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.”

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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.

Time. One of the relevant aspects of software development and IT projects that often determines the success or failure of initiatives. Recognizing this, companies are turning to nearshore development as a solution to streamline their projects and improve productivity.

In this article, we look at how nearshore development can facilitate real-time collaboration and faster turnaround times.

What will you find in this article?

• What is Nearshore Development?
• Facilitating Real-time Collaboration
  • Constant Communication
  • Immediate Issue Resolution
  • Rapid Feedback Loops
  • Shared Project Management Tools
• Faster Turnaround Times
  • Time-to-Market Advantage
  • Flexibility and Scalability
  • Access to Skilled Professionals
  • Lack of Cultural Barriers
  • High-Quality Infrastructure

What is Nearshore Development?

Nearshore development is a business strategy where companies outsource their software development or IT projects to neighboring or nearby countries. The goal is to leverage the advantages of working with teams in close geographical proximity (same time zone or a few hours difference).

For instance, a German-based company may decide to collaborate with a development team in Portugal. The time difference is merely one hour, and both countries are members of the European Union. Additionally, the high level of English proficiency among Portuguese professionals facilitates effective communication and collaboration.

Facilitating Real-time Collaboration

One of the key benefits of nearshore development is the ability to facilitate real-time collaboration between teams in different countries.

Nearshore development teams are strategically located in neighboring or nearby countries to ensure overlapping work hours with their clients. This allows quicker decision-making and immediate issue resolution, while eliminating delays and increasing productivity.

The shared working time creates a seamless collaboration environment, fostering a sense of unity and cooperation that can significantly enhance the project’s success.

Nearshore teams can leverage real-time collaboration in the following ways:

1. Constant Communication

Nearshore development teams offer significant advantages in establishing seamless communication channels and fostering real-time collaboration with clients. They have a strong command of the client’s language and cultural practices, which reduces misunderstandings and facilitates effective communication.

Within our teams, we utilize various communication tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Skype, or Zoom.

Nearshore teams can easily coordinate meetings, brainstorming sessions, and workshops during overlapping work hours. This enables team members to actively engage in discussions, share ideas, and make collective decisions.

2. Immediate Issue Resolution

With real-time collaboration, nearshore teams can address issues as they arise, reducing response times and minimizing delays. This ensures that potential roadblocks are swiftly identified and resolved, keeping the project on track.

3. Rapid Feedback Loops

Regardless of the specific methodology used (such as agile methodologies like Scrum or Kanban), nearshore teams prioritize iterative and incremental development cycles that emphasize regular feedback.

By breaking down projects into smaller tasks and delivering them incrementally, nearshore teams can quickly provide results. This progressive approach enables them to swiftly gather valuable feedback from clients at an early stage of development.

The iterative feedback process has several benefits, such as enabling quick course corrections, avoiding rework in later stages, and accelerating the development timeline. Additionally, it creates a cooperative atmosphere where the team creating the product and the client collaborate to improve it.

4. Shared Project Management Tools

Nearshore development teams and clients typically use shared project management tools or platforms. These tools serve as centralized repositories for project documentation, task tracking, and issue management. They provide real-time visibility into project progress, allowing both parties to stay updated on the latest developments.

Here are some examples of tools our teams use:

• Project and Task Management Tools: Trello, Notion, Asana, or Jira.
• Shared document editing: Google Docs or Microsoft Office 365;
• Real-time code collaboration: GitHub or GitLab.
  

Faster Turnaround Times

Nearshore development is a method that helps businesses bring their products to market faster. It involves delivering projects or software solutions in shorter timeframes compared to other outsourcing models. Several factors in nearshore development contribute to faster turnaround times, such as meeting tight deadlines and gaining a competitive edge.

Here are some ways nearshore development can accelerate response times:

1. Time-to-Market Advantage

Time-to-market refers to the time it takes from the inception of an idea or product development to its launch in the market.

By working closely with nearshore development teams, organizations can benefit from efficient communication and collaboration, leading to shorter project cycles. The reduced communication barriers and quicker response times ensure that the development process remains on schedule. As a result, companies can get their products or services to market faster, decrease reaction time to market needs, and take advantage of new opportunities.

2. Flexibility and Scalability

Nearshore development teams can be more flexible in adjusting the team size as per project requirements and timelines. They can quickly scale the team up based on the workload, allowing for faster adaptability to changing project needs. This scalability ensures that the project can progress at an optimal pace without being delayed due to resource constraints.

For example, we have two cooperation models (team extension and full teams). Both cooperation models offer flexibility in scaling the team size. And whenever necessary, our clients can discuss their changing requirements with us, and we’ll work together to adjust the team size accordingly, ensuring minimal disruption to your project.

3. Access to Skilled Professionals

Nearshore development allows businesses to quickly assemble a team of skilled professionals with the required expertise. The proximity of the nearshore location means that the hiring process can be expedited, and teams can be set up more swiftly. This quick resource allocation enables the project to start promptly, reducing delays in the development process.

