Offshore software development is a business process outsourcing method that involves hiring a remote team to develop software for use in a home country
This white paper is designed to assist companies who are looking for Offshore Software Development partners In India in particular or in low cost countries in general. The paper covers the mechanics of finding an offshore software development partner, setting up the relationship and ensuring a successful and long-term partnership.
Some clients outsource their programming needs by getting programmers from India for short or long term projects to work onsite with their own design team. Others send whole or parts of projects directly to India for offshore software development in India.
All of these can be avoided, by choosing the right offshore softwarepartner and working with proper and proven project management processes evolved during the earlier offshore development assignments.
Sometimes the Outsourcing company overlooks these risk factors, thinking that the cost savings is so high that these risks are well covered. But in reality this can be a major trap.
Not all projects are ideal for Offshore Development. Any task involving proprietary knowledge, which can not be safeguarded with agreements, are not suitable for Offshore Development. Very technical and complex tasks can also be bad projects, since the amount of communication needed may be so high that the cost advantage is eaten up by having to explain everything. Very small projects may also be unsuitable, since the time to prepare the specification might be more than the cost advantage.
In the most successful cases, according to our experience the outsourcing company and the software development company builds a strong long-term relationship. Often the outsourcing company sends 1-2 people to visit the offshore company to start a personal relationship with the programmers they are going to work with. This also helps to understand the cultural problems and settings and can therefore help to build much more confidence than is possible to build via email communication.
Starting with a small pilot project might be the best way to start and establish a long term relationship.. Some of our clients have given the same task to different software development companies and then after evaluation selected the best one.
Offshore Software India, The Ideal projects
Not all projects are ideal for Offshore Development. Any task involving proprietary knowledge, which can not be safeguarded with agreements, are not suitable for Offshore Development. Very technical and complex tasks can also be bad projects, since the amount of communication needed may be so high that the cost advantage is eaten up by having to explain everything. Very small projects may also be unsuitable, since the time to prepare the specification might be more than the cost advantage.
How to start a software development relationship
In the most successful cases, according to our experience the outsourcing company and the software development company builds a strong long-term relationship. Often the outsourcing company sends 1-2 people to visit the offshore company to start a personal relationship with the programmers they are going to work with. This also helps to understand the cultural problems and settings and can therefore help to build much more confidence than is possible to build via email communication.
Starting with a small pilot project might be the best way to start and establish a long term relationship.. Some of our clients have given the same task to different software development companies and then after evaluation selected the best one.