Outsourcing Your Web Development: The Top 3 Pitfalls
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Dave Churchville January 24, 2007
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Every day, thousands of businesses like yours make the same critical
mistakes when outsourcing their software or web development, costing
them thousands in unnecessary rework.
Mistake #1: Assuming that the outsource company you are working with can read your mind.
Most
outsource vendors expect complete requirements before they start the
work, and will charge you for every additional change, regardless of
the size. You'll need a plan for getting a good understanding of your
requirements, and communicating them effectively. Otherwise you could
waste thousands of dollars trying to get what you originally wanted.
Ideally,
you should find a vendor that will deliver incrementally instead of
making you wait until the entire project is completed. You can start
validating your original ideas much earlier, and have time to change
your mind about the details before you've already exhausted your budget.
Mistake #2: Failing to prioritize the work so that the most important things get done first.
You'll
need to decide which features of your site are the most important, and
make sure that you vendor works on those areas first. If you need to
cancel the project, or put it into production sooner that you expected,
having your most important items already completed can be a real bonus.
If
you allow the vendor to work on the entire project without a specified
plan or order, you may have nothing to show for the time and money
spent if an early termination is necessary.
Mistake #3: Trying to communicate important details in documents alone.
Communicating
with a remote vendor can be a challenging undertaking. While
requirements documents, specifications, and static mockups can be
useful, they are often not enough to capture the nuances of your vision
for your website or application.
Using drawings, interactive
prototypes, and frequent communication can help bridge the gap, as can
online planning and tracking tools.
Conclusion
Outsourcing
your Web or application development can be a risky undertaking. By
prioritizing the work, making sure it's delivered in chunks instead of
all at once, and improving communication with your vendor, you can
reduce your risk, and improve your chances for success.
About the Author:
Dave Churchville is a 15 year veteran of the software development
industry as a developer, project manager, and entrepreneur. He is the
founder of ExtremePlanner Software, whose mission is to raise the level
of software development by enabling team communication and
collaboration. Visit ExtremePlanner Software at http://www.extremeplanner.com. |