When you are working with an outsourcing partner in the software development process, there are many rewards, from cost savings to faster project turnaround to access to niche expertise. At the same time, you may have trouble relinquishing control over your project. How do you maintain oversight without micromanaging outsourced teams?
It is a delicate balance to be sure, but it is certainly possible to manage a development team without over-involving yourself in the process. Here’s your guide to outsourcing software development successfully—and manage your team without micromanaging.
Understanding Different Outsourcing Models
There are several different types of outsourcing you will come across. At BairesDev, the three main models of outsourcing software development are:
- IT Staff Augmentation
- Dedicated Teams
- Outsourced Development Services
There are a number of pros and cons to each model, as well as situations where one is more appropriate than another. In some cases, you might take a even hybrid approach, leveraging several different outsourcing models. Let’s take a look at what each one involves and when you should use it.
IT Staff Augmentation
In the IT staff augmentation model, software developers and tech professionals from the outsourced development team join the business’ in-house team to complete the project. It is a highly scalable model—one of its chief benefits—offering flexibility and the skill sets you need when you need them.
When you choose the staff augmentation model, it is important to ensure a cultural and organizational fit with your outside team to avoid clashes with your in-house team. The outsourced team members will join your in-house team, and all professionals need to be able to work alongside one another toward their common goals.
Forcepoint partnered with BairesDev and used its staff augmentation model to support its operations. We found Drupal, PHP, frontend, and manual QA engineers to join the company’s in-house team to help them meet their high-quality standards.
In another model, in search of experienced professionals, ConsumerAffairs also turned to staff augmentation through BairesDev. They needed help with their frontend UX/UI, and quality assurance (QA) areas, and we brought in senior talent to work on maintenance development, infrastructure, site, and side applications related to its website and brand’s app. In both instances, these organizations were able to further their goals thanks to the assistance of an IT outsourcing partner.
Dedicated Teams
In the dedicated team model, autonomous expert teams, usually composed of a PM, software engineers, QA engineers, and other roles as needed for the project are managed by a Scrum Master and the client’s in-house product owner. While the team will work autonomously, they will continue to communicate with the business and provide frequent status updates to ensure that you always know what is happening with your project.
The dedicated team uses Agile methodologies, meaning your feedback always plays an important role in shaping the ultimate product. In many ways, this approach is a best-of-both-worlds model: your outsourced team will complete the project independently according to your requirements and specifications, but you will retain oversight over the project’s progress and end results.
This is somewhat less flexible than the staff augmentation model since you already have a ready-built team, however. It is best for situations where you need a project carried out without your skills and in-house talent—or you lack a dev team altogether—so you can focus on your core business.
Let’s take a look at what this looks like in real life: SiriusXM’s needed a fully functioning team to help them extend their programming from satellite broadcast to online and mobile platforms, while also extending its offerings. The team BairesDev put together employed a design-thinking approach, allowing them to build a successful large-scale project.
Outsourced Development Services
Businesses with clearly-defined project requirements and goals can turn to outsourced development services, which bring their specialized skills and a high degree of experience to their partner organizations, acting as a unit with all the qualifications needed to bring a project to fruition—from software engineering to UX design to cybersecurity and beyond.
This model is ideal for teams with smaller teams that need help achieving their objectives and lack the necessary in-house talent to do so. It is a long-term solution that allows businesses to scale their services and deliver reliable, custom software to meet their unique needs.
BairesDev’s team partnered with Univision to develop several different products, including a Sports Metadata Service with Spring Boot in compliance with the SportsMl open standard. We have also worked on the Univision News mobile application, the updated news portal for the US Hispanic community, helping streamline and improve the user experience (UX)
Choosing the Right Outsourcing Software Development Partner
How do businesses choose the right outsourced development partner to work with their in-house teams to complete their projects successfully? This is important because you want to choose a partner that is reliable, competent, and fully equipped to handle your requirements. These are the steps you should take to choose the right partner.
#1 Assess Technical Expertise
When you are considering an outsourcing partner, first, it is critical to assess the skills and technical expertise of the software development team. This is important for the entire development process.
To assess the technical expertise of the outsourcing provider, you should conduct interviews, review portfolios, and request case studies to see examples of their work in action. Bear in mind that at BairesDev, we conduct a rigorous evaluation process to find the right fit for you and ensure that we hire only the top 1% of tech talent.
#2 Evaluate Communication Skills
In any business environment, effective communication is critical for conducting business smoothly and effectively. In order to evaluate your partner’s communication practices, ask about factors such as:
- Frequency of communication
- Communication channels
- Preferred modes of communication
It is best to have a conversation upfront about these methods so you’re all on the same page early on.
