DEV Community: MaxB-2148

Advantages of Nearshore Software Development

MaxB-2148 — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 16:00:07 +0000

Outsourcing software development is becoming common practice, and while the methods may vary, the objectives are usually the same. Companies are outsourcing to Latin America to lower costs and solve capacity issues, which frees up in-house teams to focus on core business functions. In this article, we examine the advantages of nearshore software development as opposed to offshore or onshore, to help you decide which option best suits your organization.

Different Outsourcing Options

Let’s start by looking at onshoring, which is the practice of outsourcing to a company located in the same country as you. The benefit of onshoring is that your outsourcing partner will likely share close geographic and cultural proximity, but these benefits come at a cost.

Of the three options, onshoring is the only one that doesn’t always provide a clear cost-benefit. Then you have offshoring, which is when you outsource to a company located in another country, typically one on the other side of the globe. Offshoring offers lower rates, but the language and culture barrier can be significant. Not to mention the time difference, which in some places, like the Philippines or India, can be as much as 12 hours.

Outsourcing nearshore, or nearshoring, provides a middle ground where you can still see significant cost benefits without sacrificing convenience or efficiency. Outsourcing to a nearby country allows you to collaborate in real-time, with minimal effort.

Still not clear which makes the most sense for you? Be sure to check out "Nearshore, Onshore & Offshore: what's the difference?"

Let’s examine the benefits of outsourcing nearshore in detail, starting with one of the main reasons to choose outsourcing in the first place: cost-efficiency.

Cost efficiency

One of the significant advantages of outsourcing nearshore is lower labor costs. US-based companies save, on average, 38% to 48% by outsourcing development to Central and South America. Nearshore software developer salaries, North America compared to Latin America

Return On Investment

nearshore development reduces the resources and effort needed to collaborate effectively helping you maximize your ROI.

Reduced Travel Costs

In-person meetings can help facilitate collaboration and increase productivity among remote and distributed teams. Outsourcing nearshore, as opposed to offshore, will make it easier to plan and less expensive to organize in-person meetings. Closer geographic proximity means your team will spend less time in the air and more time collaborating in person.

Operation efficiency

Cultural parity helps foster an efficient and collaborative work environment among remote and distributed teams. It’s difficult to put a dollar sign on, but cultural alignment is an important factor in nearshoring’s growing popularity. Companies who have experience with offshoring know cultural barriers and communication obstacles can lead to missed deadlines, projects going over budget, and other complications.

Effective communication

Much like cultural barriers, language barriers can negatively impact your bottom line. Miscommunications and having to wait several hours between communication windows can drastically slow down your project, many times forcing you to push back delivery dates. With nearshore partners, on the other hand, you won’t need to wait for hours to receive a response making it easier to plan and meet your deadlines.

With nearshore outsourcing, the communication style and quality expectations are comparable to onshoring but at rates similar to offshoring.

Similar work practices

Latin America has heavily adopted software development methodologies like Agile and Scrum. Due to the popularity of outsourcing software development nearshore, a considerable percentage of Latin American developers already have experience working with US companies.

More influence and control

Shared borders, common language, and close time zones make it easier for you to maintain full control of your development project. With nearshoring, you get many of the same benefits of onshoring but at a lower cost. Your partner is nearby, they can communicate effectively, and are available to collaborate in real-time.

In conclusion

By outsourcing development nearshore you’re gaining the cost benefits of offshoring without the need to fly to the other side of the world to meet your team, avoiding heavy language barriers, and time zone differences. You also benefit from most of the same advantages of onshoring, but with a larger talent pool to choose from and at a lower cost.

If you’re interested in finding out how outsourcing can benefit your business, contact us today for a free outsourcing evaluation.

Hiring remote devs in Latin America

MaxB-2148 — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 19:18:28 +0000

Outsourcing software development nearshore to Latin America

For many companies in the US and Canada, hiring remote developers based in Latin America is a great option for keeping development lean, code quality high, and costs low. If you’re considering taking the leap but still have some questions, read on for more information on the pros (and a few potential downsides) to keep in mind as you make your decision. Let’s start with the potential cons or downside.

The downside of outsourcing software development to Latin America

Rates aren’t as low as Eastern Europe or India.

There’s a reason that India and Eastern Europe are known as outsourcing hubs – their main benefit (and the deciding factor for many companies) is their low cost. There are some situations in which low rates and quick turnaround time might be your company’s top priority – like urgently getting a product to market, or having a small budget to begin with and needing to develop your project in order to begin testing and validating.

If you are in this situation, it could be worth looking into India or Eastern Europe as an outsourcing option. However, the adage “you get what you pay for” unfortunately can apply here. If you need something developed right the first time, it may be worth investing a bit more in a nearshore outsourcing option to ensure high code quality and less back-and-forth.

You may need to wait a bit longer to find the right fit for your development needs.

As opposed to some other offshore outsourcing locations, Latin America tends not to have massive “coding factories” where you show up with your project and are matched with the first available developer(s), no matter how good (or bad) a fit for your project they may be.

Many firms in Latin America take the time to pair you with the right developers for what you’re looking for, taking into account culture and work fit as well as technical fit, so you may need to wait a bit longer to get your project started.

While rates and quick turnaround time may be the top priority for some companies, if you have the flexibility to find the best fit for your team and project needs, and if you need your project developed right the first time, it may be worth looking into Latin America for your development needs. Let's look at the pros or upside.

The upside of outsourcing software development to Latin America

High-quality code at reasonable prices.

Latin America has established itself as a hub for programming in recent years, and Latin American devs closely follow coding standards and best practices used by North American companies. This means that you can expect the same high-quality code that you’d get when hiring a local developer in the US or Canada, but at far lower rates.

Timezone overlap with the US and Canada.

