Pratham Mittal
So, you’ve decided to outsource software development to a third party. That’s a great decision! But things haven’t fallen into place just yet. In fact, there are quite a few things you need to pay attention to now.
You may think that one page with an idea and a few scribbles is enough from your end; but, to a service provider, it would be insufficient to get you any accurate price estimates. Moreover, unclear specifications in the beginning can lead to disagreements in the future.
To avoid that, here’s a handy outsourcing guide you should consult to make sure you’re ready for the process.
1. Do you have thorough mockups?
If they know you are clear about your requirements, they are 5 times more likely to respond to you. Your requirements may change over the time (which is OK), but a pictorial representation of thoughts can really help align expectations.
2. Do you know your budget?
Knowing your budget will help you narrow your search. It’s important to not have an unreasonable budget for your project. Our cost calculator will be launched shorty. Meanwhile, use this guide to get a sense of the budget.
3. Do you know when would you like to start?
While “yesterday” is generally the answer, think about when you will be ready to start the project. The service providers usually pitch to you depending on availability of talent in their teams.
4. Do you know when you plan to complete the project?
If you have any strict deadlines, it’s helpful to outline that right in the beginning. The developers can then craft their pitch and timeline accordingly.
5. Do you have any preferences about the following?
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Languages, frameworks: Do you have an existing code base? Does your CTO specialize in any particular language?
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Time Zone, Geography: Do you want the service provider to be local? Do you want them to be in a specific time zone?
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Specific industry experience: Does your project require experience in a specific industry? Do you need the service provider to be HIPAA compliant?
6. Do you understand your priorities?
What is important to you? If you are resource constrained, it’s usually good to rank the following in order of importance to you and communicate to developers:
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Design
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Timeline
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Budget
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Security
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Scalability
Once you’ve ticked the relevant things off this checklist, you will be in a position to confidently deal with your outsourced partner.
For more valuable advice on how to outsource, please download our ebook Outsourcing 101. It’s the must have guide for every company that is considering software development outsourcing and it’s free!
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