subject: Multi-Sourcing offshore software development is like putting your eggs in multiple baskets [print this page] Multi-Sourcing offshore software development is like putting your eggs in multiple baskets
With outsourcing of applications and software maturing with time, organizations of all sizes have realized the multiple benefits that outsourcing can bring to table. Two decades ago, outsourcing in software development started with the need to cut costs by moving work from high-cost manpower geographies to low cost man-power geographies. However, after more than two decades in practice, outsourcing has matured from just a cost cutting model to a model which helps in bringing multi-talent, multi skills, multi competence and significant innovation in software and applications development.
Application development being a service that pays quick results both to customers and vendors has attracted a plethora of companies across multiple geographies into outsourcing business. Clients can find multi-millionaire corporations to garage startups as potential vendors for their application development outsourcing, each having their own advantages.
During the early years of the outsourcing, a client would select a largeOffshore Software Development Company in India located in low-cost geography. The entire project would be assigned to this company with one to two project managers looking after the whole business, thus saving significant money in manpower costs. This model was popularly known as Single Sourcing. While this model helped clients to significantly cut costs, it increased dependency on the single outsourced partners.
Multi Sourcing:
Another model of outsourcing that evolved with time is called Multi-sourcing. In multi-outsourcing model, organizations assign the project to multiple vendors with in different geographies, and having specific skill pool. This model evolved to provide safeguard to companies in case of a disaster at the single outsourced center.
The Benefits of Multi-sourcing
The following are the important benefits of multi sourcing model of clients:
Less Risk: Multi-sourcing helps avert the risk due to physical conditions like terrorist attack, war, or a natural disaster; if one center suffers other centers can quickly ramp-up and fill the vacuum.
Better Chances of Innovation: In a multi-sourcing model, where talent from different locations, variety of education, and skills set is involved, the chances of innovation are better.
Specialized Outsourcing: In multi-sourcing model often large project is divided into specialized parts and each task is outsourced to vendors specializing in the specific domain or specific technology.
Evaluating Outsourcing Vendors
Following are the important point that organizations consider while evaluating vendors for outsourcing software and applications development projects:
Maturity of Software Development Processes: Offshore Software Development Company in India must follow matured software development processes. An ideal partner must have certifications like CMM Level 5 or ISO 9001:08.
Past Software and Applications Development Experience: While evaluating the outsourcing partners, organizations look at thepast experience of handling similar sized projects on necessary technology.
Communication Skills: Language and Communication skills play a vital role in the success of outsourcing. Offshore Software Development Company in India
must have a continuous availability of well qualified employees with required communications skills at all levels.
Sound Financials: Organization outsource to companies that are financially sound and have capability to quickly ramp up the manpower strength to support the project.
