‘The true potential of outsourcing is not being achieved and we are still seeing a focus on a narrow remit of labour arbitrage and cost reduction. Overall our survey shows that the emphasis on cost reduction and access to a vendor’s skilled workers reveals a procurement-oriented mind-set that takes a narrow view of the potential benefits of an outsourcing relationship. In short, companies are aiming too low.’

I echo these thoughts. In my experience, you’re asking for long term headaches when the outsourcing strategy is based solely on costing costs.

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To achieve success in offshore software development projects, the most vital part is the requirement of a failsafe communication system. It is very important that the communication is kept alive between you and your offshore partner(s), so that information can be exchanged and related matters are sorted out. If this synchronized effort is not ensured at first, the success of the project will be doubtful. Your communication strategy needs to be well defined, and such strategies should include communication tools, such as conference calls, video conferencing, wikis, bug tracking, and continuous integration build servers and a source control repository. Here we will have a brief look at some of these tools:

Conference calls/Video Conferencing – There should be a routine conference call set up between your team and the team from your offshore company. In here too a schedule needs to be set up, ensuring that conferences start and end at specified time. The issues discussed should be well documented to be referred to later.

If you have an access to a video conferencing system, it would become a highly desired facility in such scenarios. However, true video conferencing equipment would require high bandwidth, unlike the $100 web cams which are increasingly used for such conferencing. Setting up video conferencing and its operation is costly, and this conferencing could perhaps be scheduled once a week.

Wiki/Whiteboard/RSS – You would need collaborative development effort in any project outsourced offshore. Ideally the “white-board” solution is quite effective in solving different kinds of technical issues. This allows both the parties to work on a common document structure, hence following the same method of representing their status regarding the project.

Continuous Integration and Bug Tracking – You need to a way for all team members to immediately, at any time, know the status of the project from the code perspective. Two ways this can be facilitated is through a continuous integration build server and the implementation and diligent maintenance of bug tracking/automated test results.

Source Control Repository – A document repository is a part of an important tool for providing communication between the onsite and offshore teams. This repository should be accessible by both the teams 24 hours, 7 days a week, remembering that your offshore team will be working when you will have nights. The repository should preferably have a secured access, with each identified members having their own username and password.

You probably noticed the exclusion of email and instant messenger (IM) as tools? Of course, I do not suggest you remove these applications entirely. But offshore software development teams tend to quickly rely on them too much. When information is exchanged across email or IM, the knowledge contained in the communication is buried. Using these tools appears to be a time saver on the surface. However, in the longer term, in the exchange of emails/IM becomes a burden and time waster when attempting to reference previous communication dialog.

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True Benefits of outsourcing software development :

B2B & B2C’s growing momentum has quickened the pace for more powerful world class, streamlined comprehensive, off shore software outsourcing. Benefits of out sourcing software development:

• Customer-centric approach of delivery.
• World class professional skills and expertise to suit your process-centric requirements.
• Establishment of both or either a technical or call centre.
• Internet promotion and advertisement with SEO services at cost effective prices.
• Feature-rich one stop process-centric service centre.
• Variety of domains of highly skilled personnel with quicker time to market innovative techniques.
• Flexible websites with free periodical updates using only the latest technology.

Why India?

An annual Asia-Pacific survey of more than 500 companies, according to Hewitt Associates, reported that India had gains of 12.8% & 13.7% last year for positions labeled IT solutions provider & software development. It has also been proved that around 80% of the offshore outsourcing work is done in India.

Why do many of the American & UK companies come to India than its competitors China & Romania?

• India has a larger English speaking population.
• India also has a lot of historical ties to the western countries, which ensures better interactive and prompt technical delivery to suit your customer-centric needs.
• Labor costs are relatively lower.
• Due to the economic vitality, the standard as well as the cost of living was on the increase with the new offshore software outsourcing projects.
• It has also helped in the rapid creation of a technological market.
• The demand for more IT Professionals was meet in a streamlined approach.

