Today software is an integral part of a company’s performance. Almost all companies use the software at some point. Not limited to technology companies, the use of software also targets non-technology companies because the main characteristic of software is automation.
However, few companies have the resources to develop their own software. But they still need software for company operations. That’s why software outsourcing is now common in the industrial landscape, whatever industry it is. One of the best examples can be represented by outsourcing Poland, which has been on a positive trend in recent years.
What is software outsourcing? It is a strategy based on hiring a third party to develop software to handle the needs of the client company. It’s as simple as that. With the right software, a company is able to perform its “digital functions” such as providing services through applications, evaluating performance, performing calculations, and many more.
The trend of software outsourcing actually started two decades ago, during the early days of the internet boom. At that time, companies hired experts to do coding and that was it. Today, the tasks of third parties have become more complex, and some software outsourcing companies even offer what can be considered turnkey teams with supporting elements like project managers, designers, team extension services, and testers. The world of software outsourcing has now metamorphosed into a very complex one. For client companies, the more complex and complete the services provided, the easier it is for them and gives them more focus to realize new ideas for company progress.
There are at least two major parts of software outsourcing:
Offshoring:
It is a type of outsourcing that does not restrict in hiring. Recruitment of developers from abroad is possible. Today the trend of offshoring is increasing and perhaps the reason is that client companies can get people who are as capable as local developers but at a much cheaper cost. Keep in mind, that Eastern European developers are now increasingly in demand due to their skills and professionalism, and hiring them is obviously much cheaper than hiring software developers from the UK or US for example.
Nearshoring:
Nearshoring is a type of outsourcing that limits hiring to nearby countries. The focus of nearshoring is not on cutting costs but on finding a complete team with the most appropriate people to work in their respective portions for the success of a project.
Whatever form it takes, offshoring or nearshoring, it will not significantly affect software development. This is the digital age and communication between development team members can be done from miles away. The most important aspect of software development is the capability of each development member and that cannot be defined by offshoring or nearshoring.
But why should you outsource your software development?
Let’s say you are a person with big ideas but don’t have the experience and capability to develop your own company software, what should you do? Would you invite your friends with experience to develop your software together? Would you immediately learn software development from 0 and do everything yourself?
Trust me, it won’t work!
How to do outsourcing right?
It’s basically the same as when you do employee recruitment but with a few differences here and there:
Make a list of your candidates.
That means you need to make a list of at least five software development companies that you consider the best and are within “your budget range.” Investigate each of them carefully. Seek information about what they offer. Don’t hesitate to ask questions if you don’t quite understand something. And most importantly, look for genuine reviews from companies that have used their services.
Utilize Google to find information about the company’s reputation.
Sounds easy but is often forgotten by many people. You need to join webmaster forums and search for info about your potential candidates. If necessary, start a thread asking if your candidates are really worth hiring.
Understand that cultural differences come into play here.
It’s not the same working with Polish developers and working with those from India. Developers from certain countries may not be a good fit for your project.
Ask for examples of software they have developed and make sure it is similar to your prospective software.
Your project may be specific but the software you need may have many similarities with other software. It is highly recommended to contact the candidates and ask them to send examples of software they have developed, which has the aspects you want in your prospective software.
In the end, software outsourcing is all about experience, patience, and understanding people (developers). If you are good at choosing and are able to establish a healthy partnership with your developers, it is unlikely that your software will fail.
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