3 Ways To Improve Efficiency When Outsourcing Programmers
Imagine that after only two hours in office, you have finished your whole work
. You take your jacket, your golf bag and head to the car park while your boss waves you good bye with a smile on his face.
That would be a company that rewards efficiency.
Most companies though, reward sitting time developing an attitude such as: I am here and there is no escape. That is the normal working relationship we have grown accustomed to.
Yet, there is a working format that could deliver much more output that a normal employee-employer format: Outsourcing; in this case I am talking about outsourcing programmers.
It is Monday morning and this new programmer arrives in your office, someone who is supposed to be a professional, trained and ready to sit and follow instructions from a clear list of specifications; there is no reason to waste a single minute of his time; after all you are paying premium.
Problem is, your IT manager, or the project leader didnt do his homework. He didnt define the tasks ahead in a simple list of specifications, what for? The outsourced programmer can be told what to do when he comes and sits beside him. WRONG
This is the single most common reason why outsourcing programmers never really deliver. How could they? Programmers dont read minds and chances are, your IT management doesnt have a clear idea about the project to be developed.
Dont be surprised, this happens in almost every company that develops software internally or for others.
So why do IT people not make good specs?
First of all: pure lack of motivation. Again, organizations dont reward efficiency, let alone excellence. Rarely, if ever, the IT department is given the importance of other departments such as marketing or sales. Small budgets and unreasonable deadlines leave IT people resented and with no reason to commit. I never saw an IT department being rewarded for efficiency, for cutting expenses or for delivering on time.
Second, lack of know how. Making clear scopes and specifications is not an easy task. Especially since most people arent really trained for the job, and very few are lucky enough to learn from those who actually write this stuff well. So how on earth could someone without training foresee a myriad of details that together will make a project as a whole?
Third: overqualified resources. Many IT managers ask overqualified programmers from outsourcing companies, believing that the more the programmer knows, the less they have to explain. Unfortunately, this only activates a new chain of frustration and inefficiency. You can do nothing worse to a capable person that giving him a job that is way down his league. Not to mention that overqualified people are more expensive.
So, what to do?
Get your IT managers to learn how to spec properly. The more time spent detailing specifications, the less time your company will spend programming. So you are doing more, with less time and money.
Reward proficiency. If your IT manager have good reasons to improve, chances are he or she will. According to our experience companies use 50 to 70% of the capabilities of our programmers. If your managers get to work professionally, they could increase work output by up to 50%! That is money you are saving and that could go, at least some part, into rewards for the IT boys.
Engage your Outsourcing Company. Very few outsourcing companies will have the ability or the will to help you. That is why you have to get your outsourced programmers from companies that see you as a strategic partner, rather than a golden, fat cow. Ask them to organize training sessions for your middle management, which should make a big difference.
I have been in this industry many years, and I havent seen many companies who havent benefited from these simple recommendations. In fact, only one company comes to my mind that regardless the efforts, didnt improve.
Resistance to change happens, especially when the highest IT management positions are occupied by people with no vision. As a GM, MD, or CEO of your company you most not overlook the head of your technology department.
In this article I only talked about saving costs and efficiency, but the real result if you can implement some of these changes, is the improvement of quality. A system developed under proper specifications, is not only better, but it is scalable and upgradable; which strangely, is still a rarity these days.
Blueball.co.ltd
http://www.blueballgroup.comTlahui Calva CEO
Has extensive experience on the field of IT offshoring
Tel: +66 8 9699 3358
Email: tlahui@blueballgroup.com
tlahui@yahoo.com
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