Software Development Outsourcing Best Practices
Table of Content
1. Introduction
2. Top 7 Best Software Outsourcing Practices
2.1 Keep your code simple and clean
2.2 Define your software outsourcing objectives
2.4 Be ready to face cultural differences
2.5 Take the portfolio seriously
2.6 Use project management tools
2.7 Build relations between key managers
3. The Verdict
Introduction
As we all know, nowadays more and more companies are outsourcing their software development needs. With perks like lower costs, access to a large tool, and probably faster time-to-market, it’s no wonder that outsourcing is obtaining traction.
Choosing a reliable development team makes all the variance in the world when it comes to project management. When proceeding through the hiring process you’ll want to make sure those you’re contemplating have the right skills and relevant expertise to get the job done. This will allow you to allocate work to the appropriate person. Once the team members are in place, make sure they have whatever they need to put their expertise to the right use.
In 2018 almost 30% of companies outsourced IT services, and 78% are satisfied with their outsourcing arrangements. For many companies, the decision to outsource software development makes sense. They might not have limited resources to support an in-house development team, and it becomes difficult to attract and retain that talent.
In this article, we’re going to look at the outsourcing best practices that will help you ensure that your next project is a success. So, without any further ado, let’s get started!
Top 7 Best Software Outsourcing Practices
1. Keep your code simple and clean
It’s essential to maintain the exact coding process as simple as possible. Make sure to eliminate unnecessary complexity in software development and write clean code. Code simplicity works in tandem with Don’t Repeat Yourself (DRY) and You Aren’t Gonna Need It (YAGNI), both of which are mantras in agile development.
While implementing the source code, there are several things you can do to make the process go more smoothly. The most widely used method is creating smaller modules that are coded and self-tested throughout the development process. Automating processes also helps ensure that functionality is not broken within the software being developed.
2. Define your Software Outsourcing Objectives
One of the most essential practices for outsourcing the software development process is that all projects and partnerships must tie back to the master plan.
Defining your project requirements and objectives is one of the best practices to follow for a successful software development process. Do some extensive analysis for your own business to examine if you need software outsourcing partners for your unique needs or not.
Software Outsourcing is not generalized as it is not fixed that it will benefit all types of businesses. Hence, it is said to confirm internally whether your business needs it.
For example, we see most software development companies tend to prefer cloud services for their businesses. But if you perform exemplary in developing web applications with low storage needs then there is no point for businesses to invest in cloud computing services.
3. Keep security in mind
While outsourcing your project, make sure to ask about their in-house policies regarding client projects: How do they guarantee the safety of client data and intellectual property? Ensure that they will protect your data and IP from theft, but take all the security measures when everyone adheres to them.
To get a sense of a company’s cyber-vigilance, look at how they are safeguarding their work environment and IT networks. Do they use anti-virus software, firewalls, and active network monitoring tools? It’s prudent to discuss with your software partners about code testing, penetration tests, and security management.
4. Be ready to face cultural differences
The parties connected in an outsourcing relationship belong to distinct cultures, these differences must be admitted and bridged. The mutual understanding between the two organizations can be enhanced by organizing social events, educating about company background, participating in each others’ quality programs, etc.
It may be helpful to send a loyal employee to the BPO site for a few periods to expedite understanding in the implementation phase.
5. Take the portfolio seriously
Consider the vendor’s past work and ensure it matches your expectations for quality and style. If you’ve estimated a vendor’s portfolio, references, and prior experience and are still doubtful of their capabilities, consider asking them to do a quick mock-up or provide a basic outline of a work plan.
A service provider who wants a successful business may give you a rough concept so you can thoroughly understand their approach to solving your problem. But never cross the line between asking for a mock-up and requesting that a vendor grants you with finished work “on spec.” No qualified professional expect to work for free.
6. Use Project Management Tools
For software development, it is recommended to manage the timeline, resources, funds, project status, and all other important factors crucial for the project. Project management tools are an effective way to cooperate and get obvious access to ongoing processes. You can streamline, collaborate, share files, keep tasks on hand and stay informed about each aspect of the project timeline.
Asana, Trello, Proofhub, and Jira are some of the best examples of project management tools that give you solutions to complex management problems.
7. Build relations between key managers
The advantage of the relationship between the key management personnel of both teams depends on good understanding and strong working ties between them. Investigations and research on outsourcing success stories have demonstrated that working chemistry in management and peer friendships among employees have proved to be important determinants in forming long-term relationships that yield real value.
The Verdict
When you’re searching for a good match for outsourcing your project development process, it might take a while to find a reliable software development company that helps your business to grow and expand in ways that you haven’t thought of yet.
Contacting a software development team is a challenging task and should be considered an involved process. However, the above-mentioned practical steps will definitely help you to go a long way towards seamless cooperation. While somewhat general, the software outsourcing best practices that we discussed here are less about what you’re trying to accomplish and more about giving your developers the tools they need to succeed.
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