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Smart Outsourcing – Small and Agile Teams Vikas Sahni

Softedge Systems. Smart Outsourcing – Small and Agile Teams Vikas Sahni. The State of the Practice Lero Industry Event 11 May 2009. Softedge Overview. Dublin based, own 100% subsidiary in India First European Microsoft IP Venture Partner Significant R&D capabilities/experience

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Smart Outsourcing – Small and Agile Teams Vikas Sahni

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  1. SoftedgeSystems Smart Outsourcing – Small and Agile TeamsVikas Sahni The State of the Practice Lero Industry Event 11 May 2009

  2. Softedge Overview • Dublin based, own 100% subsidiary in India • First European Microsoft IP Venture Partner • Significant R&D capabilities/experience • Full product life cycle capabilities • A product developed by us is Certified for Windows Vista • Client base includes a host of very prestigious and globally renowned companies – Microsoft / Intel / Foinse

  3. Why Us? • Retention of IPR and Business Control • Local Dublin High level design, architecture and management • Quick and flexible scaling of resources • Availability of highly skilled and experienced developers • Significant cost reduction, limited start up costs • De-risk the outsource software development option • Delhi – the best location for software development

  4. Misconceptions about Outsourcing • Small software projects are not suitable • Agile methodologies do not work • Product development cannot be outsourced • Overheads are too high Management Communication Culture

  5. The Domestic Software Industry • Small indigenous companies – focussed on product development • Small to medium local service providers – provide infrastructure, installation, admin • Large multinationals – based here due to R&D skills, historical links, low corporate tax rate

  6. In-sourcing v Outsourcing • In-sourcing: • Contractors sitting in your office, you manage them • Basic advantage is flexibility to terminate Is it worth it??? • Outsourcing: • Specialist providers, with staff NOT in your office • No non-technical issues to be managed • De-risk the software development effort

  7. Near Shore v Far Shore • Near shore • Same / similar time zone • Proximity for meetings at short notice • Same culture • Far shore • Different time zone (up to 13.5 hours!) • Difficult to meet in person • Different culture

  8. History • The Pioneers in early 90s • USA to Ireland • UK to India • Large teams • Application / Implementation focus • The Early Failures • Lack of Vision • Cultural issues

  9. Challenges for small teams • Communication • Project management • Time difference • Dependence on individuals • Process / methodology overheads • Work Packet preparation overheads

  10. Waterfall • Milestone based planning • Difficult to modify • Medium to long term deployment • Large teams • Big bang release

  11. Spiral • Rapid application development • Frequent releases • Little planning within a release • Easy to modify • Small teams – Agile / Extreme

  12. Why not Agile? • Needs regular brainstorming sessions • Prescribes at least daily meetings • Unstructured within an iteration • Requires constant communication

  13. Modified Agile • Long term Vision / Scope • Milestone based releases • Agile between releases • Develop version n, keep n+1 in mind • Review Vision / Scope after each release • Adaptation of Microsoft Solution Framework

  14. Some success stories • www.tyactlive.com • 4 weeks from initial meeting to completion • 1 end-client, 1 Microsoft Dublin, 2 Softedge Dublin, 5 Softedge India • IE8 evangelism • Number of micro projects, 2 days to 2 months • Typically 1/2 end-client, 1 Microsoft Dublin, 1/3 Softedge Dublin, 2/4 Softedge India

  15. What works for us • Blend, Blend, Blend • Communicate continuously • Email • Voice • Chat • Leverage Time Zone differences • Explain the cultural differences and similarities

  16. An extreme example Microsoft Internal tool • Three Geographies • Dublin – 2 Microsoft, 2 Softedge • Singapore – 2 Microsoft • Delhi – 2 Softedge • Very short Timeline • V 1 – 2 weeks • V2 – 1 week • V3 – 1 week

  17. Contact Email: vikas@softedge-systems.com Skype: vsahni Mobile:+353 86 0696116

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