Outsourcing software development serves two primary business goals: cost control and speed. Outsourced developers can design within budget in less time while taking advantage of other advantages like reduced risk and efficiency gains. It has become an established trend across both established companies and startups.
Have you taken full advantage of software outsourcing yet? Doing your research beforehand and understanding its repercussions are paramount when making any important business decisions involving software outsourcing for your business. Discover all its advantages now.
Outsourcing Software Development is a Type of Outsourcing
Outsourcing software development services means hiring third-party service providers to oversee projects. Their services may wide range from developing or maintaining custom software applications to managing projects for established or startup companies. Doing this work yourself would require extensive resources and skilled developers, adding time and costs. Outsourcing is becoming a popular trend across industries; according to Statista research, it was the second-most frequently outsourced IT function after software engineering development.
Software Development Outsourcing is Dead?
No way! That would never be true according to these statistics on outsourcing, which show otherwise. Any business can benefit from outsourcing since it allows them to address IT skills shortages and access top capabilities at lower costs - if outsourcing works for competitors, then why wouldn't it work for your own organization as well?
Let's begin our analysis with figures highlighting the value of software outsourcing.
Forecasts that worldwide IT expenditures will hit $3.9 trillion by 2023, and software development expenditure will grow at an anticipated 10.5% compound annual growth rate. Meanwhile, IT outsourcing sales could top $98 billion between 2020-2024, with IT outsourcing poised for increased adoption across industries in coming years.
Businesses of all sizes remain informed on the IT outsourcing industry's most current trends as digital transformation becomes necessary due to innovations and technological possibilities.
Why do Companies Outsource Their Work?
Technavio's report highlights the need to optimize business development processes to drive IT outsourcing in the coming years.
Businesses, from startups to Fortune 100 IT firms, outsource their software development needs to reliable firms to increase operational efficiencies, cut costs, and save time and effort. Here are several reasons that software development outsourcing remains popular.
Want More Information About Our Services? Talk to Our Consultants!
Software Development Outsourcing has Many Advantages
Hiring developers and renting additional space are costly investments for startups, yet essential to building or expanding a software infrastructure. Outsourcing software development work is more cost-effective than maintaining internal teams of software experts.
Outsourcing software development offers many advantages.
Global Talent Pool - Access the Best Global Talent
Your local talent pool might not meet all your software engineering needs; outsourcing allows you to select top software engineers from around the globe without compromising quality. When considering outsourcing work, carefully assess each potential software company's portfolio and customer reviews as they make starting projects instantly simpler than ever.
Concentrate on Your core Business
Managing an independent software development team, building infrastructure, and hiring developers can be difficult unless you specialize in the software development business. The process requires significant amounts of time. Furthermore, using software engineers may make handling additional projects or tasks beyond their scope more complex than necessary.
Outsourcing software development enables your business to focus on its core function - for example, if you operate an ecommerce store and require new software development work - thus freeing you up to grow and attract new customers while leaving all development work up to someone else.
Cost-Effectiveness
Outsourcing software development can also be cost-efficient. Establishing an internal development team involves hiring developers, purchasing hardware and development tools, and incurring overhead expenses; managing and training additional personnel also incur expenses; however, when outsourced to software developers, the upfront costs can be greatly reduced compared to hiring internal development staff directly.
Hire developers in India, Brazil, or Eastern European nations where skilled software outsourcing centers exist. In these locations, you'll find highly trained developers offering their expertise at more competitive costs than in any other region. Furthermore, such countries boast software development firms offering cutting-edge work at reasonable costs.
Time to Market is Reduced
By hiring highly-experienced and skilled developers from top software outsourcing companies, you can hire experienced developers for your project in no time. Their software development expertise ensures projects can be completed on schedule - providing faster turnaround for marketing your product/service!
Micromanagement is not Necessary
As an effective team development manager, you will always need to oversee progress reviews and absenteeism reports and remind employees of their duties. Otherwise, employees could focus more on reporting than actually performing their jobs.
When working with software companies, you typically deal with project managers who oversee all aspects of a project after the budget and project plan approval are in place - you don't need micromanaging!
Easy Scalability
As your project advances, it may require increasing its capacity. Doing this with in-house developers may prove challenging or may take too much time - outsourcing is an ideal way to ensure you can expand and contract as necessary; software development firms usually employ enough staff members with relevant expertise, while freelancers with such specialization may also be used depending on project needs.
Use the Most Recent Technology
Technology changes at an ever-increasing pace, forcing businesses to keep pace. If your company does not specialize in software development, staying abreast of these shifts may prove challenging; outsourcing software development tasks may help alleviate some of this hassle while taking advantage of knowledge from top minds to develop cutting-edge apps and programs.
Outsourcing Software: 5 Things to think About
What are Your Needs?
Before hiring a company to develop software for your organization, ask yourself, "What exactly are you in need of?" A lack of clarity with goals is often the root cause of failed projects - by being clear with business requirements, you can avoid this pitfall and allow clients to better comprehend your project requirements by outlining goals and objectives for development projects.
