| Here are seven dangers of outsourcing your | | | | outsourcing can be successful with only a |
| software development. They become deadly if | | | | high-level specification and an outsourced |
| your career or entire company depends on the | | | | team that can collaborate and communicate |
| timely release of your software.Danger #1- | | | | with you to determine the details.Danger #5- |
| Ignoring Outsourcing | | | | Meager Engineering Management |
| | | | |
| It may seem safer to ignore outsourcing and | | | | Unfortunately, you cannot completely rely on |
| stick with what has worked well in the past | | | | an offshore team to manage your software |
| -- hire employee programmers and work with | | | | development. They will do their best to meet |
| them directly to get your software developed. | | | | commitments to schedules and a high level of |
| There are situations where concerns about | | | | quality. You can outsource the programming |
| intellectual property or security make this | | | | but not all the responsibility for creating |
| the only choice. But if you do not have these | | | | great software.Danger #6- Mediocre Software |
| constraints, then you are wasting money and | | | | Development Methodology |
| time by hiring your own programmers.Danger | | | | |
| #2- Hiring the Wrong Team | | | | How do you go about the process of |
| | | | developing software? Do you create an |
| It is a common mistake to look for an | | | | excruciatingly detailed spec and then |
| outsourcing vendor only in your immediate | | | | micromanage? Do you pile up the features for |
| circle of friends and acquaintances. | | | | a single stupendous major release? And do you |
| Considering ONLY your friend's roommate's | | | | make sure the offshore team must cram all |
| brother in Bangalore, or his cousin in Kiev, | | | | those features in the software by next |
| is unlikely to provide you the outsourcing | | | | Tuesday? If so, you have a mediocre software |
| vendor that best matches your software | | | | development methodology.Do you assume "No |
| development needs.Don't hire an outsourcing | | | | News is Good News", if you have not heard |
| vendor that will be distracted by developing | | | | from your offshore team? Do you NOT have a |
| their own products. The best teams are | | | | standard software release procedure or source |
| dedicated to providing software development | | | | code control system? If so, you have a |
| services for their clients and already have | | | | mediocre software development |
| multiple happy clients in the US.Danger #3- | | | | methodology.Danger #7- Quality as an |
| Not Protecting Your Intellectual Property | | | | Afterthought |
| | | | |
| The dangers of not protecting your | | | | QA is a critical part of the software |
| intellectual property (IP) are multiplied | | | | development process. It is also a major |
| when working with outsourcing. Are you using | | | | concern when you outsource to programmers |
| all three types of IP protection - physical, | | | | that are far away. You cannot wait to start |
| electronic and legal?Make sure your | | | | testing until just before you release your |
| outsourcing vendor has a secure facility and | | | | software and rush an unacceptable version |
| uses computers without removable media to | | | | into use. Having your users find the bugs is |
| reduce the risk of unauthorized access to | | | | a bad strategy.***You don't need to repeat |
| your IP. Use firewalls, VPN and encryption | | | | the mistakes of other companies that have |
| to protect your IP when in transit over the | | | | tried outsourcing and failed. Avoid these |
| Internet. Use proper legal protections | | | | seven deadly dangers take advantage of |
| including written agreements and NDAs that | | | | outsourcing as an effective strategy to |
| are enforceable in the US. A clearly stated | | | | develop your software.Steve Mezak is a |
| contract helps avoid disagreements later and | | | | successful Silicon Valley technical |
| keeps you from the expense of | | | | entrepreneur and global outsourcing expert. |
| litigation.Danger #4- Not Knowing What Your | | | | Get your copy of his free report on "The |
| Software Should Do | | | | Seven Deadly Dangers of Outsourcing Your |
| | | | Software Development and How Companies Like |
| Having good requirements and specifications | | | | Yours Can Avoid Them" by visiting his |
| are key to successful software development, | | | | Accelerance outsourcing company web site now. |
| and especially for outsourcing. Fortunately, | | | | |