Putting growth up a gear by using remote agencies
«We have doubled our development firepower without experiencing any pains at all», says Idan. «We’re growing fast!»
Flashback two years ago: I remember meeting Idan and his co-founder Yam in their tiny WeWork office in the outskirts of Tel Aviv, Israel. Today, things are changing – they have just moved.
Countless startups like Zest are scaling using outsourced developers. But how can you understand which company is a fit for you?
➡️ Download the Canvas here for free!
Step by step: understand what kind of vendor you need
Use the Software Development Outsourcing Canvas to become an outsourcing professional: it will help you understand which companies to talk to and how to brief them on your project.
I have created it from describing over 200 projects to remote agencies and managing over 100 RFPs.
The key to finding the right team isn’t just in making sure they’re technically sound. They also need to fit your working style, project, budget, timelines and other criteria.
This is what the canvas will help you clarify. Download it and read below how to fill it out.
I. Software type
Check which type of software you are developing:
- SaaS platform
- E-commerce store
- Mobile app
- Plugin / extension
- Internal tool
A specialised agency will bring in to experience and processes from their insight into many similar applications – an incredible asset.
II. Devices
Pick which devices your software will be developed for:
- Browsers
- Native mobile apps
- Desktop apps
Most agencies only develop for certain platforms, so it’s best to clarify this up front.
III. Value proposition
Help your agency candidates understand your business. Write a quick value proposition in the following format:
PRODUCT helps CUSTOMERS solve PROBLEMS.
For example, Shopify helps e-commerce vendors sell products without complex software setups.
IV. Product level
Quality is actually a variable: decide how your product will be used:
- Prototype: only intended for beta users
- Production: intended for actual users and the public
- Enterprise: must be extra secure and extra fault-tolerant
This is probably the biggest cost factor for your entire project.
➡️Download the Canvas here for free!
V. Skill sets and roles
This is a list of roles normally present on most software projects.
Strike the ones that aren’t needed, mark those that you have in-house which either you or a team member fulfills and mark as required those which you need from your agency.
Important: this does not mean you need one person for every role.
If you’re only looking for one person but you’re lacking the frontend, backend and developers role, you know you must be looking for a very experienced full-stack developer.
VI. Deadlines
To understand which companies are potentially available, note your earliest start date as well as the desired finish date.
If there are hard and fixed deadlines due to certain events, note those as well.
VII. Budget
Note the monthly or total budget you have available for this project.
You may be hesitant to reveal your funding state, but it will be a time-saver for you.
Ultimately, it also wastes your time if you reveal all your intimate project details and discuss estimates, only to find that the agency quotes you a much higher number.
VIII. Management scheme
Check how you would like to work with your developers:
- Hire: pay for full-time developers you manage
- Project basis: receive a fixed quote for a milestone
- SCRUM: work as a product manager in sprints
This is another big deciding factor in choosing the right agency, as most of them only work well in one preferred mode.
IX. Volume
If you know, note how many positions you need to make the progress you want:
- Part-time
- Full-time
- Multiple positions (entire team)
X. Tech preferences
Do you have existing software? Note all the technologies being used. Developing from scratch? If you have any technology preferences, note them here as well.
It’s yet another important deciding factor since most agencies specialise in a few technologies.
➡️ Download the Canvas here for free!
Canvas filled out – now what?
Congratulations! You now understand exactly what kind of partner you need to be working with.
So how do you find agencies that match your criteria?
That’s where I step in. At Trustshoring, I will connect you with a tried and trusted tech team that is a perfect fit with your project, for free.
Hint: that’s how Idan found his developer as well.