India is currently considered the hub when it comes to offshore outsourcing in all the various spheres of a growing as well as a developed economy. Its feature-rich innovative techniques ensure credibility and a definite boost for their company profile in the market.

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The modern definition of agile software development evolved in the mid 1990s as part of a reaction against “heavyweight” methods, as typified by a heavily regulated, regimented, micro-managed use of the waterfall model of development. The processes originating from this use of the waterfall model were seen as bureaucratic, slow, demeaning, and inconsistent with the ways that software engineers actually perform effective work.

The objective when implementing an agile methodology is to minimize risks in software development. Within all agile software development methodologies, there are common principles. The Agile Alliance lists the following principles in the Agile Manifesto:

* Customer satisfaction by rapid, continuous delivery of useful software
* Working software is delivered frequently (weeks rather than months)
* Working software is the principal measure of progress
* Even late changes in requirements are welcomed
* Close, daily, cooperation between business people and developers
* Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication
* Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be trusted
* Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design
* Simplicity
* Self-organizing teams
* Regular adaptation to changing circumstances

There are many disciplines that fall within the agile software development umbrella. Some well known agile software development methodologies include Scrum, Crystal Clear, Lean, Extreme Programming (XP), Adaptive Software Development, Feature Driven Development, and DSDM.

Agile Software Development Status
Agile Software Development is often contrasted to the most prevalent software development model: Waterfall. According to a study from ACM:

“It is both surprising and disappointing, then, that in a survey of almost 200 practitioners, accounting for several thousands of projects over the past five years, the dominant process model reported was the Waterfall, with more than a third claiming its use.5 This result raises a question: Do practicing professionals know the Waterfall when they see it? Perhaps they are confusing it with other process models. This seems unlikely, but so does its dominance. It’s more likely that in many circumstances, doing the wrong thing is easier than doing the right thing—and this is not a recipe for success”

Where to Learn More

AgileAlliance
Using Agile in Offshore Development
Agile Software Development Articles

Recommended Books

Agile Software Development (Wikipedia)

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by Ganesan

SCJP 5.0 – Carving a well qualified Java Tiger ProgrammerSun Microsystems offers many certifications starting from programmer level to architect level. The latest version of programmer (SCJP) exam is SCJP 5.0 – Sun Certified Programmer for the Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition 5.0 (CX-310-055). Sun started calling SCJP 5.0 instead SCJP 1.5 from this new version.

Achieving this certification provides clear evidence that a programmer understands the basic syntax and structure of the Java programming language based on new syntax introduced in SCJP 5.0. The certified programmer can create Java technology applications that run on server and desktop systems using J2SE 5.0 ( Java Tiger). Java Tiger is the another name of J2SE 5.0.

NOTE: The external version number of this release is 5.0 and its internal version number is 1.5.0.

What is new in Java Tiger ? Changes include generic types, metadata, autoboxing, an enhanced for loop, enumerated types, static import, C style formatted input/output, variable arguments, concurrency utilities, and simpler RMI interface generation.

Wow ! Thanks to Sun Microsystems for providing such a valuable features for Java Programmers. So, if you decided to take Sun Java Programmer certification (SCJP) go ahead with SCJP 5.0 and be a Java Tiger Certified Programmer and enjoy the benefits of new features.

Changes in Exam Objectives from SCJP 1.4 to SCJP 5.0

SCJP 1.4 Section 1: Declarations and Access Control Section 2: Flow control, Assertions, and Exception Handling Section 3: Garbage Collection Section 4: Language Fundamentals Section 5: Operators and Assignments Section 6: Overloading, Overriding, Runtime Type and Object Orientation Section 7: Threads Section 8: Fundamental Classes in the java.lang Package Section 9: The Collections Framework SCJP 5.0 Section 1: Declarations, Initialization and Scoping Section 2: Flow Control Section 3: API Contents Section 4: Concurrency Section 5: OO Concepts Section 6: Collections / Generics Section 7: Fundamentals Is SCJP 5.0 easy compared to SCJP 1.4 as it has limited number of sections? No, most of the concepts are new in SCJP 5.0. Some of them are not related with SCJP 1.4.

