| Offshore software development, India! : Making the | | | | Experience and references. Check with a few of the |
| choice and making IT work! - Advantage | | | | references and ask for their experience and advice on |
| This article is designed to assist companies who are | | | | how you should work successfully with the company. |
| looking for Offshore Software Development partners | | | | Visit the company and establish a good relationship |
| In India in particular or in low cost countries in general. | | | | with the offshore software development partner. |
| The paper covers the mechanics of finding an | | | | Make sure they understand your needs and quality |
| offshore software development partner, setting up the | | | | demands. |
| relationship and ensuring a successful and long-term | | | | Also, check that the offshore software development |
| partnership. | | | | company has adequate equipment, stable finances |
| Benefits of Offshore Software Development India | | | | and good management. |
| Some of the advantages are listed below: | | | | How to start a offshore software development |
| Significant cost savings, up to 80% in certain cases. | | | | relationship |
| The outsourcing company is able to release resources | | | | In the most successful cases, according to our |
| for high value-added and priority work and can | | | | experience the outsourcing company and the offshore |
| concentrate on their core competence, designing, | | | | software development company builds a strong |
| business knowledge while delegating technical tasks, | | | | long-term relationship. Often the outsourcing company |
| maintenance, research or routine tasks to the offshore | | | | sends 1-2 people to visit the offshore company to |
| software development company. In some cases the | | | | start a personal relationship with the programmers |
| offshore software development company can add | | | | they are going to work with. This also helps to |
| significant technical knowledge also. | | | | understand the cultural problems and settings and can |
| While it can be quite difficult to recruit the expected | | | | therefore help to build much more confidence than is |
| competence in Western countries, it is a completely | | | | possible to build via email communication. |
| different scenario in India, where there are many | | | | Starting with a small pilot project might be the best |
| qualified programmers with good academic training. | | | | way to start and establish a long term relationship.. |
| For temporary peaks the Outsourcing company can | | | | Some of our clients have given the same task to |
| avoid expensive new recruitment or the high cost of | | | | different offshore software development companies |
| local consultants and instead use lower priced | | | | and then after evaluation selected the best one. |
| consultants in the offshore software development | | | | Project Management - Offshore software |
| company. | | | | development |
| Consulting and programming capacity is available at | | | | To safeguard the development process there has to |
| short notice without increasing long term personnel | | | | be established practices where the offshore software |
| commitments. | | | | development company keeps the the outsourcing |
| Outsourcing company also reaps the knowledge | | | | comapny informed about the progress on a regular |
| gained by the offshore software development and | | | | basis. Both parties need to follow a communication |
| consulting assignments. | | | | methodology wherein they acknowledge mails |
| Some clients outsource their programming needs by | | | | immediately and also ensure that emails are not lost or |
| getting programmers from India for short or long term | | | | left unanswered. This email communication plays a vital |
| projects to work onsite with their own design team. | | | | role as most of the dialog between the engineers and |
| Others send whole or parts of projects directly to India | | | | the client is done via this mode. We have found that |
| for offshore software development in India. | | | | communication between the offshore software |
| Offshore Software Development India, Disadvantages | | | | development partner and the outsourcer through |
| Following are some problems, which may occur if both | | | | document sharing intranet sites like or certain |
| parties are not aware of how the offshore software | | | | chat-group-ware like ICQ to be the best means of |
| development process should be set up. | | | | ironing out technical problems. Please check out This |
| Language and cultural barriers | | | | doesn't replace Email but is a very good compliment to |
| Time differences | | | | Email. |
| Technical communication problems | | | | It is also important that clear specifications are made. |
| Skill mismatches | | | | Based on the specs, engineers from the offshore |
| Quality discrepancies | | | | software development company ask questions and |
| Security problems | | | | get answers to get a full understanding of the project. |
| Lack of a repeatable process | | | | Good specifications result in good quality software and |
| Bad management and hierarchical inflexible | | | | considerable savings in time taken to complete |
