DO’s And DON’Ts when Contracting Software Developers From Overseas

DO’s:

• Find the right software development company: You should ensure that the company has relevant experience, technological stack and is of the right size. Hire someone who views your company as an important customer – not as a side project.

• Realize that remote software development is a process and not an event. This means that you must be prepared for a long term relationship with the outsourcing team and plan for maintenance services once the software is developed.

• Cut costs by finding the appropriate balance between the project complexity, team size and skill level of developers. When properly executed, remote software development can deliver significant savings.

• Make sure you have a person in charge on your side, as well as a Project Manager in your remote team. Working directly with developers is not the best option unless you are an IT professional. Technical people find it difficult to view a project from a business perspective.

• Consider all legal aspects of outsourcing and ensure you retain the right to make all business judgments. NDA and contract are the basics.

• Take advantage of free online services to manage a dedicated software development team.

• Dedicate some time to giving and receiving feedback. Establish effective communication. Short weekly status calls are a good rule, and following up daily will serve you even better.

DON’Ts:

• Never outsource your core business competencies. Remote software development is about offering support, not handing over your business to another company.

• Enter a contract that you cannot get out of. You must ensure that the contract has mutual termination clauses so that you can walk away if the work does not meet your stipulated standards or expectations.

• Make it cheap. There is a HUGE difference between cutting costs and making it cheap. Not all custom software development is cheap, and when it’s cheap, you’ll have to pay anyway, the least cost being investing your time.

• Risk losing your intellectual property. Make sure that you have all the source codes, access codes, and passwords that you need for the software. An in-house IT technician should verify this, especially if management is non-technical.

• Expect remote workers to function completely on their own. Don’t wait too long for the end results. Keep close communication. Set milestones

Remote custom software development is beneficial and cost-effective when your approach is smart. Is your story of a success or a failure?