4. Lack of Cultural Barriers

Nearshore development involves partnering with teams from countries that share similar cultural backgrounds, which leads to smoother communication and understanding.

When teams have common cultural aspects like language, communication styles, and work ethics, they can better understand each other’s expectations and requirements. This shared understanding enhances communication channels, minimizes misunderstandings, and enables faster information exchange. As a result, teams can align their goals, exchange feedback, and resolve issues promptly, leading to faster project completion.

5. High-Quality Infrastructure

It’s necessary to have a good infrastructure for a project to run smoothly. Nearshore development locations often boast reliable and advanced IT infrastructure, including high-speed internet connectivity and modern communication tools. This infrastructure enables seamless collaboration, quick file sharing, and efficient remote work.

A reliable infrastructure minimizes technical obstacles and ensures smoother development processes.

Conclusion

As we have witnessed, nearshore development is emerging as a compelling solution for enhancing the quality and efficiency of software development.

Teams located in neighboring or nearby countries can enhance companies’ productivity. This occurs due to the shared working hours, which facilitate constant communication, swift problem resolution, and rapid feedback loops.

It’s no wonder that an increasing number of companies are adopting this work model, recognizing its potential to drive successful outcomes in the dynamic and demanding world of software development.

As in all outsourcing partnerships, especially in nearshoring, communication plays a vital role as an agent of change, as it should.
For organizations who seek to improve efficiency by extending their internal IT team via an outsourcing solution, enhancing communication and collaboration is a top concern, and culture is the starting point.

When researching who will be the right outsourcing partner, it’s expected that key questions arise: can the differences in cultures become a block when combining an in-house team with an outsourced one? It’s no secret that remote teams can help bridge the cultural gap thanks to their many advantages. Yet, these benefits are not without a big risk: partnering with an inexperienced provider with little practice or knowledge with cultural nearshoring.
As important as it is, there’s no step-by-step guide on how to tackle cultural differences when outsourcing. So, what do you need to know?

From the Top

What Is Cultural Nearshoring?

A nearshoring service is, in essence, using teams placed in a neighboring country where usually the language barrier is non-existent or minimal. Thus, allowing teams on both sides to better communicate with each other. An enhancement in communication which, due to the relative proximity with one another, reduces significantly the respective cultural differences while bringing together similar operational habits.
Objectively, by stripping the communication barrier on how each team approaches their work and communicates, the business itself has a greater chance of creating a cohesive and all-connected work environment focused on optimization and delivery. In other words, with the support of an experienced outsourced team, you’ll be able to turn the out-put knob to a hundred percent.

However, cultural nearshoring has its challenges. Clients and providers must come together from the very start, and recognize that people are the heart of all projects. This means understanding the existent of contrasting workplace culture behaviors.

Understanding Your Outsourcing Team Culture

People from different cultures bear different behaviors and work methodologies. They can differ in languages, processes, and communication styles, among others. Learning how your international counterparts operate becomes critical as it will put aside any chances of misunderstandings between you and your provider from the get-go.

Although a nearshore approach focuses on adaptability to the client’s work system or practices, it’s important to note that some obstacles are difficult to circumvent. For example, in France, workers are protected by a Right to Disconnect Law, which stipulates that most French professionals are not obligated to reply to emails that come in after hours. This sensible and logical measure was adopted to protect employees from being overworked. Yet, it could be a conflicting issue down the road if an outsourcing client has different standards or work expectations.

In Sweden, coffee breaks, also known as fika, are culturally embedded as they seed productivity. It gives the working force an opportunity to relax. Some companies implement a formal fika with breaks at 9 am, 3 pm, and some, more frequently. There are also other working forces who are even encouraged to take mid-day naps, such as in Japan. The same goes for holidays.
At the end of the day, working with an extended outsourced team might not match completely your specific workplace structure or culture, but it doesn’t mean it won’t live up to your expectations.

Benefiting from a shared Culture

One of the biggest advantages of nearshoring is the shared time zones, which not only provides an ease of travel to meet your outsourcing partner but brings teams closely together during similar working hours. This means teams can organize immediate meetings for updates or urgent calls to fix a problem. Alongside this, is a common benefit. If both companies share the same schedule, weekly meetings can be secured easily, as opposed to one party having to use time in their early morning or evening to trade information.

It’s no secret that the work culture of each country impacts how companies communicate with each other. As in all business relations, interpreting a message incorrectly can be disastrous, affecting the direction of the project and the business partnership. With nearshoring, working with a partner culturally adapted to different markets and with a high English-proficiency, such as Portugal, makes the work between teams faster, intuitive, and without restraints

Ultimately, shared culture is undoubtedly one of the biggest advantages of nearshoring. Providing smoother and more efficient communication, while ensuring your project is created quicker and with greater quality, with minimal miscommunication dilemmas along the way.

To get to know more about how nearshore development can change your internal team, check out our article: Why nearshore development is the best solutions

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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!

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