Guidelines for Embedded Development Outsourcing Success

Outsourcing of custom electronics and software development is an absolute must for some companies who don’t have in-house resources.  But this can be an intimidating feat for many, as it often comes with pitfalls and risks.  Your best chance of success comes with these guidelines:

1. Though it sounds ‘old school’, there is a lot of validity in choosing a company of the same nationality as yours. Cultural understanding is surprisingly important when dealing with technical issues as work habits and user interaction often enter the success equation.
2. Different time-zones can be a hindrance when it comes to interacting with an international vendor. Time lags inevitably extend your project’s timeline as even a simple emailed question can take 2 days for a round trip answer. Align with the same or nearby time-zone for the best efficiency from overlapping office hours.
3. Your developer should be able to be on-site at least initially to meet you face to face, see your application, and understand your business and technical needs. Pictures and descriptions are good, but seeing things first-hand gives your developer the best chance of understanding the details.
4. Finally, work with a firm who can point to past projects and share experiences in terms of unexpected challenges and timeline changes. Proof of satisfied clients says it all.

If you’re an American company looking to develop an embedded electronic product or a software application, Gwentech can help.  We tick all of the aforementioned requirements have vast experience developing industrial, automotive, and commercial products.  Check us out at GwentechEmbedded.com!