S3Corp. Tech Blog

Outsourcing application development has become a common practice among organizations worldwide, especially as technology needs to evolve. According to a 2014/2015 study by Computer Economics, 62 percent of large organizations outsource at least part of their application development work. This trend continues to rise as companies look for ways to manage declining IT budgets and the growing demand for quicker time-to-market solutions. With the outsourcing landscape expanding to include not only development but also product management, technical services, and process automation, the challenge now lies in selecting the right outsourcing partner. Here are five key questions to help guide your decision-making process when outsourcing application development, ensuring you find a partner that fits your needs.

1. How Do You Structure the Partnership Roles to Be Efficient and Successful?

When working with a software outsourcing partner, clear communication and well-defined roles are essential. Delivering business-critical systems and applications demands efficiency, and time is a key factor in this equation. Discussing how the development partner structures their team and assigning roles effectively ensures that the project moves forward smoothly. This helps prevent delays caused by a lack of clarity or involvement from the right team members.

A successful partnership involves a few key practices. First, your outsourcing partner should be involved in the planning process from the outset. By engaging them early on, you ensure that their expertise is utilized to shape the project roadmap, preventing costly mistakes or missed opportunities. It is also important to maintain close collaboration with the partner throughout the project’s duration. This includes regular updates on progress, sharing incremental developments, and providing demos to show tangible results.

Transparency in communication is vital. Both parties need to have visibility into the status of the project, including progress reports, testing outcomes, and potential risks. This ensures that any challenges or changes can be addressed immediately. Regular feedback loops also help keep the project aligned with expectations, so it is important to ensure that the partner is responsive to changes as they arise. Establishing these roles and processes from the beginning ensures an efficient and successful partnership.

2. How Skilled and Researched Is Your Development Team with UX Design?

User experience (UX) design is crucial for any application, especially when it is intended for a wide audience. If you outsource product delivery, you gain the advantage of working with a specialized development team, but it’s important to assess their expertise in UX design. Have they conducted extensive UX research? A team with experience in this area will be able to offer valuable insights into how users interact with your product, which can help ensure the application is intuitive and user-friendly.

The user experience should always be a top priority when designing and developing an application. Poor UX can result in a product that is difficult to navigate, leading to user frustration and ultimately impacting the success of the product. Therefore, it is essential to choose a partner who has a strong understanding of UX principles and who can offer suggestions for improvements that could enhance the usability of the application.

UX research involves more than just visual design. It includes understanding user behavior, preferences, and pain points. A good development team will have experience in conducting user testing, creating wireframes, and applying user feedback to refine the design. Make sure to discuss how the team approaches UX design, whether they have conducted similar projects in the past, and what processes they follow to ensure that user experience is at the forefront of development.

3. What Are the Features, Services, and Skills That Set Your Company Apart from Your Competitors or Independent Consultants?

As the outsourcing industry grows, many companies offer similar services, but each has its unique features, skills, and services that differentiate them. It is essential to assess what sets your potential outsourcing partner apart from others, especially when choosing between a company and independent consultants.

Start by evaluating the technical capabilities that the outsourcing partner brings to the table. Are they equipped to handle the specific needs of your project? For example, do they provide real-time analytics? How do they handle security concerns, such as preventing and managing cyber attacks? These are critical considerations when selecting a partner, as they directly impact the success and safety of your application.

Consider the range of services the company offers. Some partners specialize in specific areas, such as mobile application development or web-based solutions, while others provide a broader set of services. If your project involves multiple stages, such as development, testing, and product launch, ensure the partner has the necessary resources and expertise to support the full lifecycle of your application. Services like cloud hosting, quality assurance, and scalability support should be factored into the decision-making process as well.

It is also important to look at the skills and experience of the development team. Are they familiar with the latest development tools and frameworks? Have they worked on similar projects? A partner with a proven track record in the specific technologies you require will be able to deliver a higher-quality product, reducing the risk of delays or technical issues during development.

4. What Is Your Approach to Communication and Collaboration?

Effective communication is one of the most critical factors in any successful outsourcing partnership. It is essential to establish clear lines of communication from the beginning of the project to ensure that both parties are aligned on expectations, timelines, and goals. The outsourcing partner should have a well-established communication plan that includes regular updates, progress reports, and touchpoints throughout the development process.

Communication should be consistent and transparent, ensuring that there are no surprises along the way. Whether the project is being developed for a web application, mobile platform, or both, communication should be tailored to the specific needs of the project. This includes setting up tools for project management, using collaborative platforms for document sharing, and ensuring that the team is responsive to your queries and feedback.

Time zone differences can be a challenge, especially if your outsourcing partner is based in a different region like Vietnam. However, with proper planning, this can be managed effectively. You should discuss the working hours, preferred communication channels, and availability of the development team to ensure that there are no significant barriers to smooth communication.

5. How Do You Manage Risks, Deadlines, and Quality Assurance?

Outsourcing application development can bring significant benefits, but it also comes with its set of risks. One of the most critical aspects to consider when choosing a partner is how they handle risk management, deadlines, and quality assurance (QA). Delays, quality issues, and scope creep can all pose challenges to the success of the project.

A reliable outsourcing partner will have a clear process for managing risks. This includes identifying potential risks early on, developing mitigation strategies, and continuously monitoring the project to address any issues that arise. Discuss how the partner handles unexpected delays or changes in the scope of the project. A good partner will have a flexible approach and will be able to adjust timelines and resources as necessary to keep the project on track.

Quality assurance is also a crucial element of outsourcing. Ensure that the partner has a strong QA process in place to detect and fix bugs early in the development cycle. This can prevent costly post-launch issues and help maintain the overall quality of the application. Ask the partner about their testing methodologies, such as manual and automated testing, and how they handle user feedback to improve the product.

Finally, discussing deadlines and milestones is essential. Make sure the outsourcing partner has a realistic understanding of the project timeline and can meet key deadlines. By setting clear expectations for project milestones and deliverables, you can avoid delays and ensure that the project progresses smoothly.

Conclusion

Outsourcing application development can be a smart move for organizations looking to save time and resources while still delivering high-quality applications. However, the key to success lies in choosing the right partner. By asking the right questions—about roles and communication, UX design, skills and features, risk management, and quality assurance—you can make an informed decision that aligns with your needs. Whether you are working with a global partner or a specialized team in places like Vietnam, it is essential to select a partner that brings the right expertise, processes, and dedication to your project. S3Corp, for example, offers strong mobile and web application development services that emphasize collaboration, security, and high-quality delivery, making them a solid choice for outsourcing application development.