Give your business the leverage it deserves, with offshore software development. Here’s how.

Offshore software development has evolved to deliver much more than the means to build quality software on a budget, thanks to advancements in cloud-based project management tools, workflow automation, and even AI. In this article, we break down what constitutes offshore software development today, as well as the scope that now prevails when it comes to partnering with a reliable software offshoring agency.

Additionally, we’ll also cover some simple yet evergreen steps on how to choose the best software offshoring partner for your business, while also offering advice on how companies with existing software offshoring teams can keep processes running optimally.

Need a brand new offshore software development team, or wish to augment your existing one? Our teams here at EFutures can dynamically cater to any customised requirement, including incorporating DevOps/DevSecOps and comprehensive cyber security services, for an all-encompassing solution.

Let us know what you need, and we’ll be happy to provide a bespoke assessment based on your business’s criteria.

How offshore software development has evolved through the years

The mainstream adoption of distributed teams and remote work environments

What used to only attract tech-obsessed entrepreneurs is now a thriving industry that every business wants a part in; software offshoring, unlike before, continues to gain popularity for a number of key reasons. For one, the normalisation of virtualized work environments and distributed teams have removed the reservations that companies with more conventional work cultures had, thereby not holding them back anymore from working with software offshoring companies.

Even in the event of concerns that revolve around working with a team that cannot be met in person, alternative models exist to meet such demands. Nearshoring can be a great alternative for companies that are keen on working with software outsourcing agencies but don’t want to be situated halfway across the world from them, as both parties can meet regularly. If not, the advancement of real-time project management tools and video conferencing platforms make collaboration extremely efficient; from instant alerts to one-click video meetings, software offshoring companies and their clients can collaborate at any time of the day – especially as top offshoring agencies cater to clients’ preferred time zones as well.

Collaboration between multiple software outsourcing companies, as well as with in-house software engineering teams

Hybridisation approaches where in-house teams and software companies collaborate has increased the adoption of software offshoring. This means that the silos that otherwise previously existed via having a team situated halfway around the world work on building software and applications in an isolated manner, are now a thing of the past.

Now, better collaboration shall entail in-house teams leading software engineering efforts in terms of strategy and supervision, while software offshoring companies can serve as an extension of overall software development efforts. This can either be through a fully dedicated team, or a single professional as part of a staff augmentation model.

Companies can now also facilitate collaboration between multiple software offshoring agencies. This is especially resourceful when niche subject matter experts are required, and sourcing them from multiple companies is easier, faster and more targeted for businesses. This eventually fosters a software development team that isn’t dependent on a single agency alone, has the flexibility to source talent without any constraints, and also has access to obtain multiple opinions during moments of quandary, or when new objectives need to be met.

The delivery of additional services, such as cyber security

Software offshoring companies don’t offer software development services alone; they are now hubs for availing numerous IT-based services, such as cyber security, AI model training, and even blockchain-based development. Today, leading software offshoring companies partner with cloud service providers such as AWS to facilitate such services for their clientele.

AWS cloud security services, for example, encompass a wide range of services that range from access provisioning to vulnerability management. As partnering software offshoring agencies utilise hosted services from AWS for software development, integrating AWS’s cyber security offerings can deliver DevSecOps that focus on security from the earliest stages of the software development lifecycle.

Building a software offshoring plan that is suitable for your business needs

With software offshoring now being a popular approach for building quality software by many organisations, it is likely that most companies may already have a software offshoring agency under their belt.

For this reason, this advice is geared towards those who already partner with software agencies, in addition to those that are looking to venture into a partnership for the very first time.

Assess what you have

While an initial assessment is necessary for companies that are looking to adopt software offshoring, repeated assessments on a regular basis for those that already have established partnerships shall help identify problems that may not have been noticed before, or help blueprint a course of action for new objectives.

In general, a company assessment for helping determine a suitable software offshoring partner needs to entail:

Existing problems and bottlenecks across business departments,
Trends pertaining to what customers are complaining about,
KPIs that are constantly deficient, or aren’t being met at all,
Any constraints surrounding timeframes, budgets and other resources.

For companies that already partner with a software offshoring company, additional scrutinisation can be done for:

Goals/tasks/projects that continue to get delayed,
Issues surrounding communication, or an overall lack of motivation,
Whether new services are needed to improve existing applications that are being developed, such as cloud security, or AI-powered automation.

Start the networking process

Once assessments conclude, these can serve as primary points of reference for new companies that start the networking process, for choosing the right software offshoring provider. Start by speaking to prospects with your business pain points in mind, and observe the calibre of feedback you receive, in order to determine suitability; does your prospect’s proposal precisely address your business’s problems? Are they punctual with their responses? How about general communication skills?

Being able to answer these and other questions similar to these can help new companies confidently choose the best software offshoring agency to partner with.

Iterate as you go

Constant monitoring and iteration applies both to companies that have recently partnered with a software offshoring agency, as well as to those that have an established partnership going on for a significant period of time. Shifting priorities and starting small (such as with MVPs) are two such examples, so that teams are always aligned and workflows are maintained to deliver peak productivity at all times.

In conclusion…

Software offshoring companies now offer more than just basic software development; by partnering with cloud service providers and cyber security companies, software offshoring providers have now become a centralised hub for all things IT outsourcing. Whether or not your business currently collaborates with a software outsourcing agency, it is imperative to always assess development lifecycles and iterate, in order to ensure operations run smoothly, and goals are always met.

FAQs

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Q1: What are the different types of software offshoring models?

A: The different types of software offshoring models are:

● Fixed cost: Which offers businesses a fixed price for working on a project, (as the term suggests),

● Time and materials: This could be based on an hourly rate, and/or is dependent on the amount of hosted resources utilised for the project,

● Dedicated team: A software development team that is exclusively hired to serve a single client and their project.

While fixed cost and dedicated team models may offer a predetermined rate for businesses to incur, a time and materials structure is more flexible - and may be a better option for projects that fluctuate in terms of workload. However, with no two businesses identical, deciding which software offshoring model to choose is purely dependent on careful assessments and constraints surrounding deadlines and budget.

Q2: How do software offshoring companies offer cloud security services?

A: Software offshoring companies offer cloud security and a variety of other cyber security services in two key ways:

1. By outsourcing with a dedicated cyber security vendor, or a leading cloud service vendor that also offers cyber security,

2. By conducting cyber security services in-house, with either existing team members that can repurpose their skills (such as software developers), or by hiring dedicated cyber security professionals.

In-house expertise can accommodate white-box and black-box testing of applications, as quality assurance teams already have the skills necessary to test for bugs and loopholes. Penetration testing and red teaming can also be facilitated in-house, to an extent.

However, to meet security automation, compliance and risk assessment requirements of a more complex nature, software companies will need to partner with cyber security companies to offer a more comprehensive set of services to clientele.

Q3: Why are IT outsourcing companies more affordable than in-house teams?

A: IT outsourcing companies are more affordable in general as businesses simply delegate projects over to the agency, without having to hire team members and pay for office space and equipment. All of this, without compromising on quality; as many software offshoring companies are often based halfway around the world, skilled resources come at a fraction of the cost, thanks to favourable exchange rates.

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