#3 Checking Reputation and References
Your prospective software development outsourcing partner should have a strong reputation and demonstrated expertise in your niche and sector—not just in software development overall. To evaluate your partner’s reputation, you should check online reviews via resources like Clutch.co, request references from the vendor, and ask for previous clients’ details so you can discuss the vendor with them.
Establishing Clear Expectations
It is important to set clear expectations with the development team from the get-go. This establishes standards early on in the process. Let’s break this down a bit further.
#4 Defining Project Scope and Requirements
The project scope is the boundaries of the project, including the timeline and requirements, as well as the specifications. Documentation is important as well, as are user stories and wireframes. This is a critical step because you need to have a plan and requirements to follow during the course of your project.
#5 Setting Milestones and Deadlines
A strong outsourcing relationship includes establishing realistic milestones, goals, and deadlines. As part of this process, you should plan for and schedule different project phrases and benchmarks, which serve as checkpoints to ensure that the project is progressing as planned.
#6 Agreeing on Communication Protocols
Of course, effective communication protocols and channels are critical for achieving your goals within your partnership. The steps include setting up regular meetings, defining your preferred channels of communication, and setting response time expectations, keeping everyone informed and on the same page.
Managing the Outsourced Development Team
Managing your outsourced development team requires a variety of communication, collaboration, and project management tools and platforms. It also means exercising control without micromanaging. Specifically, here are some key steps you should take to solidify your management practices.
#7 Monitoring Progress and Performance
Throughout the project, you will need to continue to monitor your progress and the team’s performance. This is important for ensuring that everything stays on track. You don’t want to learn that problems have been occurring without you even realizing it. You should also stay on top of your team’s performance, both on an individual level and with regard to the overall team.
Monitoring progress and performance requires the use of project management tools and platforms. For example, there are plenty of simple tools like kanban boards, which allow you to visualize your progress for each task, as well as who is responsible for individual parts of the project. In addition to leveraging these tools, you should conduct regular status updates, holding meetings and checkins to know where you are at every turn.
#8 Providing Feedback and Support
Managing outsourced teams isn’t just about addressing problems when they occur. It also depends on offering timely and meaningful feedback and support to the outsourced team along with your in-house team.
You should be proactive about delivering feedback to every team member. This includes both positive comments and constructive criticism—this is how professionals learn and grow. It is also how you will create stronger team connections and bonds and complete your project successful. In addition to providing feedback, you should make yourself fully available for support. Make it clear that you have an open-door policy and welcome questions and concerns.
By establishing a culture of open feedback and support, you will encourage this behavior in others as well. The purpose of this is to strengthen your team and make everyone feel supported and like they can be open with one another, as well as with their leader or manager.
#9 Ensuring Quality and Security
Last but not least, when you’re managing outsourced teams and outsourced projects, you should always have high expectations, including quality and security standards in place. You already know that cybersecurity and quality assurance are absolutely essential. But how do you actually put these standards into practice?
One of the most important parts is to establish quality assurance (QA) processes. Outsourcing software development can include QA engineers supplied by your partner’s team, or they may come from your internal team. In either case, they should be closely involved in the process and conduct numerous tests, partnering with the developers and other professionals to achieve the best possible results and ensure that the end product is as defect-free and secure as possible.
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out some more outsourcing articles.
- Nearshore vs Offshore Outsourcing: Which One Suits Your Business?
- Leveraging the Hybrid Outsourcing Model for Maximum Software Development Benefits
- Identifying and Mitigating Risks in Software Outsourcing Projects
- Pitfalls of Outsourcing Software Developers (and How to Avoid Them)
FAQ
What are some common challenges when working with outsourced software development teams?
There are some common challenges you may encounter when working with outsourcing companies For example, communication barriers can get in the way of project progress, as can time zone differences and cultural differences. In order to overcome these obstacles, teams should establish channels of communication upfront and determine how and when you will connect. You should also ensure that everyone speaks the same language.
How can I maintain control over my outsourced software development project?
In order to maintain control over your outsourced software development project, you should set clear expectations, monitor progress, and provide frequent feedback. It is also important to balance maintaining control without micromanaging team members on your own team or the outsourced team.
How do I ensure effective collaboration between my in-house team and the outsourced team?
Effective collaboration between your in-house team and the outsourced team depends on a variety of methods and platforms, such as using collaboration tools, setting joint goals, and fostering a team-oriented mindset and a culture of collaboration.
