Organizations are seeing the benefit of software outsourcing as a way to infuse experience and technical expertise into a project, without the overhead cost of hiring in-house. Also, outsourcing software is a way to gain the additional help needed to supplement an in-house IT team. The difficulty is knowing which service to choose from. In this regard, here are 5 qualities to look for in a development group when software outsourcing:
- U.S. Based Service
- Right Sized Group for Project
- Experience and Innovative Ability
- Technical Ability
- Culture and Ability to Communicate
U.S. Based Service
For startups and organizations in the U.S., finding a service based in the U.S. is a good quality to look for. Partnering with someone who understands the culture and audience you’re trying to reach is vital in creating the mediums to reach this audience. Using an offshore company or development group for your software outsourcing may be less expensive, but will likely bring communication problems and an off target finished product.
A well-rounded software development group consists of more than just technical expertise. They’ll also bring an understanding of marketability, cultural nuances, and trending influences. Also, in the process of the project’s development, they’ll be delivering professionally targeted content, which is more aptly done by native English speakers.
Outsourcing software to a U.S. based service also ensures proper legal protection for clients. Working with a U.S. based service ensures they’ll be more available than a service headquartered in another country. This means on-site visits, phone calls, and other in-depth service arrangements can be obtained if there’s an escalated need.
Right Sized Group for Project
Size in this meaning is more broad than just the amount of members a development group has on its’ team. It also means the scope of their client-base and workload.
The variables concerning the organization’s need, will determine what sized group to hire. For instance, it wouldn’t be conductive for a smaller startup to hire one of the largest software development services. The smaller project wouldn’t attract the top-level developers or dedicated attention it needs with a larger service.
When hiring the right sized software development group, an organization’s project will attract the top-level talent of their service. The smaller group will be able to bring more dedication to the project and personal attention to managers. On the other hand, outsourcing a $100 million project to a development group used to working on $1 million dollar projects, will overload their capacity and bring poor results.
Experience and Innovative Ability
By looking into a development group’s past clients and projects, you’ll be able to see their experience and innovative ability. This is a quality that should be carefully considered, as problem solving and innovative ability in developing software are what fuels the creative process.
How much experience does their team members have individually and as a team? Also, examine their leadership qualities by inquiring if they publish articles, speak at events, or are involved in other critical aspects of their specialties.
Finding a development group full of talented individuals with innovative and leadership abilities, is like finding a gem in the rough. This is especially true if a startup is looking for a comprehensive solution for their web and mobile presence. A developers ability to problem solve and strategize, will prove to be the most valuable aspect of their service.
Technical Ability
What area of technical ability do they have expertise in? The entire team needs to be examined and considered, depicting their technical ability as a whole. What expertise do they bring in their technical toolbox? This quality is important to match-up with the project needs you have.
An organization may have a software engineer team already, but finds the need for outsourcing a project where they lack in expertise. For instance Radial Development Group has expertise in: HTML5, CSS3, Rails, Meteor.js, Django, Backbone.js, Jekyll, Ruby, Python, JavaScript, C++, C, Mobile, Embedded, Desktop, and Client/Server.
It’s important to find a service which is honest about their technical expertise. If a service seems to know it all and be too good to be true, it likely is. A good service will be honest about their capabilities, so everyone involved can avoid any wasted time, effort, and money.
Culture and Ability to Communicate
After looking at the other qualities, examine the culture and communicative ability of a software development group. Outsourcing software requires a trusting relationship, where understanding is at a premium. What is the software development group like personality wise? What’s their philosophy and brand image portray the most?
A software development group will largely shape the image and brand of your organization, so finding a service that matches or understands your personality is key. This ties into their ability to communicate and understand the goals and philosophy of your organization.
This last quality to look for is often the tipping point characteristic, which determines if a service is hired or not. This involves the simple discernment of knowing whether a software development group and your organization will get along during the project.
Talk with more than one member of their team, take note of their entire culture as a group. This will not only help ensure they’re a right fit for your project, but also make the process enjoyable in the end.
Summary
With all the different software development groups available, it can be difficult to be sure you’re hiring the right one. These 5 qualities to look for should narrow the playing field down, and help in your ultimate decision in outsourcing software.
The benefits of outsourcing software make it possible for startups and limited software engineering teams to gain expertise for a fraction of the cost of hiring in-house. Whether it’s a comprehensive project and a lasting partnership, or a seasonal project needing a certain expertise, outsourcing software is helping organizations stay competitive in a rapidly advancing technological world.
Radial Development Group is a premium U.S. based software development service to consider for outsourcing your software development. Our team has a wide range of expertise and ability, and for the right organization we could just be that “gem in the rough” you’ve been looking for. To find out, please contact us today.