Find a Good Provider
Once you understand your requirements, the next step should be selecting an experienced software development firm to manage the project. Outsourcing allows you to choose service providers who meet them perfectly; keep these factors in mind when searching for companies offering software development services.
- Experience: Before hiring any development firm, investigate their length of operation and projects they have worked on before hiring them. Your project requires someone with considerable soft skills who can successfully oversee it all from beginning to end.
- Customer Reviews: Customer reviews provide an important window into a company's work. Reputable businesses typically deliver excellent customer service, as shown in customer testimonials.
Budgeting is Important
The budget should always be your first consideration when looking for software developers, and you must not allow cost cuts to compromise the quality of work produced.
Understanding the Culture of your Company
Outsourcing software projects can be challenging due to cultural differences between companies. Every organization has a distinct set of values and cultures; when seeking outsourcing partners for your work, ensure their values match those you hold dear.
Security Policies are Important to Check
Before outsourcing software development services, you must review their security policies. Sharing sensitive client data puts you and your clients at risk from cyber-attacks; before signing contracts or agreeing on organizations as potential service providers, always double-check that none have had previous data breaches or are using secure protocols.
Leverage Software Development Outsourcing for Your Business
Software development outsourcing has greatly expedited digitalization. Pandemics have further contributed to an escalating need for digital transformation: Google Play Store releases over 3500 apps daily on average; App Store releases 800. As a result, many companies and visionary entrepreneurs now outsource their software development requirements for greater agility in managing growth.
Some companies prefer hiring software developers instead of doing product development work themselves to complete projects on time for product release, known as product development outsourcing. Software development outsourcing was perhaps the best-known form of this phenomenon, its total value reached $92.5 billion globally; cloud innovation is becoming a standard across businesses today, with estimates projecting that global IT will reach $98 billion by 2024.
Innovation moves at lightning speed these days; new technology released this year may already be obsolete the following year. Companies must keep pace with the digital revolution and its emotional journey - software development outsourcing provides cost-effective, dynamic, and flexible software development services which help your organization keep pace with digital disruption and remain ahead of the competition.
The Outsourcing of Software Development Models
Outsourcing product development to other companies or individuals around the globe may be possible in certain instances, and depending on which outsourcing model you use will determine whether development takes place onshore, offshore, or nearshore.
Outsourcing offshore
Outsourcing off-the-shore software development refers to when businesses employ third-party service providers to handle the technology operations for products or services created or manufactured outside their country of development or production.
Cost-cutting measures for organizations should make outsourcing the premier choice for project management from a distance, using online communication channels as their main interaction methods and remote project administration services such as this type.
Offshore Outsourcing
Client companies working onshore with software development teams located within their country benefit greatly from onshore outsourcing as communication becomes much simpler without language barriers.
Nearshore Outsourcing
Nearshore outsourcing refers to an outsourcing method in which companies assign software development projects to companies in another country that share similar time zones and geography. Nearshore offers businesses the chance to utilize teams of specialists from each time zone for maximum productivity and efficiency.
Why Outsource Software Development?
Simple and Cost-Effective
Outsourcing can help organizations cut expenses. But cost-cutting doesn't necessarily entail paying less than is appropriate or rushing the work; it just means saving millions or even billions from international pay rate differences; just paying someone $20 an hour instead of $50 would bring significant cost reduction compared with hiring locally, as you are paying your partner according to their average national income (and sometimes higher!).
Businesses can then expand and scale. WhatsApp stands as a good company that has outshone all competitors - outsourcing development work to an Eastern European team was key in its rise to fame and profitability.
Flexible Payments
Outsourcing offers a company many operational benefits and greater flexibility throughout all processes. Organizations benefit greatly from outsourcing as it doesn't obligate them to hire long-term employees and take on long-term projects; benefit providers don't need to provide permanent employee insurance and fund benefits as there is with permanent employees; instead, it may be more beneficial to hire external development team as needs may change more rapidly than internal staff requires. You won't need to increase team sizes as employee counts fluctuate.
Developers no longer need to be located near their employers to find employment; due to advanced technologies allowing remote working arrangements. This global trend has increased employment overseas.
Focused Approach
Outsourcing software development enables organizations to focus on their core competencies. Outsourcing development allows firms to prioritize core products and services. That streamlines processes so that the primary services remain a top priority.
Fasten your Seatbelts
Outsourcing software development services have proven invaluable for businesses, enabling them to achieve results more rapidly and efficiently than they ever could in-house. Why? With employees already highly skilled onboard, companies don't waste any time investing in training them - thus speeding up project completion rates drastically and especially useful for large enterprises with hierarchical structures requiring lengthy approval and decision processes.
What is the Best Way to Strategize Software Development Outsourcing?
