For many people, the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about software development is an offshore software development company. Why? This is because outsourcing has become a trend for many years now, and there are more software development companies offering development services all over the world.
Knowing the benefits of offshoring is only the first step. You would then have to determine the factors to consider when choosing an offshore vendor. However, with so many development companies to choose from across the globe, choosing the best to partner with could sometimes be overwhelming.
Choosing the Right Offshore Software Development Company
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- Referrals, Reviews, and Recommendations
Just like making a purchase, it’s important to determine if the product is good. To do this, there are reviews to read, referrals from reliable sources, and recommendations. Furthermore, you must also be diligent in your search. Talk to colleagues and friends, and ask for referrals and recommendations.
You should also try to review the portfolio of the offshore service provider. By doing this, you will be able to determine the experience and capabilities of the team and see the quality of their finished products.
- Development Methodology
When it comes to software development, there are different approaches and methodologies to use. The Waterfall method traditionally has been widely applied. Nevertheless, Agile methodologies have proven to be the most effective. It allows adjusting iterative development and strategies and a thorough focus on the end-user.
Your choice of a preferred offshore service provider should be informed by the development approach they are using and if it suits your project.
- Experience with Similar Projects
For most, time is one of the best ways to determine the expertise and experience of an offshore service provider. However, this isn’t always the case. Even those who have been around for years often use inexperienced developers to save on costs.
To evaluate the true experience of your prospective offshore software development partner, you should identify whether it has in-depth knowledge of standards, technologies, and regulations that surround your specific industry. Companies with prior experience in handling similar projects are the only ones who truly understand your objectives. Furthermore, you can be certain that they ensure proper techniques are adhered to meet all regulatory standards.
- Technology Expertise
Project success depends on the proficiency of the offshore developer in the coding language used. An offshore development company offering a wide range of technologies ensures that there is a development team capable of handling the demands of the programming language of your choice.
Look for an offshore software developer with qualified personnel who could manage several release cycles as well as expertise in the conceptualization, design, documentation, and modernization of your product all throughout the software development lifecycle.
- Communication Channels
A major concern for companies seeking offshore software developers is communication, particularly when partnering with service providers from another country. There are culture and language barriers to deal with as well as the time difference. Lack of communication could lead to misunderstandings regarding the requirements and could ruin the relationship.
Both should have communication channels that are effective. You and your offshore partner need to discuss, share, and clarify ideas throughout the development process. ideas. Seamless communication means setting priorities and making adjustments easily and managing the software development teams better. Moreover, the service provider should designate a one-person point of contact to avoid miscommunication that could lead to delays.
- Company Size
While most often overlook the size of the company, it’s one of the best indicators to judge the ability of the offshore service provider to carry out a project. With a small company, you can be sure of full attention and focus on your project as well as easier management of the development team. Nevertheless, it could also mean working with limited resources, such as staff, technologies, and tools.
Big companies may have advanced resources and technology, but your project may not be given top priority or assigned to top talents. This holds true for smaller projects. Based on your project and the goals you want to achieve, you can make the choice between going for a big company or a smaller one.
- Flexibility
Projects could get complex and handling them effectively means flexibility when it comes to software development. Thus, it’s important to look for a service provider that could be flexible enough to adjust based on the project requirements. Another factor is the development methodology. Agile methodologies make room for flexibility all throughout the software development process.
- Pricing
Be careful of offshore vendors offering very attractive prices. Bear in mind that a lesser cost could also mean poorer product quality. The ideal offshore software development partner is one that offers competitive rates.
While the objective would be to keep the costs low, price should never be the main determinant of your choice of a service provider. Don’t forget, quality always comes first. Furthermore, you may be able to save on costs now, but you would have to pay a bigger price later on.
- Management of the Project
When you decide to go offshore, you should choose a vendor with robust project management capabilities to partner with. The ideal partner should have a kind of project management that enables you to meet the goals you have in mind.
Effective management also means that the project will always have a point of contact who is aware of your business requirements, eliminating all concerns when it comes to project monitoring and communication.
- Tools Used
It’s important to ask about the tools that the service provider will use for tracking bugs and source control. This is part of assessing the quality assurance frameworks of the offshore vendor. The service provider should use the most effective tools to keep track, log, and fix bugs discovered during the development process.
Conclusion
Choosing the right offshore software development provider, regardless of a short-term or long-term project, could be quite confusing, given the number of available options. Nevertheless, you could ease the process by determining what to look for in an offshore partner.
