Have you ever wondered how Travis and Garrett (founders of Uber) attended a conference in Paris? How they became the owner of a $17 billion Company? Or how Brian, Joe & Nathan (AirBnB founders) earlier rented mattresses at $80 and now run a $38 billion company?
They have survived all the challenges every startup has to face. Like the low budget, scarcity of resources, fierce competition, etc. But they found a solution to all these problems.
But to build a successful empire, they understood the pain points of the regular commuters and came up with a digital solution, that we all use. These companies managed to escape the 90% startup failure ratio because they worked smartly and realized what is required to materialize the product idea.
And outsourcing product development was one of the smart decisions they took.
Do you Know?
Must-Know Things about Outsourcing Product Development
Wondering how to outsource a product? Let's get started!
Recommended Read: How to Hire Developers for Startup - Ultimate Hiring Guide
In general, outsourcing product development refers to hiring a team of software developers to perform a given task or function.
As the name implies, product development outsourcing is defined as the outsourcing strategy that relates to product development as well as maintenance.
This may include research, design, prototyping, coding, testing, and launch as per the client’s requirements.
Great products are there to change the world. There may be a brilliant idea in your mind but it is not necessary that you have a large product design company at your disposal.
Today, it is no big deal with outsourcing product development as many successful projects have been released as a result of it.
With outsourcing product development services, most startups follow to develop a product and launch it in the targeted market. Well, there are many doubts and queries that come across in the mind of entrepreneurs who are planning to outsource their product development.
Are you someone who can relate to this situation? If so, this article covers everything you might want to know regarding software development outsourcing.
As a startup or SME, validating the product idea becomes a matter of utmost importance. It's where collaboration with an offshore software company becomes a viable option for small scale budget projects.
Moreover, you can use the experience of your offshore development partner to your advantage. You have to be prompt and agile in making the product innovative. If you are ready to showcase innovation, your startup will certainly thrive.
Still vague on how to outsource a product? The first question is whether entrepreneurs should choose software developers outsourcing or not?
If the definition of outsourcing according to you is simply to hire developers, share your idea, and expect the offshore product development team to come up with the final product as quickly as possible, it is recommended to abort the idea of outsourcing.
Whereas if you think that outsourcing starts with explaining your idea, doing the R&D, analyzing the target audience, and then looking for an outsourcing product development team, you may just be on the path to success.
After that, your role in product development outsourcing wouldn’t cease to exist only because you have outsourced your development.
There are many benefits of software developers outsourcing for a startup. A few of them are less cost, faster time to market, etc. In view of these benefits, successful startups like Slack, Skype, and BaseCamp have outsourced their product development at some point.
If you are a startup having an amazing product idea, here are a few scenarios where you should consider outsourcing software developers;
For any startup, the initial roadblock is developing a business plan while maintaining the available capital efficiently. The second is building a product development team that has top-notch expertise and tech skills to create the product and launch it.
This issue can be easily resolved by hiring dedicated offshore developers for your product development.
Outsource your product to an experienced company having specialized developers who will build it as per your requirements while sitting in a different geographical location.
This team of offshore software developers will not only bring expertise to the table but also add flexibility. Plus it will enable technology transfer for successful product development outsourcing. Here are the benefits it offers you:
Your product is your vision and it is important to pursue it continuously. When you hand it over to a dedicated software product development team, they start working on your project.
This doesn’t mean that you lose control but you keep a check on it.
You are the one guiding the project and giving it direction. Even if you are a non-technical individual, it is a possibility that you won’t understand the development process.
But having a tech-savvy person by your side will help a lot.
Communication paves the way towards the success of your project. This is very important for you to get the message across to the product engineering team in the best possible way so that they understand the project idea and get results.
Note down your requirements and take care of the documentation so that you get what you want.
Wire-framing or prototyping helps in getting the idea across the team. A blueprint of the product is created with a screen layout and navigation system.
It is very important to describe the main functionality of the product and its core functionality. The product development team for startups understand the wireframe and then accomplish the project accordingly.
When you get a second opinion on your product design, it reduces the risk during the development process. Allow flexibility to a certain level and try having flexibility on the features of your product.
The initial version of the project has to be impactful. When it is properly designed, built, tested, and finally launched, you should keep a track of the audience's response. You can then add features in the next version.
