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From Idea to Launch|Outsourcing Your Software Development Project

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Praise Iwuh

June 02, 2023

From Idea to Launch|Outsourcing Your Software Development Project

Outsourcing your software development project is a great alternative, especially if you lack the skills, time, and budget to develop it in-house. However, selecting the right software development partner is not as simple as going to a boutique to get a shoe.

It takes adequate planning, research, and an in-depth knowledge of outsourcing. Sometimes, this process could span months, and you might not still get the appropriate provider that best fits your needs or works with your budget.

This is why we have compiled this detailed guide on finding the perfect software development outsourcing team for your needs. As the article's title suggests, we will cover all steps in outsourcing your software development project from idea to launch.

When you finish this article, we guarantee you will have no difficulty selecting a software provider for your business needs.

Let's get started!

What you will learn

What is Software Development Outsourcing?

Benefits of Outsourcing Software Development

11 Steps to Software Development Outsourcing

We imagine that you likely know what software development outsourcing is. Especially since you have gotten to the stage where you are considering outsourcing your next software development project, which led you to this article. However, we want to start by covering the basics of software development outsourcing before heading to the day's main course.

What is Software Development Outsourcing?

Software Development Outsourcing refers to the hiring of independent contractors or collaboration with a different business to manage the creation, upkeep, and support of software applications. Instead of relying entirely on an in-house team, organisations outsource their software development needs to external experts or agencies.

The software development outsourcing model allows companies to benefit from the skills, resources, and understanding of outside companies that are experts in software development.

The outsourcing arrangement can encompass various software development life cycle stages, from initial planning and design to coding, testing, deployment, and ongoing support.

It also provides companies with flexibility, cost-effectiveness, access to specialised talent, and the ability to focus on core business activities while ensuring the development of high-quality software solutions.

Read this well-detailed article on IT Outsourcing vs In-house IT: Which is better?

Benefits of Outsourcing Software Development

Outsourcing your software development project to an experienced team has several benefits. Some of them include:

1. Access to Expertise

Through outsourcing, businesses can access a variety of specialised talents and knowledge that might not otherwise be accessible. For instance, a business may require knowledge of a particular technology or programming language that its in-house team does not possess. However, with software development outsourcing, they can collaborate with a software development company with a wealth of expertise in that field, ensuring high-quality output.

2. Cost savings

Companies can cut costs by outsourcing their software development projects using talented developers in places with cheaper labour prices. For example, a US-based business might hire a team of software developers in Nigeria, where hourly wages are frequently lower. These significant cost savings can help businesses allocate their budgets more efficiently.

3. Flexibility and Scalability

Outsourcing allows businesses to scale their software development efforts quickly. For instance, a startup may need to develop a new application quickly, but it might not have the internal capacity to handle the workload. By outsourcing, they can quickly expand their development team and meet their deadlines without the need for long hiring processes.

4. Focus on core business goals

Businesses can focus on their primary competencies and strategic goals by outsourcing software development because it frees up internal resources. For example, a retail business can contract software development to a specialist firm so that its internal staff can focus on enhancing client experiences, growing its product lines, or streamlining its supply chain.

5. Faster time to market

Companies can reduce their development cycles and increase the pace at which their goods reach the market by outsourcing software development. For instance, a company may collaborate with an outsourcing partner with a streamlined development process and efficient project management methodologies. This will help to reduce development time, allowing businesses to gain a competitive edge and seize market opportunities faster.

11 Steps to Software Development Outsourcing

1. Clearly state your goals and requirements

The first step in software outsourcing is defining your goals and requirements. You can achieve this by generating and conceptualising your idea.

Essentially, creating an idea for outsourcing software development entails refining and forming an idea into a clear software solution. Once this is determined, you can specify your goals and requirements.

For instance, clients can approach an outsourcing company with the concept of developing a mobile app for a meal delivery service. First, the client determines the precise goals, such as enhancing customer convenience, raising order efficiency, and boosting the customer base through meetings and brainstorming sessions. Then, they can refine the idea by outlining key features, such as user registration, restaurant search, menu browsing, secure payment processing, and real-time order tracking.

Once your ideas have been refined, here are some steps that can help you to define your goals:

Identify your business needs
Prioritise objectives
Make your goals SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound)
Collaborate with your outsourcing partner on what goals will be feasible
Make adjustments and regularly reevaluate goals

2. Assess your needs

The aim of analysing your needs is to determine the outsourcing model that will be ideal for your business. There are two major outsourcing models. These are Project-based and specialist models.

In the project-based model, the company lacks the technical expertise and hires a development company to handle all of its projects, including management.

However, in the specialist model, the client has a project manager and an in-house team. However, they decide to hire a development team to fill the gap in some areas where they do not have the complete expertise.

Here, you want to assess your business needs and determine which type of outsourcing model your business needs.

Additionally, you will need to develop a project plan and organise your training resources.

3. Outline your budget

This involves estimating what it would cost to develop such software from start to finish. Here you will also set deadlines, milestones, and KPIs, guiding you and the development team in allocating resources and the deployment date.

This stage will also help you to determine how big your team will be and the kind of outsourcing partners you will need (whether onshore, nearshore, or offshore).

To learn more about offshore, nearshore, and onshore outsourcing, read this article on What is Infomation Technology (IT) Outsourcing?

