Outsourcing development projects is a wise move in many cases, but as companies evolve and needs change, there often comes a time that software development teams should be moved to in-house production cycles. If you’ve found your software projects are consistently behind schedule, are inundated with bugs, and lack creativity, it’s most likely time to focus your efforts on hiring an in-house developer.
That Elusive Custom Touch
Having an in-house team allows for a customized system of development that better fits your company’s current needs and future goals. Easy, direct communication between software developers and other areas of the company means everyone’s needs are addressed with immediacy, allowing for quick tailoring and alteration of processes to ensure the ideal end product. This customization works to give your company a competitive edge, as your product will be unlike any others because of your ability to tinker with ideas at every moment of development. If differentiation is your aim in a highly competitive market, it’s really a no brainer when it comes to the advantages an in-house team would hold over outsourced efforts.
Quality Assurance
If your projects have experienced a variety of glitches and bugs in a more than frequent fashion, it’s likely your offshore developers aren’t coming into the project with the dedication that an in-house employee would have. Your project may be one of many that said outsourced developer is working on, which leaves more room for error. With an in-house development team, it’s easier to make use of streamlined software testing tools that can run automated checks and discover issues quickly and efficiently. The sooner you can have glitches and bugs sorted out, the better the experience for your consumer, and the better your reputation for excellence. Having software developers on hand means fixing issues that arise with immediacy, and allows for better control over quality assurance than an outsourced team might facilitate.
The Cost of Communication
If you’re outsourcing your software development, you’ve likely already run into communication issues, perhaps more than once. As your team isn’t local, you may run into problems with clarity and a general understanding of the requirements of a particular project. Should miscommunication occur, production cycles can be thrown completely off-kilter, leaving your company further behind and resulting in a loss of profits the longer it takes to fix the mistakes made. To make software fit your individual needs, it’s important to be there every step of the way, and working with someone halfway across the world can make this symbiosis much harder to achieve.
The Question of Internal Costs
There’s no denying that it’s more expensive to hire in-house employees than it would be to outsource software developers, and we would be remiss not to touch on that aspect of the switch from offshore to full-time employee. When it comes to cost, the decision must be based on justifying how much you’ll put out. If the project is large enough that it justifies the extra costs of recruitment and training a new, in-house team (along with the employee benefits that come with full-time employment), then it’s a good idea to switch your outsourcing procedures to something held within the office. It’s also important to look ahead long-term; when this specific project is completed, with there be work for this new team you’ve compiled to complete? Or will you be scrambling to find things to keep them busy until your next developmental need?
That’s not to say there aren’t ways you’ll save money in certain aspects should you choose to switch to in-house work. Hiring an in-house team allows you to utilize existing resources already in your arsenal to support your employees onsite. You’ll also save money in terms of employee output. With employees right under your nose, you can ensure the work is getting done when it should be, ensuring you’re not paying for low quality work or lack of effort. As in-house work can be done quickly and cohesively, you may find your product finished and ready for the market sooner, which means less project time.
Hiring an in-house development team could save your company valuable time and may be well worth the investment when it comes to creating a quality product or service for searching consumers.