Naturally, one of the biggest potential issues working with remote developers is the potential for late-night calls or work being delayed by up to a day due to fragmented communication and no overlap in working hours. When working with developers in Latin America, this is a non-issue, as Latin America spans all US timezones.

This means you can work (virtually) alongside your development team, if desired, resulting in a closer working relationship and quicker results and troubleshooting.

Cultural and work culture fit.

Latin America is steeped in North American culture, both from a popular culture standpoint and also from a work standpoint. This means that much of the top development talent in Latin America already has experience working with international clients, many of which are in the US and Canada, giving them crucial experience working in a North American environment.

Similarly, there is cultural overlap between the two, meaning that developers from Latin America can more readily integrate into North American teams, ensuring a smooth working relationship that may be difficult to find in other outsourcing hubs.

Interested in outsourcing software development to Latin America? Setup a free outsourcing strategy call, today!

Nearshore, Onshore & Offshore: what's the difference?

MaxB-2148 — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 17:12:27 +0000

An ever-increasing number of businesses are turning to outsourcing to free themselves from hiring, training, and maintaining in-house employees.

This enables them to save time and money while tapping into a virtually endless stream of experienced IT talent.

We've defined what it means to outsource software development onshore, offshore, and nearshore, as well as provide tips on how to decide which choice makes the most sense for your project or business.

Article originally published at bluecoding.com - "Nearshore, Onshore & Offshore: what's the difference?"

What's the difference between onshore, nearshore, and offshore software development?

When it comes to outsourcing software development, there are three location-based variations: onshore, nearshore, and offshore. Each option inherently different with its own unique advantages.

Let’s start by defining each term in detail, and then we'll break down the benefits of each option.

Onshore software development definition

Onshore software development is the process of building or maintaining software using a team located in the same country as you. That could mean freelancers, third-party software development companies, or even in-house employees. Although the term is usually associated with outsourcing.

An example of onshore software development: would be a company operating in the Bay Area that hires freelancers or independent contractors in a nearby city like Seattle. While hiring outside the bay area allows them to save a little bit of money on salaries they still have a relatively high level of oversight and control.

Offshore software development definition

Offshore development refers to working with developers or an agency located outside of your country, usually with a significant time zone difference of six hours or more. In some cases, like with China or the Philippines, the time difference with North America can be as much as 12 hours.

An example of offshore software development: would be a software company in New York that hires a team in Pakistan to help with their software deployments.

At times the time zone differences can be an advantage like when you want a team to help with late-night deployments or need 24hr coverage.

With offshoring, we recommend working with an agency or outsourcing partner over an individual freelance developer. With offshore development, you need to pay special attention to communication, and working with a firm tends to be more reliable.

Nearshore software development definition

Nearshore software development refers to hiring foreign talent in countries with timezone parity or at least significant time zone overlap.

It’s hard to say exactly when nearshore becomes offshore. We've even seen companies in Europe and Africa referred to as "nearshore" in the past, despite having a six-hour plus time difference with North America.

We feel that to be considered nearshore the time difference should be no greater than 3-5 hours and in many cases, there will be no timezone difference at all.

An example of nearshore development: would be a startup or large corporation that opens a software development center in a country like Mexico to gain a permanent foothold securing affordable IT talent. Popular nearshore locations for North American companies to outsource software development include Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Argentina.

Interested in working with a dedicated nearshore software development team? Learn more about our managed software development services here.

Onshore software development benefits

Onshore development offers two significant advantages: cultural familiarity and ease of communication. Those are likely the two main components driving the demand for onshore talent. Although this difference may grow less noticeable over time as the number of foreign tech workers in North America grows.

Onshore development also means closer geographic proximity than the other two options. Meaning if you like to meet up with your remote contributors regularly and in-person this could be a cost advantage.

What's the drawback? One of the main drawbacks is, as you might have guessed, the price tag. Hourly rates for freelancers and inexperienced developers based in North America can rival those of an experienced senior developer based nearshore or offshore.

Offshore software development benefits

Offshore software development can be a good option for bootstrapped startups and other small businesses because of its affordable rates. You’re also looking at the largest pool of IT talent in the world, including IT outsourcing powerhouses like China, Pakistan, and India.

What’s the downside? Well, it depends on the country and whether you’re dealing with an agency or a freelancer. For example: if you're outsourcing to a popular outsourcing destination like the Philippines, contacting freelancers or small agencies during monsoon season (June-October) can be especially tricky.

Communication difficulties aren’t just limited to countries with tropical climates either – serious communication challenges and cultural barriers can lead to a project going off the rails or cause you to miss deadlines.

Working with a team that can’t communicate effectively is not an option, especially when they’re located halfway around the world. Generally speaking the farther the location is from your main operation, the larger the logistical challenge will be to get your team set up and running.

Nearshore software development benefits

With nearshore development, you can maintain close control of your projects. Your partner is nearby allowing you to communicate clearly and collaborate in real-time. You can say that with nearshore development you get the best of both worlds. You see significant cost benefits without sacrificing efficiency or compromising on quality.

Interested in working with skilled nearshore development talent? Learn about our nearshore staff augmentation services.

What are the downsides? You’ll need to pay special attention to English proficiency, something that’s probably usually not even on your radar, and with the international demand for skilled developers with fluent English on the rise, don’t expect to be paying the local going rate either.

In summary: nearshore offers better communication and control than offshore, while still providing considerable cost benefits as well as requiring less maintenance. The quality of work is second only to onshore development but at a considerably lower cost. You can learn more about the advantages of nearshore software development here.

Conclusion

1.Outsourcing allows you to outperform larger competitors by accessing untapped talent markets, lowering your operating costs, and allowing you to complete projects faster.
2.Finding the right outsourcing partner is one of the most important aspects of making onshore, nearshore, or offshore development work.
3.Increasing globalization and wider adoption of remote work culture, have lowered the barrier for outsourcing.

