Over the last few decades, software development outsourcing has experienced tremendous growth. Around 64% of all companies now outsource their entire development process! In this article, we’ll introduce some Guide To Outsourcing Software Development.

What Is Outsourcing Software Development?

In this type of outsourcing, a company hires a third-party service provider to handle their software development projects.

These projects can range from developing custom software used by your company or developing commercial software for your customers.

By outsourcing software development services, your internal IT team can focus on core competencies such as growth and innovation.

3 Most Common Software Outsourcing Models

You can use different models to outsource the development, maintenance, and testing of your software to suit your needs.

Here are three models you can use to manage your team:

1. Project-Based

This model consists of outsourcing end-to-end management of the entire software project. You can hand over project requirements to the outsourced team, and the team works on the project from start to finish.

Before the project begins, both you and the outsourced team fix the price and deadline of the project.

2. Dedicated Team

This model consists of hiring a team of skilled experts from a third-party vendor. These software development professionals work together and act as an extension of your core team.

The dedicated team can consist of a wide variety of skilled professionals like software engineers, designers, UX specialists. They ensure that your product development processes are running smoothly and effectively.

Managing a dedicated team is similar to managing a remote team. You can hire a specialist as a project manager who communicates with your outsourced team and reports to you.

3. Staff Augmentation

In this model, the third-party vendor builds the software development team, but you’re responsible for the core processes.

You, as the client, manage the software development projects and all their individual tasks. You are also responsible for the distribution of responsibilities within the outsourced team.

Meanwhile, the developer is responsible for the team’s productivity. They also manage concerns related to workers, such as vacations and compensations.

3 Key Software Development Outsourcing Tips

Here a few things you should keep in mind when outsourcing your software development processes:

1. Choose A Service Provider Wisely

The quality of your software greatly depends on the quality of your outsourcing service provider. A high-quality software development company can create great software that boosts your company’s productivity. However, hiring a vendor with a bad reputation may derail your operations. When looking for service providers, reading their reviews and testimonials isn’t always enough. You need to look at some of their previous projects.

Their work is an indication of their quality and skills. It also showcases their technical capabilities.

Keep an eye on these features:

• User Experience – How easy it is to navigate it and engage with content.
• Design – How aesthetically well-crafted the software is.
• Mobile Functionality – How well the tool works on mobile devices.
• Software Load Timings – How quickly the tool loads.

2. Start With A Test Project

Before hiring a software company, you need to be sure about their capabilities. Start by asking their team to work on a trial project. Their performance on this project can help you decide whether you want to continue working with them.

Here are a few things you can learn about your outsourcing partner through this test project:

• Communication Skills: Does your outsourced team ask important questions? Are they able to follow instructions effectively?
• Trustworthiness: Is your outsourced team open and honest about their processes? Are they able to deliver on their promises?
• Time Management: Does your outsourcing partner create internal deadlines of their own? Are they able to submit their work on time?
• Conducting a test project may require some investment in time and resources. However, it ensures that you don’t face any significant problems in the future.

Whether you are a small business owner or a CTO, outsourcing is one of the easiest ways to save money and speed up your software development process. By outsourcing software development, you’ll have no difficulty leveraging a talented workforce to boost the growth rate of your business!