SCJP 5.0 Exam Details Delivered at: Authorized Worldwide Prometric Testing Centers Prerequisites: None Other exams/assignments required for this certification: None Exam type: Multiple choice and drag and drop Number of questions: 72 Pass score: 59% (43 of 72 questions) Time limit: 175 minutes

After completion of SCJP 5.0 exam you are familiar with Java Tiger concepts like generic types, metadata, auto boxing, an enhanced for loop, enumerated types, static import, variable arguments, etc.

How long I need to prepare for this exam? The answer is it depends on your current knowledge in Java programming and OO Concepts. You may get an approximate estimation from EPractize Labs SCJP 5.0 Preparation Time Calculator.

How to start? Where to start? First go to Sun’s website and understand the exam objectives. http://www.sun.com/training/catalog/courses/CX-310-055.xml Plan for your preparation. If needed calculate an estimation from EPractize Labs SCJP 5.0 Preparation Time Calculator. Identify your weak areas based on the exam objectives. Set more focus on those topics. Study and workout the program examples. Practice with mock exams and see where you are. Continue your practice till you achieve your goal. Achieve your SCJP 5.0 certificate and share your success WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES! Recommended SCJP 5.0 Exam Preparation Kit

Use SCJP 5.0 Exam EPractize Labs – Personal Edition for empowering your preparation by PPA-1(Plan, Practize, Achieve) methodology.

SCJP 5.0 Certification Benefits

For the Individual Clear evidence that you are a Java Tiger programmer. The certification empowers in driving Java Programming based on J2SE 5.0. SCJP 5.0 certified programmers can easily design and develop the code based on J2SE 5.0. Being a SCJP 5.0 certified programmer helps you to improve your career potential, gain more respect, boost up your job security and opportunities. With SCJP 5.0 certified programmer, you become more competitive in the job market.

For the organization Enables management to distinguish SCJP 5.0 certified programmer as Java professionals who can develop quality code efficiently and effectively. Helps in deciding the best development APIs or Java Components based on latest J2SE APIs. More confidence to work on Java Code technical decisions with business partners. Enables project team to get best coding practices and guidance from a qualified Java Programmer.

Good Luck !

About the Author

Ganesan – CEO & CTO, EPractize Labs Software. Has more than 7 years of experience in architecting and designing small scale to high scale enterprise applications in various domains using Java/J2EE Technologies.

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by Jason Himes

In the domain of Offshore Software Outsourcing the offshoring business is reaching the sky from day to day. Increasingly more IT companies opt for Offshore Outsourcing to satisfy their business needs. This trend also adds to the facts that many of the Offshore Software Outsourcing deals will fail due to improper planning and management.When engaged in Offshore Software Outsourcing, many companies sprint into the deals hoping to gain a competitive advantage with costs cutting or production processes boost. But there are many factors to be considered, for if neglected they can really smash the expected gains. We can name some factors, outsourcers should try to focus more on while dealing Offshore Outsourcing.

Offshore Software Outsourcing deals may include plenty of concealed expenses or charges that should be pointed out and thoroughly considered. Among them may be such factors as, communications, travel and infrastructure arrangement and maintenance. These costs can make real difference to initial prices. Another important factor is the term. Short-term deals may have no and most often don’t have any financial benefits or effective ROI if the planning and startup costs are relatively very high.

Another crucial point in Offshore Software Outsourcing is comprehensive and timely communication between the vendors and customers. Both parties should keep control over the process once the agreement is concluded. It is noted that parties are apt to putting off and neglect the course of the project, which may cause the failure of the whole deal. Offshore outsourcing process monitoring should be grounded on a daily basis to ensure proper communication and aid in avoiding miscommunication. Also, both parties should have clear view of the purpose why they have made an Offshore Outsourcing deal and enumerate the benefits they want to gain by project completion.

