How to Keep Onshore and Offshore Software Development Teams on Track to Hit All Deadlines

Web development is done worldwide with developers being available onshore and internationally. There are benefits to utilizing both types of developers. Hiring an offshore team can be a perfect way to finish a project if there is a time crunch. Onshore teams can have directions easily explained without the chances of an error in translation. Onshore teams usually come with a higher price tag as offshore developers could live in a country with a low cost of living. A combination of both onshore and offshore developers can provide the ability to scale a project affordably. The following are management tips to make sure these teams hit all of their deadlines which is always of utmost importance. 

Daily Reports by Offshore Developers Should be Required

Daily reports need to be done by offshore developers in order to see the progress that is and can be made on a particular day/week. Any questions or concerns can also be addressed in this daily report. The last thing a project management professional needs is the entire team reaching out over the course of the day with the same question. The creation of a frequently asked questions document for the project is imperative. The document can help reduce or even eliminate the occurrence of common questions. 

Plan a Few Extra Days Around Deadlines

Deadlines should have a few extra days around them to ensure the best quality work is delivered. Keep in mind the importance of certain holidays globally. An offshore team could celebrate a holiday that could lead to rushed work for a deadline. Most clients are happy to be flexible with deadlines as long as the work delivered meets their expectations. A few extra days to tighten up aspects of the project around major deadlines will allow for some flexibility. Do not allow the development team to know about these as some developers will try to wait to until the last minute to send over their work. The ability to share different images and information securely on a container registry like that offered by JFrog is important. Collaboration in development projects will make a difference when it comes time to hit a pretty tight deadline.

Time Tracking Software is Essential 

Time tracking software is going to be essential when sending out a project to an offshore team. This is also going to be important for those developers that are on hourly contracts. The last thing any company wants is to pay more for work that can be done in a reasonable amount of time. Time tracking software can ensure that the project is not being contracted out and the business is only being charged for work being done. Without this type of time tracking it is not uncommon to stretch out projects to get the most hours out worked possible. 

Working from Home Privileges can Actually Boost Productivity 

Working from home can be seen as the ultimate perk for many developers. The truth is that many office settings are not conducive to productivity when it comes to developers. These professionals are brought into plenty of unnecessary meetings and are distracted by a talkative coworker. For those developers that are extremely productive giving them this opportunity can do a few things. Many developers will take less in terms of salary or reduce their cost per hour to have the ability to work from home. Eliminating the commute and being able to work anywhere allows a developer to stretch their money further. For developers that seem to fall behind when working from home, nudge them a bit before finally rescinding the work from home perk. 

A Project Management Platform Needs to be Utilized 

Project management platforms are immensely helpful, especially for a complex software or website development task. The last thing anyone wants is a low-quality result delivered to a client due to forgetting an important portion of the project scope. Being able to send automated emails that a certain person’s task is upcoming can be important. Keeping a large team for any project organized is going to be a challenge. Many of these project management platforms allow for custom features and workflows. This will integrate well depending on the company utilizing the platform. A client can even be given an account to watch the progress of their project. This is not always recommended as some clients will try to micromanage a project that is well under control. 

Organization is going to be key when trying to keep any team on track for a development project. A development project is going to be complex with quite a few approvals to go through. Being able to manage developers can lead to job security for a professional as this can be a difficult task. Utilize both onshore and offshore teams to have the most well-rounded development team possible!

4 thoughts on “How to Keep Onshore and Offshore Software Development Teams on Track to Hit All Deadlines”

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