How do you ensure team cooperation across locations?

“I think communication is the key in every single working environment. We need to establish clear communication channels and also conduct regular check-ins with the team to make sure everyone is on the same page.”

How do you facilitate knowledge sharing and ensure everyone is up-to-date?

“We always use the available platform to create regular sessions where team members can share and present their solutions or approaches for the new features we have in the application. I think using these tools, we can have everyone on the same page and with the same knowledge in the team.”

In your opinion, what factors contribute significantly to the growth and development of remote teams?

“Continuous learning and skill development are crucial for managing remote teams as technologies are always evolving and changing. Keeping our team updated with the tools we have ensures that they can work better and more efficiently.”

In your experience, what tools or practices improve productivity and cooperation in remote teams?

“DevOps tools improve productivity and efficiency in remote teams by automating processes and fostering collaboration. For example, we use continuous integration and continuous delivery infrastructure. These approaches or practices help us to have consistent environments across different remote teams.”

How do you foster a collaborative and inclusive remote team culture?

“Even though we work 100% remotely, we usually organize regular on-site team gatherings so we are able to increase the bond and also create a positive working environment.”

How do you maintain team morale and motivation within remote environments?

“To check the motivation in a team, we try to celebrate every achievement we have, no matter how small they are. We also have regular mutual feedback sessions where we can highlight the features or the work done by other team members. This way, we share our happiness or joy of having them do something with us or helping out the team itself.”

Do You Want to Join Our Team?

If you’re passionate about driving innovation, collaborating with diverse talents, and contributing to cutting-edge projects, we welcome you to join our dynamic team. Check the open positions or send us a spontaneous application.

Many businesses, regardless of industry or company size have embraced the concept of a nearshore partner for software development.

The nearshore software development, by its distinctive ability to strike a harmonious balance between cost-effectiveness and the delivery of high-quality results, creates a synergy that few alternatives can match.

However, navigating the world of IT nearshoring can be accompanied by some questions and uncertainties that can lead to misguided choices.

With over a decade of accumulated experience, we at Nearshore Portugal have successfully found and addressed numerous questions that exhibit striking similarities. In response, we have curated a selection of these recurring questions, accompanied by enlightening answers.

As new and pertinent questions arise, we are committed to updating this article with those questions and their corresponding answers. Through this resource, we intend to empower companies with the insights they need to make informed decisions and maximize the benefits of nearshore partnerships.

1. How do I choose the right cooperation model for my project?

To make better decisions regarding the cooperation model, consider the following factors:

• the scope and complexity of your project;
• the expected timeline for completion;
• and the resources it demands.

And take into account the specific skill set that will be fundamental to the success of your project.

We employ two cooperation models at Nearshore Portugal: Team Extension and Full Teams.

Team Extension is ideal for scaling your existing team and filling specific skill gaps, while Full Teams are better suited to outsource your whole development team.

2. How does communication work between my team and the nearshore team?

Communication is crucial in any IT project, and ensuring an open line for everyone is key.

At Nearshore Portugal, we emphasize seamless communication by using common collaboration tools like Slack, Teams, Skype, or Zoom. Additionally, we ensure that all team members are proficient in English and share the same working hours as your team for real-time collaboration.

Maintaining a dialogue, whether online or face-to-face, helps prevent misunderstandings and contributes to a higher-quality performance that will influence the ongoing project.

Ensure that your nearshore team operates at full efficiency and productivity with four steps.

3. What are the benefits of a dedicated team model?

A dedicated team complements an in-house team without replacing it.

For example, we operate a team extension model, an approach focused on filling in the skill gaps of an existing in-house IT team and augmenting its overall potential.

An extended team, composed of IT professionals with specific skills, becomes part of the company, its culture, and its vision with the benefit of being customized and managed as needed by the customer. This provides companies with:

• the versatility of skills;
• greater project flexibility;
• support from seasoned talent;
• long-term collaboration practices;
• increased efficiency;
• faster time to market;
• and significant cost savings.
  

4. How do you ensure the quality of the team members in each model?

In our case, we follow a stringent recruitment process, which includes screening candidates based on their technical skills, experience, and cultural fit. We provide our partners with the opportunity to interview a reduced list of candidates and make the final decision on the team composition.

5. Is my company too big or too small for an extended team?

At Nearshore Portugal, our team extension model can be applied to any company, regardless of size. We focus on providing customers with the best solutions set in order to meet project needs and capabilities. Beyond simply pairing professionals with projects, we ensure customers access top-tier talent.

