Published December 25, 2022
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Steps to Take Before Outsourcing Software Development
One of these companies that develop software in Argentina may have piqued your interest, however, you should still consider your overall strategy to make the correct choice for your specific situation. Consequently, before you start contacting any software development companies, you should:
Clearly Define Your Business Goals
You should always start out by clearly defining the objectives of the project. The objectives should be practical and accomplishable. Identify your pain points, existing problems, and lay them out. You can consult your in-house development team to find potential solutions or you can think of them yourself. On the other hand, the company you outsource to could provide you with their ideas.
Once the business objectives and the scope of the project have been defined, consider the actionable steps. What are the milestones? How many phases will the project have? What are the deadlines? The actionable steps are always subject to change, as no battle plan survives contact with the enemy (particularly in software development).
This is one of the reasons that most development companies insist on utilizing Agile methodologies. However, having a structure in mind before you approach a company can speed up the process and even out many of the kinks before the project gets underway. In practice, plans will have to be amended to a degree, but the better the planning, the better the outcome.
Evaluate the Necessary Skillset Required for the Project
Most nearshore software development companies can outsource individual experts or full dedicated teams. Are you creating an in-house payment platform that works on the back end, but just doesn’t seem right as a finished product? Maybe all you need is a UX or UI specialist.
Do you need to create a mobile app from scratch? Then one mobile dev likely won’t be enough – you will probably need a team that also includes designers, testers, specialized programmers, and even project managers. Evaluate what expertise is needed for your project and approach companies with that knowledge in mind.
Estimate Your Budget
Strategic budget planning is crucial for any development project. This goes double for startups, as many fail due to a lack of capital or improper distribution/prioritizing. You can consider having multiple budgets – one for developing the MVP (minimum viable product) and one for your ideal solution.
Software development works in iterative steps. If you can be positive that you have the budget for developing functional software, even if imperfect, your business goals can be met. Adding patches once you have the budget is always an option. Conversely, if your capital runs out before you have a viable product, that’s money down the drain.
What Should You Look for in an Offshore Software Development Company?
With your preparations in place, you can start approaching offshore software development companies. Ultimately, finding the perfect company for your needs is a balancing act, so consider the following:
- Demonstrable Experience
- Cost-Effectiveness (Not Cost)
- Methodology Framework and Transparency
- Availability
- Software Scalability
Does the company have demonstrable experience? In other words, have they worked on projects similar to yours? Unfortunately, many will claim they have the expertise to finish any projects within the bounds you set. After all, nobody wants to lose business. They may even have the theoretical knowledge required but have never put it into practice.
And it’s not always in bad faith – they may truly believe it can be accomplished, but simply overestimate themselves. Delve deep into a company’s portfolio. In case you can’t find anything, ask them to show you similar projects they worked on. Yes, you can always hire a company because you believe in their potential, but then you are placing a great deal of trust in an untested partner.
Naturally, you also need to consider how much you will be paying the company. However, you shouldn’t only focus on the cost, but the cost-effectiveness. Some software development companies in Argentina are not cheap per se, but they can offer the same level of service at a lower cost than their US counterparts.
That makes them cost-effective. Then, do you need specialized developers? Hiring one developer and one designer is cheaper than hiring a dedicated team. But will the project be launched on time? Will you need to hire additional staff after the project is done because it doesn’t fully function as intended? All of these factors should be considered in your cost-benefit analysis.
As we’ve mentioned, most software companies utilize some type of Agile framework, at least nominally. And for good reason – Agile was created to complete development projects in an optimal manner. Unfortunately, many simply use the term, without truly applying it. During your negotiations, ask them to explain their approach.
They should offer full transparency and guide you through the process. While you won’t be leading the project, you should understand how it will be accomplished. This will help you monitor the time and cost. Thus, you can also intervene if something is not going according to plan.
Availability is another key feature to consider when hiring an offshore company. While it may seem like a small thing, it isn’t so in practice. What time zone is the company in? Will you be able to consult with their developers 24/7? What channels of communication will you use? These are all simple yet practical aspects of outsourcing development that can significantly speed up the process.
Finally, we get to scalability. First, does your software need to be scalable? In most instances, the answer should be yes. It is much easier to scale up than to create entirely new software as your business expands. The best long-term solution is to find a company that develops software in Argentina and has the expertise to make it scalable.
Are You Interested in Hiring Developers in Other Countries?
We have provided you with the list of the 15 best software development companies in Argentina and, hopefully, helped you make an informed choice. But if you are interested in hiring a company from a different country, check out the lists below.
