Offshore Hybrid Mobile Development Teams: Strategies for Success

Many companies are adopting offshore hybrid mobile development teams, which combine onshore and offshore resources, to meet the ever-changing demands of high-stakes international business. These hybrid mobile development teams offer a flexible and cost-effective solution for mobile app development and many other services. However, problems arise if companies fail to adopt the right strategic mindset. This article will explore proven strategies for successfully using offshore hybrid mobile development teams, including setting clear objectives, choosing the right offshore partner, navigating legal and compliance considerations, and utilizing the best technology and tools.

Setting Objectives

Setting clear objectives is one of the most critical steps in utilizing an offshore hybrid mobile development team. It is well-known that companies often turn to offshore development teams for significant cost savings. A study by Datamark Incorporated found that companies can save between 30% and 33% over three years by employing offshore development teams. However, a joint Duke University/Booz Allen Hamilton study found that aside from cost-savings, 70% of businesses surveyed said that “access to qualified personnel” is why they were turning to agile offshore development.

Except, our goal with this article is to explain how to offshore successfully. Many companies lose money when they go offshore because they don’t deploy the right strategies, such as choosing the right objectives. Our work with DH Arabia, a medical claims conveyance company, is evidence of the practicality and effectiveness of setting clear goals.

They partnered with VodWorks to develop an enterprise-grade billing and invoicing platform that also had to be automated. But there was a catch—VodWorks had to deliver within eight weeks. Having a clear deadline and a client with clear goals enabled Vodworks to create an individualized action plan, ultimately leading to successful product delivery and demonstrating the importance of clear objectives when engaging offshore hybrid mobile development teams.

Choosing the right offshore partner

Selecting the right offshore partner is crucial for the success of your hybrid mobile development project. However, there are many factors to consider when looking for the right offshore hybrid development team. Unfortunately, many businesses enter offshore partnerships with narrowly defined intentions without fully understanding the risk. They end up offshoring the wrong processes and capabilities only to take them back later when their savings evaporate, or they run into some other difficulty.

Instead of focusing solely on savings, companies should understand that offshoring is a continuum, ranging from in-house tasks on one end to fully outsourced, offshored, or nearshore operations on the other. They also need to understand that businesses in different jurisdictions have their own goals, which may often clash with the goals of the offshoring business, leading to disagreements and, potentially, disruptions.

Rather than going to either end of the offshoring continuum, companies can take a middle path by near-shoring, which involves offshoring to vendors closer to the home business, both geographically and culturally. For example, the US nearshoring to Canada rather than the Philippines or the UK nearshoring to Ireland rather than India. Local outsourcing, joint ventures with offshore companies, or even mergers are all options when managing offshore development teams.

Ultimately, businesses should avoid thinking in black-and-white terms and choose arrangements that align with their strategy. For example, while cost savings are a significant factor, the quality of work and alignment with your business goals should take precedence, which the evidence we gave above demonstrates. By carefully selecting an offshore hybrid mobile development team that meets your needs, you can ensure a successful collaboration that delivers value beyond cost reduction.

Legal and compliance considerations

Navigating the legal and compliance landscape is one of the most challenging aspects of working with offshore hybrid mobile development teams. Cultural, legal, and social differences can pose significant hurdles to achieving your objectives. It is crucial to investigate the labor laws of the offshore country and ensure compliance with local and host country regulations to avoid penalties and fines.

Language differences can also impact the effectiveness of your offshore development team. For example, companies in Japan or Germany might find it challenging to offshore customer service due to language barriers. However, many English-speaking countries have a more comprehensive range of options. Choosing the right offshore partner who understands and aligns with your legal and cultural requirements is vital for managing offshore development teams.

Building and managing effective teams

Building and managing an effective offshore hybrid mobile development team involves several critical factors, including team composition, communication strategies, and collaboration workflows. Team composition is vital, as offshore development teams are highly skilled and highly motivated, as evidenced by the above study that showed companies offshore to tap the vast pool of talent beyond their national borders.

