5 Keys to Outsourcing Front-end Development Services

Front-end developers are still very much in high demand. Every single country in the world seems to be deficient when it comes to this profession, as employers need between 4,000 and 7,000 front-end experts to cover their needs. Thus, it's little surprise that many countries turn to outsourcing front-end development services as their only option to keep the business running without interruptions.

While a highly beneficial practice, outsourcing your front-end needs is far from easy. There are plenty of things to consider and multiple challenges to overcome. So, you won't be able to just hire any outsourcing company and start reaping the benefits. You'll need to do your due diligence! With that in mind, here are five key steps to take when deciding to outsource front-end services.

Set your goals

Of course, before even recognizing the need for front-end outsourcing, you need to define what project you're going to outsource.

You'll need to determine what you wish to build (a website, an application, a mobile platform, etc.). Surely, you only may need some maintenance work or adding new features to an existing solution. This is the first thing you have to define.

Secondly, think about the corresponding budget and how much you can stretch it. Depending on the outsourcing company, you may be faced with a scope of services and prices, and you may even change your plan if the company suggests some improvements you haven't thought of. It's important to decide whether you wish to pay the full price right away or agree to pay for all the staff and materials when the project is over. Either way, you have to know your financial limits beforehand.

The next step is setting a realistic timeline, which in turn can make you reconsider your budget. If you're in a hurry, that may require extra funds for a speedy outsourced solution.

Choose a reputable outsourcing professional

So, now that you know your future goals and you've outlined your outsourcing strategy, it's time to find who you're going to trust the project with. Here are a few things to pay attention to, regardless of the fact if you're going to hire a company or an individual:

- Ask about the experience, i.e., if they have already had a case similar to yours and how they handled it. Additionally, inquire whether they have specific industry experience, as that can be a game changer during the project.

- Qualifications matter ” be they an agency or an individual, they should possess the right degrees or certificates for providing similar services.

- Enquire about the scope of projects ” try to see if they're going to have sufficient time to dedicate themselves fully to resolving your front-end challenges.

- Infrastructure and compliance are very important. Make sure they have the right equipment to meet your demands. Also, if you're talking about outsourcing to another country, make sure that they can follow all the corresponding regulations in both countries, including industry-specific requirements.

Go for the right outsourcing model

There are several outsourcing models to choose from. The decision mostly depends on your end goal, so let's take a look at what these are suitable for:

- Staff augmentation ” Let's say your latest project requires both back and front-end services, and you're a dev or two short on the latter. Hence, your in-house team can cover the back-end requirements, and you'll get front-end helpers for the short term. That way, one part of responsibility for the success belongs to the external team members. This is one of the most popular models.

- Project-based front-end development outsourcing ” In this scenario, you place your whole project in the hands of an outsourcing team. Of course, you're still in control, but the outsourcing team has a lot of autonomy when deciding how to work on the development.

- Dedicated development for the front-end ”  This one is usually popular with startups. It's similar to the project-based model, but your engagement time is longer, as the model covers more than just a one-off project.

The choice is all yours. You get to decide according to how much in control you wish to be or how much technical knowledge you're in need of.

Build communication between in-house and remote teams

If you're a bit baffled by the above outsourcing models, then you can only imagine what happens if the communication channels are an issue. By this, we don't only mean Zoom calls, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Redmine, WhatsApp, or any similar remote work communication platform or app. The communication challenge goes further than that.

For starters, you and the outsourcing partner have to agree on the person who's going to be in charge of communication with the right people or team in the outsourcing company.

You need to set availability hours as well, so there are no surprises. Ideally, you would have a person who can respond to your questions and concerns 24/7.

Next, a standardized communication format is recommendable. If you wish to have daily or weekly reports in a certain form, feel free to ask for them in advance.  You both need to agree on the form of reports, as well as how frequently you're going to communicate.

Finally, once you set all the communication rules and expectations, remember that overcommunication can also be an issue. Set the rules and stick to them, so both you and your outsourcing partner know what to expect and when.

Handle the language, time zones, and background

Last but not least, challenges may arise due to language barriers, different time zones, and company cultures. Here's what you may encounter and how to deal with it:

- Chances are you'll be working with an individual or company whose mother tongue is different from yours. However, mutual means of communication have to exist. You'll probably notice if you're getting the right feedback and if your message is well-received or not by the time you're in the middle of discussing your front-end project. Don't go any further if you notice that your outside partner struggles with communication.

- If you'd like to discuss the progress first thing in the morning, but it's already 10 pm at your contact person's office, it's clear you'll both need to make some sacrifices to meet halfway. The good news is that you can surpass this hurdle with set communication aims and channels and a bit of understanding and cooperation.

- To ensure the front-end development runs smoothly, try to find a company that nurtures the same company values as you do. Coming from different cultures can also pose a challenge, but work culture matters even more. If your companies create completely opposite work atmospheres or the company values don't match, you're probably going to have issues in transferring your messages across.

Once you set up the communication channels and rules, you'll have completed one of the most important outsourcing tasks.

Outsourcing front-end development services has great benefits for your company ” it's fast and practical. If you're in a hurry to finish your front-end project as soon as possible, try to follow the above five most basic rules when outsourcing such services, and you'll save both on time and resources.