Offshore Software Development: Understanding the Nuances

Software development is constantly changing, and it is necessary to keep up with that. What’s relevant now can be obsolete in the very next year, or even month. As a business owner, it could be tough to do so, hence, you need to find an agency that can deliver your requirements according to the latest tech trends. 

Or, you can always hire software developers from an offshore development company that can serve this purpose. In this approach, you may choose a vendor that is situated in a distant location, and assign them your project. It’s entirely up to you, you can choose any of those options, both are great (depending on the situation). Different IT services can be offshored, such as web and UI/UX design, web development, mobile application development, and even QA/ testing. Most offshore software development companies use the latest technologies like cloud computing, edge computing, ML, AI, and Blockchain for handling projects.

As good as it sounds, choosing the right offshore development company can be difficult. To make things a little easier, this article will discuss the advantages, and how to get the best experience.

Statistics about offshoring 

Source: Uplers

India and China are the major destinations for offshore software development, as they have numerous engineering and science graduates, and they are readily available. India is more preferred because of the emphasis on English, which promotes an ideal business environment. The operational costs are lower, which contributes to financial attractiveness. 

Advantages of offshore software development

But how exactly do offshore web development companies benefit brands? Here are the facts:

1. Cost Reduction

One of the main reasons for business owners to go with offshore development companies is to reduce expenditure. An in-house team of developers may require more cost, in terms of equipment, salary, setup, and a lot more. In offshore development, you don’t have to make any commitment, and you pay based on the scope of your project. 

2. Recruit worldwide

Offshore companies can help you to connect with seasoned developers across the world. In this method, you can ensure that your project is in capable hands, wherever they are. 

3. Innovative solutions and quality

Depending entirely on your brand’s requirements, you can hire the best of highly qualified professionals to maintain the highest software development standards. You can get a team of highly skilled developers, who are updated about the latest developments in the field. But that’s not it, you will also get innovative solutions that can enhance the projects’ quality to an extent.  

4. Time Zone Differences = More time on projects

For companies that work across continents, there might be overlapping time schedules to work with clients; therefore, you may have the chance to overcome issues and ask for updates during and after business hours. 

5. Uninterrupted Focus
   When your business isn’t IT per se, you may be a total newbie in dealing with an IT department that’s working at a far away place, which can get overwhelming. Therefore, you need your IT department to take care of all the recent updates from the development process, while you can put your mind where it is required. 

How to pick the right team? 

You will find numerous offshore development companies, each with some unique deliverables. To understand which one is the right fit, you have to thoroughly evaluate the companies based on these factors:  

Location 

As seen in the statistics, India and China are the top competitors in this market because of the favorable conditions. Several countries in Central Europe can also be an ideal fit, depending on your project requirements and choice. 

Flexibility 

Flexibility means flexibility in pricing, project contracts, customization of features, and project completion timelines. What you should look for is agile development, developers should be able to change the project’s scope, as per the changing business need. Flexible pricing is the main key to cost-effectiveness, so rigidness by any party is a minus in these situations.      

Skills and knowledge 

Your business has some unique requirements, and those need particular competencies. If you are looking for such companies, check if the development team’s capacities actually align with project requirements. You must know the skills and knowledge of everyone in the development team, and check if they are updated with the latest trends.    

Security policies 

Offshoring is an internal business deal, so both parties should comply with international security policies, data protection, and follow a business continuity plan. The vendor should follow through with contractual agreements, and maintain intellectual property rights. 

But this does not end here, you need to be clear about your project requirements. For example, you must know the project’s main goal, what benefits or ROI are you hoping to get out of it, software type, etc. Also, you need to mention the technology stack you want for your project, and why you want it. This will only happen if you have some knowledge of technology, and it is necessary to accumulate that knowledge so that you are not dissuaded by them. Yes, they are the experts, but in some cases, they might provide the wrong suggestion.   

How to work with an offshore software development team? 

The task does not end with just hiring an offshore development company, you need to communicate and manage the team. At first, you need to clearly state goals, after choosing the right partner. Then you need to choose the model of work, dedicated approach, time and material, pricing model, etc. It is necessary to understand the pros and cons, and then decide accordingly. The next step is to decide on communication tools, Skype, Slack, Jira, Figma, or Zoom are some options you can choose to work and communicate with the team. Throughout the course of the project, you should provide feedback to help developers work on the project. In short, you need to work with the team as partners to get your project.        

Conclusion 

Offshoring is an option when you do not have enough talent and resources in your locality, and you need customized software applications for your business. The world is a huge place, and you can get talented developers from this wide pool. These developers use the latest technologies to create these solutions for you. It can cut down costs, while developing quality projects, and minimize the risk. 

While picking the team, you need to evaluate the company, location, previous projects, and technology stack. Different companies provide solutions that may vary, you need to check if these solutions match your requirements. You have to work with the vendor by communicating and providing feedback to developers, to experience a smooth project delivery.  

Here are some of our recommendations that are worth checking out:

CodeClouds’ globally recognized team provides a plethora of services, perfect for businesses seeking to hire offshore developers. If you are looking for dedicated developers who can deliver complete development solutions, at affordable prices, then this is your best bet.

Fingent can also help by providing innovative, target-driven services for all your technology needs that can deliver an impact. Their development team specializes in custom software development, advanced technology, compliance and safety services, specially created for businesses looking to hire a one-stop-shop agency for complete branding solutions.