What is software development outsourcing?
Software development outsourcing is a strategic practice where a business contracts an external agency or third-party entity to execute certain software-related tasks that could include designing, developing, testing, and maintaining software applications. This can be extremely beneficial for businesses that may lack the necessary resources or expertise in-house to actualize their idea into user-ready software.
Examples of common software development outsourcing projecting include:
- Custom software development: This service involves creating tailor-made software solutions to meet specific business requirements. It enhances efficiency and provides a competitive edge.
- Web application development: This service includes building web-based applications accessible via web browsers, ranging from simple websites to complex platforms like content management systems.
- QA and software testing: This critical service ensures the reliability and stability of software through various testing methods, helping to identify and rectify any flaws or bugs.
- IT consulting: Software development outsourcing companies provide guidance on technology strategy, digital transformation, and IT infrastructure, aiding businesses in leveraging technology effectively for growth and competitiveness.
Our software development outsourcing company would be happy to review your business goals and budget to help you select the right mix of software development outsourcing services.
Read More: Custom Software Development Contract Template Checklist
How to develop your outsourcing strategy?
Creating a robust software development outsourcing strategy is crucial to maximizing the benefits and minimizing the risks associated with outsourcing software development. Follow these steps to build a robust strategy that not only enhances your operational efficiency but also gives you access to a world of new talent and capabilities that can significantly accelerate business growth.
Identify internal skill gaps: Begin by scrutinizing your existing software development resources and processes. Pinpoint areas where your team lacks the necessary expertise, time, or resources. These gaps highlight specific tasks you need to outsource. Your outsourcing goals may include acquiring specialized skills, expanding your team's capacity, speeding up project delivery, or improving product quality.
Choose the right type of outsourcing: Evaluate the different forms of outsourcing, such as offshoring, nearshoring, and onshoring. Consider factors like time zone differences, language barriers, cost implications, and cultural compatibility to determine which model best suits your needs.
Identify potential software outsourcing partners: Research and shortlist potential outsourcing partners that have the required expertise in the areas you've identified. Consider their track record, capabilities in your specific niche, available resources, and reputation in the market. This will help ensure that the chosen partner can meet your specific software development requirements.
Set outsourcing metrics: Once you have chosen an outsourcing partner, establish clear performance metrics to assess their work. These may include quality of code, adherence to deadlines, communication efficiency, or any other criteria important to your project.
Monitor results: Establish a consistent system to track these metrics. Regular monitoring and evaluation of the outsourcing partner's work will help ensure they're meeting your standards and expectations. Address any issues or discrepancies promptly to maintain the project's momentum and quality.
In conclusion, an effective outsourcing strategy is more than a set-it-and-forget-it solution. It requires diligent planning, execution, monitoring, and continuous adjustment to ensure that the benefits of outsourcing are realized while potential challenges are effectively managed.
Read More: 7 Steps to Start a Successful Software Development Partnership
Why work with a full-service custom software development partner?
Outsourcing software development is a strategic step that can offer numerous benefits, particularly when navigating the complexities involved in creating custom software applications. This process requires a seamless blend of astute business strategy and advanced technical capabilities to deliver a standout product.
Hence, choosing an experienced software development company is critical to ensure proper project management and to deliver a software solution that aligns with your business needs, budget, and timeline.
Considering the complexity of the task, partnering with a service provider that is proficient in custom software development and possesses a deep understanding of your sector can make a significant difference. A company with a track record of providing robust and reliable custom software applications can offer you the edge you need.
As a software product development company we can guarantee a high degree of project ownership and accountability throughout the entire development journey. Our measure of success is your success.
- Benefit from seasoned tech experts: With over 15 years of experience, we've been creating tailored software solutions for startups and SMEs.
- Adopt a design-centric, results-oriented approach: Our design workshops help crystallize your business idea, accelerating the creation of superior products.
- Embrace business-conscious engineering: Work alongside engineers who appreciate the importance of tangible results from tech ventures.
Read More: How to Choose a Software Development Company in 10 Steps
Why companies outsource software development to Eastern Europe?
One of the most sought-after destinations for IT software outsourcing is Eastern Europe. If you are looking for quality over quantity, then Eastern Europe provides world-class IT solutions that are on par with other outsourcing destinations such as Asia, South America, and Southeast Asian nations. Some of the key benefits you can expect when working with a software outsourcing company in Eastern Europe are:
Skilled and Competent Workforce
Eastern Europe has a highly skilled and competent workforce who can work on innovative projects. The software engineers from Eastern Europe have the experience and knowledge to provide IT solutions on par with the rest of the world. The empowerment of Technical and IT Education in Eastern Europe has drawn people from around the world for access to world-class quality education.
Strategic Geographical Location and Smaller Time Zone Gap
The geographical location of the countries in this region has the advantage of a smaller time zone gap to provide services to the rest of the world with ease of working hours. When you outsource software development to a company in Eastern Europe, you can expect the time zone difference to be very manageable.
