Industrial Goods and Services

The CTO Handbook to Offshore Software Development

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Offshore software development has recently been on the rise as a viable solution. This model is transformative for the flooded marketplace. Building teams in countries like India costs less and accesses highly talented engineers and those with niche skills.

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The software industry is jam-packed. Despite big tech’s crisis, software companies will hit over one million in the next decade. Nearly half cluster in Western Europe and America, causing cutthroat competition, sky-high costs, and an engineering talent drought.

These are familiar pain points for seasoned leaders at US and European companies. Local engineering hires are pricey and limit access to top talent.

Offshore software development has recently been on the rise as a viable solution. This model is transformative for the flooded marketplace. Building teams in countries like India costs less and accesses highly talented engineers and those with niche skills.

But how can dedicated offshore teams benefit your business?

Let’s dive in and uncover what offshore development is, its benefits, and how to implement it.

What is offshore software development, and who is it for
Offshore software development means hiring overseas engineers to build your company’s software. To maximise efficiency, organisations going offshore often open new offices with dedicated teams in countries like India. These offshore development centres feature fully equipped facilities.

Tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Apple have established R&D Centers in Bangalore to access world-class developers and quick scaling without stress or expense. So, if finding and hiring top tech talent at home is challenging, offshore development is worth considering.

Two types of companies leverage offshore teams:

1. Non-technical businesses needing website improvements or new digital products.

2. Companies expanding in-house teams to take on bigger contracts and boost value.

The first lacks software expertise and needs skilled developers. The second wants to scale up and outpace competitors.

In both cases, dedicated offshore teams provide talent that is expensive and hard to find locally.

Three major benefits of going offshore
Access global talent
Offshoring opens access to top tech talent across the globe. Diligent developers in Eastern Europe, savvy English-speaking experts in India – the world is your oyster.

The US currently faces a developer shortage, with a demand for 170,000 new programmers annually. However, there is a lack of qualified experts to fill these roles domestically. Offshoring allows companies to tap into overseas talent pools ready to build software. For example, India produces 1.5 million engineering graduates yearly with strong English skills, primed to join international teams.

Scale fast
Scaling development teams offshore is faster and easier than expanding locally. Flexible cooperation models make it simple to build and grow teams on demand.

Offshoring provides agility to add talent at speed. If growth arises, your overseas provider can swiftly supply additional developers to scale your capabilities, take on more work, and meet expectations. The flexible offshore talent pool allows for rapid expansion when required.

Focus on your business
A strong offshore partner takes care of recruitment, administration, payroll and more – allowing you to focus your efforts elsewhere with peace of mind.

As they handle hiring and onboarding excellent developers, you can devote time to engaging with clients and expanding your business. Offshoring lifts heavy administrative burdens, empowering you to concentrate on core priorities and growth. With personnel and payroll managed overseas, you can direct energy toward what truly matters – your customers!

Top 3 offshore software development locations
Asia
India is the leader in IT offshoring, with tech hubs like Bangalore producing 90,000 engineering graduates annually. Its large talent pool and lower costs make India an ideal destination for budget-conscious teams.

The Philippines also provides affordable overseas talent, though with fewer advanced qualifications on average. The average hourly rate in the Philippines is €28 — significantly lower than in Western markets.

Eastern Europe
Countries such as Poland and Ukraine are renowned for their technical expertise. Their proximity to Western markets and similar time zones also facilitates seamless communication.

Experienced developers in these Eastern European nations excel at delivering complex projects that demand close coordination. With competitive average rates of around €32/hr, Poland and Ukraine balance top talent with cost efficiency.

Latin America
Colombia, Mexico, and Argentina are emerging as strong tech hubs with cultural ties to Western clients. However, English proficiency can vary across these regions.

These Latin American countries offer proximity and cultural alignment for effective partnerships, though they may lack the depth of English fluency in other markets. With average hourly rates of around €37, they present cost savings over Western teams.

Choosing an offshore partner: 5 top tips
Once you decide to go offshore, finding the right partner is critical. A partner provides talent and guidance to achieve your goals. Follow these suggestions:

1. Identify needs – define what you want and filter partners specialising in those areas.

2. Assess communication – partners fluent in your language smooth collaboration.

3. Verify developer quality – look beyond claims to source, skills and experience.

4. Evaluate security – proper data protection and cybersecurity are non-negotiable.

5. Background check – search experience, testimonials and portfolios for trustworthy partners.

The right partner shares your vision, provides top talent, enables security, and ensures flawless communication. With an aligned offshore team, your development goals become a reality!

How to manage a successful offshore software development team
Building an offshore software development team is a significant accomplishment, but effective management is the next crucial step. Without proper leadership, offshore groups can feel disconnected, negatively affecting performance. To avoid this, focus on the following areas.

Share your mission and vision
Don’t view your offshore team as just execution partners. Introduce them to your company’s goals, brand vision, and product plans early on. The more context they have, the more invested they’ll be in your shared mission. Build trust through transparency and foster two-way communication.

