What are the benefits of IT and software development outsourcing?
- Access highly-skilled developers
Outsourcing software projects allows you to access highly-skilled software developers with the exact skills you’re after. You can avoid investing in time-consuming internal upskilling.
When you outsource to Poland, you aren’t constrained to an internal talent pool - or even a talent pool within your local area or country. You can get access to top software development talent by working with Polish outsourcing companies.
Hiring developers comes with a lot of overhead. Sometimes it’s worth it, but for some projects, staffing up an in-house team is simply too expensive. Software outsourcing companies allow you to quickly gather all necessary software development specialists using an on-demand model.
You can reduce costs by avoiding all those pesky onboarding, training, and upskilling costs. You’ll also reduce costs further by outsourcing software development in more affordable global regions such as Eastern Europe where outsourcing companies typically offer lower rates.
Let’s face it, you want to get to market fast. You likely have a lot of internal pressure to deliver quickly. Staffing up an in-house team can be expensive, but it can also be very time-consuming. It’s simply impractical if you want to deliver a project quickly.
With the right custom software development company, you can get a project off the ground in a matter of days or weeks. Development speeds can also be adjusted based on how many full-time or part-time team members are put on the project. In many cases, you can drastically control delivery timelines by adjusting the team size.
Is Poland a good location for outsourcing?
Yes, outsourcing to Poland can be a good option for companies looking for high-quality development at a lower cost than in other Western European countries.
In addition, the IT industry in Poland is growing rapidly. Many young people are attracted to the sector because of the high salaries and the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology. There are a number of multinational companies operating in Poland, and the country is also home to a number of innovative start-ups and Polish outsourcing companies.
As you consider Polish outsourcing companies, there are a few things you should know about the IT industry in Poland:
- Poland accounts for 25% of Central Eastern Europe's offshore programmer skills.
- Around 15,000 students with a concentration in information and communication technologies graduate from Polish universities each year. Simultaneously, around 80,000 students are studying to become software engineers. This implies that the country receives an annual tidal wave of tech talent into the Polish market.
- According to the Tholons Globalization Index 2021, Poland is placed 14th among the top 20 digital nations. Additionally, according to the same index, Krakow is among the top twenty super cities in terms of digital innovation.
- Poland is ranked among the top 30 nations for offshore services by Gartner.
- The Polish market for IT is expanding at a steady rate of between 5%-10% per year.
Hire Polish programmers with our team augmentation.
What are the benefits of outsourcing software development to Poland?
Outsourcing to Poland is an attractive option for many growing tech companies who are looking for highly-skilled, reliable developers at a reasonable cost. Here are some of the key benefits of outsourcing software development to Poland:
- Expertise and programming skills
Polish software developers successfully handle tasks such as Microsoft's Imagine Cup, Google Code Jam, and others due to their advanced skills and expertise. Poland is #3 in HackerRank, ranking first in Java assessments and the top five with programming languages like Python, Shell, and Ruby.
Polish workplace culture is strongly Western. The working week is Monday to Friday, the average hours are compatible with 9 to 5. The public holidays (Christmas, Easter, etc.) are the same. All of this makes it a smooth process for teams to begin outsourcing to Poland.
Outsourcing in Poland is made much easier due to the fact that almost 30% of Polish people speak English.
Any endeavor requires effective communication. As a result, the Polish work time overlaps with other European time zones and the United States. Polish developers are available to perform meetings with all United States time zones in later afternoon hours.
Poland, as a member of the European Union, adheres to all information technology and data security legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). When you work with companies in Poland, you can rest assured that your data is in capable hands.
Read More: Software Development in Poland - Hire Team in 4 Simple Steps
When is IT staff augmentation the right choice?
You may be looking at many different options to achieve your IT project goals. One popular method is IT staff augmentation where teams supplement its existing workforce in order to meet increased demand or complete a specific project. More specifically, IT staff augmentation may be the right fi if:
- You need to reinforce your in-house team. While you may have in-house developers, some software development and IT projects simply require augmented skills or expertise from what you have available. In this case you can strengthen your team temporarily by working with staff augmentation and outsourcing companies who provide dedicated developers or IT experts to work as part of your team.
- You have a tight deadline. Hiring software developers takes a lot of time from job advertisement to onboarding - not to mention how expensive it can be! The staff augmentation model provides you with a quick way to hire top IT industry talent by working with staff augmentation and outsourcing companies.
- You need specific skills. When your software development projects require specific skills, working augmentation or outsourcing companies may be the right choice. This can be a much faster option than hiring a new full-time staff member or training existing software development team members.
- As a bridge for hire. In the IT industry, short-term employment through staff augmentation can often lead to a longer term relationship or full-time employment.
Find out more in our article: What is Staff Augmentation? — Use Cases and How to Succeed
Staff Augmentation vs. Managed Services vs. Project-based Model
- Staff augmentation In this outsourcing model you own your project from start to end. The client takes most of the responsibility. You're hiring software development talent from outsourcing companies to strengthen your internal team. Eastern Europe provides a hotbed for teams looking to augment their team with skilled developers and IT experts.
- Managed team In managed team model, the responsibility and ownership are shared by the client and the outsourcing company. You would work collaboratively with the outsourcing company to determine which responsibilities belong to whom. Your managed team operates independently of your in-house team, with an outsourced Project Manager overseeing daily operations and workflows.
- Project-based By choosing project outsourcing, the outsourcing provider takes most of the responsibility and owns the projects from start to end. He or she completes your development projects according to your specifications.
| Staff Augmentation Model | Managed Services Model | Project-Based Model |
| Scope
| Not set
| Estimated
| Predefined
|
| Timeline
| Predefined
| Estimated
| Predefined
|
| Control
| High
| Medium
| Low
|
| Client Technical Expertise/Leadership
| Required
| Recommended
| Optional
|
| Communication with Outsourced Team
| Daily
| Frequent
| Occasional
|
| Overlap with In-House Team
| High
| Some
| None
|
| Product Management
| Client
| Shared
| Client
|
| Task Management
| Client
| Outsourcing Vendor
| Outsourcing Vendor
|
How to research software development companies?
There are many different outsourcing companies to choose from - both within Poland and outside of Eastern Europe. The right software development agency is going to vary from company to company and project to project based on the needs of each assignment. It’s important to take the time to find a company that meets your needs and is a good fit for your team culture. You could do this through your own personal network, through sites like Clutch.io or by simply Googling.
You may want to make a shortlist after you have done these things. Then, it’s time to filter that shortlist down and find the best one for the job. This can be done with a little more research. This research may seem a little tedious, but it will have huge implications if you get it right! The research you could try is as follows:
- Checking the company itself. Look through their website for case studies and past work samples.. A key thing here is to look to see if any of their previous work is similar to your own.
- TrustPilot, Google Reviews and other comparison sites.
- Contact companies who have worked with the outsourcing companies you are considering. Past clients will give the most honest truth.
What questions should I ask Polish outsourcing companies?
Questions to ask software development outsourcing companies can vary depending on many factors. This being said, the 15 Software Vendor Interview Questions we are about to recommend should be good in most cases. They are general enough to cover the most important aspects of IT services and development projects, but also specific enough to encourage revealing answers from the outsourcing company.
- Could you present a project similar to mine in terms of technology, functionality, and/or business domain?
- Can you provide good references from previous projects?
- What kinds of companies do you typically work with? / Who is your ideal client?
- Who will manage my project?
- What does your typical process look like?
- How do you ensure the quality of your software development projects?
- What reporting practices and collaboration tools do you use?
- Can you present the people who will deliver services to me? What is their experience level?
- Tell me about your hiring process. Where do you find your candidates and what do you look for when hiring new developers in the IT industry?
- How many software development team members do you have working with the same technology?
- Will the developers assigned to my project work on any other project at the same time?
- How often do you people change projects?
- Why should I choose you rather than other outsourcing companies?
- What are your rates and payment terms?
- Can you estimate the length of my project?
Read More: 15 Software Vendor Interview Questions [Procurement Guide]
How can I protect intellectual property when working with an outsourcing company?
While trying to save time, be more flexible, cost effective, and increase productivity through outsourcing, it is important to consider the risks to your intellectual property and take the steps necessary to protect your intellectual property.
With the knowledge of the importance of the legal framework applicable to your IP, for example, you may review past outsourcing agreements and renegotiate where necessary. You may also limit server and data access to vendors. You will also strategically approach future outsourcing agreements or arrangements by asking the outsourcing vendor key questions.
Read More: How to Protect Intellectual Property when Outsourcing?
What is IT outsourcing?
IT outsourcing is the contracting out of IT services and processes to a third-party provider. This outsourcing can be done for a number of reasons, such as to save on costs, to access expertise and resources not available internally, or to free up internal resources to focus on other business priorities.
When done correctly, IT outsourcing can be a strategic tool that can help organizations achieve their business goals. However, it is important to carefully research software development companies and outsourcing companies before deciding to move forward with one.