Concentrate on the core functionality and then the problem that it solves.
Agile methodology and offshoring is a perfect combination for getting amazing results. Having access to an extensive base of experienced professions by collaborating with the top offshore developers for startups you can make changes whenever required and get flexible responses.
Because the product development system is very adaptable to the changes, this aids the improvement of the product throughout the development cycle.
Startups that choose software developer outsourcing should consider various factors before taking the plunge;
Cost is undoubtedly the biggest factor to consider when you are planning to outsource product development to India or any other country.
Well, outsourcing turns out to be cost-effective when compared to insourcing. This is because you don’t have to provide different salaries to individuals rather you will be giving a fixed amount to the company providing business application development services.
| Factors | In-House Development | Outsourcing Development |
| Cost | Higher because of hiring and retention of the developers | Lower because of large talent & rate difference in countries |
| Time To Market | Slower As Hiring Experts Requires Time | Agile & Quick |
| Technology Expertise | Limited | Unmatched & Endless Talent |
| Flexibility | Not much flexibility | Extreme flexibility & adaptive approach |
| Security of IP | Highly Secure | Threat to intellectual property |
| Communication | Face-to-face & clear communication with real-time inputs | Difficult to manage due to language gap & time zone difference |
| Cultural Differences | Fits company’s corporate culture | Not necessarily a cultural fit |
Recommended Read: Hiring Dedicated Remote IT Teams is Not Just Saving Huge Cost
The next consideration to make is the product that you are planning to introduce in the market. A simple product may not require an expert product development team to materialize while a complex product may require greater specialization.
As per your product type, features, and requirements, you can choose the type of outsourcing development agency.
New technologies are being introduced in the industry every now and then. It is a possibility that your product may require the latest technology stack.
If you are not laced with the technology stack that suits your startup firm, hire developers for startups and it will be the best option for you.
Considering that you have now got a clear idea of how to outsource a product, here are a few things you must take into account before collaborating with an offshore company;
When you are working with a remote development team, make sure they have a strong command of your written and spoken language so that it doesn’t become a barrier.
When you are working closely with the product development team, who may be at a different location across the time zones, you have to ensure that there is an overlap of at least two business hours every day to keep the workflow hassle-free.
You should have knowledge about who is working on your project full time. Also, find out if those developers will be working on any other projects or not.
Want to build your product in an offshore country? Hire remote development team & get started.
Here are a few considerations before collaborating with a team of offshore software developers. It is very important to speak to a few past clients to get answers to all your questions. This will help you get an idea about the workflow and performance of the company.
Top offshore software development companies will always say yes to any challenge that you will send their way. Make sure they have done similar kind of work before.
Always make sure you have complete ownership access to everything that the offshore product development is producing every step of the way. In addition to this, ensure that the ownership is covered in the contract and you or the partner signs the non-disclosure agreement.
Now when you have finally decided to outsource, it is important to know whether a software development company is beneficial or not. Let’s discuss the tips that will help a startup succeed;
To set up a product development team, you have to take the help of a startup app development company or web company that requires a crisp and clear wireframe.
It should have the following:
Once the milestones are decided, it is imperative to link the milestones with the payment checkpoints. This ensures quick and smooth product development outsourcing.
The way you are clearly defining the product scope and how you can present it to the offshore development company determines the success of the product.
While hiring offshore developers to build your product, make sure to effectively convey your idea.
When a company defines their expectations and mitigate risks, outsourcing product development to a reliable tech partner allows startups to compete with their competitors making waves in the market.
However, it is very important to search for a product development outsourcing company and thereby balancing quality, cost while ensuring that you maintain confidentiality, security, and control over the project.
The global knowledge that has passed down to the offshore development center can help your company become better in order to compete in the international market.
It helps in hiring expert professionals having communication capabilities, suitable financial packages, and technical expertise. The major reason why offshore product development has become a popular option is it can get businesses through temporarily difficult times.
Also, it can save money and is not a one-side-fit-all option. So, it can be concluded that is a boon for different startups.
If you are planning to achieve the bottom line quickly and inexpensively, outsourcing is the best way possible. But this method is going to work only if you collaborate with the right startup development company.
We believe that you now have got a clear idea of how to outsource product development.
Ready for outsourcing product development? Contact us now and get a free consultation.