Salary factors must not be the decisive ones in the deal of the Offshore Software Outsourcing. This can be quite a misleading benefit. The level of offshore service providers staff at initial stages may be lower compared to the next stages, while vice-versa situation with an in-house personnel. This may cause the loss productivity at the initial stages. Moreover, offshore service provider’s software engineers will need some time to get familiarized with your business. In-house personnel may start feeling uncomfortable and insecure if more and more work is outsourced overseas. One also should consider plenty of differences: cultural diversities, style of communication, personal attitude to government policy and government itself – these factors if not considered can easily turn into real problems. That’s why a piece of really good advice can be of great help if you are a newcomer to Offshore Software Outsourcing.

Offshore Software Outsourcing Library

About the Author

Offshore Outsourcing Company

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In today’s world of outsourcing, freelancers commonly use a company name of their own to lure their prospective clients into thinking that they have more experience than what they really have. In reality they might be one man shows who perhaps will not be able to provide you with sufficiently fast turn around times, nor a broad range of expertise. Always speak with a representative of your prospective partners and probe them on their company’s track record, location and number of employees. A company that refrains from having a phone conversation with you is a clear warning sign that something fishy is going on.

Software development companies should be able to present a lot of information on their operations and prior projects. Ask for case studies, coding conventions, testimonials, resumes of the staff that will be able to work on your project and all other information that can be used to judge the professionalism of your future software development partner.

Experience and References

Once you feel that the company evaluated has presented itself well in the first stage of evaluation, go ahead and ask for references and proof of prior experience such as case studies or perhaps even demos of applications similar to that you are going to develop. Once you’ve asserted that the company has the expertise required to take on your project you can proceed with asking for and analyzing the company’s proposal.

Editor’s Note:To help find offshore software development providers and to list your offshore software development services, check the Offshore Software Development Directory

The Proposal

In the company’s proposal, cost and milestones should be clearly specified along with terms of payment. Other aspects worth noticing is whether or not the proposal stresses the benefits that the application will bring with it for your organization and if it includes suggestions on how to go beyond the initial goals outlined. What will the turn around time be for finishing the application, and more importantly what will happen if the deadline is not met?

In the final agreement you sign with your software development partner, make sure that a requirements specification is included and signed. The requirements specification should be as detailed as possible and all possible functionality that you require should be printed onto that specification. Without a clear requirements specification a software development agreement will do no good in case your partner decides to deliver an incomplete product.

About the Author

David Claesson is the owner and founder of LiteBreeze Infotech – a software development firm providing web development services and dedicated development teams.

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by Mark Kobayashi-Hillary

With the trend to offshore IT services forecast to accelerate, the UK’s IT industry needs to take action to retain its position on the global stage. By focusing on what UK PLC is good at the industry has the ability to go on from strength to strength. In a series of articles to accompany the new BCS offshoring report we take a closer look at the phenomenon that is offshoring and how UK PLC is fighting back and using increasing globalization to its advantage.Mark Kobayashi-Hillary looks at Offshore Outsourcing, and the Global Opportunities that it brings.

We now collect our own groceries from the shelves where my parents had shop assistants to do it for them. Our own private cars have replaced delivery vans. Furniture makers persuaded us that it is clever to assemble our own kitchens. Banks long ago worked out that if they could persuade customers to fill in their own deposit slips they, the banks not the customers, would save millions. Now we also draw out our own money from their holes in the wall and call it our convenience.

Charles Handy – ‘The Age of Unreason’

Outsourcing is often misunderstood. Not only do some people within the IT industry find it a threatening term, there are all kinds of new and ever-changing jargon associated with the practice – which should have endeared the practice to IT professionals.

‘Outsourcing’ is the term commonly used for the practice of companies to subcontract work to third party organizations.

Outsourcing is a common practice and allows an organization to focus on their ‘core’ activities, leaving other tasks to providers that can supply service at a lower cost or better quality in much the same way as you might outsource the maintenance of your car to a garage or your blocked toilet to a plumber. In the latter case, you might not even question the cost.

‘Offshore Outsourcing’ is generally the same business arrangement as outsourcing, though the service delivery is performed from a remote location. Software development by a specialist company in India is a good example of this. ‘Offshoring’ is a similar, but sometimes confusing, term as this refers to an arrangement where the service is performed within the company itself, but at an offshore location – so no third party is involved.

