When you already know about the pros and cons of offshore software development, choose the appropriate area for offshoring, and decide to give it a try, the most significant part of this process is now coming – choosing the right software development outsourcing company. Let’s go through the main steps to offshore software development outsourcing.
Step 1. Research Your Target Audience
The success of any software depends on end-user satisfaction and experience. And the sooner you research the target audience, the better.
The TA determines the product’s value, features, interface, etc. Defining the target audience helps give specific instructions to your vendor and expect a particular result from the outsource development team.
Step 2. Pay Attention to Regulations
Most likely, you plan to bring your product to your country’s market, which means you must take care of all the requirements and regulations. It is worth defining their list and sharing it with developers in the first stages of cooperation.
Step 3. Identify Business Needs and Goals
Business analytics transform business needs into specific requirements during the development process; it helps determine the course and scope of work. These are the principal identifiers of progress and quality metrics. So, determining precise needs and goals is integral to developing any product.
Step 4. Create a shortlist of companies
Look for potential vendors in reputable directories such as Clutch, Manifest, Goodfirms, and others. These platforms provide detailed reviews, ratings, and case studies that can help you evaluate the credibility and company’s expertise. Additionally, you can explore recommendations from industry peers, LinkedIn, or specific forums related to your industry.
Pay particular attention to customer reviews and ratings, as they often reveal insights into a company’s strengths, weaknesses, and approach to problem-solving. Look for companies that consistently deliver quality work and keep up strong client relationships.
Step 5. Choose the Best Offshore Development Vendor
After defining business goals, needs and regulations, and searching the potential companies for your shortlist, you can choose a suitable vendor. Be sure to pay attention not only to the cost of services but also to the following criteria:
- the technical level of the team;
- necessary skills to develop your product;
- communication transparency and flexibility;
- models and terms of cooperation;
- cultural compatibility;
- time zone.
Before hiring an offshore software development vendor, you should determine whether it can meet your requirements and ensure the safety and quality of the product. You can also start with the discovery phase service of your project to assess their proficiency and compatibility with your goals. The discovery phase allows you to collaborate with the vendor on initial planning, requirements gathering, and feasibility analysis.