Many businesses tend to overlook web development when they’re starting. It’s a mistake that they can’t afford to make. With the internet now a major driving factor behind the success of businesses, it’s clear that those who invest in their web presence have a much higher chance of achieving success.
Web development might seem like a herculean task to those who are not familiar with the process. Many business owners are unaware of the process through which they can have a web presence built for their business, let alone be proficient in the technical side of the process.
As daunting as that may seem, there’s no shortage of resources available for them that explain exactly why they need to be investing in a web presence and how they can do it. The easiest way forward is to outsource development work to a third-party.
What is Outsourcing Web Development?
Outsourcing has changed the way the industry works. It has enabled businesses to access a vast talent pool as and when needed. They don’t need to hire highly skilled resources and thus place the company under immense financial stress.
Think about it. If you’re the kind of business that only requires a single-page website without any subsequent feature additions or even updates, it would make absolutely no sense to have a full-time software developer on the payroll.
So what would you do in this instance? You’ll outsource the job to a third-party developer. They’ll understand the requirements of the job and create that single-page website for you. Once that’s done, they’ll take the agreed upon payment and be on their way. You get a website, they get paid. It’s as simple as that.
That’s a very simple example of what outsource web development is conventionally like. Outsourcing isn’t just limited to simple tasks. Many organizations outsource major projects because it helps them rapidly scale up. Different methods to outsource web development.
In a nutshell, contracting the work out to a third-party is basically what outsource development entails.
How to Outsource Web Development in 2021
You’ve decided to outsource web development for your business, now what? How do you go about finding the right partner that will be able to bring your vision to reality?
Outsourcing doesn’t necessarily mean that the entire project will be handled from start to finish by a third-party. For example, you could do all of the graphics work for the website yourself and leave the development work to the contractor. You’ll need to find a balance that works for you.
Many businesses, particularly startups, prefer outsourcing the entire project to a third-party. This service provider will have developers, designers, and other specialists on its team. A project manager will provide oversight and will also report to you, the project owner, about the status of the work.
Once you’ve decided whether you want to outsource the entire project or parts of it, then it’s just a matter of finding the right development partner. That can often be easier said than done.
Ask for their portfolio
If you’ve come across a software developer that seems to be promising, always ask them for their portfolio. This will give you a great idea of their competency and skills. Developers who are vying for your business will have no concerns in showing you their body of work.
Review the portfolio to see if they have worked with clients in your industry before. This means that they have a level of insight that can be beneficial for your project as well. If the developers are listed on a social platform, you can also check their reviews to see what other clients have said about their work.
Set expectations
You need to lay down for the developer exactly what you expect to get out of the work they’ll do. This also helps them do a better job since they will have clarity on the requirements of the project.
Clear communication is key to setting expectations. Once you’re upfront about the details of the job, the developer can then inform you how much the project will cost you and when they’ll be able to deliver the work. It’s better to sort these details out first before embarking on the project to ensure that everything works smoothly.
Get regular updates
There’s a degree of diligence required on your part even when you outsource development to a third-party. In most cases, they will have a project manager who will follow up with updates regarding the projects.
That’s a great way to stay in the loop. Keep an eye on what the developers are doing and if there’s anything that needs to be changed, they can be informed ahead of time. Even if the company you chose doesn’t assign a dedicated project manager, you can always be proactive and reach out for regular updates on the status of the project yourself.
Mistakes to avoid when Outsourcing Website Development
Getting attracted by offshore savings
A critical mistake that many businesses make is that they get attracted to the savings that an offshore development firm can provide. It becomes quite difficult to sort out genuine companies from the less desirable ones when they’re located in another part of the world.
Communication can always be difficult in such situations and your options for dispute resolution may be limited due to them being in a different jurisdiction. Offshore developers may be able to do the work for cheaper but there may remain a question mark on the quality of their work.
Not being clear about the project budget
Before outsourcing any development work, have a clear idea of how much budget is available for the project. The developers won’t be able to work effectively if they don’t know the budget.
It needs to be communicated to them at the very beginning of the project so that they can adjust what needs to be done accordingly. Discuss the needs of the project and the available budget with them. They will be able to provide guidance that may even help you get what you’re looking for under budget!
Rushing through the selection process
Selecting the right development partner to outsource work takes time. Their skills and experience need to be weighed against the nature of the project and the budget available for it.
It’s never the right idea to go with the first development firm that puts in a proposal for your project. Consider multiple options, rank them against each other, obtain quotes and see which one best suits the criteria that you’ve set for the project.
Not communicating enough
The project owner is responsible as well to maintain an open line of communication. The partner that you’ve outsourced work to may have questions from time to time and they would need answers to them fairly quickly.
They shouldn’t have to wait for the answers for too long. As they will most likely pause work on the project until they have received a definitive answer from the client. Any delay in communication from your side is only going to result in delays for the completion.
Don’t forget quality assurance
Quality assurance is a vital part of any software development project. Both the client and the developer need to ensure that the project has been completed as per the requirements and there exist no issues that could cause problems down the line.
That’s why thorough quality assurance testing is carried out when software projects are completed. It prevents the possibility of unknown errors disrupting things in the future. The development partner that you work with should agree to quality assurance testing.
Get the right platform for your outsourced web development
Businesses of all sizes can outsource development. It’s a great way of getting work done quickly and efficiently. Most of all, it’s not as resource intensive as bringing an entire team of software developers onboard can be.
Finding the right development firm can often be a challenge but once you find one that fits the bill, you’ll likely return to them for future projects as well. That has been Zibtek’s experience with its clients that range from both Fortune 500 companies and startups.
Zibtek has been a software development partner for some of the world’s most leading companies in a variety of industries. Our team includes highly skilled professionals who have over a decade of experience under their belt. We’ve helped countless clients bring their ideas to reality.
Zibtek is based in the United States with offices in Salt Lake City, Utah. We can help with just about any software development need that you may have. Contact Zibtek today and we’ll be happy to get in touch.