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A Guide to Choosing a Dedicated Software Development Team
If you are a decision-maker or influencer at a small to mid-sized software development firm, you’ve probably been asked this question: ‘Can we outsource all of our software development to you?’. As a business person, your goal is likely to produce as much as possible, as efficiently as possible. Outsourcing allows a company to focus on what they do best while having engineers focus on what they do best. This is why outsourcing is such a popular option for smaller companies that cannot afford a full-time in-house software development team.
The problem with outsourcing, though, is that you don’t know much about programming and, even if you did, it’s not your core business. Outsourced software development companies have a plethora of engineers at their disposal, and you have to rely on them for the right direction. How can you know if they’re directing you in the right direction?
Software outsourcing success is dependent upon two things: how well a company knows your business and how well they know software development. With the massive quantity of outsourcing companies available, it can be difficult to determine which company is right for you.
When choosing an outsourced team, consider these things:
What’s your current time-to-market? How fast can they get up and running? Are they familiar with your industry and business needs? Do you believe their quality of work will be up to your standards?
Below are some tips on how to choose a dedicated software development team:
Define What You Want and Need
For the outsourcing company to give you an accurate estimate, they need to know what it is [that] you want. This includes the features of the product, the complexity and the timeline.
Perform a Technical Assessment of Their Team
Every outsourcing company is going to be different, so it’s important to look at each one as a unique entity rather than all as one large body. It’s important to ask some questions about the team they’re proposing:
- Do they have any developers that are familiar with your industry?
- What are their qualifications?
- Is the team they propose on-site or off-site? How will this affect cost and quality of work?
- How many years of experience does each developer have in the current stack you wish to build on?
- How experienced is their quality assurance (QA) department? What frameworks are they familiar with?
- How will the testing process work (e.g. do they test at every stage or push to production)?
- What is their current workload like and how long has it been since they released a product to market?
Get Details About Your Project Before You Start Working Together
Outsourcing companies typically have a standard agreement. Read through this carefully to make sure you understand what they’re offering and get clarification on any items that are unclear to you.
Before signing an agreement, ask questions about:
- Project milestones (e.g. MVP, Alpha, Beta)
- Milestones for updates or enhancements
- Maintenance plan. How much oversight will the team have over the development? How often do they expect to hear from you?
- What are their hours of operation? Do they operate during your time zone or are you expected to communicate in theirs?
- Are there any required procedures or documentation that need to be completed before starting work (e.g. NDA, Docusign)?
- When can they get started?
- What are their licensing terms for the product you will be developing together? Do they have an open-source policy?
Make Sure Your Project is in Good Hands
Once you’ve chosen a software outsourcing team, it’s important to stay involved with the project. You should take time to develop a relationship with them and get to know the team that will be creating your product.
The more involved you are with the project, the better results you will see when it’s complete. Your outsourced team is going to feel valued by you if you’re taking the time to interact with them, and this will translate into a better product.
Don't Track The Time – Track The Results Instead
You don’t want to end up with a high bill for an inferior product, so talk to your software development team about milestones and goals. Make sure you understand what they’re doing each day, but avoid micromanaging their daily duties. The point of outsourcing is to reduce your time-to-market, so stay focused on the end goal rather than the steps it will take to get there.
Choosing a software development team can be difficult, but if you follow these tips, you’re sure to find one that’s a good fit for your needs. By taking the time to research and validate the team you’re considering, you can rest assured that you’ve made a wise choice.
SovTech is a leading global Custom Software Development company. They provide elite development teams to companies looking to outsource their developments. SovTech’s expertise lie in Mobile App Development, Web App Development, Custom Software Development and Software Maintenance. Contact SovTech today for a free quotation!
Written by Andrew Ngozo
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