Imagine a scenario where the airplane pilot doesn’t have a standard mechanism to communicate with the air traffic control. Scary, right? It is the pilot’s responsibility to ensure safe operation of the aircraft, while air traffic control is responsible for maintaining the safe, systematic, and efficient flow of air traffic throughout the global air traffic control system. The two must work flawlessly, in sync to fulfill their respective responsibilities and ensure a safe travel for airline passengers. Similarly, in any offshore development relationship, both parties will have a different lens on the requirements, depending on the side of the relationship that they represent.
A key to a successful outsourcing relationship is seamless communication on priorities and information requirements. As in the above example, clear communication between an airline pilot (client) and air traffic control (offshoring partner) defines a set of responsibilities for each party that is critical to achieving the ultimate goal, of safe air travel.
Nevertheless, it is very easy for distributed teams to fall into communication traps that shift the project away from its goal. Therefore, distributed teams should take proactive efforts to ensure a smooth communication process. One way to do this is to adopt a methodology or a model that enables this, such as the Agile Offshore Development Model.
For us at Clarion, the Agile methodology has worked very well in efficiently collaborating with distributed teams so much so, that we have almost always been able to belt out flawless projects for our clients.
In this blog, we enlist the 4 best practices for managing offshore resources that have worked for us.
1. Maintain complete transparency
It is a huge challenge, especially for small businesses to entrust their work to companies that are not just located in a different country, but also speak a different language and belong to a different culture. As a result, they are unable to manage the development process as they can with their in-house team.
One way to overcome this challenge is to maintain transparency in all aspects related to the project. Transparency not just identifies new ways to generate value but to show that outsourcing can compete with the financial flexibility.
For more insights, take a look at the client and the service provider’s wishlist –
The client’s wishlist:
- Knowing all the costs associated with their project / No hidden costs
- Understanding service providers’ business priorities
- Investing more time in driving efficiency
- Sharing benefits
Service providers not sitting back until re-procurement to drive more value
The service provider’s wishlist:
- Realistic about expectations on both sides
- Better planning by clients
- Less formal governance
- Less use of contractual levers by clients
- Clients taking more responsibility for success, rather than expecting service providers to shoulder everything
2. Schedule daily/weekly calls
When your team is located within the same premise and you need to solve a problem, the solution is really simple – you walk over to the person’s desk and talk about it. However, things get a little more complicated in an offshore scenario. Regular check-ins are recommended for any time of project, especially the ones with multiple stakeholders and decision makers. You'll also want to set up regular video conference calls with them, have a shared information repository, and email regularly
To get the most out of regular check-ins with your offshore teams, the best strategy is to maintain a very structured approach so everyone’s time is used effectively. –
- Establish one consistent time & process across teams (Date/Day/Time)
- Establish specific tools for communication and project management (Slack/ Skype)
- Get alignment on monitoring the performance of a virtual team (KPIs)
However, it is possible that the team dynamics may change overtime, so the communication strategy that worked well for you yesterday may not work well today. For example - The daily conference call which you introduced three months ago may no longer be needed as people have built rapport and are using a shared wiki/ chat software or are making impromptu calls whenever needed.
The implication is that you must question the ways that you're communicating, at least at the end of each iteration, during a process improvement retrospective.
3. Arrange personal meetings
The Agile development methodology, focuses more on individuals and interactions over processes and tools. That is, Agile methods focus on building a relationship, not just a partnership. Naturally, personal meetings between clients and their offshore development team are invaluable.
Ideally, the clients and their offshore development partners should meet at the very beginning of the project. Moreover, meeting several times throughout the lifespan of the project also proves to be hugely beneficial for both parties. Personal visits are a perfect opportunity to get to know everyone better, and to also explore the city and to get a more in depth look at the local culture as well.
Likewise, the client can invite the team on a business trip to meet their in-house team. opportunity for the offshore developers to cooperate more closely with the client’s team, synchronize their actions, and simply exchange inspiration and motivation.
4. Share your vision & be inspirational
As soon as the ink on a partnership contract dries, nearly all companies and their remote partners go through the same first step: gaining an understanding of what the client wants to build.
This is the best time to formally exchange objectives, needs and goals, but, technology clients often consider their offshore teams as an execution partner for a specific feature or system. However, the more your offshoring partner knows about what you want to build and why, the more invested they become in your project idea or concept and its execution.
Therefore, you should always have a clear vision of your project that you consistently communicate with the people you work (internal or outsourced) with from the moment you start your engagement until the end of the partnership.
This is exactly why most successful products in the world have amazing visionaries behind them.
Let’s find out how businesses can benefit from offshore agile teams:
Access to the Global Talent Pool:
Offshore teams allow organizations to tap into a global talent pool, enabling access to diverse skills and expertise. It provides an opportunity to build teams with specialized knowledge, fostering creativity and innovation.
Cost Efficiency:
Agile offshore best practices often offer cost advantages by capitalizing on low labor costs in certain regions. These results in significant cost savings for offshore agile companies, making it a strategic choice for resource optimization.
24/7 Productivity
With teams distributed across different time zones, organizations can achieve 24/7 productivity. This ensures continuous progress on projects as one team hands off tasks to another, reducing time to market and enhancing project efficiency.
Enhanced Flexibility:
This method is flexible, adapting to changing project requirements and market demands. This flexibility allows organizations to respond quickly to evolving business needs and stay ahead of the competition.
Diverse Perspectives and Innovation:
Geographically dispersed teams unite individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, fostering a rich tapestry of perspectives. This diversity as team members sparks innovation.
Scalability:
Offshore agile teams offer scalability options, allowing organizations to scale up or down quickly based on project requirements. This flexibility ensures that resources are aligned with the current needs of the business.
Enhanced Productivity and Efficiency:
Agile practices lead to improved productivity and efficiency when implemented effectively in offshore teams. Regular communication, short feedback loops, and iterative development contribute to higher-quality deliverables.
Risk Mitigation
By distributing teams in different regions, organizations can mitigate risk factors associated with unforeseen events, such as natural disasters. This risk diversification strategy enhances business continuity and resilience.
Knowledge Transfer & Skill Development:
It facilitates knowledge transfer among team members, promoting cross-cultural learning and skill development. As a result, this creates a dynamic environment where team members continually enhance their expertise and contribute to the organization's overall growth.
Access to different time zones:
Offshore teams spanning different time zones enable organizations to provide extended support to clients or end-users, enhancing customer satisfaction and service availability.
As seen above, the business advantages are multifold. However, the critical differentiator in this model is the agility and responsiveness of offshore teams. These are powered by a few best practices that enable seamless communication and synergies for managing offshore resources.
Four best practices businesses Employ for the effective management of offshore agile teams:
- Adoption of Agile Methodologies – Organizations employ agile methodologies such as Scrum or Kanban. This involves iterative development, frequent collaboration, adaptability to changing requirements, and ensuring effective project delivery. One primary advantage of this methodology is adapting and changing at any pace based on the market conditions and review.
- Robust Quality Assurance and Testing Framework – Companies increasingly understand the vital role of deploying robust testing practices. By deploying automated testing, where applicable, businesses are well placed to ensure the quality and reliability of the software being developed by offshore teams.
- Harnessing Collaboration Tools - There is a surge in utilizing collaborative project management tools to facilitate real-time communication. Platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or other messaging applications provide instant messaging, videoconferencing, and file-sharing channels. Project management tools like Jira, Trello, or similar platforms facilitate efficient task tracking, progress monitoring, and transparency within client teams.
- Implementation of Stringent Security Measures–The next best practice being embraced is the Implementation of solid security measures to protect sensitive information and data. This includes secure communication channels and adherence to data protection standards.
Besides these four best practices for effective communication, other beneficial techniques promote smooth communication that directly affects quality deliveries, customer satisfaction, and project success.
Let us explore add-on techniques:
Cultural Sensitivity Training:
This is paramount in an increasingly diverse team structure. Cultural sensitivity training fosters a more inclusive and understanding work environment. Different cultural backgrounds may have varying communication styles, and understanding these differences helps avoid misinterpretations and build stronger team relationships.
