Why Software Outsourcing Doesn't Work ... Anymore

[Nur]

http://www.yegor256.com/2015/10/27/outsourcing-doesnt-work.html

 

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[FastNAwesome]

I'd suggest that outsourcing can still work perfectly fine. One way to achieve it is:

1. Have an outsourced project manager who handles it all for you (like myself
2. Don't expect your costs to be super-low, but it can still be much cheaper than other solutions

Nowadays developers and designers worth their salt of course know what they're worth. But many still decide to keep living where they're living - and are happy to earn less as long as it allows them great living where they live.

 

[Testament]

Complete hogwash. Of course outsourcing isn't going to work for the author - he's already made up his mind that it can't work, and he's just looking for reasons to justify his mindset.

So the author didn't instantly get the perfect employees that managed themselves and gave him the exact product he wanted after having minimal contact with him. I guess that means outsourcing doesn't work.

 

[luniac]

http://www.yegor256.com/2015/10/27/outsourcing-doesnt-work.html

id take that with a grain of salt...

 

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[DaRK9]

All of these "problems" are with any company. Not just outsourcing. A lot also shows poor planning. You can't just explain what you want and have it built. You need a Blueprint. You wouldn't go to a contractor with a project of "I need a blue house with a pool."

Specs. Milestones. Flowcharts. Planning. Everyone thinks outsourcing is a genie in a bottle now days. Treat your outsourced teams like they ARE your team, and most of the time they will act like it.

 

[100k]

Sounds like an opportunity to me.

 

[DKNJ]

I hope to add value to this thread with my current experience. I've been working with the same software development team for about 7 to 8 months. It does take a lot of patience. Things don't always go as planned and they don't share your vision. It was my first time outsourcing to software developers overseas (India). The concept of them working while I'm sleeping seemed appealing at the time but it does get difficult to get a direct skype conversation in with them since they are starting work when I'm going to bed. There ends up being a lot of nights that I have to stay up late to speak to them. Here's a few pretty standard tips I hope can help anyone going down the same path,

-I chose a development team and looked up everyone on board. I figured this would be better than a solo freelancer.
-Check their ratings and experience. Don't go for the cheapest proposal. Try to balance experience, ratings, and price for what you feel you can afford. Expect to go over budget too.
-Narrow down top 3 proposals and as you message them with questions, observe their responsiveness. Do you want to hire someone that took forever to respond?
-Be as detailed and descriptive as possible with assignments
-Be organized and prioritize their assignments from most important to least important. I make a checklist and send them frequent revisions.
-Set deadlines and milestones. Them falling behind is actually costing them time/money as well. They don't get paid until the milestone is completed.
-Be up their a$$. Suggest a skype call frequently. They may be working on other projects.
-Don't be afraid to launch an imperfect version. As long as it's good enough, you can launch and perfect it while you're in business.

 

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[Harti]

I'm outsourcing my software development for months now, and I get everything done extremely cheap, fast, and reliable. In fact, for the last pieces of software I've outsourced I saved more than 75% of the usual fees.

Here's the exact way I do it (absolutely no magic...):

1. Go on UpWork and create a very detailed job description
2. Set the job as a fixed price project, with the amount that you're comfortable with
3. Make sure the required freelancers' english level is set to "fluent", and expertise to intermediate.
4. Wait.

The truth is, the market regulates itself. People who aren't comfortable with your prices either won't apply or will apply demanding higher fees.

What's awesome about software is that it either works or it doesn't. You pay them only when you're satisfied. I prefer to not set milestones. Either they can wait until they've delivered the whole piece, or I won't work with them.

People underestimate how much programmers are out there DYING to make a steady income as a freelancer.

True, you won't attract A level coders from the US with this offer - but again, that's the beauty about software: It either works, or it doesn't.

I'd never go with that tactic when outsourcing copy for example.

 

[DKNJ]

I'm outsourcing my software development for months now, and I get everything done extremely cheap, fast, and reliable. In fact, for the last pieces of software I've outsourced I saved more than 75% of the usual fees.

Here's the exact way I do it (absolutely no magic...):

1. Go on UpWork and create a very detailed job description
2. Set the job as a fixed price project, with the amount that you're comfortable with
3. Make sure the required freelancers' english level is set to "fluent", and expertise to intermediate.
4. Wait.

The truth is, the market regulates itself. People who aren't comfortable with your prices either won't apply or will apply demanding higher fees.

What's awesome about software is that it either works or it doesn't. You pay them only when you're satisfied. I prefer to not set milestones. Either they can wait until they've delivered the whole piece, or I won't work with them.

People underestimate how much programmers are out there DYING to make a steady income as a freelancer.

True, you won't attract A level coders from the US with this offer - but again, that's the beauty about software: It either works, or it doesn't.

I'd never go with that tactic when outsourcing copy for example.

Yea true, I've used similar methods. Setting the budget is the part I least enjoy on Upwork. If the job is difficult to estimate, I don't want to lowball and weed out the more experienced freelancers. I usually set a low/fair number and quote, "budget is not definite." That way I get proposals from higher bidders too. I find that better than setting a higher budget and all the proposals using that as a benchmark when they were willing to do it for less. I guess it all depends on the size of the project when it comes to milestones. I feel it's fair to pay them as they go since they are working and splitting the job into smaller milestones to measure the progress.