Pitfalls to Avoid When Outsourcing Software Development

If there is anything businesses are doing is leveraging technological advancements to their advantage, and one of the ways they are doing so is by outsourcing software developments.

Outsourcing Software Development: What is it?

Software development outsourcing is a practice whereby a company allows a third-party company to handle their software development projects. It has a proven success track record, further enhancing its popularity.

If you are new to this, it is normal to have some concerns. For this reason, we have prepared an insightful piece on the pitfalls to avoid when outsourcing software development. 

Let us delve into specifics.

Pitfalls to Avoid

• Communication Barriers

As much as it provides a company the ability to employ diverse skillsets, offshore outsourcing might mean dealing with a company in a different time-zone. If not addressed, this might cause hiccups in your company’s software development project. Missed video calls and delayed responses are some of the problems to expect.

So, how do you address such issues?

To minimize time-zone problems, both parties should communicate about the time-differences before the commencement of the project. Create a schedule for video calls and other modes of communication to ensure you both respect each other’s boundaries. Additionally, make use of instant messaging apps to facilitate easier communication.

• Misaligned goals

No matter how scalable and efficient an application is, it is useless if it does not align with the company’s goals. A good consumer reception is vital. However, the software needs to be in place with all other products.

One of the main reasons for misaligned goals is when a company fails to clearly communicate its aspirations for the project. Without establishing the right business objectives, the developers have a difficult time coding, dooming the project to fail from the start.

The trick here is to have the bigger picture at the back of your mind before the commencement of the project. Communicate that to the developers and make sure you are both seeing eye-to-eye. Also, do not deviate from the ultimate goal due to a shiny new trend in software development unless it is in line with the scope of the project.

• Poor Coding Quality 

You are outsourcing your company’s software development projects; most probably, nearshore outsourcing. As such, having little information on how the software developer company codes are not uncommon.

The coding process should be clear and easy to maintain. A not-so-experienced developer company may have a few shortcomings in the coding process that may cause difficulties in the implementation process. Considering that you are outsourcing from a different country, verifying the firm’s credibility and expertise may be challenging.

To get the quality you deserve, be sure to ask key questions such as if they conduct unit testing, among other things. 

Conclusion

Software development outsourcing has a host of benefits. As much as businesses can leverage the myriad of perks it brings, the whole process can quickly go south. However, with the solutions given above, you can easily avoid pitfalls that hinder the success of your software development.