Offshore software development has, over the years, become an extremely sought-after practice that allows businesses to focus more on their core business strategy, instead of worrying about managing the complex and time-consuming process of software development. With benefits ranging from reduced costs, shared responsibility, access to modern tools, technology and resources, and reduced administration, there is no reason why you should not consider offshoring your software development. Offshore partners not just provide outsourcing services but also deliver innovation without introducing any increased risk. They let you access their resources and tools to improve and expand your business; therefore, there is certainly a value in the expertise that such partners can bring to your business.
The Importance of Choosing the Right Offshore Team
When you decide to offshore your software development, its important you carefully evaluate and assess the capabilities, expertise, and support model of the offshore team. The many benefits you can achieve from offshoring can go the wrong way, if you do not make the right choice, and may lead to several risks including:
Characteristics of Effective Offshore Software Development Teams
Offshoring your software development to an experienced partner can enable you to focus on your core strategy, and help you realize the benefits you deserve. Having said that, there are certain attributes or characteristics that these partners need to possess, which can lead to successful development and growth of your business and eliminate the risks associated with the challenges listed above. Here are five traits of successful offshore software development teams, that you should look for, when choosing a partner:
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Collaborative
Effective offshore development teams need to be extremely collaborative in order to work efficiently with remote teams. They must have access to the right tools and technologies so that there is no delay in their work schedule or task delivery. The should have the drive to complete tasks in time, without needing to be supervised 24×7. A collaborate approach to ideas and deliverables is critical for successful offshore software development, especially when teams are geographically dispersed across the globe.
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Flexible
In order to be valued as a top-level partner, offshore software development teams must possess a wide-ranging skillet, with a drive to continuously update their knowledge on upcoming technologies. They must have the capability and the outlook to embrace innovative technologies to build next generation applications, and meet the growing needs of the modern user. In addition, they must have a strong grip over project management standards and best practices and have the aptitude to adapt to any project management framework, depending on the project requirements.
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Communicative
A major concern many businesses have with respect to an offshore team is their inability to communicate well – either due to a language or cultural barrier or due to a difference in time zone. The offshore partner you choose should be able to seamlessly communicate in the language of your business, and have a clear understanding of your business culture. Effective communication facilitates the flow of ideas amongst team members, that in turn builds a strong team culture, and enables both parties to understand each other better.
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Accountable
Lack of accountability is often a major reason why offshore projects nose-dive. No matter where the offshore development teams are located, it is imperative that they are completely transparent and honest about the work they do, and provide periodic insights into their operations. They should always be honest and effective with commitments and it is this transparency that helps develop trust, and enables offshore teams to stay focused on being productive, and meeting deadlines within time and budget.
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Governing
Very often, software companies come up with product ideas that need to be protected as intellectual property. If you are one such company, and you intend to invest in an offshore team at an early stage of product development, it is imperative you choose a partner who has an understanding of confidentiality agreements and is in a position to abide by them. Such agreements will not only ensure code safety, but also guarantee that the software development project is legally protected from being disclosed to third parties.
The Right Partner for the Right Outcome
With increase in the demand for software products by businesses across the globe, the software development industry is flourishing at supersonic speed, and offshore development is leading the race. More and more businesses are now looking to exploit the skills and capabilities of offshore development partners to transform their business and become more competitive. In the entire process of software development, it has been seen that when development is taken care of by skilled offshore development teams, quality of the developed software is much higher, costs are kept under control, deadlines are easily met, and risk management is easier to handle; in fact, long-term partnership with the right provider can yield tremendous profits. So, find the right partner, get access to the best skills and tools, drive better innovation and quality, and achieve the right outcome from your software development efforts.