6 Common MisconceptionsAbout OffshoreSoftware Development

01Quality is Sub-Par

This is one of the biggest misconceptions that comes to mind when offshore development is mentioned. It is patently false. There is talent and experience all across the globe. One possible reason contributing to this falsehood is difference in cost. Spending far less money a month on an outsourced team than you would on an in-house team isn’t an indicator of quality. While $500 less a month might not make a huge difference in the level of skill and experience of a developer in the US, it can make an enormous difference in other parts of the world. The key to finding a high-quality development team is to do your research and look at track records. Looking at a company’s past projects will give you the best picture of what you can expect if you choose to work with them.

02Pricing Can Get Out of Control

While any project has the potential to bust its budget, it won’t be because you decided to hire an offshore software development team or use staff augmentation services. Just like in the US, there are good and bad companies across the globe. When researching offshore teams for your project, look for ones that offer complete transparency throughout the entire project and are willing to sit down with you at any point to discuss the financials.

You may also be worried about issues that arise during the process that result in unexpected costs. While that is a possibility, you can keep the costs of fixes low by quality testing along the way and conducting update meetings when project milestones are hit.

With successful team management, clear expectations, and effective and timely communication, you can minimize any deviation from your original budget and keep project pricing in check from the start.

03Communication is Impossible

20 years ago, this may have seemed true, but nowadays, there is a plethora of communication and collaboration resources at your disposal. No matter where your outsourced team is located, tools such as Skype, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangout, Dropbox, GitHub, Zoom, and many more make communicating easy, efficient, and centralized in one place.

Language may also have at one time been a concern for companies looking to outsource, but today you’re unlikely to run into this issue. Many offshore development companies have team members that speak multiple languages, often including English. If it is still something you are worried about, discuss it with your outsourced team before any work has started for clarification and assurance.

04Time Difference Inhibits Speaking Directly

Depending on where your outsourced team is located in relation to your office, speaking directly can be limited; but not impossible! With careful planning, you can speak with your outsourced team as often as you need to. There are also some offshore companies, like Beyond Key, that have team members in multiple locations, offering you the flexibility you need. Not only do we have local employees near our clients, we also provide a lot of overlapping hours either in the morning or evening, depending on the client’s location. Our team is also available 24/7 in case of critical issues.

05You Have No Ownership

While this may hold true in a select few scenarios, it’s not the standard-bearer of offshoring. In fact, in the vast majority of situations, you are the product owner of the software being developed by the offshore team. If you are concerned about the security of data you are providing, you can insist on using a Non-Disclosure Agreement and Ownership Agreement.