How to Manage an Offshore Software Development Team Effectively?

Last updated on April 17th, 2023

It is hardly surprising that more businesses have recently shown interest in acquiring development services offshore. Following their emergence into the global market, offshore software suppliers now offer numerous options for established US and European corporations.

The offshore software development team is typically provided in countries with labor costs significantly lower than in the region where the services are sought. This is very practical for company owners and lucrative for IT outsourcing companies.

If you have decided to outsource your software development, the first step is identifying your primary strategies for managing a remote workforce. Despite all the tremendous advantages of outsourcing, like quickness, cost-effectiveness, and top-notch quality of service, managing an offshore development team hundreds of kilometers away from you is pretty complicated.

This blog will explain how to properly manage an offshore software development team and examine the top methods.

What is an Offshore Team? Its Challenges & Benefits

The term “offshore team” refers to selecting a team of experts from locations distant from your company headquarters. Due to a significant time difference, the crew may work in a separate time zone. Or, if necessary, they must modify their shift to meet your needs. For example, Europe is a focal point for offshore development for customers from the US and other countries.

Offshoring should be distinct from outsourcing, though. The latter indicates that staff from a partner company handles your business operations. On the other side, your business employs an offshore crew, but they perform outside the head office.

Benefits

• It is a cost-effective approach. Both stakeholders will earn from it: the offshore development teams will have additional employment opportunities, and the businesses will have a more affordable way to find talented individuals.
• It promotes quicker onboarding. Recruiting an offshore software development team is simpler than recruiting an entire workforce.
• It also provides flexibility. You have many choices when you outsource software development, from the technical talents you want to acquire for your project to the cost of a professional and the duration of your association.
• An offshore development service team can access a wide range of skills. Choosing people with various levels of technical competence and diverse technical experiences by your business requirements is made possible by outsourcing, which offers you exclusive access to a sizeable tech-skilled workforce.
• The offshore development team provides a fast beginning for your development projects. The time spent looking for, hiring, and training expertise is unnecessary. With outsourcing, you can choose from various professionals your IT partner provides, allowing you to begin the development process as soon as the contract is signed. 

Challenges

Before beginning to work with the offshore software development team, there are a few things to keep in mind. As a result, you will be capable of preparing for the many difficulties that come with leading offshore development teams and discovering the best remedies for any problems:

• Due to different time zones, you may need help managing the development team if they are far away.
• Language obstacle is another challenge in an offshore development team. Establishing productive collaboration between you and an offshore software development team is more accessible by communicating correctly.
• There is a possibility of a rise in Cultural differences. You will be required to deal with cultural eccentricities. Choose an offshore software development team if you have an alternative.
• Communication can also become a challenge. Likely, the outcome will only be what you want if essential requirements, project parameters, and daily tasks are successfully articulated.
• Not all businesses know the obstacles in controlling offshore development teams based overseas. It presents several difficulties; thus, developing a management strategy is required before considering outsourcing.

Practical Tips for Managing Offshore software Development Teams

What are the critical strategies for streamlining workflow and strengthening engagement with your offshore development crew? The following are some constructive tips for managing an offshore development team:

1. Create a crystal-clear product vision and outline your objectives

Assigning the project and expecting it to be completed is insufficient if you want higher results and effective collaboration between your company and an outsourced team.

Managing a distant software development team takes a lot more participation and work. The most important thing to do is to properly clarify your end aim and give a brief overview of your service. Software developers will be capable of making better choices during the work process and guarantee the expected development and quality once they are in sync with all the crucial details.

2. Create comprehensive product documentation

To supervise your offshore development service team as effectively as possible, providing comprehensive and instructional product documentation is another crucial step. If you want to produce a cutting-edge, high-quality product, it is a requirement. It will assist programmers in adhering to all specifications, preventing code errors, and also assist you in avoiding potential technical debt.

3. Establish precise objectives and deadlines

The outcomes and project milestones provide a solid foundation for your achievement with offshore development teams. It would be best if you put time and energy into the research and planning stages before the project commences.

4. Reflect on your essential project information

One of the critical areas that any business should focus on is the employee onboarding process because it significantly impacts your new employees’ productivity. You will be able to more efficiently manage the procedures and complete the task by sharing all the project information with your team extension members.

You can also make a database for each assignment and provide it to your software engineers. As a result, starting and managing the new project for the development team is made considerably more manageable.

5. Develop Efficient Communication

Effective communication with your offshore workforce is essential for success. Presenting the responsibilities to your employees, particularly those who need to speak your mother tongue better, can occasionally be challenging due to the language barrier.

Use Video chat, Zoom, or any technologies explicitly designed to facilitate clear communication among team members for this reason, such as emails. That is a quick and efficient technique to ask your developers for clarification when verbal communication is obscure.

6. Encourage and motivate your team

Managing offshore development teams and maintaining remote workers’ productivity levels is challenging. The final and most crucial advice is always to inspire your offshore development teams.

To produce excellent outcomes, the internal staff and specialists hired from outside the company require a high level of motivation. If you are talking about long-term projects, it’s even more crucial.

7. Use the Appropriate Tools Required for the Task

Remote software professionals need help comprehending a task’s fundamental concepts and solutions is a common issue faced by offshore development teams. The unstable development environment between the groups is one of the primary causes.

As a result, you may encounter substandard software, late bug discovery, and fundamental integration problems. All remote developers must use the specified tools for software development, control, and improvement to tackle this issue. This helps you efficiently manage an offshore development team by ensuring that the project plan carries out all necessary processes.

8. Given enough time for training

Even the most skilled programmers need to take time to understand the products and technologies. Management often abandons offshore teams due to insufficient time or lack of training. Better-trained development personnel will be more productive.

Important Article: Offshore Software Development Process – Benefits, Challenges, Costs and More

How to Utilize the Productivity of offshore software development teams?

The effectiveness of managing the offshore software development team depends on effective collaboration. Additionally, because we’ve been discussing teams that work remotely, the project will only be successful if these teams can work together effectively.

Let’s evaluate some approaches that help in real-time communication.

• Email

The most basic form of communication is email. There are other options, but email is the only feasible alternative for some situations. Obtaining the necessary approvals, as well as processing paperwork, are two examples. Only when necessary should it be utilized. All team members engaged in development projects must have access to the company’s email addresses for safety reasons.

• Chat Tools

The most popular chat applications include user-friendly and open-source Video chat, Google Meet, WhatsApp, and Zoom. These chat tools make communicating easier, speeding up project delivery. They also help to foster team bonds and improve teamwork.

• Productivity Tools

All of your documentation is handled by project management tools. All team members always have access to real-time updates, workflow dependencies, and status updates, eliminating any opportunity for missed deadlines. Project managers can monitor the project’s development even when not physically available with the workforce.

Utilizing the tech mentioned above layers makes collaboration simpler. The team members feel connected and respected, strengthening unity and promoting the offshore teams’ adequate performance..

Related Article: Offshore Software Development Team: A Complete Guide

Do You need assistance for building an offshore software development team?

All things aside, using an offshore software development team to effectively complete work is today a practical and profitable business strategy. Before employing an offshore development team, there are still a few things to remember because doing so involves organizing and managing interaction, workflow, project goals, expertise, etc.

The iTechnolabs Company knows all the possible dangers, advantages, and disadvantages of offshore development and the techniques you may employ to manage such risks to achieve the most effective and fantastic job performance.