When we talk about the services we offer, we refer to them as outsourced design and development. For some people, this brings up the image of a shop full of developers in another country that you rarely interact with.
Outsourcing is usually defined as the practice of hiring a party outside a company to perform services and create goods that traditionally were performed by the company's employees and staff. The outside party could be overseas, or it could be someone who lives just down the street, like BitBakery!
When you engage with BitBakery, you’re not sending projects out to be done — you’re bringing in a team of designers and developers with a combined 40 years of experience to help you deliver amazing experiences.
With the recent increase of outsourcing as a tool to mitigate risk and deal with change in uncertain times, there may never be a better time to learn more about this topic.
If you’ve been mulling over the idea of outsourcing support for your software solutions, here are a few things we recommend considering to ensure you take full advantage of the benefits of outsourcing.
Consider your project timeline and communication plan
If you’re looking to scale your team, consider the amount of control you’d like to maintain over your projects.
Using a nearshore or onshore team provides several benefits. You’re using a team located in the same timezone as you - reducing communication lag. You can often find onshore development shops in your city. This opens up the options for in-person planning sessions if needed and physical-distancing is possible.
When you need additional help or a specialized team, bringing in virtually embedded developers is the best way to have complete control over projects and their outcomes. Because team members can meet with each other directly, collaboration is more easily facilitated. This gives you the benefit of higher control, security, and accountability as you are dealing with employees directly and not working across different time zones.
Outsourcing to a team like BitBakery offers you a lot of flexibility and options. Our team can run the entire project from design to quality assurance as an independent team from your organization or we can be virtually embedded within your organization functioning as a virtual team member.
Consider what kind of project you are working on, and what gaps you need to fill to get it done
If you need specialized support on a project but don’t have the time to hire, outsourcing lets you bring in the right skills for your project to meet your deadlines. Outsourcing also saves you the overhead of training, benefits, and other costs with hiring a new employee.
With access to a larger talent pool for specialized help, you gain the flexibility to scale your project your way. For example, you can outsource an entire project by hiring a full tech team to modernize your legacy applications or build out your MVP. You could also choose to augment your current team by outsourcing the support of someone who can fill a specialty gap in your team to get a specific project done on time.
With outsourcing, there is a lot of flexibility in the support you can get for your specific needs.
Consider that your outsourced team aligns with your tools and technology
Getting down to the details, the tech stack (the set of technologies an organization uses to build a web or mobile application) is one of the most important considerations you should make when hiring an outsource team.
Our team is constantly learning about new technologies and frameworks – continuous learning is part of our DNA. If you need to expand your current tech stack, consider outsourcing as a way to expand and complement your current tech stack to help your business grow.
Does the team align with your goals and values?
When it comes to finding the right fit for your specific needs, perhaps the most important factor to consider is that the team aligns with your goals and how you measure the value of work.
Do you need a quick, one-time fix to get your team back on track? Do you value more control over a project to ensure best practices are being followed? Can the work scale and grow as your company grows? Can you maintain the work after the outsourcing process is over? Is the work secure from hacks and other security flaws?
When it comes to growing your development team, there is no one-size-fits all approach. To find the right solution for your team, take your time to consider the tips above to discover what works best for your business.
