$86 billion. This is the size of the outsourcing market in 2018. Here, the revenue of outsourced IT services exceeds 62%.
App products outsourcing is a giant that has come to simplify business processes but unexpectedly changed the entire world’s economy.
If you have ever been looking for tried and tested way to reduce the outsource app development cost, you landed right. The most suitable tasks for outsourcing are:
- Design, both graphical and UI/UX;
- Software engineering;
- QA and QC processes;
- Software support.
Each of these points provides you with an opportunity to save thousands or even millions of dollars (depending on a size of a product you want to build), and the unmeasurable amount of time and attention you can pay to more important business tasks.
Today, we will describe 5 painless steps that will take you to positive outsourcing experience. Get ready for the journey that will change your business to the better.
3 outsourcing mythbusters
First and foremost, if you came here with some of the most common concerns, let us get rid of them. We analyzed our experience and defined the typical misconceptions. And we would like to break these myths for you.
| Myth | Mythbuster |
| Myth #1. This is for huge companies only | This is not about who outsources, it is what exactly you outsource. This method fits well both large enterprises’ needs and small startups demands. In the case with a startup, the situation is even clearer: your budget is rather limited, and in order to bring your idea to life you need to opt for cheaper services. This is where outsourcing company will give you a hand.
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| Myth #2. Miscommunication is inevitable | Oh no, not in XXI century.
However, it may depend on a country you plan to outsource your product to. For example, Ukrainian IT channels claim that 78% of IT engineers have B1 and higher levels of English. Besides, using the appropriate management software you can avoid any misunderstanding and keep your hands on what your team is doing. |
| Myth #3. Cheaper means worse | No, “cheaper” means that its price is lower in comparison to hiring in-house employees, that’s all. Outsourcing has better pricing because of the economic situation of a country your partner works in. And you are always able to analyze your potential partner’s previous experience, have a quick glance at a portfolio and ask for testimonials. These will be the steps you need to take to do everything right. |
5 steps to successful cooperation with an outsourcing company
You definitely know the benefits of outsourcing software development. But how to achieve them?
Let it be your handy guide when starting to outsource your project. Each step will include several sub-steps, so don’t miss anything.
1. Set the requirements
To start acting, you need to have a clear vision of your idea.
- Shortlist basic requirements to your product, then augment each of the points with detailed descriptions;
- Prepare a business plan;
- Decide on devices, platforms, browsers you want your app to work impeccably on;
- Define key features of your app;
- Get acquainted with the IT industry and conduct some research on what technologies your future partner must be proficient with.
It is crucial to understand what is the purpose of your app and what value it will bring to end users. Soon, you will have to explain it to the engineering team.
2. Think about who would you like to work with
There are myriads of development teams. The challenge is to come to the one that won’t mess up with your project.
To develop a list of companies that may help you, visit these websites:
- Upwork that provides you with warranties powered by authentical Upwork policies;
- Clutch where you can find detailed reviews and ratings on a particular firm.
And you can still google your primary goal using keywords (for example, “web app development service”) and get the optimized list of the best companies.
The process may take some time but will save you from tons of issues in the future.
3. Contact your potential partner
On this stage, we must emphasize 3 critical things:
Communication
You are the one who orders the service, so you must face seamless communication, get in-depth answers to your questions, and feel that the company’s sales representative understands your needs fully. If some of these points are missing, you are probably on the wrong road.
Questions
At the same time, your partner must be interested in cooperation so get ready to answer many questions. The more you discuss now the less misunderstanding will appear after the contract is signed.
Portfolio
Even if you are a non-technical person, you should take a look at your potential partner’s previous works.
- Evaluate the overall number of delivered projects;
- Look for the apps similar to your idea;
- Read previous customers’ reviews.
Another great way to make sure this agency is exactly what you are looking for is checking developers’ CVs, certifications, GitHub or even social media profiles. In this way, you will get closer to people you plan to work together even though they are somewhere overseas.
4. Talk about budget
You should know how much you are ready to invest in your idea from the start. But when you’ve shortlisted the development agencies, and seriously plan to hire them, it is time to talk about money.
Keep in mind that engineering services may depend on 2 key factors:
- Software tools used to build a product;
- Hourly prices for development services.
Even if you plan to employ an open-source development technology, make sure a free plan will provide you with all the needed features. Developers’ salaries are connected to expertise, experience, and their role on a project. There are many resources that may guide you through an in-depth analysis of average salaries.
Another significant step you need to take is to discuss payment model.
Choose a fixed price approach if:
- You are sure about how your product should look and work;
- You need a product with limited functionality;
- You have a strict deadline.
Offer time and resources model if:
- You are more flexible in terms of time and money;
- You want to achieve the best result;
- You would like to set long-term cooperation.
5. Organize your work
Development methodology has an impact on how your team builds a product and when it will be delivered.
There are 3 the most popular methodologies:
Waterfall
This is a step-by-step app development which excludes meetings, retrospectives, and daily discussions. Developers just do their job and go back to bug fixing each time the issue appears.
Agile
Here, it is all about flexibility. Scrum master or project manager estimates the project, divides it into smaller components, and together with development team builds each component one after another, being extremely careful about the quality. It helps to focus on users’ needs and is a basis for a viable product.
Hybrid
Usually, on their way from Waterfall to Agile, software agencies pass the Hybrid stage which is a combination of 2 above-mentioned approaches.
In conclusion
Outsourcing is the way to save your budget and bring your idea to life fast, with no hassles. It opens new horizons, destroys the borders and provides you with a brand new experience. A vital thing is to find a reliable, responsible team with solid expertise in a particular field.
Do you have some questions? Or need some extra tips on how to choose a development partner? Contact us and let’s solve your tasks together.
