| The current economic climate, opportunities and round | | | | you encounter irreconcilable differences in your first |
| the clock service necessity requires most companies | | | | project. All too often, companies tend to easily accept |
| to outsource many technology projects to countries | | | | that the first project is likely to fail. Don’t. You |
| like India, China and eastern European countries. If you | | | | should take extra care that this is set up to succeed. |
| are a small software company, successful outsourcing | | | | Mind you, not all projects are suited for outsourcing. |
| is crucial to your development. For all the complexity | | | | Choose the ones for which face to face |
| this notion has, success in outsourcing is quite easily | | | | communication is not essential. Lastly, ensure that the |
| achievable as long as it is viewed as a core process in | | | | project is not more than 2 or 3 months in duration. |
| an organization. The list below features a simple set of | | | | 3. Managing the project |
| rules for achieving effective outsourcing. | | | | Clichéd as this might be, but, plan the work and work |
| 1. Selecting a partner | | | | the plan. This is the most important aspect of the |
| Outsourcing service companies vary dramatically in | | | | project. Have extra clear steps and outline them in a |
| size, infrastructure, capital, language, and talent. Even | | | | written manner. Perhaps the most important factors |
| large well managed companies choose the outsourcing | | | | that will help you succeed are communication and use |
| partner based on only one or two factors and face | | | | of tools. Do not assume anything and ensure that all |
| failure. While factors like size and name recognition are | | | | team members are working on a common |
| important, the winning partner will have the right | | | | communication platform, be it email or any other |
| combination of the factors that suits you and your | | | | special tool. Insist on daily or weekly written progress |
| project needs. Infrastructure, language and talent are | | | | depending upon the project duration. A little bit of |
| much more important factors than size and capital, if | | | | patience and attention to details will go a long way in |
| you are a software startup or a small software | | | | making the project successful. Lastly, fund the project |
| company. I have seen several software projects fail | | | | well; cutting corners does not work in Silicon valley, nor |
| because the partner does not have the right | | | | will it in Bangalore. |
| communication infrastructure, like high speed | | | | 4. Measure the success |
| connectivity or easy land line access. Reworks tend to | | | | Identifying metrics and measuring them in outsourced |
| be common place in a project if your partner does not | | | | projects often will determine if the project is going to |
| understand phone conversations or email | | | | succeed or fail. Get a list of simple, but comprehensive |
| conversations well. Lastly, there is no substitute for | | | | metrics. For instance, if it is a support project, measure |
| talent. Interview every member of the project team | | | | the number of support queries, time it took to respond |
| and identify the strengths and weaknesses and select | | | | and whether the response was satisfactory or not. |
| based on the project requirement. I have found that | | | | Seems simple, but most project managers take a very |
| many projects suffer due to a lack of depth in a | | | | casual approach to this. Don’t make that |
| technology. For example, while many programmers | | | | mistake. Insist on the measurement. It helps make a |
| may be familiar with Java or .Net, your project might | | | | case for the next set of projects. |
| need a specialized understanding of that technology. | | | | 5. Build on the success |
| Don’t compromise on talent. | | | | Lastly, it never pays to do the outsourcing just once. It |
| 2. Identifying the right project | | | | is with repeated success that you gain the needed |
| This becomes critical especially if it is first project to be | | | | efficiency. Remember, that is why you started |
| outsourced. Matching the project with the right talent in | | | | outsourcing in the first place. Create a good document |
| team members is central to the success of the | | | | on what succeeded and what failed. Correct the |
| project. It is best to start simple, baby steps. A lot of | | | | mistakes and do it again for a different project. Adding |
| companies have found success by starting with QA, | | | | complexity to succeeding projects will help hone the |
| internal technical support and documentation projects. | | | | process. |
| This provides you with a viable back-up plan should | | | | |