Do you really have control over a nearshore solution?

We have talked time and time again about the many benefits of nearshore software development, and why you should definitely work with a nearshore company, and yet, there’s still one thing that seems to concern companies seeking for an IT outsourcing service: Whether or not they will have control over their projects.

As a nearshore software development company ourselves, we understand that jumping in into software outsourcing can be intimidating at first, no matter if you’re working with an offshore or nearshore provider.

However, it is time to put a stop to the myths and rumours of software outsourcing & nearshore software development

Before we continue, let us say you do have control when you choose to go for a nearshore software development solution and work directly with a nearshore company, however how much control do you have over your project, and how things evolve, will depend directly on you.

How to achieve a great software outsourcing experience with nearshore software development model

There’s already a full, in-depth blog talking about this, which you can check out here. There, we give you tips on how to achieve a great outsourcing experience and how to work along with outsourcing companies.

We truly recommend you reading that blog before continuing with this one, since the information there will be of great help and will help you understand how an outsourcing relationship works.

However the main point on how to achieve a great software outsourcing experience with a nearshore software development company can be narrowed down to one: You have to make the right choices. If you don’t, chances are you will end up working with a company that isn’t prepared to take on your project, and therefore will end with a bad outsourcing experience.

To have a real control over a nearshore software development solution, the very first thing you have to do is find a reliable, trustworthy partner that meets your standards and expectations. If you manage to do that, you won’t have any troubles. Learn more about where can you find a good nearshore software development company.

How to pick the right nearshore software development company

There are three main factors that go into hiring the right offshore or nearshore software development company, however, we will focusing on hiring and working with nearshore companies today, since it is the safest option for most companies.

Since the most important part of maintaining control over a nearshore solutions relies on the software outsourcing company you pick, the three factors you should take into consideration are:

1. Their previous experience.
2. How they handle projects
3. Their current location.

When it comes to consider their previous experience, we mean picking a nearshore software development company that has a proper portfolio of previous clients they have worked with and projects they have managed.

Their previous experiences should be verifiable and reliable, and should work as a way to let you know how satisfied their previous clients were, and how successfully their projects turned out to be.

This takes us to point number two: How they handle projects. Ask them about what software development methodology do they use, to they use SCRUM methodology? Do they rely on other agile software development methodologies? How to they plan their projects? If they fail to answer any of these questions properly, they might not be a good option.

And last, but definitely not least, take their current location into consideration. Although time zones and language barriers might not seem like a big deal, they do influentiate how a software outsourcing project might turned out, and can significantly limit your control over the software solution.

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Maintain control over your nearshore software development solution following these steps

Now that you have hired a reliable nearshore software development company, it should all be a smooth ride from now, however, there are some tips and tricks to minimize the future risks and maximize the level of control and the role your play in the software outsourcing project.

1: Be clear about what you want.

You have to communicate with your nearshore software development company and let them know all the requirements and specifications regarding the project. This means being completely clear about what you want, how you want things to be done, and when you expect to see tangible results.

Being clear and open with your software development partner will allow them to create a plan that suits your requirements, and will continue to work under a set of expectations throughout the whole project.

2: Maintain an open and constant communication.

We have talked about this before, but we should say it again, when it comes to nearshore software development, as with any other type of outsourcing, communication is key, and we mean it. Communicate with your nearshore provider from the very first moment. Let them know every single detail about your project, be clear and loud about what you need and want and set the rules from the very first day.

Furthermore, set specific communication channels and demand for them to be constant. This way you will be informed of every change, every update or any important shift in the management of the project.

3: Be open to feedback

Like we said earlier, achieving a great nearshore outsourcing experience also depends on you, which is why it is so important for you to listen to your nearshore software development provider, accept feedback on your project and adapt to what they might have to say.

Remember, they are the experts of software development, they know what it takes to develop a great web or mobile application, and even tho they will work towards delivering what you want, they will also be realistic about the expectations and let you know whenever changes might need to be done.

4: Find a way to measure results

This should be a topic that both you and your nearshore software development company should discuss during the early stages of the partnership, this way, you can settle on a method that allows rooms for performance metrics, feedbacks and reviews.

Which performance metrics do you use it’s completely up to you, however, find one that adapts to the scope and time of your project, this way, you can efficiently determine whether or not the nearshore company is actually keeping up with tasks and showing constant results.

Control means getting involved

To finish this up, you have to be clear that taking control over a nearshore software development solution depends on how involved you are in the whole software development process from day one.

If you are involved, if you are keeping constant communication with your nearshore software development provider, if you are open to settle down the rules from the first encounter, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be in control of your own project.

But of course, this depends on YOU as a project owner, on how involved and interested you are in the project. However, if you take our advice and follow our tips, we guarantee you, you’ll have a great software outsourcing experience.

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