How to Outsource Software Development Effectively: Step-by-Step Checklist

For fast-extending small and medium enterprises, outsourcing software development services can become a turning point. Not only can it help to reduce costs and get completed projects faster, but it can also help you save time.

You might find it dubious to work with an unknown team of developers at first if you've never done so before. This is completely understandable! Putting your faith in a different company to deliver the results you want is a big decision in any capacity, but it's especially so when the progress of your entire company is at stake.

This report outlines all the necessary information about software development staffing, including the advantages, obstacles, techniques, and key factors to consider when selecting software engineering outsourcing companies. Quintagroup strives to help you get the most out of outsourcing by hiring the best Eastern Europe experts. Contact us for more details.

Now you can get acquainted with the pros and cons of outsourcing. Let's get this ball rolling, shall we?

How to Avoid Obstacles with Software Project Handover?

Changing development teams might seem complicated. Here are solutions for appearing obstacles:

1. The way to defend your intellectual property.


Make sure that you will be able to negotiate and access the code in the first place. If you build a good connection with the outsourcing team, it will not be an issue, you will receive all rights to the script. It's critical because otherwise, your new development team will have to work from the ground up, doubling your costs.

2. Ensuring that the work is of good quality.

There are common frights that the new contractor will add no value to the company. It's not the proper mood to begin working with a new collaborator. You must conduct thorough research on any potential IT contractor in order to avoid discontent. Furthermore, you can impose a probationary period to evaluate and assess the team's work and get feedback from previous customers. This way, you can be sure of a good quality product.

3. Ensure an efficient switching process.

Another danger related to the project switchover: the new team is unlikely to be able to fully comprehend and preserve the old code. To lessen the chances, the new team should go over all the development documents and assess their current condition and value. It is good to make an online discussion with your new team to share the knowledge and come up with a particular solution.


What Are the Benefits of Outsourcing Software Development?

There are many ways why and how you can benefit from outsourcing. In the next passages, you will get acquainted with the persuasive advantages of sharing the tasks with an outsourced dedicated development team. There are at least three reasons to try outsourcing.

Reduce the hiring time and spend less effort on this process.

  • Spend less time looking for experts. Start working with people recommended by the vendor. The outsourcing company will explain its choice of the best candidates for your project. If workers do not fit, they will be replaced quickly if there are reasons for this. Because the adage “time is the new money” is so true, you can further reduce costs by introducing proven specialists to your dedicated development team. Developers in outsourced teams have already completed the staffing and research process. Enjoy the glory of upcoming accomplishments in a short time.
  • Consider how much time you've spent sifting through Resumes or looking for them in the first place in an online database. After that, you must contact candidates, set up interview sessions, and choose the right person. It's usually a highly stressful situation that no one likes to undergo.
  • Besides, you'll need to hire developers with a diverse set of skills in order to assemble a diverse and effective team. Then you'll have to train them to fit your company's philosophy and be knowledgeable about the technology stack you've chosen. However, Quintagroup has already completed all of these tasks for you.

Lower the cost of the development.

  • The costs of maintaining an in-house development team are considerable. You'll have to pay additionally employee benefits, vacation, and other expenses. According to studies, the cost of hiring an in-house developer to launch a new project could be twice as much as outsourcing.
  • In fact, outsourcing your development allows you to bring in a greater number of people for a fraction of the cost. Being responsible for your new team, the company you hire will handle their perks, fees, and vacations. That's a big benefit!

A satisfied customer means a thriving business.

  • The client knows the business processes best, but the outsourcing company (vendor) after the discovery phase, or sprint design, will help break down the project requirements into components, and make a decomposition so that developers fully understand the business processes and goals of the client. A knowledgeable outsourcing firm such as Quintagroup can assist you with this. The company specializes in python, javascript development, software testing, and many more. It will allow you to create the quality software your customers want. Your app or website may fail if you don't have a thorough understanding of your customers' expectations.

Benefits of Outsourcing Software Development


Outsourcing of Software Development: Guideline and Checklist

During the development of a product, the transfer requires the conversion of both software and the expertise, knowledge, and obligations necessary for managing and maintaining it. To know the specifications of the product and its complexities, the new remote development team should be given extensive data about the tech startup. Cooperation relying on communication, commitment, and clear incentive require the highest expertise and ideal comprehension. Let’s look through the most important aspects to include while transferring some tasks to an outsourced team.


1. Identify the demands and objectives.


Knowing where you're going is half of the success. If you know your own aspirations, it will be easier to move forward. Have a good idea of what the project's specifications are and what kind of people you'll need in your team. Depending on current circumstances, be receptive to feedback from prospective providers. Your partner may have more capabilities than you expected. When you're researching outsourcing companies, be clear about what you want to get out of the correlation.

2. Records and documentation for the project should be well-structured.

Documentation is an often-overlooked phase in software development, particularly when working in an Agile model. Most teammates choose to write simple descriptions, which don't go into great detail about what's going on the backend.

