When you outsource your software development project, you don’t have to rely on your internal resources for the whole project. You can use third-party software development outsourcing companies with their professional expertise, access to required software, and adherence to deadlines. This way, you can focus on other strategic aspects of the project without having to worry about the risks involved.
Here are five of the most commonly involved risks in outsourcing software development:
1. Lack of Communication
One of the common pitfalls of software development outsourcing is poor communication. Language barriers, time zone differences, and opposing views of processes often result in misunderstandings. In order to avoid such misconceptions, it is crucial to develop an open communication channel before engaging a vendor. The communication plan may include regular status reporting, review sessions with engineers, and other ad hoc methods of communication. However, you should avoid extreme scheduling.
Keeping in touch with the development team is essential. Software development outsourcing companies that maintain good communication standards can be easily contacted and offer fast response times. When selecting an outsourcing partner, ensure that you communicate clearly and effectively. Some companies engage customers in their project teams so that they can provide feedback. To achieve this, they schedule daily and weekly meetings. Then, once a development iteration ends, they discuss the results with the customer. It’s important to remember that a remote software development project can be difficult to monitor and control, so effective communication is necessary.
If you’re considering outsourcing to a software company, be sure to outline your software project requirements in detail. If you don’t, you’ll end up spending more time and money than you planned. Clearly define requirements and make sure your outsourcing partner understands them. Also, negotiate the contract’s exit plan, and if the software development project is a long-term partnership, set up a formal exit plan. This will avoid inconsistencies later on. Additionally, be sure to develop clear policies on the transfer of assets and knowledge.
2. Lack of Motivation
Employee motivation is often a key factor in ensuring the success of any outsourcing project. While there are many factors that can contribute to a lack of motivation, it’s important to remember that salaries are only one of many factors that affect the success of your project. Aside from pay, you should look for software development outsourcing companies that implement proven good practices and solutions. Using these practices will help your outsourcing partner improve their retention and overall quality of work.
Ineffective communication is one of the major risks in outsourcing software development. When you don’t communicate clear expectations, your outsourced team members can become alienated and produce mediocre work. Try to communicate with your developer team on a regular basis to ensure they understand your expectations. Involving your team in decision-making and strategy will make the work more meaningful and give them context for their work. Involvement in the larger project will give your employees a boost.
If you need a reliable outsourcing software company for your next development project, contact Synergance.
3. Lack of Feedback
Another problem in software development outsourcing is a lack of feedback. Outsourced team members who don’t receive regular feedback produce poor work. When the development team doesn’t receive regular feedback, they may feel disconnected and bored. In such situations, a more direct line of communication and more than one developer per task can help. Providing regular briefings on the development efforts can also ensure that the development team stays on track.
One pitfall that can be easily resolved is obstructed feedback. Establishing target communication channels allows you to get regular updates about the development progress and provide clear feedback based on this progress. Data confidentiality is another primary source of tension when outsourcing software development. Outsourced developers can abuse client trust by not providing enough feedback on their progress. Data transfers are also risky and could cause the loss of the code repository. It is best to outsource to a software development company that provides feedback in person to avoid this problem.
Another major problem in hiring an outsourcing software company is a lack of control. Because the development process is a collaborative one, there’s no guarantee of quality. When hiring an offshore team, you’ll have to give regular feedback to track the project. If you can’t get regular updates, you’ll be left wondering how the project is progressing. You also don’t have the luxury of a one-off project.
4. Lack of Contact
Often, remote software development outsourcing brings crippling consequences. Lack of contact between a client and vendor leads to misunderstandings, misalignment of visions, and wasting of resources. Ensure that your vendor provides a clear understanding of your project requirements and includes a detailed scope statement for the project. It is essential to clarify the project scope, acceptability criteria, and underlying assumptions in the statement of work. Clearly state what your product or project will do and what you want from it.
Another potential pitfall of software development outsourcing is the lack of contact. Communication between a client and vendor is critical to the success of a project, and it is even more important when managing an outsourced team. A lack of contact between the client and vendor often results in frustration and misunderstanding. The language barrier, cultural differences, and different time zones can cause communication issues. If the client cannot understand the decisions made by the outsourcing team, they may not be able to make the final decision.
One of the biggest risks in outsourcing software development is receiving poor code. Poor code can stem from a variety of factors, including poor leadership, lack of communication, and poor information exchange. To solve this issue, consider hiring a project manager. A project manager will focus on the project, help organize workflow, and ensure that there is a consistent flow of communication. If the project manager is ineffective, it could be a sign that the company is not providing quality software.
5. Lack of Synchronization
Outsourcing to a software company has its fair share of challenges, but you should not overlook the importance of synchronization, which is essential to ensuring a seamless data exchange. This lack of synchronization is often a result of a wide range of factors, including time zone differences, language barriers, and opposing views on the processes involved. Before you engage a vendor, come up with a plan for communicating with your offshore team. This can include regular review sessions with engineers, status reports, and other ad-hoc communication methods. But make sure not to overschedule your communication, which can result in a stalemate.
Another common problem associated with hiring software development outsourcing companies is a lack of synchronization. Most often, it is an area of expertise that the team in-house is unfamiliar with. This can cause many problems, including a lack of synchronization. Language barriers are only one of many reasons for this failure. If your software development team does not communicate effectively, it can wreak havoc on your project. Even if the team works within your time frame, it is important to factor in allowances for delays to ensure that everything is done according to plan.
6. Lack of Ownership Agreement
Project ownership is another major issue when outsourcing. Contractual programmers don’t have ownership of your project, which can lead to inconsistent deliverables. Having a consistent team can also help ensure consistency in project ownership. Make sure to understand who will be working on your software project, and make sure some project managers are consistent. If you outsource to a software development company, make sure to have a consistent manager on your team. If your software project is not well-managed, this can lead to an ineffective outcome.
Many of the contracts for software development are not enforceable due to the international nature of this process. To avoid potential legal troubles, you should always ensure that you have a written contract. The best way to do this is to hire an attorney from the country where the developer is based or request a referral from legal counsel. As far as intellectual property goes, a software development contract should clearly state who owns the source code, the final product, and any intellectual property generated by the developer.
While it is important to maintain control of your software development project, a lack of agreement on ownership can lead to ineffective outcomes. While you may trust the CXOs to provide you with the technical details, there is no guarantee that they will provide the business context needed by the outsourcing software company to provide quality work. As a result, you may end up with a project that lacks the right level of governance.
The most common reason for this problem is the lack of agreement on ownership. Software development outsourcing companies do not own the project, and you may not agree on who owns the IP. You do not want to be held responsible for the actions of the outsourcing team if they steal it or use it for their own purposes. Make sure to include a clause in the contract specifying that they won’t reuse code or source code. Also, make sure to have a privacy agreement signed by the software development company and the individual developers.
At Synergance, the leading outsourcing software development company in the UK, we have a creative development team specializing in custom software development. Get in touch with us.