6. How can I be sure consultants have the experience and knowledge I’m looking for before hiring?

At Nearshore Portugal, our tech recruitment team undergoes a detailed selection process centred on a pool of CVs and interviews to determine the candidate’s capabilities, from know-how to soft and hard skills. Once we have a shortlist, customers are involved in the recruitment process to determine if the developers have the desired experience, knowledge, and proper profile. Only then will the hire take place and the professionals or team will be allocated to the project.

How we at Nearshore Portugal can help you?

At Nearshore Portugal, we offer a complete Team as a Service (TAAS), which gives our clients the best solutions for their software development. With our TAAS model, the client hires a remote team of experts to work with directly. We handle recruitment, salary negotiations, payroll, workstations, etc., but the client has a final say over who gets hired and what profile they should have.

“The client is in control, with teams that are fully dedicated to their project.”

The TaaS model is flexible and, contrary to the traditional outsourcing model, allows companies to create the model that works best for them. They define the tech stack, the working methodology, and the team size, allowing for scaling up and scaling down within certain rules. Essentially, it’s their dedicated team, operating as if they were in-house employees, but without the organizational intricacies generally associated with HR management.

Would you like to know more about how we can help you?

Send us a message and set up a meeting with us.

When the matter is developing software through specialized tech talent, although technological innovations can increase efficiency, when it comes to improving clients’ relationships and boosting the time to market, outsourcing providers must understand that innovation can only be developed through a strong structure. What serves as the base for such transformation is none other than a great work environment and plenty of range for research and testing.

First things first: Transparency and Dialogue.

When working with an outsourcing partner, it is the client’s responsibility to give the partner and the remote team with the necessary freedom for new ideas and methods that will ultimately generate new processes and enhance innovation. Although in-person meetings are important, especially as projects kickoff, a true and optimized partnership only happens when all sides have a voice and space to speak up: The client, the partner, and the tech talent.

Ensuring there is a clear and open dialogue promotes a culture of openness that further supports innovation. Thus, it’s important to engage with a partner with a committed team. Someone you trust to make you aware of all demands so that your product goes above and beyond.

Feedback is key when outsourcing projects

In any business relationship or working environment, for that matter, constant communication is critical. This is especially true in software development cycles. Even more so in a DevOps or an agile element where a system of feedback connecting all teams must be in place. From testing and QA to operations and so-on. Innovation comes in many ways, and regular feedback on all aspects of your operation must be a top priority.

Entering in a business relationship with a software development outsourcing partner, such as Nearshore Portugal, it’s important to work closely together. That’s why we ensure a culture of progressive innovation by maintaining constant channels of communication with a close work methodology to constantly learn from our experiments together.

Explore and learn, together

Once partnering with an outsourcing provider, both sides have responsibilities. The provider, in supplying seasoned talent according to your requirements, as well as maintaining oversight on performance and overall project stability, as well as clients’ potential concerns and future needs. As the client, it is your prerogative to manage your outsourcing teams as you see fit, moving each resource to the part of the operation where it’s most needed. However, it’s also important to explore and learn together. Motivate your in-house team and remote team to explore different paths, tools, work methodologies, and technologies together. Even with a possibility of mistakes. After all, is all about testing.

A testing environment allows both teams to uncover different ways to add value while maintaining high levels of motivation. This, in turn, will show you trust in both your teams to explore what could be better methods.

Outsourcing Projects: Steps you should take

When outsourcing projects to a provider, climbing the innovation ladder must be done considering potential vendors, their capabilities, and proven track record. If you want to ensure you truly achieve the environment you seek, aligned with your business, you need the right partner, and become what steps you should take.

What can the provider deliver?

Research what type of approach can be expected and what will be the impact of your potential provider in your project. How is the recruitment process? What are the different technologies available or what guarantees can they make? These are important questions.

Assess the providers capability when outsourcing projects.

Right from the start, it’s important to consider and analyze their work methodology, experience, and services. Will you have constant support, communication, and a custom team, or will you manage it all by yourself?

Create together a contract for innovation

After choosing your partner, it’s important to include performance targets and, as a plus, possible compensations for added advancements in the future. This is a great way for both parties to commit to the max.

Measure performance

The only way to get a clear picture of your operation and your project’s growth lies in performance measurement. In other words, make sure your partner displays concern regarding the team’s performance and overall health of the operation. Although analyzing KPIs and general results are important, the human factor is equally crucial. Get to know what measurements are done apart from technical ones.

At the end of the day, growth is more than just numbers. Although it’s essential to determine objectives and a strategic approach to new advancements, it’s equally important to guarantee your partner with a provider with key capabilities associated with innovation: Nearshore Portugal!

If you’re searching for an IT outsourcing provider for your project, get to know all our services!

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