The Disadvantages of Outsourcing Software Developers

Startup Remotely
Aug 25, 2017 · 2 min read

What are the disadvantages of outsourcing software developers overseas?

Quality

A big factor when outsourcing overseas is quality control. You need to make sure that the code written is on high quality stage and you must also know how to assess the developers’ portfolios on different outsourcing sites, are some of the the instances you need to face in order to pick and hire the right developer for your team.

The fix?

  • Hire someone local as a consultant- he/she will assist on the development stage of your project
  • Conduct technical interview — this is one of the method that will help you in order to recognize and know the developers that has the best skillsets (especially in coding)

Code Collaboration

When outsourcing overseas, collaboration is a big challenge. Wherever country you choose in hiring your developer, there can be big cultural issues that will come out according to the statement of work. Software development is naturally a collaborative method, but you can’t predict outsource developers to understand what you want to know because they are coming from separate context. That’s the reason why writing particular requirements is essential to have a good experience outsourcing.

The fix? Use Scrum.

Why Scrum?

  • Will help your team to stay organized on different projects
  • Provides clarity into project work
  • Focuses communication from team members

Logistical Challenges

One of the biggest challenge that an entrepreneur must face is being 100% remote and to have a developer in a various time zones. They may have to wake up in the middle of the night in order to connect and collaborate with their development team through conf calls, a time when they cannot do their great work.

The fix?

The right solution for this matter is to hire a team with a project manager who is either local or in a near time zone. Project Managers gives a shield between clients and developers, they can make sure non-technical needs are rendered properly, and in the case of outsourced development, they can make sure that the cultural issues related to hiring developers offshore are not taken for granted.

This is originally posted on Startup Remotely.

)
Startup Remotely

Written by

Startup Remotely is a collection of topics that revolves around remote working. It aims to shares tips on how to manage your remote developers and designers.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade