Andy Rogers: “How to find the perfect partner”

With the news that three-quarters of CIOs are concerned about a lack of tech talent and struggling to up-skill current employees, more and more businesses are turning to external partners to fill these gaps.

However, not all outsourced teams are created equally and working with the wrong partner can waste time and money. Having worked on projects with clients in various sectors, we have found that get the best results, you need to find a team that matches not just the technical skills you require but aligns with your culture and ambition. 

Find a team that fits 

The right skills are important, but without a shared passion and goal you are not going to realise the potential. You have to find a team that can fully integrate with internal teams and this common objective will ensure you get quality work. As your needs evolve, you also need a team that can both scale up or reduce down, depending on the skills required. 

The team should be passionate about your project and not feel like an external organisation, but an extension of your team. 

Process, process, process

Once you’ve got the right team, you need the right processes. To work cohesively, there has to be an initial and rigorous knowledge transfer followed by an agreed set of processes that are put in place to keep the project on track. 

To find an organisation that matches your goals, you need a team with a robust process for  understanding your business that will ensure they not only get what you are trying to achieve, but also why. While the process can take time, the effort that goes into this is reflected in the end product.

Once you have found the right organisaton to partner with, you need the right process for working. An agile method of working with frequent updates ensures projects stay on time and can adapt to changing needs. This means if issues arise, objectives change or new tech launches, the team can adapt with minimal disruption.   

Constant communication 

Ensuring all key stakeholders are in contact with each other is critical. Thankfully, messaging has never been easier. With the ability to text, email, call, video chat or instant message, working with an outsourced team is now more feasible than ever before. Whether conducted via video chat, call or instant message, daily scrum meetings allow any concerns to be raised immediately and addressed quickly. 

The key for working with any outsourcing organisation is to treat them like a part of your organisation. Select them like you would recruit a new team-member, ensuring they match your values, passion and ambition. Ensure they are welcomed to the team with a comprehensive knowledge transfer, then keep communicating with them as they work through a project. 

At Amdaris we ensure we follow these guidelines with processes in place to ensure every project runs successfully. If you’d like to hear more about our work, please visit our website and get in contact (https://amdaris.com/)