Haven't decided which option makes the most sense for your business? Book a free outsourcing strategy call, to find out if nearshore development is right for you.

Top 13 Dev Podcasts for Upgrading your Programming Skills

MaxB-2148 — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 16:37:10 +0000

Best (Tech Agnostic) Software Development Podcasts

Syntax

Hosted by well-respected instructors and Youtubers Wes Bos and Scott Tolinski creators of some of the best web development content online. We recommend Syntax not only for learning but also for entertainment. Follow the inclusive, easy-to-understand technical discussions led by Wes and Scott twice a week covering the latest best practices and advancements in the world of web development.

Syntax is not only a must for any type of web developer it’s especially useful for Javascript developers, as Wes and Bos are two of the very best at explaining things like GraphQL, React, Nodejs, and tooling. You might also recognize Scott as the creator of Level Up Tutorials, an online resource for up-and-coming developers.

This article was originally published at https://www.bluecoding.com/post/top-13-dev-podcasts-for-upgrading-your-programming-skills

The Changelog

Hosted by Adam Stacoviak and Jerod Santo the show is about software development and open source technologies. Jerod and Adam interview the developers, innovators, and tech leaders behind the code that is changing our future. The show is technology-agnostic so no matter what programming language or platform you use you’ll be able to find something useful.

Shoptalk Show

Led by Dave Rupert and Chris Coyier, Shoptalk focuses heavily on front-end UI/UX but also covers other topics related to building websites like responsive design, performance, accessibility, SEO, Javascript, and SASS.

Chris is the co-founder of CodePen and creator of CSS tricks, two resources every developer is likely to be familiar with and Dave is the lead developer at Paravel a web design shop based in Texas. Together they join in discussions with a new guest each week to talk about what’s going on in the world of web development.

Boagworld

Boagworld is an award-winning podcast named after host and founder Paul Boag, an author and consultant who’s been working in digital for over 25 years. He’s a master of the web specializing in user experience, conversion rate optimization, and digital transformation.

The combination of Paul and co-host Mark’s distinctly British humor and deep understanding of digital strategy make for one of the most informative yet fun to listen to podcasts on the list.

Not only is the show fun-to-listen-to it’s also the longest-running podcast on web design, amassing a HUGE library of content over the last 15 years.

The Big Web Show

The Big Web Show is an award-winning podcast hosted by Jefferey Zeldman that talks about everything that matters related to the web. Jeffrey and his guests discuss topics like content strategy, art direction, web publishing, new technologies, and more.

Of all the shows on the list, this show probably has one of the largest audiences. In part, because they don’t just focus on development they also talk extensively about other aspects of the web like content and design.

The Hanselminutes Podcast

Named after host Scott Hanselman, a speaker, author, professor, and Youtuber that has been writing code for more than two decades. The show has been providing the developer community with valuable insight on a wide range of topics including coding, technology, gadgets, entrepreneurship, and above all else the open web.

Fullstack radio

A well-rounded podcast for new and experienced developers alike Fullstack Radio was started by host Adam Wathan in 2014. Adam is an author, developer, and entrepreneur best known for his work on Tailwind CSS. Adam interviews influential figures in the software industry picking their brain through fascinating technical interviews.

The show explores a variety of topics ranging from product design and user experience to unite testing and system administration.

Dev Podcasts (Programming Languages)

Ruby on Rails Podcast

Ruby on Rails Podcast hosted by Brittany Martin a.k.a “Norma Skates” feels like an intimate chat between friends. She invites a new guest on the show each week to discuss topics centered around Ruby on Rails, open-source software, and the programming profession in general. The show is fun to listen to and structured in a way that provides a ton of value.

“Norma Skates” is Brittany’s roller derby alter ego. That’s right, not only is Brittany a programmer but she’s also a fitness advocate and feels passionate about making the software development industry more diverse.

Ruby Rogues

A must for all Ruby on Rails enthusiasts. Ruby Rogues is a weekly discussion featuring leading minds from the RoR community and a rotating panel of hosts including Charles Max Wood, Dave Kimura, John Epperson, and Luke Stutters.

The show touches on a variety of topics including the latest advancements in Ruby on Rails as well as providing career advice for up and coming RoR developers. Whether you’re looking to learn new skills to help advance your career or just want to hear insightful discussions related to your favorite programming language, Ruby Rogues has what you’re looking for!

Javascript Jabber

Javascript Jabbers has been bringing its listeners the latest and greatest from the world of javascript on a weekly basis for nearly a decade. The show features a panel of rotating hosts including Aj O’Neal, Aimee Knight, Charles Max Wood, and Steve Edwards.

They usually interview a new guest each week taking on a plethora of topics including functional programming, coding environments, design patterns, and MUCH more. It doesn’t matter if you’re a frontend developer, backend developer, or a full-stack developer if you’re interested in web development or javascript then you must check out DevChat.tv’s Javascript Jabbers.

.Net Rocks

Launched in 2002 by Carl Franklin, creator of Music to code by, the show is aptly named after two of Carl’s favorite things in life: music and software development. Carl is not only a talented musician but he’s also a regional director at Microsoft with over 20 years of experience in the software industry.

Originally featured as a guest on the show, co-host Richard Campbell formed a lasting friendship with Carl that eventually flourished into a partnership signing on as a co-host in early 2005. Richard is also a regional director at Microsoft and is recognized as a Microsoft MVP in the area of ASP.NET development.

Needless to say, the show focuses on the Microsoft .NET platform covering everything from introductory topics to hardcore geeky stuff. It doesn’t matter if you’re an aspiring .Net developer or an old pro these are the two guys you want to be learning from when it comes to the .NET ecosystem.

Talk python to me

This weekly show immerses you in the cutting-edge world of python development covering the language, the libraries, the ecosystem, and the personalities.