Adaptability to Cultural Differences and Language Barriers
Teams in Eastern Europe are able to collaborate with remote teams in other countries due to their ability to communicate in English and accommodate cultural differences.
Dynamic IT Community
Some of the best software development companies have set up their global offices in Eastern Europe citing talent pool, cost of operations, and strategic location. Eastern Europe is also a hub for IT research and web development (R&D) centres. They currently are the access point to a million and more IT professionals.
Cost-Effective IT Solutions
In comparison to Western Europe, the USA, and Canada, the cost to outsource software development to Eastern Europe is much lesser given the economic conditions of the nations in this region. This is cost-effective for the customer and even the vendor outsourcing the IT solutions.
Security regulation
Countries in Eastern Europe adhere to the same standards as the rest of Europe. This includes following copyright rules, maintaining non-disclosure agreements, and implementing policies such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Read More: Software Development in Poland - Hire Team in 4 Simple Steps
What is your process for developing custom software?
Our development team is focused on forging business-centric, custom software solutions that seamlessly align with your operational goals and meet your budget expectations. We begin each client engagement with a comprehensive initial discovery, investigation, and cost estimation stage to fully comprehend the needed software outsourcing services and specific project's nuances. After this, we provide our clients with a clear understanding of the project timeline and budget.
Subsequently, we map out our strategic plan and launch into meticulously planned front-end development sprints. Outlined below are our standard software development processes:
Initial discovery, research, and estimation: At the heart of our custom software development services lies a deep understanding of your vision, your desired features, and your ultimate goals for the custom software. We see this stage as crucial in defining your requirements and translating them into actionable development objectives, while also establishing a clear project budget.
Workshops and strategic planning: Our software development outsourcing company stands out due to our design thinking approach, serving as the catalyst for our iterative software development process. We integrate tried and tested methodologies from the world of software development to ensure optimal results. Anticipate engaging design workshops designed to refine your business idea and guide us in constructing high-quality software platforms.
Development sprints: Our software developers follow a meticulous development lifecycle, segmented into manageable chunks or "sprints." Each sprint covers a specific part of the project scope that can be accomplished within a defined timeframe. In keeping with the principles of Agile methodology, each sprint culminates with a demo of a working section of the software by our expert development team, setting the stage for user acceptance testing.
Stabilization and release process: Building custom software solutions is a complex process that requires a stabilization phase. During this phase, we focus on fine-tuning all aspects of the software to ensure it meets your business agility criteria. After stabilization, we gather feedback from initial users and, provided it's positive, we move forward with launching the first version of the software solution into a live production environment.
Support and aftercare: Even after deployment, our commitment to your success continues. As your outsourcing partner, we monitor the software's performance and stand ready to swiftly address any emerging issues in line with the agreed Service Level Agreement (SLA) or a separately agreed upon understanding.
We tailor our support and technical enhancement strategies to each client and project, establishing protocols for error handling, issue prioritization, response time, and booking developer resources monthly. Our overarching goal remains to ensure you are happy with the outcome. Above all - your success is our success.
Read More Custom Software Development Process
How much time do you need to deliver a custom software solution?
The entire software development process can take anywhere from a few weeks to 24 months. It really depends on the complexity of the software solution that needs to be built, or in the case of an integration project, the complexity of the integration work. To give you a better idea, here are a few examples:
Simple data integration project will take about 2 to 4 weeks. Our development team tracks their time worked using 3rd party work-logging applications. To streamline project billing, we have built a custom application in less than 1 week using Active Admin and implementing two API integrations. It connects the data and allows us to issue error-free invoices to all clients faster. It was later extended to have more functionality.
And a complex custom web application project will take anywhere from 4 to 24 months - see example here
The precise cost to outsource software development services is determined by the complexity of the services we render and the experience level of the involved team members. Acknowledging the importance of a well-defined project scope and budget, we offer our clients the following as part of our software development services:
- Detailed Budget Forecasts: We provide our clients with in-depth cost estimations, empowering them to plan accurately for their software development project expenses.
- Consistent Progress Reports: Keeping in line with our dedication to transparency, we keep our clients in the loop with regular updates about the status and progress of their software development projects.
- Seasoned Project Management: Harnessing our vast experience in project management, we equip our clients with the necessary budgeting tools and management strategies to ensure their software development project stays on track and within their budget constraints.
- Worthwhile Investment: At SoftKraft, we abide by the commitment to deliver the utmost value for your investment. We measure our success by your satisfaction.
Ultimately, our objective is to deliver top-tier custom software that aligns with our clients' needs and budget constraints, meeting their technical and business requirements - all within budget. We invite you to reach out to us for a detailed project estimate. Contact SoftKraft today to kick-start your journey toward a custom solution tailored to your specifications!
Read More: Web Application Development Costs in 2023 + Estimation Template
