Offshore Software Outsourcing Risk
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Source: Prurgent.com
Differing Internal Processes - The vendor's processes sometimes could be a lot different from what Client is using for executing their internal projects. If these differences are not discussed beforhand, they could become a risk and cause project delays.
Differing Internal Processes - The vendor's processes sometimes could be a lot different from what Client is using for executing their internal projects. If these differences are not discussed beforhand, they could become a risk and cause project delays.
Each vendor will have somewhat unique processes and methodologies that they follow when developing a project. It is important to evaluate how this differs from your in-house processes, and how the two differing approaches can best be “meshed” together during a development project.
It is best if a development project is guided by a well-defined, common software development and project management methodology. The best vendors follow industry standards, such as CMMI and ISO 9001 QMS. This common methodology should cover libraries, tools used, version control and quality assurance processes, as well as security metrics for each project.
Once the process is agreed upon and established, it is equally important that monitoring is in place, to ensure that these processes are being properly followed. Clients should have each project milestone clearly defined, including what deliverables are planned during each phase, with specific deadlines for the completion of each. The client should also have a clear understanding of what their obligations are in regards to reviewing and approving each delivered product, including the requirements documentation, the system design, test cases, and any test issues that arise.
In general, the more involved your company is with the project, the more smoothly the project will go. This is why it is important to have a designated contact within your firm, whose role is to communicate with the vendor project manager and/or development teams.