The show features a combination of both panel-style discussions and one on one interviews covering a variety of topics including the latest updates, best practices, and major events in python development. Soon to record their 300th episode the show was started in 2015 by host Michael Kennedy in response to the lack of python oriented podcasts available at the time.

Podcast..init(‘Python’)

The show was started by host Tobias Macey in 2014, Tobias is the leader of the technical operations team at MIT Open Learning. On a weekly basis, Tobias sits down with Python experts to share insight on the latest projects, platforms, and practices you need to know about to advance your career in any python related field.

The show is formatted in a way to provide the most value for your time spent listening. Follow the show to learn about a diverse range of topics including data science, web application development, DevOps, machine learning, open-source sustainability, among many others.

The Only Tech Podcast List You'll Ever Need (2021 Update)

MaxB-2148 — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 18:00:33 +0000

Accidental Tech Podcast

A show hosted by Marco Arment, Casey Liss, and John Siracusa three long time friends, self-proclaimed nerds, and well respected software developers. Once a week the trio discuss the latest news and trends in programming and technology.

They even answer questions from listeners at least once per episode, these guys really know their stuff too—so be sure to send them all your pressing tech questions!

Clockwise

Hosts Dan Moren and Mikah Sargent invite two new guests to the show each week to talk about pressing technology issues, each 30 minute episode features rapid fire discussions covering four relevant tech topics.

Both hosts are established tech writers as well as prolific podcasters. In addition to hosting Clockwise, Mikah also hosts podcasts for the TWIT.tv podcast network, while Dan hosts and appears as a regular panelist on a number of different shows including The Rebound.

Dan was formerly the senior editor at Macworld and is also an accomplished sci-fi writer. The first episode of Clockwise was recorded back in 2013, which featured Lex Friedman (Dan’s co-host on The Rebound) and Serenity Caldwell. This year Clockwise is set to record it’s 400th episode!

A16z

The a16z Podcast explores the topics of technology and innovation.

The show was created by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and does an excellent job of balancing technology-focused topics with broader business points relevant to investors.

A rotating team of hosts takes turns interviewing industry and academic experts from all over the world regarding how technology impacts business, culture, and our future.

Note to self

The only caveat here is the show recently moved to Luminary, meaning you’ll need a premium subscription to unlock all new episodes.😞

ThinkCast by Gartner

Produced by renowned global research and advisory firm Gartner, ThinkCast, hosted by Kasey Panetta and Heather Pemberton, is where business and technology intersect.

Hear from top experts on how to build a more successful organization, team, and career in a digital era.

TWIT.TV

TWIT.TV is a podcast network that helps busy professionals stay up to date on the latest happenings in the world of technology.

TWIT(This Week In Tech) podcasts serve up the latest tech news and feature how-tos and reviews of the latest tech products.

This Week In Tech has an extensive catalog of weekly podcasts talking about all kinds of tech topics including the latest developments in Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac just to name a few.

Standout podcasts include:

TWIT (This Week In Tech)

This is where it all started. This Week In Tech has been running for over 10 years and has amassed a huge following of loyal listeners.

Hosted by Leo Laporte, the show is an unscripted roundtable discussion with leading tech experts regarding the latest trends in the world of technology. Recorded live every sunday this tech podcast covers all the essentials you’ll need to start your week off right.

The Tech Guy

Airing twice a week The Tech Guy with Leo Laporte talks about all the latest gadgets and gizmos, everything from computers and smartphones to home theater systems and digital cameras. Leo talks about all the hottest tech gear while explaining technology, computers, and the Internet along the way. This is one of those tech shows that appeals to the inner geek in all of us.

Security Now

Hosted by Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte, Security Now gives you the scoop on the latest hacks, outages, security breaches and ransomware attacks. The show is not only one of the most informative podcasts on cyber security – it’s also one of the most entertaining.

FLOSS (free, libre, open source software) Weekly

Join Doc Searls and his rotating panel of co-hosts every wednesday as they review the latest developments in open source. Interviewing some of the most interesting figures in the open source and free software community.

This Week In Enterprise Tech

This Week In Enterprise Tech explores the complex, cutting edge world of enterprise technology. The show follows a panel-style format featuring a quintet of rotating hosts and regularly invites other topic experts to the show to weigh in on the ins and outs of enterprise solutions.

This Week in Google

Hosts Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, Stacey Higginbotham, and Ant Pruitt discuss the latest happenings in the world of Google and cloud computing bringing you the latest news, gadgets, and controversies surrounding Google and its competitors.

More than a typical tech podcast

Reply All

Started back in 2014, Reply all is one of the most popular podcasts on the list with approximately 5 million downloads a month. The show is hosted by PJ Vogt, Alex Goldman and Emmanuel Dzotsi and has been nominated for numerous awards including a Webby Award for best podcast.

The show features stories about how people shape the internet, and how the internet shapes people. One of the most popular segments is called "Super Tech Support" where Alex Goldman, a former network administrator helps listeners take on complex or peculiar tech support issues.

The trio isn’t just talking about technology either they mix in all sorts of tales of popular culture. The show features fun segments like “Sports, Sports, Sports” where Alex Blumberg, co-founder of Gimlet Media, explains popular sports Tweets to Alex and PJ or “Yes, Yes, No” where Alex and PJ hilariously explain internet trivia to Blumberg.

Darknet Diaries

Darknet Diaries is unique because of its investigative style format featuring original audio footage and interviews. The podcast will speak to your inner detective featuring tales from the dark side of the internet including true stories about cybercrime, hackers, malware, and more.

The show has received widespread critical acclaim including positive reviews from leading publications like the New York Times.

Lex Fridman Podcast

Lex Fridman is an AI researcher working on autonomous vehicles, human-robot interaction, and machine learning at MIT, and while his show focuses mainly on science and technology Lex also mixes in plenty of his other interests as well including sports, history, and philosophy.

