6 Best Practices for Successful Offshore Development

6 Best Practices for Successful Offshore Development

Offshore development can be very different from how you work with a local vendor. Due to operating in different time zones, there is a popular notion that if you want to get issues resolved, it is going to take a lot of time and follow-ups. But, this might not be the case. There are instances where the issues do not get resolved even if the concerned persons handling the project are available in the same office.

The importance of offshore software product development has been realised by many companies as a boon that they can very tactfully use to their advantage. If you are new to offshore development, you might find yourself being a bit concerned but the trick is to identify the challenges and risks of offshore software development and try to resolve them with some foolproof practises.

Both onsite and offshore development is quite similar to one another. They have the same goals. The only difference is in the work environments. If you ask us why you should choose offshore development over onsite, we can give you a few reasons:

• Offshore development teams hold high standards of expertise and thus ensure reliability. You can be convinced of receiving good quality.
• Offshore teams already have a completely functional infrastructure. You do not have to invest time and money during the start of your project.
• Offshore teams will be a lot more skilled and experienced when compared to your internal resources.
• Most importantly, your offshore team offers services that include overlapping hours. Any issues can be quickly resolved within the necessary timeframe.
• Offshore software development services are a lot more cost-effective than maintaining an in-house IT team.
• Offshore teams have the latest technology and market knowledge that they acquire as opposed to your internal team who will need regular training which is quite expensive.

If you opt for offshore product development activities, carried out by a software outsourcing company, you get access to a massive pool of skilled talent who can deliver the right product based on your expectations. Make sure to

1. Highly Skilled Teams:   Put together a team of highly talented offshore developers. Even if the team is small, it will be a lot more efficient than a large team with mediocre developers. Once the offshore team grows in size, you can consider splitting it. Each team can have a team lead to provide the necessary accountability, and clarity needed in the development process.
2. Frequently Communicate: To ensure that all proceedings of the project are conveyed effectively, proper communication is essential. Ideally, the onshore team lead has to communicate with all developers from the offshore team, on a daily basis. As you continue to work with the offshore team, you can devise an efficient communication plan to build a strong relationship via social and collaborative activities.
3. Account for Time Zone: While you choose your offshore team, make sure a few working hours overlap. It is okay even if the time zones are starkly apart. As long as there are a few hours every day when the team can coordinate and communicate with you, the distance and time difference doesn’t matter. Use these overlapping hours to resolve issues, plan the next steps and take decisions.
4. BOT(Build-Operate-Transfer) Model to Employ: A BOT model liberates you from all development work that will be handled by your offshore team. Instead of worrying about software, you can instead focus on developing your business. You can effectively reduce costs without having to worry too much about building a team or infrastructure during the initial stage. As and when your product matures, you can transfer your team to your own company.
5. Expectation Clarification: Sometimes what we expect and what we receive in a project are poles apart and it is a very common occurrence. What you perceive as good quality might not necessarily be the same for your offshore partner. To avoid gaps in understanding expectations, document every single detail to ensure clarity on expectations, speed of delivery, ownership and quality. Punch in values instead of excessive text to ensure that the expectations are well-understood.
6. Always Stay in Loop: Working with an offshore Software Development Company development team is an ongoing process. You don’t just select a partner and then forget about them. While it is very convenient if the offshore partner can work independently, you do not stop getting updates and providing feedback. This habit ensures that the project is well on the way to completion according to decided timelines. All issues can be resolved and the team can work in tandem with your company to fulfil all your business requirements.

Nurture a relationship with your offshore team. They work with you to fulfil your project goals and accommodate your changes and suggestions in order to provide the best product or service that can amplify the growth of your business. Acknowledge their hard work and talents in order to make them feel encouraged and motivated to work for you. If you are unpleasant to them, it will reflect on their work. Spend some time with them on calls every week to understand the progress and where they would need your assistance and hold them accountable for any glitches and roadblocks. As and when you achieve major milestones in a collaborated fashion, you maximize engagement and ensure a successful offshore software development relationship. At RSK-BSL, our primary goal is to deliver the best offshore software product development services. Take a look at how we can add value to your business here.