5 things to consider when offshoring software development

Offshoring software development is an efficient way for small businesses to cut costs while getting quality results. Lack of expertise and budget restraints makes it hard for businesses to meet their software development requirements in-house. Offshoring is feasible, and, thus, an attractive option for many of these companies. Many popular offshoring locations, like India, are known for their burgeoning IT industry and abounding IT talent, which provides the perfect solution for companies looking to hire qualified developers for their projects at a lesser price.
Yet, outsourcing can be tricky, and if handled poorly, can be damaging for the company. As a small business, every penny matters immensely, so it is advised to tread carefully when walking on the outsourcing path. It is your project and your money on the line, so you need to make sure that outsourcing is a success. If you are considering offshoring your software development, below, we will share five things you should consider when offshoring software development.

  1. Know your requirements.

    Before you start looking outside, take a peek inside. It is important to ascertain your company’s requirements before you can start looking for an offshoring vendor. Knowing what you want and how you want plays an essential role in the success of your outsourced project. Without it, you are just fumbling in the dark. Setting your goals and knowing your needs ensures that you have a plan in place, and are, therefore, making the right decisions when looking for offshoring vendors or hiring developers. Having a vision is essential so that you can establish your short-term as well as long-term goals and set out to work accordingly.

  2. Hire the right people.

    Once you know your exact requirements, hire the right people for the needed roles. The individuals you hire from your offshore vendors will be working with you on the project and will be a significant factor in your outsourcing success. It will be advantageous for you to be as detailed as possible to your vendor about the roles you need to be filled and the candidates you require. It allows them to find candidates as close to your requirements as possible. Even then, screen them and interview them thoroughly, especially if it is a vital job. Review their background and see whether they have had enough experience with the work you expect them to do. Check their references to establish their dedication and competency. You will be working with your remote employees for the whole span of the project, maybe even more, so make sure to dedicate your time to hire the best fit for your company.

  3. Be prepared for the unexpected.

    There is always a chance of your project facing some hiccups, even if it is being managed in-house. So it is better to be prepared for a possibility of things not going your way when you hire remote developers. Software and applications are known to develop issues in the development process. Proceeding with your project with this possibility in mind allows you to be ready to take on the challenge if and when it does make an appearance. You may even be able to come up with some strategies beforehand to deal with certain problems.

  4. Communicate and collaborate.

    Your offshore employees are an extension of your in-house team. So, just like with in-house members, communication is essential to your project’s excellence and timely completion. If you hired offshore employees to support your in-house employees, ensure that they are collaborating well. If your offshore employees are solely responsible for the project, ensure they have all the necessary information, for instance, the quality standards, project deadline, etc. The more thorough you are with your details, the better the chances are of your project turning out excellent. Monitor and review the work being done and the progress being made regularly to avoid any deviations from your expectations. Communication is inherent to your software development outsourcing success.

Secure your intellectual property.

It’s not uncommon that codes and product ideas are stolen and then produced in the market when companies outsource software development. This is an outsourcing pitfall you want to avoid at all costs. Not only does it threaten your software, but it could also mean long legal battles for your company. The only way to ensure nobody steals your intellectual property is to choose your offshoring vendor very carefully, and ensure that the developers have been adequately screened and are reliable. Also, get them to sign NDAs to safeguard your software codes, ascertain that they can be enforced in the offshoring country, and ensure there is no ambiguity in the contracts.
These five steps can help you go a long way to ensure software development success when offshoring. We understand the value of your ideas and your project to your company and hope that these tips will help you when you outsource.