Main tips to find your outsourced vendor for software development

 
More and more companies opt for outsourced development. To make it successful you need to thoroughly plan and check different providers of outsourced software development. Below we have prepared for you some tips to make your choice easier.
 

Small or large vendor?

When we are talking about a small development company, it is worth mentioning that it is useful for several reasons. It is easier to work with such a provider, its team is more agile, the company offers a reasonable price for the project.

All of these works great if you are planning to have a small project. However, if you think of complex outsourced development then seek the help of a larger provider. They offer:

• Quick delivery of a project. A company already has adjusted processes, automated delivery and needed professionals. This helps quicken the delivery of the product and shorten project costs.
• Vast knowledge in technology. A big vendor has a broad tech stack at use, which you can choose according to your requirements. No need to limit your project.
• Constant and comprehensive support. The outsourced team can support the project on different stages and even improve other services (managed help desk services, UX consulting and others) connected to the project.

Main signs of the great development process

If you are looking for a sign that your project is doing great, look at the structure of the development process. Because elaborate process enhances the chance that you will get a final product according to your needs. Thus, pay attention to such factors:

• Processes are aligned with global standards. A provider should have the ISO 9001 standard. This means the vendor has a quality management system that other entities consider effective.
• A vendor uses Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). With its help, the vendor can systemize its processes to improve adaptability and get solid results.
• The outsourced team guarantees coding standards, integration, control of versions and smooth integration. If you make a request, the company provides its SOP to give a preview of its development process.
• Transparency in processes. Look for a company that offers transparent cooperation between you and the outsourced team. Such a kind of cooperation includes frequent communication and reports, consistent access to systems where you can track task progress. Your company can ask for a preview of cooperation.

How to have great communication with an outsourced team

It is important to work with an outsourced team that will fully understand your plans and needs. To make this task easier for both of you, we offer you to:

• Look for a provider who knows the specifics of your business industry. The company should have case studies on its previous projects.
• Request frequent reports, calls or meetings. This way you will have up-to-date information about project progress.

How to protect your project

If you are worried about the security of the project and corporate data, there are methods to help with privacy on various levels:

• Confidentiality of business information. Sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). This way you will protect your project, tech data, marketing strategy and other details from being exposed to other entities. Your vendor should also sign this agreement.
• Intellectual property rights (IPR). Remember that your company has full rights to the project and all its components (code, user stories, project specification, changes, etc.). In the future, this will help modify the product even if you stop your cooperation with the outsourced team.
• Security of product and users. To make sure your users’ data is protected, the provider of outsourced development should have up-to-date IT infrastructure with strong security (such as DLP, IDS/IPS, SIEM) and industry standards (such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR).