The IT outsourcing market is expected to grow to $980 billion and generate $202 billion in revenue in 2024. The significant growth indicates businesses are collaborating with software development outsourcing companies at scale. If you have decided to outsource a software development project and managed to find a list of software development companies, that’s great. There’s a list of countries to outsource development that makes outsourcing task even easier.
Outsourcing software development is sometimes disappointing due to misunderstandings during the hiring process. It left the businesses clueless about what to do next time- either build an in-house team or outsource the tasks to reliable outsourcing companies. It’s simple to distinguish between the best and lousy outsourcing service providers. Businesses need to ask them questions.
Businesses can choose the right outsourcing software development company that meets their IT project needs by asking a few questions. Consider asking these eight questions for a great beginning.
Eight questions to ask companies before outsourcing a software development project
Inevitably, outsourcing is the best choice for software development. However, this move drives results when the selected outsourcing company fits the task well. The selection of software development companies for project outsourcing becomes easier by asking a list of questions that help to understand you and the company’s compatibility. Go through a list of questions before you hire.
Do you have niche experience of working with such projects?
When searching for an outsourcing partner, you should look for outsourcing companies that have experience working with similar projects or relative industry-specific knowledge. Looking at a portfolio lets businesses know about the team’s expertise in building relevant functionalities, understanding the project, and resolving development-related issues.
Which technology stack do you use for software development?
No software development company has technical specialists in all different fields. Before outsourcing the project, it’s good to find out if the team has the required expertise and experience working with such technologies and tools—an excellent knack for how the technology ensures minimum issues during software development. A glance at the outsourcing company’s website provides information about the tech stack they use for development, followed by flexibility to adapt advanced technologies. All of these help make final decisions easily.
Which software development process is followed?
The way software is developed has enormous implications for outcomes. The software must be built following a process such as daily scrum, daily standup meetings, or others that will impact collaboration and, thus, the development process. Additionally, businesses can check how the development proceeds in distinct steps such as project conceptualization, coding, designing, testing, and implementing. It helps reveal the number of employees, working hours, and methodology followed during development.
How do you streamline communication?
Software development is the collective effort of a team comprising a developer, designer, tester, and others. When the team cannot communicate efficiently, driving expected results is implausible. Businesses should check how the team communicates and which tools they use- Slack, Trello, Jira, or Google Hangouts. Ensure you ask for this information from the company’s stakeholders rather than the person.
Can you share testimonials from previous clients?
Testimonials get the outsourcing software development company’s work verified from the previous clients because it’s a sign that the client was satisfied and happy with the work delivered. You can check testimonials on the company’s website, LinkedIn profiles, Github, or others. To ensure the companies do not modify the testimonials, it’s better to connect directly with the previous client who left feedback and ask about the services offered.
Will developers work dedicatedly on my project?
Most often, the software developers are working on different projects simultaneously. Such distraction won’t allow developers to work with a significant focus on a single project. Also, context switching increases a toll on the team and impacts productivity. So, businesses should clarify whether the selected developers will work only on their projects. Ensuring the team is fully involved and flexible to adapt to changes that bring great results.
How will I be involved during ongoing software development process?
When working with a development team, if business stakeholders have the right to make decisions regarding the project, they will have more control over processes. Businesses should ask how they will be a part of the project, say approving the developed functionalities, UI design, and others. It helps them get the project developed they want without getting off the track.
How do you assure us of data privacy?
All types of software projects, whether in the healthcare or finance sector, handle massive amounts of data that must be protected from fraudsters or hackers. Businesses expect software development companies to build mechanisms around the software to secure the data. Although companies are saying yes to the same, businesses should ask for third-party tools, hacker-proof coding, or processes they incorporate to ensure data security.
Choose the right outsourcing company.
The right selection of outsourcing software development companies can make the business successful. When the selection goes through a list of questions about the company, project, and technical details, the answers help businesses filter the search for outsourcing partners. Asking more in-depth questions during developer screening and others enables picking the right partner. Going through this process ensures a good start and selection of the software development company that is ideal for your requirements.