If you have a limited budget, your best alternative will be to use offshore outsourcing, where you approach a third-party company in a different country with cheaper labour costs.

4. Choose your Outsourcing provider

You should know which outsourcing partner will be ideal for you from your defined goals and budget. However, if you are still unsure of how to find your outsourcing partner, here are tips to guide you:

Seek recommendations from trusted peers and colleagues.
Check online platforms and directories like Clutch, Upwork, g2.com, Hubspot agency directory, and LinkedIn Pro Finder to browse software development companies, their reviews and portfolios.
Attend industry events and conferences related to software development or outsourcing.
Prepare a Request for Proposal (RFP) outlining your software development needs and distribute it to potential outsourcing partners to evaluate their responses.
Explore the online presence and portfolio of outsourcing partners.
Consider both local and global outsourcing options.
Reach out to the agency's past clients to get reviews.

If you need a software development outsourcing partner and a company that can work with any budget, check out this top-notch software development company - Wazobia Technologies. Wazobia Technologies is a Software Development Agency specialising in custom software products and operations.

In addition, they provide engineering solutions to help solve business needs for clients ranging from small and medium-sized enterprises to multinationals.

Wazobia Technologies has also developed helpful custom software such as content management systems, Hr management systems, inventory management systems, cross-platform applications, etc.

You also do not need to worry about costs because each project is tailored to fit the specific needs of each business and meet any budget.

5. Proposal and Planning

The outsourcing provider develops a project strategy and offers based on the requirements gathered. This comprises schedules, budget projections, resource allotments, and a suggested development strategy. The client examines and accepts the strategy, ensuring it meets their objectives and expectations.

Once the proposal has been accepted, you can sign your software development outsourcing contract.

Here are some tips to remember before signing your contract:

Ensure you have all access to your software project and source code. This must also be spelt out in your contract.
Ensure you understand the software outsourcing pricing, services, and how they operate.
Ensure you reach a mutually agreeable time frame or schedule.
Specify what would happen if the development partner fails to meet up to expectations.
Provide an NDA preventing developers or anyone from running off your source code.
Ensure your KPIs are well specified
Understand your Service Level Agreement (SLA) and Master Services Agreement (MSA) before you sign.

6. Design and Prototyping

In this stage, the outsourced team develops wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes that show the software's user interface, graphic design, and overall user experience.

Here, the client also offers input, and the design is improved repeatedly until everyone is happy. For instance, the outsourcing team might create wireframes that showcase the layout and functionality of each screen in the mobile app.

7. Development

The outsourcing team starts the actual development process after the design is complete. They create modules, write code, and integrate various parts to create the software application. To ensure the development complies with their expectations, the customer may participate in regular meetings, progress reviews, and feedback exchanges. For example, the outsourcing team may use an Agile development methodology, delivering incremental updates and seeking client feedback at each iteration.

8. Quality assurance and testing

The testing process is essential for finding and resolving faults, failures, or performance problems in the product.

Here, the outsourced team conducts several testing procedures, such as user acceptability testing, integration testing, and unit testing. As a result, they guarantee the software works as planned, is reliable, and offers a smooth user experience. For instance, the group might do automated tests to check the app's payment processing module's operation.

9. Deployment and launch

The software is ready for deployment once it has passed testing and quality assurance. Here, the outsourcing partner configures servers, sets up the required infrastructure, and ensures the deployment goes smoothly. They may also help distribute the software to app stores or make it available to users.

The stage is also where the mobile app is appropriately packaged, signed, and published to the respective app stores.

10. Repatriation or Transfer

This stage transfers resources and responsibilities back to the client or original company.

11. Maintenance and support

After the software is launched, the outsourcing provider may offer continuous maintenance and support services. This means they would fix problems, release updates, and ensure the software is current and compatible with developing technology.

This stage usually occurs if the client does not decide to transfer resources and responsibilities. If repatriation occurs, then the client will be in charge of maintenance and support.

Why Choose Wazobia Technologies as your Software Development Partner?

Wazobia Technologies is a Software Development Agency specialising in custom software products and operations. With exceptional project management, we provide engineering solutions to help solve business needs for our clients, ranging from small and medium-sized enterprises to multinationals.

Our creative hub spans a across the UK and Africa, as a reliable partner for end-to-end product development, software consultancy, business analysis, quality assurance, and maintenance projects of all sizes, scales, and complexities. Wazobia Technology primarily provides intelligent solutions in most modern software technologies, such as DevOps, Cloud, and more. In addition, all our operations are scalable and sustainable, so you can continuously add features and upgrade as required because we tailor them to fit the specific needs of each business and meet any budget. Wazobia technologies stands out because we are customer-centric. This means your satisfaction is our top priority. We also take great pride in effective communication, efficiency, and transparency. Additionally, we use an agile methodology, so you are always in the loop at every stage of the development process.

Conclusion

Outsourcing your software development project can be a wise strategic move with several advantages for your company. Therefore, it is essential to have a disciplined approach from conception through launch.

This article discussed essential steps in software development outsourcing, including idea conceptualisation, goal definition, finding the right outsourcing partner, and collaborating effectively.

By leveraging outsourcing, businesses can access cost savings, specialised expertise, flexibility, faster time-to-market, and the ability to focus on core competencies.