| organizations | | | | projects. In the case of research or in cases when the |
| All of these can be avoided, by choosing the right | | | | offshore software development company actually |
| offshore software development partner and working | | | | produces the specification, this process of course has |
| with proper and proven project management | | | | to be modified to suit actual requirements. |
| processes evolved during the earlier offshore | | | | We believe a project should start with a meeting or an |
| development assignments. | | | | email-dialog* between the parties, to define the |
| Sometimes the Outsourcing company overlooks these | | | | business problem and the software solution. This |
| risk factors, thinking that the cost savings is so high | | | | meeting will also include setting project goals, |
| that these risks are well covered. But in reality this can | | | | milestones and time frames |
| be a major trap. | | | | For small projects email dialog might be sufficient. |
| Offshore Software Development India, The Ideal | | | | Next, the offshore software development company |
| projects | | | | should submit a proposal. At Savitr Software Services |
| Not all projects are ideal for Offshore Software | | | | Private Limited we work with both non-binding and |
| Development. Any task involving proprietary | | | | binding estimates, fixed price or running hours. What is |
| knowledge, which can not be safeguarded with | | | | chosen depends on what the client is comfortable with |
| agreements, are not suitable for Offshore Software | | | | and the type and nature of project. |
| Development. Very technical and complex tasks can | | | | Generally one contact person should be defined on |
| also be bad projects, since the amount of | | | | each side, to facilitate clear coordination. Also, proper |
| communication needed may be so high that the cost | | | | methods for testing should be defined in the initial |
| advantage is eaten up by having to explain everything. | | | | meeting or discussion. |
| Very small projects may also be unsuitable, since the | | | | Software Piracy and theft |
| time to prepare the specification might be more than | | | | The government of India looks at software exports as |
| the cost advantage. | | | | one of its key growth areas and has set up an |
| But apart from these exceptions, most projects or | | | | environment, which very strongly discourages any and |
| subprojects are suitable for Offshore Software | | | | all forms of software piracy and theft of software in |
| Development in India. Some of the possible areas | | | | India. One such measure that has been incorporated |
| could be: | | | | and instituted in India is the Indian Federation Against |
| Platform porting projects (like porting from DOS - | | | | Software Theft. INFAST is responsible for policing and |
| Windows, Windows 3.11 - Windows 95/NT, UNIX -> | | | | tracking down any software theft, and formulating |
| NT. | | | | policies, which act as a strong deterrent for personnel |
| Application conversions | | | | and companies. |
| GUI design | | | | India is also a signatory to the GATT trade agreement |
| Database applications, migration and porting | | | | and has agreed to the international laws against |
| Web enabling legacy systems and client server | | | | software piracy. Make sure your offshore software |
| applications | | | | development partner signs an Intellectual Property |
| Web development, designing, programming etc. e | | | | Right Pledge and a confidentiality statement / non |
| Commerce - projects | | | | disclosure agreement as part of the initial stages of |
| Components like ActiveX, VCL, Objects, Reports, and | | | | your partnership |
| Modules. Object Oriented Programming is very suitable | | | | Conclusions - offshore software development India |
| for offshore software development projects. | | | | If you are careful in your selection process, we believe |
| Technical Documentation, end user documentation and | | | | that you can and will achieve great success with |
| manuals | | | | offshore software development projects. Here are |
| Software QA and Testing | | | | some key guidelines, which will help you: |
| Remote Linux / Unix administration | | | | Find a good software development partner, who has a |
| Remote database administration | | | | proven record in offshore software development |
| Remote software maintenance and feature | | | | activities over several years |
| enhancements | | | | Choose suitable projects |
| How to find an Offshore Software Development | | | | Possibly send a pilot project to the offshore software |
| partner India | | | | development company and evaluate the result |
| Make sure the offshore software development | | | | Work towards establishing a long term relationship |
| partner you are looking for fulfills at least some of the | | | | Visit your development partner (if possible) |
| following characteristics: | | | | Establish good management practices |
| Good communication equipment and facilities. Leased | | | | Don't expect too much from the start. Offshore |
| line or ISDN connections to the Internet are essential. | | | | Software Development in India is profitable in the long |
| Excellent English language skills. | | | | run; not just for one-time projects. |