Offshore developments require stricter project management than local developments to ensure the reliability, the productivity and the quality of our developments.
Working from a distant  location, with a different culture and with people who have no work experience with you can lead to enhanced difficulties. All the weak points in your organization will soon become problems that could lead to the failure of your offshore project. We are here to make sure that our team works efficiently with you, and we help correcting problems when they arise.

You should pay special attention to the following points when you choose to work with an offshore company:

 Feeling comfortable with the offshore company

In any case, it is very important to have mutual trust and feel comfortable with the main project managers you will work with. In most cases, if you don't feel comfortable with him, it is possible to request to change the main project manager until you feel a partnership relationship.
 
 A dedicated team

For your partner, it is often preferable to optimize its resources and share the resources between projects. This perfectly OK for fixed price projects, but unacceptable for time and material projects, where you usually want to have a closer control on the procedures, training, communications, etc. Your teams must be able to build trust and reliability with time and share the same company culture and goals.
 
 Understanding and adopting your project

A team of experienced managers can understand your needs, your software "philosophy", and your framework.
 
 Reliability

The offshore company must be reliable as a business partner to provide on time quality deliverables that are expected by you.
Of course, software developments can encounter problems, can be delayed. Transparency, quality and communications are key aspects of the targeted reliability.
 
 Quality

Defining quality standards for each aspects of software development is essential to a sound relationship.
Developers are responsible for the quality of the code they produce. They accompany their production to the test team to make sure of the quality of the tests that will be produced.
The applications are tested according to test scenarios defined with our client or product manager.
Also, other aspects of the process are monitored to ensure the correct enforcement of our procedures, especially regarding communications, progress tracking and guidelines observance.
 
 Skills

Technical skills are of course very important. But it is also important that the collaborators show a team spirit, potential, communicate easily, have a sense of quality and of productivity. These qualities must be found, more or less developed in all the members of the offshore team.
Also, according to the direct communications requirements that you have, all team members who interact with your company must be able to speak the development language you have chosen.
 
 Flexibility

Offshore development can bring unprecedented flexibility. Large teams can be assembled quickly, or reduced when they are no longer needed. The offshore company must be ready to ensure such flexibility.
 
 Security and confidentiality

Security and confidentiality must be strictly enforced at the offshore company. They must efficiently protect the your intellectual property. It is a good idea to request that all employees sign a confidentiality agreement that is strictly enforced.
Also, it the physical security of the offshore company premises must be isolated adequate for your projects: LAN security, access control, etc.
 
 Process

An adequate process is essential to ensure success and control of the progress tracking. The offshore company must be able and have experience in the setting up of such process, and in the adaptation of the process to the needs of your project.
 
 Transparency

A key element of success is to be able to propose a crystal clear transparency on all the aspects of the developments at the offshore company. You can then make decisions based on the information you have about anticipating release dates and synchronization points with your teams.
For large projects, development suites like the ones offered by Rational (ClearCase and ClearQuest) can be an asset for the efficiency of the communications.
 
 Communications

Communications is also a key factor of success. Email, phone and referential synchronization on the Internet are often the most efficient ways to communicate. We can complement this with video conferencing, net meetings and other more advanced techniques.
Most or all your team members speak English. German language can also be considered. The official language for offshore projects is usually English.
 
 Efficiency

The offshore team should be constantly challenged for using its efficiency and productivity. Each team member must understand where his/her efforts are best utilized and where his/her skills match the task that is assigned to him/her.
 
 Trust and Partnership

The offshore company should desire to build a trust relationship with your company. But sometimes, the projects are more limited in time. We should make sure of the motivation of the offshore company to avoid that they try to make it longer. In all cases, the offshore project should show an ethical behavior, with a goal of quality and client satisfaction.
 
 Productivity Reporting

It may be a good idea to request that the offshore partner measures the productivity of its teams. We can also help you to do so, and measure the savings that you realize if we compare such costs with on site developments costs.