If you are reading this article, there is a major chance that you have already decided to outsource your web design and development project, but do not know how to proceed. I am supposing that you have heard the trends and benefits of outsourcing but not sure from where and how to start? You have come to the right place. This article is a quick step-by-step outsourcing guide for you. You’ll also learn a few interesting outsourcing facts. Let’s dig in.
We’ll start with an interesting fact – whether you are an enterprise or a startup, you can significantly reduce web design and development costs if you outsource your project correctly.
Before going into details on how to outsource web development, I’ll emphasize that your online business depends on the way your website is built.
“Your website is the center of your digital eco-system, like a brick and mortar location, the experience matters once a customer enters, just as much as the perception they have of you before they walk through the door.” ― Leland Dieno.
You should outsource your web project wisely. Here are a few steps that can help you in making the right decision in this regard:
Know your Requirements
First of all you must clearly know the requirements of your website before you decide to outsource web design and development. You must have clear perception on following aspects:
- The required/preferred tech-stack.
- The key functional and non-functional features of the website.
- Your preferences in design and branding.
- Your tentative budget and time constraints.
Remember, if you do not identify and communicate all the above-mentioned requirements to your outsourcing partner, you may face delays and high costs. Plan for outsourcing wisely. If you are confused in any manner, seek consultancy from an experienced web development outsourcing consultant.
Choose The Right Outsourcing Partner
Make sure that you are selecting the right one from the web development outsourcing companies. Answer yourself the following question before choosing your technology partner:
- How well they present themselves on the internet? Check their website and social media profiles.
- How does their past projects look like? See their portfolios.
- What do their old customers say about them? Check the review of the company, see its ranking on various forum, such as clutch, goodfirms, etc.
- How well do they communicate with you? This tells a lot about a company? Do they offer you a free trial for few weeks? That’s a huge plus.
Choose the Right Engagement Model
Web development outsourcing companies usually provide a number of service models for you to choose from. Make sure that you choose the one that suits you well. Generally, there are three main types of engagement models: fix gigs, resource augmentation, and dedicated teams model.
In the fix gigs model, you communicate the web development and design cost estimates, time, and complete requirements of the project. The company handles the whole project development cycle from development to deployment. Make sure that you do not isolated – communicate with the team and check each iteration/milestone well!
Second type of engagement model is resource augmentation. In this model you already have a few developers and just need a helping hand in website design and development. There are three main factors that should be considered in selecting resources – expertise, communication skills, and commitment
The third engagement model type is dedicated team model gives you more control over the project with an experienced team in your hand.
Choose the Right Pricing/Payment Model
This part is quite tricky. Let me give you an important tip – cheap rates do not mean cost-feffective development. There is no point of having a low quality websites that crashes every other minute. Invest in your project wisely. There are various pricing models that outsourcing companies offer, according to the nature of project and engagement mosel. There should be tranbsparency about pricing model from the start. Choose the payment model wisely according to your needs.
Collaboration and Communication to Outsource Web Design and Development
Remember, collaboration and communication is the key in outsourcing. Stay in touch with your outsourcing partner. Give feedback, check each milestone closely. Make sure to choose a web development company that collaborates well with you.
Conclusion
In this article I discussed the key points that will help you to outsource web design and development company effectively. Happy outsourcing!
