The Complete Guide to Successful Offshore Software Development
The digital landscape is evolving at a rapid pace, there are no two ways about it! The concept of offshore development is one of the best examples of the ever-changing digital landscape. Over the years, offshore and outsourcing have become quite a significant choice for businesses all across the globe. According to several resources, the offshore software development market is supposed to reach USD 283,457.5 Million by 2030, which was USD 122,257.5 Million two years ago.
The following post acts as an interesting guide to conducting a successful offshore software development project. It may quite interest you to know that even after all this hype, there are people or let’s say non-techies who are not interested in opting for offshore software development services. Well, this one can be an eye-opener for them.
Now are you one of those who think offshore, outsourcing, and hiring third-party strategic partners are different concepts? Well, they are not! After the severe COVID-19 pandemic, the scope for outsourcing and offshore software development has increased at a fanatic pace. Everyone would love to accomplish successful development projects and that too within a little time and money.
What is Offshore Software Development?
Offshore software development or outsourcing tasks remotely to a different country is pretty much in vogue these days. And why not since here you get to kill two birds with one arrow, you get the work done at a low price and stay competitive. Another survey reveals that 70% of businesses cite cost-cutting which turns out to be the primary reason for outsourcing. In addition, the global outsourcing market reached $92.5 billion in 2019, imagine where it would have gone by now.
There was a time when businesses were strictly hiring local talent for their different needs and requirements. Today the entire world is at your service, all thanks to the ever-increasing need for outsourcing software development service providers. Imagine you can now receive top-notch software development services without any geographical barriers. Today, a US firm can not just collaborate within the country but even overseas such as South Africa or Ukraine. Also, offshore development has brought fresh perspectives and unique expertise to the table.
Now when should one look around for offshore developers?
Well, offshoring works best under these below-mentioned circumstances such as:
Access to Global Talent - There are times when local hiring becomes challenging. Businesses often struggle to recruit in-house engineers so what to do? Simply opt for a reliable offshore development company and gain access to an amazing talent pool across the world.
Availability of Specialized Niche - the next situation is when you are looking for any specialized niche or expertise. You see you may need a specific programmer or developer for precise project requirements and not otherwise. So in that case, instead of hiring in-house experts that can cost you more, you can simply hire offshore developers or project managers just for a designated role.
Quick time to Market - You see excelling in the digital era means you are racing against time. Here meeting deadlines is extremely crucial. So when you hire reliable offshore developers, scalability and efficient project management is bound to happen.
Easy support and Insight - Hiring an offshore team of professionals doesn’t mean you need to assign them different tasks, you can even ask for relevant consultation and support.
When you want to develop innovative projects at a low price, without compromising quality.
It’s Types
Onshore Software Development - This is said when you hire software developers within your country or region. So here you don’t have to face obstacles such as time zone differences or language or cultural barriers. In other words, smoother communication can be expected in no time. However, the price is a bit high since the standard of living is the same.
Nearshore Software Development - Now this one can be considered geographically a sweet spot. This one involves partnering with countries having similar time zones for example, the time zones of the US and America are quite the same so real-time collaboration is possible leading to easygoing day-to-day tasks.
Offshore Software Development - This is where global reach is included. Offshore development means connecting with professionals and experts located in far-off countries or on different continents. Now unlike the above two models, this one is quite budget-friendly and has a track record of being quite successful.
Now offshore development services are way more different from conventional freelancing and traditional outsourcing. You see today you are bound to receive a more stable and controllable environment for developing long-term projects.
How is Offshore Software Development Beneficial?
There was a time when the concept of offshore software development was considered a mere trend. Fortunately, that’s not the case anymore. Today, offshore development has become a strategy, a strategy that’s quite beneficial in the long run.
#1 Cost-effective
The first and foremost benefit of conducting an offshore development project is that it turns out to be pretty cost-effective. Since the tax system differs among different countries, labor prices can be significantly lower in offshore countries than in developed ones. So lots and lots of money can be saved by outsourcing the project.
#2 Easy access to a wider pool of talent
When you pick an offshore software development company, you are bound to have a wider pool of talent and expertise. Some of the popular offshore destinations to consider include India, China, Ukraine, etc.
#3 Flexibility
Here your work won’t suffer at all. When combined with offshore development companies, your work will be ongoing 24/7 which can assist well in meeting tighter deadlines.
#4 Expertise
A reputable offshore development company always has experience working on a wide range of projects so you are bound to receive an immense amount of expertise and experience.
#5 Focus on Core Competencies
You see when you hire third-party service providers who are extremely good at what they are doing, it means you can relax and focus well on your core competencies. Yes, you no longer need to delve into the IT world yourself, instead, let the team of offshore developers do their job and you focus on the primary business needs and day-to-day operations.
How to conduct a Successful Offshore Software Development Project?
Now this one is quite an interesting question, when you are looking for a partner it means you need to be extremely careful with selection, one wrong move and you are completely doomed. So how to do so?
Research Potential Outsourcing Locations
Conducting thorough research is extremely important for potential outsourcing locations. While researching just make sure you are focusing on different factors such as time zone compatibility, cultural affinity, language proficiency, and cost-effectiveness. India is one of the leading outsourcing destinations to think of.
Seamless Communication is necessary
The first and foremost thing to take into account is that it is possible to communicate seamlessly without any hassle. Can you and your outsourcing partner understand the same language? Have you checked the workflow there? Does it align seamlessly with yours? If yes, then it is possible to conduct a smoother development process. So in that case, look around for companies using collaborative tools and platforms just to ensure continuous and transparent communication.
Security Protocols
You see we are living in a tech-centric world, where scalability and robustness should be par excellence. Here cybersecurity has become a non-negotiable concept. So before hiring a team of offshore developers do not forget to check their data protection policies, encryption methods, and compliance with international cybersecurity regulations.
Can they demonstrate experience?
Hiring an offshore development company with proven expertise is a must. So think of partnering with a company that can assist well in demonstrating its success as a remote or an offshore team. You see, having a strong portfolio is a must-have trait. Also, here you will be able to figure out their problem-solving abilities.
Control and Transparency
Since this will be somewhat of a long-distance relationship, you need to have complete control and transparency. Just make sure the software development company keeps you updated day in and day out with the help of different project management tools such as JIRA, Basecamp, Trello, Slack, etc.
Conclusion
So this is it! I hope now you know what offshore software development and how can hiring a reliable one be beneficial and how to choose a reliable one. I mean you will never want to have a project compromised in the end and rework entirely, right? So make a wise choice by hiring professionals who have a proven track record of delivering top-tier software development solutions among different industry verticals.
I hope you did find the post helpful. If yes, do share among your peers. Stay Tuned!