The show has featured a variety of illustrious guests including names like Elon Musk, Jack Dorsey, Richard Dawkins, Leonard Susskind, and Noam Chomsky.

This isn’t a conventional technology podcast either – not only will you hear guests talk about robots and autonomous vehicles, but you’ll also hear them open up about less conventional topics like martial arts, psychedelics, aliens, and plenty of other stuff that might surprise you.

Fun fact:

Lex loves the JRE (Joe Rogan Experience) and has been featured on the show 5 times, episodes 1188, 1292, 1422, 1455, and 1537.

We'd love to know what your favorite tech podcasts are in the comments below. Let us know if you think we left any worthy podcasts off the list.🙂

Top Tech Podcasts you Should be Listening to in 2021

MaxB-2148 — Mon, 28 Dec 2020 16:34:09 +0000

The very nature of technology is shifting: whereas in the past it played a supporting role, today it's a driver of business objectives, catapulting tech IQ to the top of the list of in-demand skills.

We’re all trying to squeeze the most out of every minute of the day, and in the ultra-competitive and rapidly evolving world-of-technology learning passively and on the go offers a HUGE advantage.

This has lead to a decline in the consumption of traditional resources like printed books and an increase in the popularity of easier to consume formats like audiobooks and podcasts.

Prompting more and more professionals to make listening to podcasts part of their daily routine: listening in the shower, on the commute to work, or even while working out with as many as 144 million Americans listening to podcasts each year according to the latest statistics.

Whether you’re a podcasting newbie or an old pro listening at 3x speed, podcasts are one of the most efficient ways of staying up to date on the latest tech news and trends impacting your industry.

Now, without further ado and in no particular order, let’s dive into our list of the top tech podcasts you should be listening to in 2021.

Read the original Top Tech Podcasts You Should be Listening to article here.

TWIT.TV

TWIT.TV is a podcast network that helps busy professionals stay up to date on the latest happenings in the world of technology. TWIT podcasts entertain you while serving up the latest tech news, reviews, and how-tos. This Week In Tech has an extensive catalog of weekly podcasts tackling topics like security, enterprise tech, the latest from Google, and much more.
Standout podcasts:

TWIT (This Week In Tech) has been running for over 10 years, amassing a huge following of loyal listeners. Hosted by Leo Laporte, the show is an unscripted roundtable discussion with leading tech experts regarding the latest developments in the world of technology.

Security Now, hosted by Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte, gives you the scoop on the latest hacks, outages, security breaches and ransomware attacks. The show has been growing in popularity because it’s not only one of the most informative podcasts on cyber security – it’s also one of the most entertaining.

FLOSS (free, libre, open source software) Weekly brings you the latest and greatest in open source software hosted by Doc Searls and a rotating panel of co-hosts. Together they interview some of the most influential figures from the open source community.

This Week In Enterprise Tech explores the complex yet exciting world of enterprise technology. The show features a panel-style discussion between its quintet of rotating hosts and other topic experts on the ins and outs of enterprise solutions.

ThinkCast by Gartner

Produced by renowned global research and advisory firm Gartner, ThinkCast, hosted by Kasey Panetta and Heather Pemberton, is where business and technology intersect. Hear from top experts on how to build a more successful organization, team, and career in a digital era.

Boagworld

Boagworld is an award-winning podcast named after host Paul Boag, a consultant and author who’s been working in digital for over 25 years. The show is the longest-running web design podcast on the air and has provided countless lessons on digital transformation, user experience, and conversion rate optimization over the years.

Because the show covers such a wide range of topics, like digital strategy, design, and marketing, it also appeals to a wide range of audiences, including developers, designers, product owners, entrepreneurs, and marketers.

Hosts Paul and Mark combine their distinctly British humor and wit to bring you one of the most informative yet fun-to-listen-to podcasts on the web.

Note to self

Described by host Manoush Zomorodi as “a tech show about being human” the podcast is a combination of research with real-life experiences and personal stories. The show focuses on exploring topics relating to how technology affects our lives, including its impact on culture, personal relationships, health, and more.

The only caveat here is that the show recently moved to Luminary, meaning you’ll need a premium subscription to unlock all new episodes.

A16z

The a16z Podcast explores the topics of technology and innovation. The show was created by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and does an excellent job of balancing technology-focused topics with broader business points relevant to investors.
A rotating team of hosts takes turns interviewing industry and academic experts from all over the world regarding how technology impacts business, culture, and our future.

Lex Fridman Podcast

Lex Fridman is an AI researcher working on autonomous vehicles, human-robot interaction, and machine learning at MIT, and while the show focuses on science and technology Lex also mixes in plenty of his other interests including sports, history, and philosophy.

Lex Fridman is an AI researcher working on autonomous vehicles, human-robot interaction, and machine learning at MIT. While the show mainly focuses on science and technology, Lex also mixes in plenty of his other interests, including sports, history, and philosophy.

The show has featured a variety of illustrious guests including names like Elon Musk, Jack Dorsey, Richard Dawkins, Leonard Susskind, and Noam Chomsky.

This isn’t a conventional technology podcast either – not only will you hear about robots and autonomous vehicles, but you’ll also hear guests open up about less conventional topics like life, love, aliens, and everything in between.

Fun fact:

Lex loves sitting down with Joe Rogan to talk about everything from sports and martial arts to the nature of intelligence. He likes hanging out with Rogan so much he's been featured five times on the Joe Rogan Experience. Here are the links to the episodes in case you want to give them a listen. #1188, #1292, #1422, #1455, #1537.

Darknet Diaries

Hosted by Jack Rhysider the show features tales from the dark side of the internet including true stories about cybercrime, hackers, malware, internet privacy, and more. Darknet Diaries is a podcast that will speak to your inner detective. The show has received widespread acclaim from leading publications like The Guardian and The New York Times for its investigative style format, featuring original audio footage and interviews.