Bridge culture gaps
You’ll encounter cultural differences between your local and offshore groups. As a leader, nurture a unified culture across locations. Make offshore teams feel appreciated through visits, social activities, and recognition. Dedicate time to two-way learning so both sides understand cultural perspectives.

Communicate clearly
Miscommunication affects all teams but can plague offshore groups. Combat this through:

Email for official information
Instant messaging for quick check-ins
Project management tools to track work
Set consistent daily standups, weekly reviews, and rituals to align everyone. Overcommunicate early until offshore teams grasp expectations.

Invest time in bringing offshore groups into the fold, and they’ll reward you with skill, creativity and commitment.

Summing up
Offshoring comes down to two critical factors: finding top talent and choosing a solid offshore partner. With effective leadership, you’ll maximise the benefits of offshore collaboration.

This guide has hopefully provided valuable solutions and insights into offshoring software development. The pieces are now in place to start building high-performance offshore teams that take your technology capabilities to the next level. It’s an exciting time — enjoy the journey!

Gaza residents who have lost family fear more destruction as ground assault looms By Reuters

Posted by pusat on in Aerospace and Defense, Agriculture and Forestry, Automobiles and Motorcycles, Business Creation and Development, Business Energy, Business Environment, Business Management, Business Services, Business Telecommunications, Chemicals and Allied Products, Construction and Maintenance, Consumer Goods and Services, Domestic Services, Employment and Work, Engineering Industry, Food andRelated Products, Industrial Goods and Services, Publishing andPrinting, Textiles and Nonwovens, Translation Services, Transportation and Logistics

GAZA (Reuters) -As Israel prepared on Sunday for a ground assault on the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, Palestinians who have lost numerous family members in air strikes were bracing for more destruction if Israel hits back on an unprecedented scale on its territory.

Um Mohammad Al-Laham sat next to her 4-year-old granddaughter Fulla Al-Laham, who lay in a Gaza hospital which like others is operating on low supplies of medicine and fuel.

She said an Israeli airstrike hit the family home, killing 14 people including Fulla’s parents, siblings and members of her extended family.

“All of a sudden and without warning, they bombed the house on top of the residents inside. No-one survived except my grandchild Fulla. May God cure her and give her strength,” said the grandmother, who has witnessed many wars between Hamas and the Israeli army over the years. She says this is the toughest.

“Fourteen people martyred, no-one was left except Fulla Saeed Al-Laham. She doesn’t talk, nothing, just lays in her bed and they give medicine.”

One other 4-year-old child in the family had also been left with almost no relatives, the grandmother said.

Israel has unleashed the heaviest air strikes ever on Gaza in retaliation for the biggest attack on the country one week ago by the Palestinian militant group Hamas since the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

Israel has vowed to annihilate the militant group Hamas in retaliation for a rampage by its fighters in Israeli towns eight days ago in which its militants shot men, women and children and seized hostages in the worst attack on civilians in the country’s history.

Some 1,300 people were killed in the unexpected onslaught, which shook the country, with graphic mobile phone video footage and reports from medical and emergency services of atrocities in the overrun towns and kibbutzes.

Israel has responded with the most intense bombardment Gaza has ever seen, putting the small enclave, home to 2.3 million Palestinians, under siege and destroying much of its infrastructure.

Israel has told Palestinian to leave their homes and move south.

Hamas urged people not to leave, saying roads out were unsafe. It said dozens of people had been killed in strikes on cars and trucks carrying refugees on Friday, while medics, Hamas media and relatives say whole families have been killed in the air strikes. Reuters could not independently verify these claims.

Some residents said they would not leave, remembering the “Nakba,” or “catastrophe,” of 1948 when many Palestinians were forced from their homes during the war that accompanied Israel’s creation.

Israel has intensified its bombings across Gaza City and the north. Gaza authorities said more than 2,300 people have been killed, a quarter of them children, and nearly 10,000 wounded.

Rescue workers searched desperately for survivors of night-time air raids. One million people have reportedly left their homes.

The expected Israeli ground offensive combined with the air strikes themselves have raised fears of unprecedented suffering in the narrow, impoverished enclave.

Witnesses in Gaza City told Reuters the Israeli offensive had forced more people from their homes. Gaza’s largest Shifa hospital was overcrowded with people who had fled their houses.

“We are living the worst nightmare of our lives. Even here in the hospital we are not safe. An air strike hit in the area outside the hospital around dawn,” said a 35-year-old woman who declined to give her name.

Taking the road to southern Gaza, which is considered safer, has become more difficult as several people who had made the journey say Israel continues to bomb around it.

Ashraf Al-Qidra, spokesman of the Gaza health ministry, said 70% of the people in Gaza City and the north of the strip are deprived of health services after the Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA evacuated its headquarters and suspended its services.

East of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where hundreds of northern residents have fled to, some locals cooked for displaced people, using firewood to prepare 1,500 meals of meat and rice donated by residents.

“We used to cook on cooking gas for the first two days but we are running out of gas, so we are cooking on firewood,” said Youssef Abu Assi, one resident helping out.