Nearshore Software Development: How to Choose the Best dedicated development team

Globalization has practically erased borders. The Internet and all digital communication tools have brought us closer to each other, being able to be "close" even though we are thousands of kilometers away. Being in different countries or cities has not been an impediment to work in recent years and, in a pandemic, this ability to work remotely was the salvation of millions of companies around the world.

Speaking of remote work, nearshore software development has been the modality chosen by thousands of companies in recent times to carry out their software projects with dedicated development teams, injecting quality and resources with specific skills, paying what is fair and taking care of the budget.

What is nearshore software development?

“Nearshore software outsourcing is a specialization of the much broader phenomenon of IT outsourcing, in which some or all of a company's work is delegated to an external dedicated development team,” they explained in research entitled “The Importance of Being Nearest: Nearshore Software Outsourcing and Globalization Discourse”, by academics at the University of Cambridge.

When reading the term nearshore software development, it specifically refers to “situations where software development centers are located outside of the subcontractor’s host country, but in the same or similar time zone, and where arrive on a short-haul flight from the subcontractor's site", they added in the document.

It is important that, before making any hiring of a nearshore partner, you do research on the country where it is located. “When choosing a location, companies should research the level of employee training in the country of interest, its laws and the level of security of intellectual property. It is also an advantage to know the general economy of the country, as well as the experience, labor and technological knowledge of the potential partner”, they recommended in a Forbes article.

Advantages of nearshore software development to get experienced dedicated development teams

One of the main ailments of software development companies today is the shortage of qualified, experienced software developers to take on complex projects. Well, one of the main advantages of nearshore software development is that it allows businesses to get experienced talent in record time.

“You don't have to spend weeks searching through all the CVs for qualified dedicated developers. These actions require you to have a human resources department. Nearshore software development means that the provider already has a software team of nearshore software developers who have worked together on multiple projects", an article of Cleveroad said.

Other advantages of nearshore software development include:

Greater profitability

If in your company you are looking to reduce costs but without lowering quality, this dedicated development model is the right one for you at this time. “You don't have to hire developers, pay salaries, rent an office, or provide software or hardware to employees. Due to the fact that the common outsourcing countries are developing countries, prices can be significantly lower than in developed countries”, they clarified in the same article.

Greater proximity 

Nearshore software development implies a closer collaboration, since the client and the provider of this outsourcing service are usually in neighboring cities or countries, a few hours away by plane and in similar time zones. This allows work processes to flow better, communication to be more effective and a stronger working relationship to develop.

Steps for choosing a nearshore software development team

This is a decision that should not be taken in a hurry or lightly, because a mistake or bad decision could throw your project in the trash, losing not only money but valuable time. Building a nearshore software team can take time, but we assure you that it will be worth every minute invested.

• Define your project requirements and goals

“Bring all of your departments together, so everyone on your team is on the same page and knows the exact tasks that need to be done. You and your managers should highlight the basic requirements, make them clear, specific and easy to understand, so there is no confusion when communicating with partners”, they explained in an article on the Intellect Soft portal.

• List with possible candidates

Make a list of the nearshore development companies that have caught your eye and study them in depth: look not only at the services they offer but also at the experience they have, the reviews of past clients and, if you can contact companies that have worked with these partners before, much better.

• Check the skills and tools handled by the supplier

Whether your project is simple or technically complex, you should always make sure that the nearshore software development team has the necessary resources, profiles and technologies to carry out your project and create the product you requested.

• Check the company culture of the nearshore team

It is very important that your company knows the work culture of the partner, if they share the same values. This will greatly facilitate the understanding between the external team and the local team. If necessary, propose some meetings to get to know each other better and check if the communication and the working relationship can flow easily.

“Communication styles can greatly affect how our relationships work and how cooperation develops. Not many of us realize that cultural differences in communication have the potential to break down an outsourcing partnership (...) By choosing partners whose culture, as well as work ethic, are very similar to yours, you it allows you to experience much less awkward situations and misunderstandings, if you experience any”, they commented on the matter in the Start Nearshoring portal.

This is how Rootstack's dedicated software development teams work

Initial meeting

You will get to know our team and our culture. Assertive communication and teamwork are our pillar.

Project estimate and profile selection

The project, timeline, resources and architecture are planned. Profiles for both engineers and management roles are verified.

Performance

Start the execution of the goals set for the team, with weekly sprints and Scrum meetings. There is constant feedback.

Continuous relationship

We offer a support team with engineers, DevOps, PMs and technical leaders who can expand your service according to your needs.

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