In the past 10 years, the software outsourcing services industry has grown to a global market value of nearly $100 billion. Software outsourcing is now popular with both large corporations and small businesses for their software development team.
Managing a Remote Software Development Team
The process of hiring software development and testing specialists from software outsourcing companies overseas comes with numerous advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we explore the five tenets in the management of a remote software development team
To reduce the risks and maximize the rewards of software, outsourcing businesses need preparation before they collaborate successfully with a company that specializes in software outsourcing services. Whether you intend to form a long or short-term partnership, there are certain tenets to ensure you correctly manage your remote software development team.
#1 Do Your Research in Advance
Most people are familiar with the saying “look before you leap.” The decision to collaborate with a software outsourcing company from a different part of the globe is not an easy decision. There are a numerous things to consider. For instance, considerations include your project budget, the size of the team you need, its specialization, and what country you intend to outsource to. To make these correctly, conduct some extensive background checks on the credibility of the companies you intend to work with — with companies like GoodFirms and Clutch. This enables you to reach the best software outsourcing services in the world. These lists are up to date by the business owners and experts in the software development field.
Start by contacting five different software-outsourcing providers. Clearly define your software and business concept. Set out your businesses goals and processes before you assign any contract. It is important to ensure your partner fully understands what your interests are and how they provide value to you
#2 Clearly Lay Out Project Requirements and Vision to Your Software Development Team
A software outsourcing project’s purpose is to bring together a team of specialists from different backgrounds and countries to work together on a single project. When you are collaborating with specialists from different markets and countries, miscommunication easily happens. Most speak different languages. Before any project starts, provide a unified guide that documents your project rules and best practices for your entire software development team.
Never assume that software outsourcing services specialists will speak English. To ensure that this is not a problem, always include as many visuals as possible. Providing diagrams, graphs, and statistics help your outsourcing specialists understand your business’s goals and past performance. Once your outsourcing specialists visualize these flow charts and understand the processes, they get a deep understanding of the internal operation of your company.
#3 Take Advantage of Different Time Zones of Your Software Development Team
One key advantage of working with remote software development specialists worldwide is that people work on your project 24/7. Obviously, this causes the problem of finding a convenient time for everyone to meet. Setting a regular meeting schedule that is accessible to every team member is vital to the success of your project.
Project management over different time zones is not a problem; rather, it is a distinct advantage. Your team potentially has three times the productivity of an in-house team, if planned correctly. To ensure this is possible, open lines of communication are vital. Providing regular updates help with mutual understanding. Once every team member understands his/her defined workload and purpose in each project, daily calls are unnecessary. A project manager and a business analyst ensure that your software development team is on target for every stage of the software development process.
#4 Have Regular Meetings with Your Software Development Team
Many companies involved in software outsourcing fall into the trap of holding one–two to three-hour meetings every week instead of having a 30-minute meeting 4 to 5 days a week. Regular short meetings are more effective forms of communication. Team members are more motivated and focused in shorter discussions. They remain up to date on every aspect of the project. Various collaborative platforms allow each of your outsourcing teams to be transparent about their workflow and keep everyone up to date. These collaborative platforms also allow you to track their task progress to time management.
The most effective software development platforms that help with task management are Jira and Asana. Both have broad functionality and a variety of built-in extensions. You may prefer working with a customized software project management solution, but the choice is largely irrelevant. What is most important is that communication is short and consistent.
#5 Remain Patient
One of the key characteristics for successful use of software outsourcing is patience. Managing an off-site team and ensuring that a project is both profitable and productive are possible to achieve with effective communication. Ensure that your teams remain in sync on a daily and weekly basis. This is something to discuss from the outside.
Whatever platform you use to ensure open and transparent collaboration and communication is irrelevant. Just make sure each team member remains on the same page. Also, ensure the team stays unified in the goal to meet the developmental processes to complete the work on time. What is most important is that your management style emphasizes flexibility, close cooperation, and constant reiterations. This helps all testers, developers, and designers remain in sync.
Key Reasons Why More Companies Collaborate with Software Outsourcing Services
- Cost-Effectiveness – No matter what people tell you, working with an outsource software development team in either Asia or parts of Europe is far more cost-effective than hiring a team at home.
- Time-Efficiency – Focusing on your core business processes and objectives while outsourcing your software development increases your overall efficiency.
- Expertise – Hiring a team of experts from anywhere in the world with a knowledge base of a variety of different practices and markets is vital to the success of any business.