Don’t see your favorite podcast on the list? Let us know about it by emailing mbarrera@bluecoding.com

Choosing the right tech stack for your eCommerce store

MaxB-2148 — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 19:03:39 +0000

Everyone’s trying to gain an advantage over the competition, and with an estimated 12 – 24 million eCommerce sites across the globe, it’s not easy to stand out in the competitive world of online retail.

One way eCommerce sites have been capturing their customers’ attention is by offering well-designed and highly personalized online shopping experiences.

In this article, we’ll look at what tools can help your website stand out to potential customers, and the technologies that will help support the scalability and long-term growth of your company.

Whether you’re investigating options for a new project or evaluating an existing project, this article is meant to shorten your search and help make the evaluation process a little easier.

Choosing a tech stack

Your technology stack is the collection of programming languages, frameworks, and other technologies that power your online store. Your technology stack can be broken down into two main categories: front end and back end.

Front end technology stack

The client-side or front end is the part of your website that is visible to the public. It's the interface customers see when they visit your online store. The main components you’ll use to shape and design the look of your website are HTML, CSS, and JS.

Hypertext markup language (HTML) is what gives a web page its structure, and tells the browser how to read the different elements on the page including headings, lists, links, images, and so on.
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is what you use to style and position the individual elements on your page including shape, size, color, and fonts. This also is how you build the layout of your website.
CSS frameworks provide predefined web elements that allow you to build elegant and responsive websites faster and more efficiently. Some popular CSS frameworks include Bootstrap, Foundation, and Materialize.
JavaScript (JS) is what makes your website interactive. Beyond interactivity, JavaScript also provides real-time data updates and animation options. Javascript comes with frameworks and libraries that allow you to perform tasks in a less verbose way.
Popular libraries include: jQuery and React.js
Popular frameworks include: Angular, Vue.js, Node.js,

Back end technology stack

While the back end isn’t visible to end-users the same way the front end is, it’s equally as important – after all, these are the technologies powering your front end. The back end allows developers to store and access data, as well as create complex business logic making your website dynamic. Three major components of your back end are server-side programming language, server, and database.

When it comes to choosing a server-side programming language for your project, there are many factors to take into consideration, including developer availability, average cost of talent, scalability, and performance.

Popular programming languages and frameworks include:
PHP: Laravel, Symfony, Phalcon, Slim
Ruby: Ruby on Rails, Sinatra, Padrino
Python: Django, Flask, Pylons

You’ll need a way to store data – that’s where your database comes into play. Common databases include MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, DynamoDB, and Firebase Database.

Lastly, you’ll need a server to handle requests from clients. Some popular options include Apache and Nginx.

Tried-and-true tech stacks for eCommerce:

Third-party Services & Software

What could be considered the third component of your eCommerce technology stack are third party services and software that provide additional functionality to your online store – for example, working with a payment gateway to process payments online or improving customer experience through marketing automation software.

These tools not only save you development time, but they can also significantly improve your bottom line by saving you money and helping generate more sales.

Fast facts about eCommerce:
Around 50% of participants said that the number one reason for abandonment during check out is the high costs. (Baymard Institute)
It’s expected that more than 95% of all purchases to be conducted via eCommerce by 2040. (Nasdaq)
Around 9% of respondents said they used voice technology to shop once a week or more frequently. (PricewaterhouseCoopers)
Of 1,888 interviewed U.S online consumers, around 40% said that the reason why they didn’t make a purchase was that it wouldn’t arrive on time. Around 20% of them reported that they didn’t order a product because the delivery date was not precise. (eCommerce Consumer Insights Report)

Pricing software

Prisync is a competitor price tracking and monitoring software for eCommerce. Offering stock availability tracking, dynamic repricing automation, worldwide currency coverage, powerful reporting, email alerts, and a robust API for extensive automation. Prisync offers Shopify and Magento integrations.

Dropshipping software

Spark Shipping is dropshipping software that integrates with your existing E-commerce store to automate order fulfillment, provide dropshipping automation, and Amazon repricing. It allows you to automatically route orders to vendors, distributors, suppliers, or fulfillment centers. As orders come in, Spark Shipping will intelligently send orders to the correct place. One of the great things about Spark Shipping is it works with all vendors, including eBay, Amazon, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Magento, and Shopify.

Voice UI software

Speechly is a tool that enables developers to create real-time voice user interfaces that update as the user speaks. You can use Speechly to quickly create a voice-powered form or even to create a voice-powered shopping cart. Speechly integrates seamlessly with your current user interface to provide amazing voice-based user experiences.

Customer Advocacy Software

Referral Candy helps eCommerce stores increase sales by getting shoppers to refer their friends. It’s an app that helps you accelerate word-of-mouth referrals through automation.

Thankbot is a great service for creating memorable experiences and wowing your customers. The service allows you to send handwritten, personalized thank-you notes at scale.

Conclusion

Competition in the eCommerce space has forced companies to look beyond creating basic cookie-cutter websites with a shopping cart, payment processing software, and product catalog. In today’s highly competitive eCommerce marketplace, companies are focusing on user experience and taking the time to design unique, handcrafted online shopping experiences for their customers.

At the end of the day, your tech stack should align with your business strategy and support your short and long-term goals as a company. Finding the right technology for your business might take some experimentation but it’s a necessary step if you want your eCommerce business to succeed.

Time Tracking For Remote Teams

MaxB-2148 — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 01:20:58 +0000

We ask every team member to keep accurate time logs of what they are working on and submit them on a weekly basis for approval. Sometimes new team members are concerned about having to register what they're doing on a daily basis, but after a brief explanation of why it’s important, they're usually good to go.

This post is an overview of why we feel time tracking is important and how to use it to help you manage a remote team.

When you first transition to remote work the concept of tracking your time may sound unnecessary or even invasive. The idea of keeping a detailed log of things you do (or don’t do) and that someone else will be checking it sounds uncalled for if you are a productive team member, and downright threatening when you don’t feel secure in your position.

