Biggest Offshore Development Problems (And How to Solve Them)

For many companies, offshore software is an attractive choice but comes with a unique set of challenges. This is why many professionals advise against software development agencies despite the enticing cost-saving options and faster results.  

In this post, we’re not going to compare the development processes and see which one is better. We will see the challenges of offshore development and possible ways to resolve them and to reap maximum benefit.  

According to a survey by Deloitte, 65% of companies prefers offshore development for Power BI, big data analytics, business processes, web development, and cloud computing. So if you are already thinking of outsourcing or have already invested, this guide is for you.  

Offshore development is the first choice for respondents because of the high-cost difference in hourly rates for US-based software development teams.  

Additionally, with the advancement in cloud computing, work location is much more flexible. But if your offshore team is not competent enough, then the project is ruined. Then again, this is true for the onshore team as well.  

7 Common Off-Shore Development Problems and Their Solutions 

1. Constant Communication Gap 

The major issue with offshore development, is communication. Without the required communication, it is easy to understand why outsourced development teams may not get the business needs right. Now, if we look at what goes wrong with offshore communication, there are various things: 

• Lack of constant interactions 
• Time zone difference  
• Cultural and language barriers  
• Extra documentation  
• Lack of a straightforward process 

A simple solution is to plan weekly or daily online calls. After you adopt an agile development strategy, it is automated for all team members to have smooth communication and work productively.  

With the daily meetings, you can quickly develop a clear methodology to be followed in working and communication to sort out coding bugs rapidly as they arise.  

Before every project, partners can also have an introductory session to get to know each other, the project requirements and expectations.  

2. A Single Communication Channel  

The offshore development team does not always have the best communication platform, so a standard tool is crucial for seamless project management. This tool must be featured with a different section for chats, bug reporting, and assigning tasks.  

You are also required to put out clear guidelines on how to use the online channel. Because without a set of precise instructions, everybody might end up using it in different ways. 

Also Read: Why Choose India For Your Next Software Development Project

Additionally, make sure that all the communication take place online to have a clear record of everything. Such data can be used to analyze the problems that arose in the development process and make reforms—thus fine-tuning the development process.  

3. Clear Guidelines  

While working together, it is critical that all the team members are on the same page in every phase of the development process, which is often found to be a pressing problem with offshore software development.  

Even a requirement document will not prove helpful if there are no standard development guidelines.  

A useful measure is to establish standard specifications for coding and a pattern for posting queries on the online tool, which will help the authors and readers understand each other better.  

4. Offshore Project Lead  

There is an offshore team for outsourced development, but is anyone reporting everything about the project timely? Or you might think that someone from the onshore team is keeping track of all the offshore progress.  

This might not work.  

A full-time offshore team lead is necessary to handle all the project’s responsibilities, including checking code quality, managing deadlines, setting coding standards, giving directions, and mentoring the outsourced team.  

5. Finding The Right Team  

Among the offshore development companies and agencies, there is a lot of competition. Sometimes the abundance of options makes it difficult to choose between a great company and a great team.  

You must have heard the phrase too much of anything is bad. Applied to project development, if there are many thinking heads for a project, it might ruin it.  

With big companies, there are layers of people involved and higher chances of miscommunication, overhead and unnecessary delays. And on the flip side, small teams don’t always mean excellent skills and performance.  

So how to know which one to pick?  

While deciding about the offshore development team, don’t just go for the brand. It is better to have a small but skilled team of developers who are good at what they do rather than picking a big company. The best headcount is six to seven coders than a large group with less skilled developers.  

6. Cost and Efficiency  

The wide popularity for offshore development is due to the surprising low project cost. And as more and more businesses are choosing offshore development, the awareness about outsourcing is rising.  

But don’t put the entire project in jeopardy just for low project cost. The offshore company might waste money on a code set that doesn’t fulfil your business requirements and goals.  

Be more thorough and carry out extensive research to figure out what average offshore costing is for a project like yours. Finally pick the team with the best client reviews, coding performance, and on-time completion rates.  

Also Read: 8 Reasons to Outsource Software Product Development

The key to getting value for your money is to find the best offshore skilled team and don’t just fall for the low development prices.  

7. Data Privacy and Security  

Data privacy laws can vary a great deal in different countries, and while working across the globe, it is essential to know how to protect your company’s digital assets.  

The most priced resource is your idea and code created for its implementation alongside working with offshore development teams. Without a proper legal bound, it might get stolen, replaced or sold.  

Thus before starting a project, it is best to have a legal agreement signed to maintain your data rights and business security.  

OffShore Software Development Company 

If you are looking for a competent offshore development team to partner with, Imenso Software is an expert offshore development agency. We can help you make your dream project a reality with easy-going practices and feasible pricing.