Collaboration is considered a multiplier in the business world, as it puts companies in a position to tackle complex challenges and innovate with efficiency. However, fostering collaboration can be tricky, especially in the tech space, where companies are often pressured to push development at a frantic pace. When collaboration involves internal and external teams, which is becoming a common strategy for tech development, managing the process becomes even more challenging.
The following is some advice for tech leaders who want to increase their company’s capabilities to leverage collaboration between in-house and outsourced development teams.
Commit to collaboration despite the challenges
There are dozens of good reasons for tech companies to resist collaboration. The most glaring is the extra time it can add to a project. Collaboration requires ongoing back-and-forth communication, which interrupts the development rhythm, especially when it involves engaging outsourced teams. When companies outsource to other time zones, getting feedback can require what feels like an eternity, tempting developers to move ahead without waiting for the input others may have to offer.
“One key to collaboration is making visibility a priority,” explains Yashin Manraj, CEO of Pvotal Technologies. “We have transparent workflows from code generation to communication, which empower our team to work together and eliminate silos. Using a range of tools and processes for seamless communication and continuous access to vital information enables teams to achieve daily victories whether they’re working online or offline.”
Manraj launched Pvotal Technologies to create infinite enterprises that give business leaders total control and peace of mind over their technology systems and business. The company has a unique nexus to identify and solve gaps in the product pipeline that is built upon Manraj’s deep technical knowledge of product development, design, business operations, and coding.
Collaboration also requires agreement — or at least consensus — but in the tech world, that can be hard to attain. The rapid advance of technology means there are always new tools or approaches with merit, and deciding which is best for any project can fuel endless debates.
Regardless of the industry, collaboration typically involves bringing together diverse work styles and preferences. Achieving efficiency requires balancing these. If leaders can’t get all team members to agree on a direction, collaboration can derail projects.
Yet, for all its challenges, collaboration also has the potential to give companies the edge they need in the highly competitive tech space. Collaboration brings more voices, skills, and experiences to the table, which sets the stage for increased innovation. Studies have found that 60 percent of employees say collaboration sparks creativity. Studies also show that those who collaborate are 50 percent more effective at completing tasks.
Once projects are underway, collaboration increases efficiency. By gathering a deeper pool of expertise, collaboration streamlines development, doing away with the delays that flow from employees having only a “working knowledge” of development steps. It also improves the chances that unexpected problems can be solved quickly.
Invest in systems that support effective communication
When communication breaks down, collaboration grinds to a halt. Consequently, companies must commit to taking the steps needed to support effective communication.
“For us, the key has been to keep a single source of truth and communication hub,” says Manraj. “We do this either via a compartmentalized portal set up with a principle of least privileges to ensure the outsourced dev teams have all they need to work. It can also be accomplished via a product manager/liaison who monitors changes, instructions, and progress during the software development lifecycle.”
Tech leaders should also keep in mind that the tech field involves a lot of jargon. Fostering effective collaboration may require defining the key elements of a project and what terminology should be used to refer to them. A lack of clarity in communication can lead to misdirection, frustration, and delays.
Review progress early and often
When collaboration occurs under one roof, keeping track of projects as they evolve becomes much more manageable. The process of reviewing them is organic and ongoing, and minor missteps can be caught before they lead to more significant problems.
When collaborations bring together in-house and outsourced teams, catching missteps is more complicated because it requires a strong commitment to reviewing progress early and often. In-house developers should engage in regular code reviews, especially in the early stages of development, to ensure outsourced teams can code and maintain the codebase at the expected levels of excellence.
“We often have our in-house developers engage with regular code reviews in early stages to ensure that other teams are able to code and maintain the codebase of clients at the same level we do internally,” Manraj says. “This reduces the technical debt and helps with future debugging, maintenance, and improvements.”
Today’s tech companies face several development challenges. Success requires innovating to balance scalability, speed, and the need to integrate with legacy systems. Collaboration between in-house and outsourced teams can be the secret weapon for addressing those challenges, giving companies the expertise, flexibility, and creativity needed to develop products that address consumer needs.
