Software development outsourcing is no longer a novelty among boutique startups that are unafraid to take a more unconventional step, and work with a company halfway across the world for building their web or mobile application. Now software development outsourcing is a norm that even the biggest, most established organisations have embraced – including those that have been reserved about the idea of distributed work environments for the longest time.
The reasons behind this shift are pretty clear; the normalisation of distributed, virtual work environments and the ability to access the best talent without geographical boundaries being a constraint, make software outsourcing ultimately worthwhile. Irrespective of business model, business size or industry, your organisation can get onboard at any stage of the software development life cycle – and with minimal commitment if needed, that too.
As the business landscape continues to run at a fast pace, companies need to go above and beyond to stay relevant – else lose out to their competition. Whether it’s embracing customer centricity or a digital transformation with technologies such as AI, companies need to be cognizant of how to deliver the best in quality to their customers. Anything less and customer retention starts to suffer, as markets now deal with high saturation and customers can easily move on to the next option.
Partnering with a reliable software outsourcing agency can therefore help your business not only build equally reliable applications, but can also serve as the cornerstone for maintaining it as part of a DevOps (or even DevSecOps, if one wishes to take it further) workflow. From applying customer feedback to optimising applications for SEO, the right software outsourcing agency can serve to be a trustworthy partner for the long term.
Which is why, in this article, we reiterate the perks of software development outsourcing, how to choose the right agency (if you don’t have one) and collaborate effectively to make sure your software development efforts turn out to be a success. Before that, we’ll also elaborate on the different methods and models of software outsourcing, so you are familiar with what to expect, as well as which of these methods/models may be relevant for your business’s unique needs.
Interested in exploring software development outsourcing for your business? As one of the top software companies in UK, EFutures can deliver on your business’s bespoke needs, thanks to a wide pool of dynamic and high quality talent. To know how we can help your business with its software development requirements, contact us today for an assessment!
Software outsourcing types can be broken down based on proximity and model. Here, we briefly elaborate on each.
Ultimately, how far your software outsourcing partner is, or what model you choose isn’t as important as what goals need to be fulfilled for your business via quality software, as well as the budget you have at hand. For example, relying on a remote project based model with some staff augmentation may be the best course for the individual needs of your business, while another may find ad hoc, in-person meetings with a nearshoring provider more viable, whenever they need some reinforcement for their existing in-house team.
Cost savings has long since been the biggest adoption factor for software outsourcing, without a doubt. So much so, that even B2B enterprise software companies rely on outsourcing providers halfway across the world to build, manage and fix all or some working parts of their digital infrastructure.
Software outsourcing helps with cost reduction in multiple ways. An immediate contributing factor is not having to account for physical office space, equipment and the administrative cost that’s associated with sourcing, screening and onboarding candidates. For a fee, your software outsourcing partner shall do all of this for you, while being responsible for all administrative tasks that come with managing a workforce.
The other avenue for cost reduction through software outsourcing has to do with favourable currency exchange rates across the region where your outsourcing partner is located. While overall manpower costs remain far more affordable than hiring the same calibre of resources from your home country, the same quality can be retained, thereby providing holistic value.
Software outsourcing has become all the more versatile than before, going beyond simply offering a software development team to their clientele. Many leading software outsourcing companies are now hubs for finding highly skilled talent, even going as far as providing subject matter experts for non-IT roles, such as SEO and marketing.
As a result, talent pools across top software outsourcing companies now comprise experts for fields such as cyber security, AI and blockchain. In turn, this now makes software outsourcing companies the first source that many organisations consult for hiring exceptional talent.
Software outsourcing companies aren’t reserved for software and application development alone, anymore; they are now powerhouses that serve a variety of digital needs. Software outsourcing companies now also accommodate client requirements pertaining to cybersecurity and AI, so their clients have a sole partner to consult for all their digital transformation needs.
While AI and machine learning are two technologies that can be implemented via existing developer talent in software outsourcing companies, cyber security is certainly more advanced. As a result, not all software outsourcing companies may have the resources to directly undertake cyber security. However, they consult cyber security vendors on behalf of their clientele, and continue to be the first point of contact thanks to a long-standing partnership.
Irrespective of whether or not you partner with a software outsourcing company, it is always imperative to assess what your business aims to achieve via the application that it endeavours to build. From building memorable customer experiences to improving revenue, many factors shall come into play, as well as any existing challenges that are being faced with your team.
Have your team discuss these challenges, share their feedback and use this assessment as a guiding compass for either selecting the right provider, or briefing your existing one of your new set of expectations.
Starting with a preliminary version, or a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is always advisable, especially for brand new projects, or a new feature in an existing project. This can significantly reduce pressure on the part of your development team, and only channel time, money and effort towards the bare necessities – while additional features are only committed to based on actual and actionable user feedback.
To ensure everyone is on the same page, establish how teams can communicate in order to make concerns heard, and deliver on deadlines. With your software outsourcing arrangement most likely being a remote and distributed work environment, having clear lines of communication becomes extra important, by way of chat/IM tools, and real-time task management solutions.
Whether it’s a code smell or misunderstood expectations, project managers or other senior team members need to be observant of impending problems, and resolve them before they have the chance to compound into something more complicated. While this isn’t a rule that is exclusive to software development, it is wise to always have it top of mind.
As the saying goes, ‘if you cannot measure, you cannot improve’. Likewise, have the right metrics and analytics tools in place to monitor KPIs pertaining to your software development project, including team member productivity. This can also help spot impending problems early on, so that team members can rectify issues to prevent costly problems in the future.
Software development outsourcing is more than simply delegating software and application development over to a third-party agency, to save on the costs associated with hiring an in-house team. Now, software outsourcing companies are top sources for all things pertaining to digital transformation – from cyber security, to AI.
Whether you are looking to partner with a software outsourcing agency or are already in partnership with one, assessing business needs, establishing the right expectations, and constantly monitoring performance and other metrics is essential for maintaining a software development life cycle that is productive yet cost-efficient at the same time.