As more companies begin to view outsourcing app development as a reliable option for getting projects finished there seems to also be a rise in misconceptions about exactly what that means. Some, for instance, think that choosing to outsource app development is too good to be true. Others view it as a cheap solution, but are blind to the true value.
However, since outsourcing app development is something we care about, we want to take some time in this article to debunk 7 of these common misconceptions about the subject.
This is not to say that we believe outsourcing app development is the end-all-be-all of enterprise app development. We simply want to make sure that when you are considering outsourcing for your next project that you will have an open mind about all of the possibilities. With this in mind, let’s get to debunking.
1. “Outsourcing means no burden of responsibility.”
The first misconception that we want to address is that of believing by outsourcing your app development that you will have no responsibility. In fact, while you may not be doing any of the actual legwork required for coding the app, you are still responsible for the project going well.
As the product owner, it may not be your job to know how to get an app made, but it is still your idea and vision that you need to communicate to the team that is working on it. It is your job to help facilitate the backlog, communicate user stories, and offer insight into the value you hope to offer with your app.
While outsourcing app development does shift responsibility to an extent, you should not enter into an outsourced contract if you have this expectation.
2. “Communication is too difficult.”
Often once someone understands that they will indeed be a part of the app development process they start to worry about communication. After all, most companies that you will be outsourcing app development to work in another time zone and potentially speak a different language.
However, this misconception often comes from an inherent bias toward working with others face-to-face. This comes from years of working this way within a normal office environment. But, as more employees work from home or on-the-go, the typical office environment is also going with them.
Working with an outsourced team may present some unique communication challenges, but none that are any more difficult than the way our culture is headed already. With the addition of new technologies for video conferencing, this shouldn’t be a problem.
3. “Language and cultural differences won’t be surmountable.”
While it may be true that most of the people you work with on a project won’t have learned English as their first language, this is not a good reason to avoid outsourcing app development. In fact, the work done by these companies is often equal to that of American companies at a fraction of the cost.
If this is, however, a concern to you and your team, be upfront with the companies you are considering. Most of them will have dedicate project managers and go-betweens for you to speak with who won’t have any problem communicating with you. Should the difficulties continue, it may be that you are the one with the issue, not the other way around.
4. “Outsourcing the project will make it far more expensive and time-consuming.”
Even though there is some truth to this statement, it is mostly false. In fact, most outsourcing projects are much less expensive and definitely less time-consuming than the alternatives. This misconception comes from the fact that most of the costs with outsourcing app development are up front or in lump sums, as opposed to paying a developer a salary.
However, if you think about what it would cost to pay a full-time developer to work on your project, you can easily see how much more expensive it would be to go the traditional route over outsourcing. Not only that, but that is just for one person. Outsourcing allows you to work with a variety of different people with different expertise, something much more valuable than having them in your physical office.
5. “I should expect low-quality work from outsourced workers.”
Another misconception about outsourcing app development is to expect low-quality work. While it is true that you will get what you pay for, it is your job to find the right company for you and view their portfolio to make sure their work is up to your standards.
Part of this misconception stems from a previous concern about cost. If you expect that outsourcing app development will be expensive, you might go out and try to find the most cost-effective company to work with. While yes, you will end up paying a lower price, you will also be sacrificing the quality of the work to save some money. Money that would have been saved in the long run had you made the correct choice the first time around.
6. “Too difficult to control and manage the process.”
Something else that tends to be a common misconception about outsourcing app development is that the process will be too difficult to control or manage. The first thing you need to understand about this is that this is dependent on the company, not necessarily on the overall outsourcing process.
The second consideration you should have is if the company you are using is implementing an Agile development process. Agile and frameworks within the Agile umbrella are becoming almost a necessity for developers today. This is good news for you, as part of Agile is open and honest communication throughout.
It also has clear guidelines on how to manage, when to manage, and how much to manage. Make sure that the company you use has a framework like this in place so that you can trust that your voice is heard.
7. “Security issues are not worth the hassle.”
The final misconception to debunk (for now) is that of security. For some reason, those who choose to outsource app development expect that this means they will be exposing themselves to security risks. While there is some truth to this, the risk involved is no greater than it would be had you chosen to develop your app in-house.
The benefit of working with a mobile app development company is that they will already have a security system in place. If you decide to develop your app by yourself, you will need to set up a security protocol that may or may not already be in place. By working with a company that’s entire job is to keep your property secure, you should feel like you are in good hands.
Hopefully now that you have had a chance to lay out these misconceptions and address them you will be able to take the plunge and get involved in outsourcing app development. While no process is perfect, you should know both the pros and cons of each before making a decision.
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