Outsourcing of Technology Development: How to Mitigate the Risk

Most companies look at outsourcing partners from a competency-based perspective. We propose that you look at the problem in a different light. Usually, we consider the outsource provider’s competencies and skills as the deciding factor. However, today we encourage you to answer a simple question: who are we? Examine your company, your staff, and your products thoroughly. That will give you a context enabling you to scale and grow your business.

Outsourcing of Tech Development - Your Company’s Culture

You do not hire your full-time staff based on technical skills alone - you consider culture, mission, and lifestyle, among other factors. But when companies look for an outsourcing provider, they tend to concentrate on skills and competencies, not culture and mission. That is an entirely faulty premise.

Once you know what is meaningful to your company’s mission and where your core competencies lie, choosing an outsourcing provider becomes much more straightforward. Is your company indeed agile in its decision-making, or do you tend to want a more detailed and less flexible development plan?

When to Outsource IT Specialists? Inner Staff Expertise

There are other topics to consider when outsourcing employees. One is the general level of your inner staff experience in your field.

• How much technical expertise do you have on staff?
• Is it enough to dedicate time to deal with the inevitable questions and decisions raised during product development?

All those aspects are crucial and demand a deep understanding of your company’s whereabouts. Consider them carefully - by doing so, you aim the necessary resources in the right direction.

Before you decide to use the help of specialists, check the available solutions and models of cooperation: Outsourcing in IT - forms of cooperation and the resulting benefits

The advantages of this form of employing specialists can be found in the article: Outsourcing of Technology Development: 5 Reasons Why it is a Good Idea

Product Owners and Outsourcing - Consider Their Strengths and Weaknesses

It may appear you need a full-service provider who makes more decisions independently.

• How strong is your technology project management?
• Do you have an experienced and dedicated product owner? 

This aspect allows you to keep in touch with the schedule compliance and - in consequence - to faultlessly perform your company’s tasks. It may, however, appear that you are in no position to prioritize more resources. Think about it carefully - timing in such cases is everything.

Outsourcing Partnership - Establish Viable Timeframes

Consider the time differences with many outsourcing partners. Will you answer questions on demand, and how does your outsource partner schedule staff? Remember, days can be lost asking and answering questions if you do not know the partner's culture, do not assume people are awake 24/7. And, by the way, make sure you know when your partners celebrate all their holidays.

In short, behave as if your outsourcing partner is a valued group within your organization because that is the goal. Concentrate on the culture and the fit in that context. The world is awash with a technically competent specialists at all levels, available at all price points. Finding the right one is flawlessly done with a clear idea of yourself. Good luck!

Interested in working with a professional team of developers? Check out our offer:

• Outsourcing IT services.