For contractors, it’s often seen as a hassle, but one that more and more clients require.

As remote work becomes more common, the use of time tracking becomes the norm. Tools like Toggl, Harvest, and other time trackers become more popular. Some are simpler, some more invasive (looking at you, Time Doctor), but they all help you do the same general thing: keep track of what each team member is doing during his or her working hours.

So, why in the world would we track our time? Tracking your time brings some accountability and creates trust in a remote working relationship. There are benefits for both managers and individual team members. Let’s look at them separately.

Do you lead a remote team? Then be sure to check out our list of "Must have remote work tools for distributed teams in 2020" including our recommendation on time tracking software.

Benefits of time tracking for managers

Feeling of progress

As a team manager, there are a few things that you don’t have when you work remotely:

1.The ability to look around the office and see your coworkers

2.Asking quick ad hoc questions to your teammates by the watercooler

3.Office wide working schedules

Unless you are having frequent check-ins and receiving regular reports, you could be left with the feeling that you don’t know whether projects are advancing. While receiving regular updates is important, there are just some things that take longer than others, and reporting on them frequently is not productive. Since you can’t “see” people working, you don’t have a sense of whether your team is working hard or slacking off.

While you could argue that you need to trust your team, building trust takes time, and some team members actually do need help getting on track. Time tracking for remote teams helps you fill part of this void.

The ability to look around the office and see people working gives managers a sense that their team is not slacking off having access to time logs and seeing their team’s hours can give managers the same feeling.

Actual supervision

Like it or not, people get “stuck”. They’ll spend hours or days attempting to resolve a problem that with a little help from someone more experienced they could resolve immediately. Sometimes team members are inexperienced and don’t know the best or most efficient way to do a task. As a manager, you want to reduce the amount of “stuck” and “inefficient” time to a minimum. Having access to detailed time logs helps you figure out who needs more accompaniment and helps you better assign your resources.

Legal and financial backup

Having accurate time logs helps a management team resolve many issues across the remote workplace. For account managers, it helps justify work being billed to their clients in the event of a dispute. For HR teams it helps them figure out overtime payments and days off. For the finances team, it helps in finding the cost of hiring and maintaining each team and their profitability.

Benefits of time tracking for remote team members

Time tracking is not only useful for managers but also brings quite a few benefits to the individual contributors logging their time.

Accountability

Slacking off is easy when working remotely. Netflix can be distracting, and so can your chat windows and social media. Tracking time is a great way to keep ourselves accountable and focused.

When you track time you are taking notes of what you spent your time on, and you want to make sure that whatever you invested your time in was productive. I’ve personally experienced increased productivity simply by tracking the time I spend on different activities and reviewing them on a regular basis.

Tracking time also gives you a better sense of your actual workload and the time you are spending on work every day.

Fairness

For contract workers, detailed time logs are an essential tool to ensure that they are billing their clients for the correct amount, as well as a good backup when clients challenge what a contractor is charging them. For employees, detailed time logs can ensure that overtime is respected, that work schedules are followed, and work is assigned fairly.

Trust

Logging your time in a detailed way and then sharing those logs with your manager can create an additional level of trust in the working relationship. Trust needs to be built over time and providing accurate time logs gives your employer or client the feeling that you are focused on what you need to do and are working to achieve it.

Conclusion

People often feel that they are perfectly responsible and efficient, and that how they spend their time at work should not be questioned. When working solo this is not an issue, and there are many productive freelancers and entrepreneurs doing their thing and reporting to no one.

Working solo is not the same as working as part of a team. In a team each member has different responsibilities and needs for information that time tracking can help bridge: HR departments need to know how long and when you are working, managers need to be able to assign work effectively and ensure that progress is being made, financial departments need to track the profitability of various projects and billing departments need to ensure they are charging their clients the correct amounts.

Remote time tracking software also brings tangible benefits to individual contributors by helping them keep themselves accountable and providing important evidence of the good work they’ve been doing. While time tracking does require some extra work and a little mental effort, it is an important tool to bridge part of the gaps that make remote teamwork challenging.

Nearshore, Offshore & Onshore Software Development: What’s the Difference?

MaxB-2148 — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 23:47:29 +0000

An ever-increasing number of businesses are turning to outsourcing in order to free themselves from having to hire, train, and maintain in-house employees. This enables them to save time and money while tapping into a virtually endless stream of experienced and highly trained IT talent.

Here we define what it means to outsource software development onshore, offshore, and nearshore in detail, as well as provide tips to help you decide which choice makes the most sense for your project or business.

The difference between onshore, nearshore, and offshore software development

When it comes to outsourcing software development, there are three location-based variations: onshore, nearshore, and offshore. Each option is inherently different and offers unique strategic advantages.

Let’s start by quickly defining each term in detail, and then breaking down the benefits of each option.

Onshore software development definition

Onshore software development refers to the process of building or maintaining software using a team located in the same country as you.

An example of onshore software development would be a company operating in the Bay Area that hires a remote development firm or a freelancer in Seattle.

A distinction that should be made with onshore development is that it doesn’t require you to hire developers through a third party (outsourcing) – it can also refer to independent contractors or even direct hires.

Offshore software development definition

Offshore software development refers to hiring developers or a development team located outside the country you operate in, usually with a significant time zone difference (generally six hours or more).

In some cases, like with China or the Philippines, the time difference with North America can be as much as 12 hours.

An example of offshore software development would be a software company in New York that has a team in Pakistan that helps manage their software deployments.

With offshoring, we recommend working with an agency or outsourcing partner over an individual developer. Working with a firm tends to be more reliable, given that it’s easier to get in contact with an established organization than an individual.

Nearshore software development definition

Nearshore software development still refers to hiring foreign talent but in countries with timezone parity or at least significant time zone overlap (3 - 6 hours difference).