Make sure that software outsourcing truly meets the needs of you and your company, taking time and consideration into account before deciding. Outsourcing may work especially well for startups, as hiring in-house teams requires additional time and expense.
Outsourcing software development may be beneficial if you follow these steps:
The First Step is to Have a Clear Objective When Outsourcing
Outsourcing can be an efficient and effective way to complete tasks quickly. Outsourcing can provide funding or accelerate processes; for example, if you need technical team hire within weeks, focus on core competencies, or focus on growing existing ones - clarity will assist in selecting an outsourcing model suitable to your objectives.
The Second Step is to Choose the Outsourcing Model that Best Suits your Business Needs
Consider outsourcing software development to one team or multiple teams. Determine whether you need outsourcing for short- or long-term projects; decide the ideal outsourcing model (offshore team vs. onshore one).
The Third Step is to Set Realistic Expectations for KPIs
KPIs should be agreed on with any partner you outsource to simplify the process and prevent potential conflicts between expectations and reality. Setting realistic KPIs between partners who outsource is paramount to avoid unintended expectations mismatches that could cause tensions within a working relationship.
The Fourth Step is Execute everything you Planned and Keep a Check
Next, it is imperative that all plans be implemented and an ongoing tracking system designed to keep an eye on milestones achieved.
What is the Best Way to Outsource Software Development?
Follow all procedures properly, or your hard work may be wasted, making any technological partnerships unsuccessful. Make sure you follow these guidelines for optimal technical partnerships!
- Regular meetings with your outsourced partner.
- Keep in touch with your outsourced workers.
- Transparency is key to communication.
- Please give honest feedback.
- Organize meetings to discuss progress with your team.
- Outsourced teams are an extension of in-house staff, not aliens.
Congratulations if you have accomplished all these. With your digital transformation partner's assistance, your business is poised to achieve newer heights of growth and development. What Are Your Options When Implementing Software Development Outsourcing Solutions in Your Company?
How to Avoid Risks when Outsourcing Software Development?
Software development outsourcing firms with outstanding credentials provide a full suite of services, from managing an entire software development project and recruiting additional IT staff to act as an autonomous team within your business. Not all firms offer equal value; improper hiring could seriously affect you and your organization.
Here are the essential steps in outsourcing software development and minimizing risk:
1. Choose the Right Software Development Outsourcing Partner
Finding an experienced IT outsourcing firm to meet your needs cannot be stressed enough. They provide businesses with assistance adapting to new developments and market pressures, as well as developing custom software in an agile and efficient manner, offering support throughout all stages of development - conceptualization, designing, testing, and deployment.
Hiring an incompetent outsourcing software company may prove detrimental, so you must work with a renowned firm with proven software development credentials. Be sure to evaluate their abilities through initial consultation, service portfolio review, and customer testimonials before finalizing a deal.
The Importance of Effective Communication
Hiring an offshore outsourcing firm can be complicated due to language barriers and poor communication. That leads to mismatched product expectations, inferior quality products, and both parties becoming dissatisfied with each other's services. Therefore, setting clear communication policies at the beginning of any project to prevent issues with communication from arising later.
Before agreeing, it's essential that they include communication methods and agreed dates/timeframes of communications between each party involved. Hence, everything goes as smoothly as possible.
Experienced outsourcing partners will enable you to avoid language and translation-related obstacles and miscommunication.
Cost Overruns: How to Avoid Them
Cost efficiency is a major factor for many businesses in outsourcing software development. Incompetent firms can cause you to go over budget if they are given your main development tasks. Several other issues would also be difficult to handle. At first, lower hourly rates might seem appealing. Developers may be slow to finish the project or make errors. That will result in a higher total billed time.
Determine a budget that is realistic for your project to avoid cost overruns. Work with an experienced and reputable company to get the most value and prevent going over budget.
Quality Control
Outsourcing software development can also present its own set of unique challenges due to inadequate quality control measures. Untrained or novice developers could make costly errors that are more concerned with price than quality.
Therefore, before entering any agreements, it's vitally important that you conduct sufficient due diligence on both parties involved to avoid these scenarios and become familiar with any testing/quality assurance processes used by each organization in order to guarantee superior quality products or services.
Want More Information About Our Services? Talk to Our Consultants!
Wrapping Up
Businesses without an internal development team may benefit from outsourcing software development. Outsourcing can save not only time but money as well. Searching for the appropriate development company may seem challenging, but dedicating ample research time with clear goals in mind should yield successful results.
Employing remote teams of developers is often the optimal solution for businesses that require regular software development services, and one effective method of finding your ideal developer team is through partner sourcing platforms like Elance-Workforce business Solutions.
Cisin makes hiring Silicon Valley-level developers simple for businesses of any kind. Many Fortune 500 corporations and fast-growing startups use remote developer hiring; now, you can hire pre-vetted software developers in 3-5 working days when joining forces with! Are You Searching For Custom Software Development Solutions That Will Align With Rapid Market Changes? Connect With Us.