Clarify Expectations and Goals:
Defining your project goals, roles, and expectations ensures that every team member understands their responsibilities. It is essential to document and share communication protocols, time zone considerations, and preferred modes of communication. This clarity minimizes misunderstandings and enhances team efficiency.
Document Discussions and Decisions
Maintaining comprehensive documentation of decisions, discussions, and actionable is paramount. This is a reference point for all team members, especially when working across time zones. Documentation ensures everyone is on the same page and reduces the risk of information loss.
Effective communication:
A cornerstone of successful offshore agile teams, promoting collaboration, understanding, and a shared sense of purpose.
These tactical practices help mitigate challenges associated with geographical dispersion, creating a more cohesive and productive team environment.
Popular Tools for seamless communication in Offshore Teams:
Offshore Agile teams rely on various communication tools to facilitate collaboration, coordination, and efficient project management. The choice of tools often depends on the specific needs of the team and the nature of the projects. Here are some of the popular communication tools used by offshore teams as best practices for agile management:
Messaging and Chat Tools
Slack - A popular messaging platform that allows teams to communicate in channels, share files, and integrate with a variety of other apps. Microsoft Teams integrates with Microsoft 365, providing chat functionality, videoconferencing, and collaboration features.
Video Conferencing tools
Zoom - A popular video conferencing tool. Zoom supports virtual meetings, webinars, and screen sharing, enhancing real-time communication.
Google Meet - Integrated with Google Workspace, Google Meet offers video conferencing and collaboration features for remote teams.
Project Management Tools
Jira - An agile project management software tool that supports the planning, tracking, and releasing of software projects using agile methodologies.
Trello - A visual project management tool that combines boards, lists, and cards to organize tasks, making it ideal for smaller projects and task management.
Collaborative Document Editing
Google Workspace - Provides tools like Google Docs, sheets, and slides for collaborative document editing and real-time collaboration.
Microsoft 365 - Offers a package of applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, with real-time collaboration features.
Version Control and Code Collaboration
Git - It is widely used for source code management in agile development.
GitHub & GitLab - These tools facilitate code collaboration, version control, and issue tracking.
Collaborative Whiteboarding
Miro - A digital whiteboarding platform that enables remote teams to collaborate on visualizing ideas, creating diagrams, and planning.
Microsoft Whiteboard - Integrated with Microsoft Teams, it provides a collaborative space for teams to draw, write, and work together visually.
Task & Project Tracking
Asana - A task and project management tool that helps teams organize work, set priorities, and track progress using agile methodologies.
Monday.com - A work operating system that allows teams to plan, track, and manage projects collaboratively.
Time Zone & Coordination
World Time Buddy - support teams coordinate across different time zones, making scheduling meetings and coordinating work hours easier.
Every Time Zone - provides a visual representation of multiple time zones for better planning and scheduling.
Moreover, combining these tools helps offshore teams overcome communication barriers, collaborate effectively with clients, and ensure the successful execution of projects despite geographical distances.
Conclusion:
Offshore agile teams have become integral to the growth and success of businesses worldwide. This win-win arrangement adds dynamism and responsiveness to businesses looking to stay at the forefront of growth and competition.
In a dynamic and complex market, it is prudent for businesses to embrace these best practices and harness the inherent benefits of this powerful offshore team model. It offers unmatched benefits to fuel increased collaboration, short feedback loops, agility, adaptability, efficiency, and faster deliveries. In short, it leads to streamlining the entire business development process and is the foundation to remain competitive, responsive, and experimental in an ever-growing landscape.
If you are looking for a reliable offshore development partner to further your business goal, you can lean on the expertise of Clarion Technologies. Reputed for extending best-in-class offshore software development solutions across global markets, we bring unmatched benefits to businesses of varied scales. Our strength lies in our agile and highly skilled offshore team of software developers, web developers, and project managers who bring their learnings and passion to deliver cutting-edge solutions to keep your business future-ready.
Connect with us to know how we can help you with an agile offshore team that can get you closer to your mission.
Following these best practices for managing your offshore development teams, will help you systematize a seamless communication process and help you scale up to higher altitudes.
