Should we outsource the software development process? If yes, when is it recommended? What are the clues that indicate that we should go for outsourcing? – These are some of the most frequent questions that Codespring team has been addressed in the past years. For those who are involved in such decisions, these questions are quite familiar.
Even if the discussions around this subject are wide and involve new aspects, there are a few key indicators on whether you should outsource the software development process or not.
Outsource the software development process if…
- Your company lacks the experience of managing software development – in other words you do not have a software development team, you do not normally deal with software development and have another main activity;
- The cost of developing the desired software in-house is bigger than the cost of outsourcing this process – this can be the result of a cumulus of factors: the hourly rates for software engineers in your area are more expensive than in other regions, the work speed is affected by the skillset available in-house;
- You are on a tight schedule and need to get optimal results – it is more at hand to hire an agile team with a high level of expertise that can deliver on time and on budget;
- You have a long term complex software development project and your business is not focused on technology – in this case you will be able to focus on your core business and generate the necessary revenues without jeopardizing the development of your technology support system.
The list of situations in which outsourcing the software development is recommended may be extended. Nevertheless, one should take into consideration all the internal factors that may affect this decision and document the proper way to start an outsourcing collaboration. More on this topic may be found at our How to section.