The most controversial flavour of this strategy – offshoring – is really nothing new, even in services. Manufacturers have long used offshore locations to produce clothes, toys and many other products.

For many years, companies have made use of subcontractors to provide everything from canteens or cleaning services to data processing and consultancy. The EDS group was providing outsourced IT services to Frito-Lay in the 1960s.

What has changed in the past decade though is the birth of the Internet and improving global telecommunications. With prices dropping fast toward zero, it is becoming possible to use IT to outsource some company functions to partner firms anywhere across the globe.

Some believe that offshoring creates a major issue for the future of the UK IT industry, reducing our ability to compete with cheap overseas labour; they feel that it presents more of a threat to domestic jobs than an opportunity.

There is an oft-cited vision of our future as heritage tour guides and hairdressers. However, it is worth remembering that the 59m people of the UK still support an IT industry employing ten times those employed in IT in India, with a population exceeding 1bn. Our IT service exports exceed what we may buy from those countries that are perceived as a ‘threat’.

Far from killing our industry, this global activity is stimulating it. According to e-skills, the government skills body focused on IT and technology services, employment in the UK IT industry is forecast to grow at five to eight times the average employment growth in the UK over the next decade.

About the Author

Read full article at softwaredevelopmentblog.com For more information visit {a xhref=” http://www.softwaredevelopmentblog.com“}softwaredevelopmentblog.com

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Evolution of the Field
Since around 1975, various people have tried valiantly to impose discipline on the chaotic, egocentric, idiosyncratic practice of programming. And just at the turn of the century some professional institutions have started to establish the core competencies that would let a programmer call herself a software engineer.

Vision of the Future
Will we see the transformation complete: will programmers be licensed and regulated like other engineers? Personally, I think it’s too early to bet one way or the other – programmers are remarkably individualistic and there will be be very strong resistance to regulating what they regard as their craft. On the other hand, offshore development and the rise of software-based lawsuits are changing the landscape much as barbed wire changed the American west of the 19th century. If you’d like my prediction, ask me again in a decade.

Today’s Situation
But if you are going to work in the world of the programmer, you’ll have to understand some of the standard ways in which complex software is constructed. If you want to sound erudite, you can refer to them as “software development methodologies” or “development models,” but if you’re talking to a programmer you’re better off asking, “So, how do you folks build software around here?”

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Companies that both sell and manage security products have the same conflict of interest. Consulting companies that offer periodic vulnerability scans, or network monitoring, have a different conflict of interest: they see the managed services as a way to sell consulting services. (There’s a reason companies hire outside auditors: it keeps everyone honest.) Providers offering combined management and monitoring services will be among the next to disappear, I believe. If a company outsources security device management, it is essential that it outsource its monitoring to a different company.

In any outsourcing decision requiring an ongoing relationship, the financial health of the outsource provider is critical. The last thing anyone wants is to embark on a long-term medical treatment plan only to have the hospital go out of business midstream. Similarly, organizations that entrusted their security management to Salinas and Pilot were left stranded when those companies went out of business.

Modern society is built around specialization; more tasks are outsourced today then ever before. We outsource fire and police services, government (that’s what a representative democracy is), and food preparation. Businesses commonly outsource tax preparation, payroll, and cleaning services. Companies also outsource security: all buildings hire another company to put guards in their lobbies, and every bank hires another company to drive its money around town. In general, we outsource things that have one of three characteristics: they’re complex, important, or distasteful. Computer security is all three. Its distastefulness comes from the difficulty, the drudgery, and the 3 a.m. alarms. Its complexity comes out of the intricacies of modern networks, the rate at which threats change and attacks improve, and ever-evolving network services. Its importance comes from this fact of today’s business world: companies have no choice but to open their networks to the Internet.

Doctors and hospitals are the only way to get adequate medical care. Similarly, offshore outsourcing is the only way to get adequate security for today’s networks.

About the Author

John Parker – For further information on offshore outsourcing and offshore software development, please visit http://www.a1technology.com .

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