Outsourcing software development

15 replies
I want to outsource software development.

I know how these things work, and they usually go over the deadline/budget. I don`t have the tech skills to do it myself (or at least, not the tech skills to do something sellable).

Because I think it falls outside cookie cutter solutions(web design), I`d have no clue how to evaluate the claims of several bidders.

How do you remedy this problem?

In general terms:
How can a non-technical person evaluate the work of someone that has superior technical skills?

It might be something like going to the car mechanic or an IT staff debugging a problem. I've seen most managers simply berate the technical guy until results happen, but it doesn't seem like the best way to do it?
#development #outsourcing #software
  • Profile picture of the author Peter Lessard
    The best solution would be if you had a trusted adviser that could just oversee the project.
    To use some of your analogies the auto repair department generally has a guy behind the desk managing all the mechanics that knows his stuff but is semi-retired or hands off and the IT departments also have managers that know the jobs of the individual programmers/workers but only act in a management role.

    Beyond that you have to go off track records, references and similar jobs completed. If this is the case then I would NOT work with someone that did not communicate with you in a way that is totally comfortable for you. A decent service provider should of run into this issue many times and know how to help you feel more at ease.

    From a contractual point of view make sure to setup milestones and obviously do NOT just fork over a pile of cash without seeing results.
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    • Profile picture of the author itos
      Originally Posted by Peter Lessard View Post

      The best solution would be if you had a trusted adviser that could just oversee the project.
      To use some of your analogies the auto repair department generally has a guy behind the desk managing all the mechanics that knows his stuff but is semi-retired or hands off and the IT departments also have managers that know the jobs of the individual programmers/workers but only act in a management role.

      Beyond that you have to go off track records, references and similar jobs completed. If this is the case then I would NOT work with someone that did not communicate with you in a way that is totally comfortable for you. A decent service provider should of run into this issue many times and know how to help you feel more at ease.

      From a contractual point of view make sure to setup milestones and obviously do NOT just fork over a pile of cash without seeing results.
      Good advice! In general I don't recommend to outsouce complex web projects if you don't know or understand the basics of programming and web app.

      And if you are outsourcing you need a manager with great knowledge so he can supervise the whole project.
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  • Profile picture of the author 8j++
    I want to outsource software development.

    This is great question. Like any undertaking, you need a plan of action. This plan is called a statement of work. It will detail everything you will need done. You do not need to be a rocket scientist to do one. Your job will be to design the look and the actions taken for the buttons you design or the menu options you create. While it would be great to be a programmer, i have said this to myself over and over again. But you have to make sure you control what is is the software is to do.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve3214
    You should need to take advice of any professional guy firstly then you can do software outsourcing. Because without any knowledge in this field, it will not possible for you to bidding and judge about quality of work which they will provide.
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  • Profile picture of the author TurnKeyShane
    Just my experience.

    I would first try to get a referral of someone who has built software before and has a contractor they dealt with. Follow up on previous clients and references.

    Second would be to find a contractor through standard job sites and follow-up with their previous clients to verify their quality of work.

    Software goes over deadline and budget due to a lack of details, underestimation of project scope and changes along the way. Rarely does someone start a project building software or other complex system that doesn't get changed or altered along the way. Also testing and bug correction once a version of the software is up will usually result in changes and alterations.

    I usually double my timeline and budget from what I'm originally told its going to cost and time to build to get my estimated project cost if I'm working on building software. Its rough but simple and comes close most of the time.

    You can also impose a penalty if the project isn't completed by a certain date due to no change orders or fault of your own in the contract.
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  • Profile picture of the author vndnbrgj
    There is a warrior I would definately recommend, but that would depend on your budget.
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  • Profile picture of the author jonathan12345
    In my experience outsourcing any sort of development is hit or miss.

    If you can find a good and reliable engineer at a low cost, it can be the best thing for your business no matter what you're developing.

    My best advice would be to give any developer you hire a small test project to start, and hire them with the goal of finding ONE good one to keep and stick with for all your projects. As the biggest gamble is just hiring a bad developer which can really set you back. Oh and also, don't go for the cheapest! You get what you pay for.
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  • Profile picture of the author samuelbursnel
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    • Profile picture of the author BigFrank
      Banned
      Have you looked at elance and odesk? You get lots of proposals, can easily evaluate past performance, can negotiate a price you are comfortable with, can oftentimes get a money-back guarantee (odesk) and get in finished product in a shorter time frame than you might think.

      Of course there will be those who will recommend against this, but you should at least investigate the asset to see if it might be a viable option for you.

      It doesn't cost anything but a little bit of your time to check them out.

      Good luck.

      Cheers. - Frank
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  • Profile picture of the author DianaINP
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    • Profile picture of the author sban
      you can check in Warriors for hire section. I see lot of people offering their services.
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  • Profile picture of the author Amer A
    Hi socialentry

    You can Outsource your software project on elance, and for a better approach:
    Make your project into at least 4 milestones.
    Check their work before you release money.
    Pay no more than $200 for each milestone.

    Regards
    Amer
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  • Profile picture of the author anamikasoni
    You can outsource your software project on elance and free lancing sites.
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  • Profile picture of the author JamieAdiant
    You need to first start out planning and laying out your features. I would create a technical spec doc and send this out to your prospects. Far too many outsource companies will just start developing with no plan.
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  • Profile picture of the author lana87
    The point is to use services of the highly experienced outsourcing company. By the way, I prefer outstaffing to outsourcing. It better fits my needs. If somebody is interested, here is the article on this isssue - outsourcing vs outstaffing . Anyway, good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author Tim Franklin
    Great post, This is a huge issue and it is one that so many people experience on a daily basis.

    There are pitfalls and sometimes mine fields at every turn.

    The number one problem effecting most software outsourcing is communication.

    Developers that have mad skills often do not want to deal with a client that has very little knowledge about what they are trying to accomplish.

    There are ways to overcome this but most of the time you really need to have some knowledge to work with.

    (without knowledge how will you know if you are being taken to the cleaners)

    The second greatest mistake made by outsourcers or contractors is not having a detailed plan.

    You can get a great deal on development costs when you have a detailed plan.

    What is really interesting is that even those sellers out there that are selling guides to outsourcing have little or no direct knowledge of how to successfully manage a project or how to manage programmers.

    So, you end up with an ebook or PDF file that basically says, you just go to freelancer or Odesk and hire someone, LOL...

    Its not that easy, it never is that easy...

    Great question and one that often requires experience to really answer well.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ghoster
    This is always going to be an issue with sites like UpWork.

    The best you can do is pay by the project and set up detailed milestones.

    You need to get to a version of the software that you can test yourself as quickly as possible without paying too much. Milestones are the answer.
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    On the whole, you get what you pay for.

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