As we discussed in one of our previous articles about software development, there are times when outsourcing a particular project makes the most sense. After doing your initial project research, you may realize you do not possess the necessary skills for using available tools to achieve the result needed, the time demands are too great or perhaps it is much more cost efficient to use an outside provider to complete the development project.

Whatever your reason or reasons are for outsourcing, it is still important to properly manage the project, select the right provider for the job and ensure all of the key elements are addressed. The right provider can make your life much easier and a poor provider can make life extremely difficult, so be sure to cover all the details upfront.

Outsourcing Software Development

When it comes to outsourcing software development projects, there are several key elements you will want to ensure are discussed and covered with your chosen provider. Making sure you and your developer are on the same page and have a clear set of expectations will set the stage for a successful collaboration.

Eight Key Elements When Outsourcing Software Development Projects

I. Ensure everything needed is included in the project estimate proposal

Important Components of the Development Process:

• Analytics or Specification
• Design
• Layout
• Architecture & Design
• Program Code Development
• Code Documenting
• Software Test Results
• Deployment of Code on the Customer’s Server
• Maintenance
• Training

II. Reduce costs by creating technical specification

Creating comprehensive technical specifications for your project can significantly reduce costs over the long-term. Additionally, it helps the developer clearly understand exactly what is required and what is not required to be included with the final version of software that is developed.

Not only will technical specifications prevent the developer spending unnecessary time of adding features or functions not required, it also helps reduce errors. Several years ago, the National Institute of Standards and Technology published a report stating software errors cost the United States economy $59.5 billion each year. For an individual project, it is easy to imagine a little confusion or missing an important element in the development process could cause a project to run significantly over budget.

It is impossible to account for all errors, but making sure you have clear specifications from the beginning will avoid errors and avoid dollars spent on unnecessary developer efforts.

III. Make sure the provider documents the code

Extreme clarity in understanding a developer’s code is important when making adjustments or fixing errors later on down the road. Without a clear understanding of exactly what the original developer was thinking and how they were thinking it can result in confusion, wasted time in deciphering exactly what was already done and bugs.

Be sure to have the developer provide comprehensive and straightforward documentation that will give clear insight to others who may have to work with the code later. It should be much more than just a few notes here and there; it should be a full, detailed and lengthy explanation of their coding process.

IV. Make sure there are no intellectual property rights issues

Infringing on intellectual property rights can potentially be a very serious problem and extremely costly, especially in the realm software used or sold for commercial purposes. These situations can sometimes lead to civil or even criminal proceedings with severe penalties. Even in the best case scenarios resolved by complying with a notice and takedown notice, will mean you will no longer be able to use or sell the software you had developed.

If the element in the software causing the issue is intertwined with the core operation of the software, then you will be forced to stop your business operation entirely. Lost revenue, lost time and the cost to redevelop or fix the problem can add up to substantial figures in a hurry.

V. Test the product yourself

Have you ever heard the phrase, “trust but verify”? This is an absolute rule that must be followed when outsourcing development. There is nothing wrong with building trust in a developer over time, but it is essential to test and verify the results yourself.

Not only will this give you peace of mind and ensure the provider has completed the project properly, it will also give you an opportunity to test the software from a consumer’s point of view. You may find something the developer missed, an honest mistake or simply a portion of the software that needs a little tweaking.

VI. Do not hesitate to stay involved in the development process

Staying involved in the development process is usually a good idea. It will give you an opportunity to have a better understanding of the step-by-step process, how things were done and also monitor the progress and time spent on the project.

There are several excellent project management systems, which lend themselves to software development projects.

JIRA Project Management

JIRA is specifically designed to help project managers stay in sync with the progress of projects and allows them to define and track sub-projects within the core project.

JIRA provides a flexible platform that is loaded with features, allowing all members of a project team to view, track and communicate about the same project using the same information. JIRA also offers an option for a free trial.

Redmine is an open source project management tool that is completely free to use. It is a good alternative to JIRA and the price is right, however, it is probably best suited for those with a little more technical knowledge.

Because it is free and open source, there is a large amount of support information on the web, but utilizing the information will be up to you.

If you are looking for a full featured project management system, it is worth a look.

Time Tracking Software

Combined with the project management software, time tracking systems represent a powerful tool for measuring your team’s performance. In recent years, time-tracking systems have become rich in functionality allowing full integration with project management tools such as JIRA and Redmine, among others. Many time tracking apps even allow activity monitoring such as apps used, screenshots, mouse activity and keyboard activity with the ability to generate various reports, billing reports and invoice generation.

VII. Ask for training

Training should be provided with the final software product delivered by the developer. If you feel something more informal is sufficient, then perhaps a Skype call or web meeting will be enough. If the software is more complex, then you may want to ask for a user manual, video or detailed instructions to be provided at the time of final delivery.

VIII. Communication

Clear and consistent communication solves many issues and avoids many problems before they happen. Be sure to communicate with everyone involved in the development process often and do not be afraid to give reminders about key issues even if they have been discussed before.