ts of working with a nearshore outsourcing provider, in the hopes it can make your job a little bit easier, after all, we all want this professional relationship to work, don’t we?
BIG DON’TS:
1: Do not go for the cheapest option
If you want the very best IT outsourcing services possible, going for the cheapest options won’t do it. Remember, often times the cheap things can only mean you’ll have to invest more money on the near future.
So, instead of going for the nearshore outsourcing provider with the lowest cost rate, compare their services to their prices and evaluate if that meets your budget. If it does, great! If it doesn’t, just keep in mind software development is expensive, and that sometimes money is worth the great results you’ll get.
2: Do not go for the very first option
We understand it can be a little bit overwhelming having to choose amongst so many different outsourcing companies, but you can’t simply settle down for the first option that crosses your mind.
You have to conduct a deep research on the many nearshore outsourcing options you might have, compare them and finally select the one that you think would be the very best option.
3: Do not assume your nearshore outsourcing provider can read your mind
A lot of CEO’s tend to think software development outsourcing companies can magically read their mind and deliver exactly what they want, but the truth is, we can’t read your minds! If you want an specific things delivered to you, you can’t assume we know what you mean, you have to clearly express it.
In shorter words: Express what you want and what you are looking for so your nearshore outsourcing provider knows that they can meet your expectations and deliver a great product.
4: Do not leave the project unwanted
The main reason to resource to an IT outsourcing services provider is because your company doesn’t have the time or resources to focus on such a heavy tasks, we get it, but as a project manager, CEO or CTO, you can’t leave the project unnanted.
Get involved in the software development process, take this opportunity to learn more about IT services and products, get deeply involved in the management of the project and make sure everything is going as planned.
5: Do not expected miracle results
Software development is an art, it takes time, and patience to develop a great software solution, and any software development outsourcing team will tell you just that.
So, when going into a new relationship with a nearshore outsourcing provider do not expect magical, instant results to happen overnight. Instead, appreciate every part of the project and make sure every step is being taken care of slowly but surely.
BIG DO’s:
1: Explain the whole scope of the project
Like we just said, nearshore outsourcing providers can’t read your mind, and if you want a great software solution to be delivered to you, you have to explain the whole scope of the project.
And we mean every little part of it. Explain what you want, the features you want it to have, the budget, the time frame, any other minimal specifications. The more you explain the project you have in mind, the better for everyone.
2: Maintain healthy communication channels
Communication is key when it comes to working with a nearshore outsourcing provider that is located miles away from you. Setting up communications channels and establishing when, where and how often you’ll held each other about the project is a MUST.
This goes hand-to-hand with what we just mentioned about being clear about what you want and expect to get out of this software development outsourcing project, trust us, your provider will appreciate it.
3: Take advantage of the situation
If you are working with a nearshore outsourcing provider it means your company doesn’t know much about software development, so take this opportunity to learn more about the whole situation.
Learn about the working methods of your outsourcing provider, takes notes on how they handle software development processes, what kind of project management tool do they use. Take this as an opportunity to learn useful things you can implement on your organization.
4: Keep everything legal
Although you will be working with a nearshore outsourcing provider, keeping the relationship as professional as possible under a legal contract or letter is definitely a very important part of this partnership.
Not only you cover your back, but the nearshore software development outsourcing company knows they will be getting paid accordingly and that you will take care of your side of the deal.
5: Keep and open mind
Last, but definitely not least, we suggest you to keep an open mind when it comes to due dates and time frames. Like we mentioned earlier, software development outsourcing takes time, especially if the scope of your project is big.
That being said, don’t compromise the quality of the job just to get things done quicker, and instead, keep an open mind and give your nearshore outsourcing team the space and time they need to deliver a great job. Just keep in mind these little DO’s and DONT’s and we guarantee you, your nearshore outsourcing experience will go smoothly as ever.
