Managing offshore IT projects is not exactly easy, but with the numerous example
of success and failures, we continuously fine-tune our delivery mechanism to deal
with the risks that are inherent in an engagement of this nature. There are different
levels of challenges when dealing with an offshore IT services team and engagement.
Setting right expectations...
What you seek of your offshore development initiative will determine the engagement
level you will need to follow.
Is it a One-off custom development project?
If you are looking for a one-off project that needs to be delivered quickly and
strictly to your expectations then you would need an engagement style that has requirement
for senior development and project management staff, clear outlines on quality and
deliverables, clear definition of requirement and acceptance criteria. Cost advantages
in this scenario is marginal but still significant.
Are you looking for an Offshore IT Services Partner?
If you are looking at an offshore partnering opportunity to have a reliable team
to work continuously on several of your projects, then the benefits of offshoring
are more for you to exploit. In such a relationship the engagement evolves to define
processes, practices, deliverables and mode of working to get the most of the strengths
and weaknesses of both the client and the offshore service vendor.
Making a success of offshore outsourcing :
- Set the right objective (how will project success be determined? The real purpose
of choosing offshore)
- Allocate sufficient resources to the assessment of the project (a team to evaluate
and manage)
- Establish a clear baseline in terms of expectations
- Expect some differences to your expectations - Allow for adaptability
- Start small (maybe with a pilot)
- Emphasis on regular communication ( - regular, clear, with artifacts)
- Emphasis on project management