Nearshore outsourcing software development projects differ, but successful ones share a common trait: carefully devised management strategies.
Proper management optimizes resource allocation, and efficiency increases productivity and reduces time to market. Cost reduction is the top reason why organizations outsource.
As a decision-making stakeholder, you must choose an outsourcing model you can manage easily. A dedicated or extended team model offers the best control over outsourced developers, and you're always aware of their actions.
Check out how Nearshore as a Service Platform is radically giving U.S. companies total control over how they build, manage and pay their remote staff across LATAM while accessing 80 million technical profiles with unbeatable Fintech Payments as an added component to take out the middleman from the equation - vastly reducing traditional vendor costs.
It requires much more than simply developing software to manage outsourcing software development.
It is essential to consider critical factors for a successful dedicated team, which we will discuss in this article. This can be done by following these tips to get the most out of your outsourcing relationship.
Here we go!
Here are five tried-and-true tips for managing your outsourced teams.
Over the last five years, Framework Science has built successful relationships with more than 30 clients.
As a result of our experience, we know how to manage outsourced software and development teams successfully. Appropriate management is essential for outsourcing development teams. Here are a few dos and don'ts:
Ensure that your plans are communicated regularly and well.
An essential tool a Technical Stakeholder utilizing a Nearshore Software Outsourcing vendor is the ability to communicate clearly and persuasively.
Often, remote team members are not allowed to see the big picture (rather than focus on individual tasks and short-term goals). Provide adequate context, just as you would for your employees. Nearshore LATAM Outsourcing teams will understand your project needs and expectations for the relationship.
The following information is crucial to share:
- Describe the scope and goals of the project
- Describe any related long-term projects
- Key performance indicators (KPIs)
- Your short-, medium-, and long-term business goals
For everyone to be on the same page, regular and frequent communication is essential. In all communication channels, meetings, and standups with your in-house team.
Give a detailed explanation of your workflows and best practices.
To facilitate effective communication, the dedicated team must be introduced to all internal resources and workflows that they will need, including
- The technology stack
- Tools and processes for programming
- Environment post-production,
- Programming best practices
- Describe the design patterns your teams use
- internally to document and self-learn
Whenever you explain your software development process, it is best to overexplain.
The work styles of your in-house and remote teams may differ if your outsourced engineers are from a neighboring country like Mexico.
Share knowledge and facilitate collaboration.
The ability to collaborate is one of the significant benefits of outsourcing. Working with in-house and remote teams can help you deliver high-quality solutions more quickly and at a lower cost.
Creating a culture of collaboration among developers can be achieved in several ways:
- Host events for the entire team and individual developers
- Knowledge-disseminating sessions
- XP Extreme programming
- Peer evaluations
- Frequent developer meetings
- Frequent feedback loops
It is also important to establish a repository or communication channel where internal and external teams can access educational materials.
Utilize the support structures provided by outsourcing partners.
Outsourcing software development companies may offer support services to help their clients maximize their business growth through outsourcing.
For instance, at Framework Science, you are assigned a personal account manager available to answer any questions, address any concerns, facilitate communication, and track feedback. In addition, we give all our clients access to the industry's first Remote Dev Team Management System for absolute proactive Governance [ Total Transparency and Accountability].
For a mutually beneficial, long-term relationship, you should use the vendor's similar services if they are offered.
Manage remote developers as part of your internal team.
It is far more likely that dedicated team members will become personally invested in your business success and assist you in achieving your strategic goals when they feel welcomed and cherished.
A sense of belonging is vital in companies with large numbers of remote workers, which can sometimes feel impersonal. A central communication and delivery platform like Teamstation.dev will help you avoid this by promoting collaboration, continuous communication, and an inclusive environment.
Finding the Right Outsourcing Partner
Selecting the right partner means you do not have to manage Nearshore outsourced software development teams alone.
These tips will help you find a vendor you can depend on if you're in this stage of your outsourcing journey:
Determine which outsourcing model is suitable for you.
Offshoring is often one of the most affordable options for companies in Western Europe and North America; onshoring is the most expensive, and nearshoring lies somewhere in between [Except it offers the most ROI by comparison]. Offshoring works best for more straightforward projects that don't need much oversight. Onshoring and nearshoring are ideal for complex, long-term projects that require close cooperation with your internal teams.
Establish a shortlist of vendors eligible for your project.
You can narrow your choices using LinkedIn and Glassdoor to find 5-10 options that seem to be a good fit based on your professional network. Check for experience in a related field, case studies or success stories, awards and certifications, and ratings from clients and employees.
Conduct interviews with technically and culturally aligned candidates.
Among the most important questions to ask include whether the company has worked on similar software projects in the past and whether they can (and are willing to) customize their services to fit your business needs. Furthermore, you want to ensure that the development team you hire is proficient in the field. Pay attention to the payment structure and total transparency on engineering salaries vendors pay compared to billing costs.
Choose the best fit and build lasting symbiotic relationships.
When you are ready, choose a partner who can offer you technical expertise and cultural fit, as well as flexibility and cooperation. Then, put enough time and effort into building a successful relationship.
Managing nearshore outsourced teams shouldn't take time and attention away from higher-value work. You have more important things on your plate, such as winning more market share, with the help of our advanced capability that enables a flexible and pivotal strategy ahead of your competition.
Go Beyond Digital Transformation with A Scientific Framework of Software Engineering Certainty, Continuity, and Predictability.
We currently manage 30+ dedicated nearshore software development teams made up of the top engineering mavens for our U.S. clients.
At Framework Science, we've cracked the code to meet the exponential rate technology needs to be brought to market with advanced automated processes and long-lasting relationships with the people doing the right things at the right time.
To get started, check out our dedicated development teams service.