Imagine you have a business which is doing really well, but you want to do more and excel. Thus, for you to generate revenue efficiently you have to go digital, be tech savvy, and use innovations and technology in an effective way for customers.
To make sure that you achieve this, you require a team of experts and most conveniently you need a software development outsourcing team.
Promotion of digital initiatives is difficult, given the factors such as cost and labor for start-ups and SMEs as well as strict organizational structures for established companies. But if done right, it can help create a competitive advantage, add real value to customers, and identify new revenue-generating strategies.
As the software industry began to face the digital revolution, the need for software developed and with it the question of how to make use of it and improve it.
When it comes to outsourcing custom software developers, getting the right approach to your management is critical. With the right approach, you can achieve key business benefits such as quick development time, better scalability, and lower costs.
As per the Business Process Outsourcing Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report, The global business process outsourcing market size was valued at USD 232.32 billion in 2020 and is expected to register a CAGR of 8.5% from 2021 to 2028.
Let’s have a look at what the experts have to say about the outsourcing tips for software development.
1. Brian Dean, the Founder of Exploding Topics
Brian says that without a good plan/strategy, one can never participate in any activity, no matter how small or large.
“Changing management in an organization is one of the top three hurdles in outsourcing a product. Poor project management on the part of the software development outsourcing partner, as well as poor software quality, are the other two hurdles.“
Brian proposes that there are numerous types of solutions that are proposed to employ in the software development outsourcing business to avoid those three and other hazards, and your decision may depend on your company’s fundamental purpose.
For instance, profit-driven, product-first, user-first, and so on. The outsourcing-life-cycle process model designed by Sara Cullen here, on the other hand, would greatly assist you in preparing particular actions, anticipating dangers and possibilities during the method, thanks to its adaptability.
To Establish Clear Product Ownership While Outsourcing Development, here are some tips and suggestions by Brian:
The first stage is to establish a Product Owner, an internal leader who is responsible for the product(s) being produced by outsourced development teams. This leader’s formal title is likely to be Product Owner in larger companies. This owner can be a CTO, CIO, or even a technical co-founder in smaller organizations.
What matters is that they have the time and insight to serve as a bridge between business and technical staff. As you begin the full cycle app development, the Product Owner must verify the definition of success.
2. Martin Broadhurst, A Digital Strategist Based In The UK
Martin shares his experience and tips for outsourcing based on his work with businesses that have used outsourced development many times.
Here are his three main tips for the software development issues it presents:
- Be aware of risks
Outsourcing software development is a popular choice for many organizations, but it’s important to be aware of the risks involved. The benefits of outsourcing, such as lower labor costs and a more diverse talent pool, can be outweighed by the risks; for example, if the outsourced team is not as skilled and knowledgeable as the core team, the end product will suffer.
- Make sure you are clear on the project scope
Outsourcing software development is a common practice for companies, but if the project scope is not clearly defined, there could be some complications in the long run. When you are hiring an outsourcing firm, make sure you have a clear understanding of the project scope so you know what you are getting. Know exactly what is included in the scope. Be really specific. This will prevent you from arguing over fees and deadlines later in the project.
- Hire the right people
The world of software development is changing quickly, and it is no longer possible to keep up with new advancements in technology without hiring the right people. As a business owner, “you want to make sure that you are not only hiring qualified developers but developers who can quickly understand the goals of the project.” A developer who is too focused on his or her own work can become too close to the project and fail to see the bigger picture, and this problem is exacerbated when that developer is removed from the main project team.
3. Eric Carrell, Chief Marketing Advisor at SurfShark
Eric’s Tips Are:
- Focus on Function rather than Micromanaging the Developers.
- Micromanagement gone too far can prohibit your development teams from producing their finest work. Micromanagement is frequently shown in overly strict project specifications. They can impede the capacity of experienced software developers to apply their own judgment and creativity to come up with the best possible technique for achieving product goals, no matter how well-intentioned they are.
- Eric believes that “development teams perform best when they are given the freedom to pursue an experiment.” R&D-like approach to determining the optimal path to achieving the end goals of a software product.
- “High-level planning and oversight should be the emphasis of product owners.“
- Product owners can add the most value to daily stand-up meetings and demos/sprint reviews by analyzing development progress from a functional, end-user perspective. They should concentrate on user stories or the key tasks that users must be able to do, rather than individual code decisions.
- Regular assessments should include a functional prototype on a real device—even if it’s still only a black-and-white wireframe—to provide a practical point of comparison.
- The “idea is to focus on the software’s final function rather than unnecessarily specific method definitions.” This allows developers to be as creative as possible while implementing an efficient solution. This method will maximize your developers’ productivity while also preserving their sanity.
- A ‘Process Owner,’ whether a Project Manager, Agile Coach, Scrum Master, or Solution Owner, should be in charge of the details of execution.
- While the Product Owner is usually an inside figure, the Process Owner is frequently part of a development team that is outsourced.
To keep the team extremely productive, efficient, and well-aligned with end goals, the Process Owner must provide the greatest possible development environment. It is their responsibility to identify and remove waste, schedule work, follow best practices, and ensure that all necessary resources are available. They must have a thorough understanding of several development methods in order to select the most appropriate one depending on organizational constraints.
