Due to the looming global economic crisis, organizations are seeking methods to achieve their software development objectives while staying within their budget constraints. Nevertheless, most companies do not have sufficient time, financial resources, or capabilities to establish an in-house development team to fulfill their software and website needs. Working with an offshore software development company can be the optimal solution in this situation. Collaborating with a highly skilled software development partner, companies can reduce costs, reduce stress, and streamline the software development process. 

While choosing a reliable partner, you can simply work with a close-knit team of incredible developers who will add to the credibility of your enterprise through their exceptional work. However, working with a remote development team can also pose significant risks, including communication barriers, quality issues, and data security concerns. Here are some “must-ask” questions before hiring an offshore software company to ensure the success of your project.

What Are Your Project Requirements and Expectations? 

To finish the project on time, within budget, and up to the stakeholders’ expectations, thoroughly understanding the requirements and expectations is indispensable. Other success criteria, such as those for quality and sustainability, are also covered by requirements.

When requirements are vague and ambiguous, projects are at stake for not fully delivering what is necessary. At a minimum, missed requirements lead to rework. At a maximum, there would be severe impacts to the schedule and budget which indicate that the likelihood of a successful project is low.

How Do You Evaluate the Quality and Expertise of an Offshore Software Development Company?

Probably the first thing we’ll inquire about is the team’s quality and expertise in software development. You should ask them about past projects that are similar to the project you need to do to ensure they are skilled in using the necessary technology and programs. By doing this, you will gain an understanding of their skills, past achievements, and domain expertise. As it takes hours to ‘learn’ a programming language but years to build quality and expertise, familiarity or understanding of a particular programming language will probably not be sufficient. Requesting testimonials or recommendations from previous customers who had similar jobs completed might also be beneficial.

These will help you narrow down the number of potential partners on your list and figure out the best business to work with on your project. It would be a “green flag” you should be looking for if a company has its own development team, expertise, management tools, and methodologies.

How Do You Communicate and Collaborate with Offshore Software Development Company?

One of the major risks of offshore software development is communication barriers. Language differences, time zone disparities, and cultural differences can all contribute to miscommunications, which can cause the failure of the project. 

Communication is key to any project, so make sure that you fully ask development firms about their communication methods and ensure that they align with your expectations. It probably won’t be enough if the team on the other side only communicates with you once every two weeks. Inquire about their preferred methods of communication and whether they would be willing to switch to yours if you had a preference. Daily meetings are great to keep up with everything that is going on. Even though daily communication can be a burden for both teams, it will allow you to catch mistakes early and stop small issues from becoming larger ones. 

It would be a “red flag” if the other side does not use any project management tools. To keep the project on track and prevent misdelivery, collaboration tools are one of the most pivotal things even when working on the simplest websites. 

How Do You Manage the Project Timeline, Budget, and Scope? 

Without adequate project management and control, offshore software development projects might be at risk of time and costly rework, which could lead to delays, reputational damage, and even project failure. Therefore, a clear change management procedure should be established to keep the project on track, and handle scope creep and other unforeseen changes, using agile development approaches, which encourage adaptability, teamwork, and continual development is also one of the suitable ways for you to consider.

Carefully check and ask for their hourly rate. When they tell you the pricing, try looking up what is typical for their region and their stack online. If it’s lower, that might be a sign to avoid them. Remember, never sacrifice quality to save money!

Asking for other detailed questions such as: How long did it take them on their previous project on average? What did they do to meet tight deadlines or urgent tasks? What is their normal workflow and timeline? To know the flexibility and productivity the offshore team can process to deliver the project’s results. This will also give you a clearer picture of the amount of time and budget.

>> Also Read: Top 7 Software Development Methodologies

How Do You Handle Legal, Security, and Cultural Issues?

Data security concerns and legal and cultural differences are other risks of offshore software development. Working with a remote development team may increase the risk of data breaches, legal and cultural conflict.

Cultural barriers can produce misunderstandings and conflict due to the cultural norms and the different values between two different cultures. For example, criticizing or publicly disagreeing with someone may be deemed impolite in some cultures while being regarded as courteous and respectable in others. Therefore, there might be friction and conflict if you are working with a group of individuals from a culture that prioritizes courtesy and respect while you come from a culture where it is acceptable to publicly criticize someone when you believe they are mistaken. To avoid cultural conflict, a variety of questions about etiquette, hierarchy, and taboos should be carefully asked to minimize possible cultural risk clashes down the road. 

As working with a remote development team, the risks of security flaws will increase. To avoid security vulnerabilities strict data security protocols should be implemented to ensure that your development team follows industry-standard security practices and protocols. Restrict the entry of team members to sensitive or confidential information to only those who are necessary and establish rigorous policies and procedures for safeguarding data. To find and fix any potential weaknesses, you can invest in a third party to protect security and readily step in if you have any potential vulnerabilities.

Unlike an onshore corporate entity, which is legally permitted to conduct commercial operations where the company was founded, an offshore firm has a completely distinct role to play. Offshore software business lacks the legal capacity to carry out business operations in the country where the firm was founded. Therefore, working with a qualified legal professional to draft contracts and agreements that protect your project would be necessary.

Conclusion

To utilize global talent and cut expenses, offshore software development might be a very successful strategy. However, it’s critical to minimize the hazards involved. By carefully asking and thoroughly understanding offshore software partners, you can be better prepared to overcome the potential risks and take advantage of all the benefits offshore outsourcing has to offer.

These days, instead of adhering to terms of reference, modern offshore software businesses produce digital products using agile processes and iterative development. To the best of my knowledge, the best outsourcing candidates are development teams that use the product strategy. 

Luvina Software is exactly that kind of company. With nearly 20 years of experience in the IT outsourcing industry, we commit to providing the most reliable and high-quality service for our clients. We are open to discussing your task and mapping the next steps via box chat at the right corner. Contact us today to learn more about how to identify and then choose between IT outsourcing companies to discover the ideal IT partnering team for your business. We look forward to becoming a pivotal part of your company’s technological future.