The success of an IT outsourcing project depends not only on an offshore provider who develops the project but also on how the project is managed remotely by the client. With a little input from their end customers shouldn’t expect for a project to be successful in the long run. The reason for this is simple: a client knows his business requirements and processes better than the vendor does. Outsourcing companies often work in a different part of the world and what they really can do is only develop a software solution or provide required IT services basing on the input provided by the customer.
IT project management approaches
Usually for large projects customers engage a dedicated IT project manager whose goal is to interact with the offshore development team acting as a virtual bridge between the client’s business and the offshore programmers. If a project is done without a dedicated IT project manager, a company may consider some simple tips on how to manage a development project quite successfully. They are listed below.
Define goals every week: Divide the lifecycle of the development process into smaller goals and then communicate them to the team via email or by phone. It would be efficient to arrange calls with the entire team on Monday mornings and review the list of weekly goals that need to be achieved. Then have a call again at the end of the week to evaluate what have been achieved and what haven’t, what types of difficulties were faced by the team.
Manage the time difference: If managed properly, the time difference can become an advantage in any outsourced software development project. It is necessary to have a “common” time zone mutually agreed on by both sides which should be used for communication and settling down all issues faced by the offshore development team. Though it might be difficult to get used to getting into the office early, it will pay good dividends after all.
Inform everyone about the issues in time: When managing a software development project, a client should be proactive and keep a close watch on early warning signals to correct the team in advance rather than wait for things to self-correct. As a rule, the issue will not correct itself but will become a real problem to the entire offshore development team before additional measures are taken to eliminate the issue.
If the offshore team is doing well, be supportive: Even when this is not your own team and you have hired them with an offshore IT service provider, encouragement and motivation are required and will do real wonders for the project. Sending an encouraging email along with occasional gifts will do a lot for motivating the development team members and creating the team spirit around the project.
Finally, while a number of onsite project managers believe that IT project management tools are the core drivers for the efficient project performance, the most advantageous in a successful project will always be good human resource and project management skills.
See also: Software Project: 5 Steps to Success
More Tips on Successful IT Outsourcing
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