If you've never collaborated on a task with another software company before and are only now selecting your outsourcing company, you may be left with poor documentation because you have all the essential information on your side. Therefore, there is a requirement to introduce your partners to the documentation so that you can get better results.


If you're switching software houses, you'll need to receive records from your earlier partnering tech company. The worst thing that might happen: the documentation is incomplete or outdated, and your new partner is unable to communicate with the previous one—this is an issue. Then there is the need to go through the code to spot all the processes.

The new team must accurately compile documentation using the most common applications and methods (user stories, use cases, prototypes, API documentation with Swagger) if the previous vendor didn't bother to do it, as it facilitates the maintenance of and joining new developers to the project. In any case, good communication with new workers will solve all possible problems and contribute to the thriving project.

3. It is compulsory to launch unit tests.

When your project is taken by new IT workers, unit testing is crucial. When the work goes from conventional in-office programming to outsourcing, you can decide whether to test it or not. However, when you change an outsourced partner, don't overlook this phase of the handover.

If your earlier partnership didn't work out, it could have an effect on the performance. It's dangerous for another house to accept your script if it hasn't been thoroughly tested and isn't well integrated.

In whatsoever scenario, the more unit tests your script undergoes, the better it is for both your reputation and your partner's activity. Unit testing ought to be the most thorough, especially during the switchover of a project.

 Guideline on Software Development Outsourcing

4. Possession of project tools.

Another important aspect of project development that is usually ignored is the property of the techniques used. Remember; it's supposed to be you who has the power over the project tools!

When we interact with clients, we make certain that they have access to the project tools. They maintain complete control over tools even after the end of the project. All the project's records, including CI/CD and AWS environments, must be yours.

5. Open flow of information.

Communicate frequently with your outsourcing partner. Software development is a dynamic process that cannot be enclosed within a set timeline. Things to talk about and challenges to overcome will probably continue cropping up for a long time, so the outsourcing company should be able to approach you whenever they require assistance.

It is also applicable to contact your prior provider, though it may be more difficult based on the way the relationship ended. A previous partner may be reluctant to cooperate once you stopped working together.

To avoid this problem, it is worthwhile to discuss this type of assistance during the handover dialogue. You might as well make it a condition of cooperation. Forearmed is foreseen.

6. Review of the system's security.

Such a process ensures your previous partner did not leave any unwelcome uncertainties in the script. It also means you won't have to worry about making the new technology partner responsible for any errors made by the old one.

It's also a good idea to hire an outside company to conduct the evaluation so you can be sure they'll be objective in their evaluation of your code quality and process safety, regardless of how the switching passes.

7. Allow your new business partner to review your code.

A code audit is one of the compulsory processes in the software handover, as it is required for evaluating coding errors as well as assessing the application's overall capacity and the new team's ability to manage it.

Despite the presence of application documentation, this is a main source code assessment. It's only natural for long-established code to have flaws. However, when their scope and intensity are large, the problem emerges. The code review results in objective feedback, giving your team the opportunity to find, overcome, and prevent issues.

If your backend is written in Python or the Django framework, then the vendor will offer a senior python developer or tech lead to review your code. It can as well offer an Architect to view the architecture. You will not only lose anything but also gain new information.

8. Hold frequent meetings to keep everyone updated.

Hold a roundtable discussion with your current outsourcing partner, your former partner, once you've reached the stage of handover. A representative from your company should always be present to ensure that information transfer is completed according to your demand.

Such gatherings provide the added incentive for your new staff to ask pertinent questions and receive responses so that they can take over the progress of the project.

Take into consideration the next tips. After the software house has had an opportunity to evaluate the script and become aware of the ongoing process, the Question – and – answer online meetings will come in handy. Make a point of recording these discussions with a specific tool. The information shared here could be useful in the long run. Make sure each of your team members has access to it.

Summarize the difficulties you've faced in the software development process. Discuss with the software developers what impediments could obstruct a seamless transition and further advancement, and how to avoid the issues.

The Summary

It may take some time to find a suitable IT worker, but once you do, your company will be able to develop and flourish in different manners you hadn't considered before. This arrangement has a significant impact on your business, and as a result, proper precautions should be taken to ensure that everything goes smoothly.

Software development partners are a great way to compensate for a lack of a professional workforce. Joining forces with an outsourced development team might seem a complex process at first. However, the practical steps outlined above should help you achieve seamless collaboration. There is nothing to be afraid of.

Despite the fact that there are numerous factors to take into account before outsourcing a project, the advantages are extremely rewarding. You can achieve anything you set out to do if you know how to meet the right company and form the correct type of collaboration.

Quintagroup as an outsourcing/staffing company is always willing to come up with a solution for your business. With many years of experience and numerous positive feedback, this company is likely to be a perfect fit to meet all your demands. With us, you can reach the Eastern Europe professional IT workers whose expertise lies in python, javascript development, software testing, and many more.


Do you consider choosing Quintagroup? Contact us and we will provide all the details.

Connect with our experts Let's talk