At what point should you decide to outsource your software development?
Let’s discuss the following two major reasons why you should outsource software development.
- Your business requires a complex software (or a web solution that requires new features and maintenance continuously)
- You don’t want to build an entire technical department in-house
We outsource a number of functions we don’t want to develop internally.
Accounting is one of them. We’re not a bookkeeping firm but handling taxes is mandatory.
The same goes for legal. Reviewing NDAs, modifying contracts, revising proposals, handling trademark matters — tons of legal work though we wouldn’t bother to start an entire law firm ourselves.
Let alone cleaning services. Or delivering breakfast at the office.
Our cleaning lady is employed by a cleaning firm that handles scheduling, with a supervisor in charge of covering different shifts and making sure someone is around during sick leaves (or other internal matters). The company also ensures we’re equipped with all sanitizers and utilities, following the hygienic best practices, and optimizing the cleaning workflow.
For breakfasts, we use two different catering companies and occasionally swap them. Additional variety plus a more affordable option than a chef and a large kitchen (and an authentic smell at the office all day long).
Software development is far more complicated. Back-end engineers work closely with front-end developers, sometimes paired with designers, occasionally alongside QA engineers. Do you need a project/product manager on site and probably a system administrator, another network engineer, or maybe a devops expert?
Once you need development services, unless you want to build a team in-house, it’s probably best to outsource this.
Outsourcing software development can give you the confidence of kickstarting a business and accessing the latest technological know-how and without the hassle of building your own team and the logistical issues that come with it.