Again, you must recognize the importance of setting clear objectives. Knowing what you want from an offshore arrangement can be a powerful tool that empowers you to choose the right team members, as DH Arabia did when deciding to partner with VodWorks. By giving us their goals and parameters, we identified the necessary specialists needed for the project, such as back-end engineers, front-end engineers, project managers, and quality assurance engineers, so VodWorks could efficiently meet DH Arabia’s goals.

Communication strategies play a vital role in managing offshore development teams. The frequency and mode of communication should align with the project’s needs. Less frequent communication may suffice for short-term projects while integrating an offshore partner into your company might require more regular interactions. Utilizing tools like video conferencing, instant messaging, and project management software can facilitate seamless communication and ensure everyone is on the same page.

Technology and tools for hybrid mobile development

Choosing the right technology and tools is essential for the success of your hybrid mobile development project. Several popular frameworks can facilitate hybrid mobile application development, each with pros and cons.

Flutter is a powerful framework known for its fast development cycles and high performance. It allows developers to create natively compiled mobile, web, and desktop applications from a single codebase. Flutter’s rich set of pre-designed widgets and hot-reload features make it a developer favorite. However, it may have a steeper learning curve for those unfamiliar with Dart, the programming language used in Flutter.

React Native is another widely used framework for hybrid mobile development. Developed by Facebook, it enables developers to build mobile apps using JavaScript and React. React Native offers a vast library of third-party plugins and a strong community, making it easy to find resources and support. However, performance issues can arise when handling complex animations and large-scale applications.

Xamarin is a Microsoft-owned framework that allows developers to build cross-platform apps using C#. It streamlines the development process by providing a single codebase for iOS, Android, and Windows applications. Xamarin’s integration with Visual Studio and access to native APIs make it a robust choice for hybrid mobile development. However, its performance may not match that of fully native apps, and the licensing costs can be a consideration for some businesses.

Project management tools

Effective project management is crucial for managing offshore hybrid mobile development teams. Several popular tools can help streamline project management and ensure successful collaboration.

Asana is a versatile project management tool that allows teams to organize and track their work. Its user-friendly interface and robust features make it suitable for managing offshore development teams. Asana offers task assignments, project timelines, and collaboration tools, enabling even offshore software development teams to stay organized and on track. However, its extensive feature set can overwhelm smaller teams or more straightforward projects.

Trello is a visual project management tool that organizes tasks using boards, lists, and cards. It is known for its simplicity and ease of use, making it an excellent choice for smaller teams or less complex projects. Trello’s integration with other tools and drag-and-drop interface facilitates collaboration and task management. However, it may lack some advanced features needed for large-scale projects.

Jira is a robust project management tool widely used in software development. Developed by Atlassian, Jira offers advanced issue tracking, project planning, and reporting features. Its flexibility and customization options make it ideal for managing complex offshore development projects. However, its complexity and steep learning curve may require additional training and support for team members.

Quality assurance and testing

Quality assurance and testing are critical components of any agile offshore development project. Offshore hybrid mobile development teams can provide valuable support, ensuring your application meets the highest quality and performance standards. By outsourcing quality assurance and testing, you can free up your in-house team to focus on other tasks, improving overall productivity and efficiency.

Offshore quality assurance teams can offer fresh perspectives and unbiased evaluations of your software, identifying potential issues and ensuring your application meets user expectations. This approach can be particularly beneficial if you have completed the development in-house and need external verification of its quality.Conclusion

Leveraging offshore hybrid mobile development teams can offer significant advantages for businesses looking to save costs, gain flexibility, and access diverse expertise. By setting clear objectives, choosing the right offshore partner, navigating legal and compliance considerations, building and managing effective teams, and utilizing the best technology and tools, you can ensure the success of your offshore hybrid mobile development project. This approach can help you stay competitive, innovate, and achieve your business goals in today’s dynamic market.