It’s hard to say exactly when nearshore becomes offshore, but the general rule of thumb for North America is that nearshore would be other countries located in the Americas and the Caribbean. However, we’ve even seen some firms in Eastern Europe and parts of Africa referred to as “nearshore,” despite having a time difference of around six hours with New York.

Large enough companies may even consider opening their own nearshore development center if their need for nearshore development talent is great enough. For example, some large startups and corporations have opened software development centers in countries like Mexico to gain a permanent foothold in securing affordable IT talent.

Onshore software development Benefits

Knowing that nearby markets offer skilled and affordable talent, many businesses decide to expand their talent search outside their city or state to gain an advantage over local competitors by turning to onshore development.

This is the go-to option for many companies because it’s the most familiar and closest to home.

You can also gain significant advantages in terms of access to untapped markets, but the main drawback is, as you might have guessed, the price tag.

While onshore development may be more affordable than hiring locally or directly, the costs will likely be higher than nearshore or offshore development.

Offshore software development benefits

Offshore software development can be a good option for bootstrapped micro startups and other small businesses because of its affordable rates. You’re also looking at the largest pool of IT talent in the world, including IT outsourcing powerhouses like China and India.

So what’s the downside? Well, it really depends on the country you’re outsourcing to and whether you’re dealing with an agency or a freelancer.

If you're outsourcing to a popular outsourcing destination like the Philippines, you might struggle to contact your team regularly during monsoon season (June-October) when the internet is notoriously flaky.

Communication difficulties like this aren’t just limited to countries with tropical climates either – serious language and culture barriers can lead to a project going off track or cause you to miss deadlines.

Working with a team that can’t communicate effectively is not an option, especially if they’re located halfway around the world.

If offshore software development is a big enough part of a company's strategy, they may even set up a software development center locally to gain more oversight and control. However, the farther the location is from your main operation, the larger the logistical challenge to get it set up and running will be.

Nearshore software development benefits

Time zone parity, common culture, and close borders allow you to maintain close control of your development projects. With nearshore development your partner is nearby, allowing you to collaborate in real-time and making communication much smoother.

You could say that with nearshore development you get the best of both worlds: you see significant cost benefits without sacrificing efficiency or compromising on quality.

What are the downsides? There is a high demand for skilled nearshore software developers that speak fluent English.

Don’t expect to be paying someone with that profile the local going rate, as they will likely be in very high demand with North American companies – especially among companies using Agile methodologies, since these require frequent and fluid communication.

You’ll need to pay special attention to English proficiency, something that’s probably not even on your radar with onshore development.

In summary, nearshore software development improves communication while still offering considerable cost savings and requiring less maintenance.

Conclusion

1.Finding the right outsourcing partner is one of the single most important aspects of making onshore, nearshore, or offshore software development work at scale.
2.Outsourcing allows you to outperform your competition by accessing untapped talent markets, lowering your operating costs, and helping you complete projects faster.

3.Increasing globalization and wider adoption of remote work have lowered the barriers for outsourcing options like nearshore and offshore software development.
4.Outsourcing has proven profitable for many companies in all three location-based categories: onshore, offshore, and nearshore.

Haven't decided which outsourcing option makes the most sense for your business? Book a free outsourcing strategy call, to find out if nearshore development is right for you.

Advantages of hiring remote programmers

MaxB-2148 — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 22:50:20 +0000

Many companies found themselves forced to abruptly implement company-wide work from home policies due to the pandemic. While creating the policies and procedures necessary to support a fully remote workforce may seem like a daunting task at first, transitioning to remote work also offers easily quantifiable value like lower overhead costs, better employee retention, and access to a wider pool of talent.

In this article, we’ll examine the benefits of hiring remote software developers as compared to hiring onsite developers.

We’re a fully remote company with ample experience hiring and managing remote development teams, but we’re not basing this article on our own experiences alone. We’ll also link to studies and other helpful sources to help you decide whether remote development is right for you. Let's start out by looking at why developers want to work remotely in the first place.

Reasons people want to work remote

According to Owl Labs, remote workers report that the top four reasons they want to work remotely are: better work-life balance, increased productivity/better focus, less stress, and finally, to avoid having to commute.

Benefits of hiring remote developers

Increase employee retention

Greater productivity

Access to more talent

Lower infrastructure costs

Increase employee retention

Implementing remote work policies can greatly increase retention rates and employee loyalty. If one of your top performers leaves the company, you’ll need to spend significant time, money, and resources to hire and train a replacement.

The will of the workplace is changing. Research finds companies that don’t meet employees’ needs will have trouble competing in the labor market and holding on to their existing employees.

Employee turnover is expensive. One tactic we’ve found that helps us keep our employees happy is letting them work from wherever they want as long as it doesn’t affect their performance.

Recent surveys found:

51% of workers are actively looking for a new job or are open to one

Coincidentally, 51% say they would switch to a job that allows them flextime

55% of remote workers would be likely to look for another job if they were no longer allowed to work remotely

61% of remote workers would expect a pay increase if they were no longer allowed to work remotely

Source: Gallup & Owl Labs

Greater productivity

According to Indeed’s remote work survey, 72% of companies with remote work policies say workers are more productive, while another 22% say remote workers are equally as productive, and only 3% say that remote workers are less productive.

While both remote workers and onsite workers report working over 40 hours a week, it’s often for very different reasons. According to a survey by Owl Labs, onsite workers are working longer weeks because it’s required, while remote workers report doing it primarily because they love what they do.

Interestingly enough, 72% of both remote and on-site workers feel they're working the right amount of hours each week.

Access to more talent

HackerRank asked 7,000 employers what the biggest challenge they face is when hiring talent and 41% said talent shortage.

A number of industries are experiencing an increase in demand for skilled developers. This can make finding experienced developers in your area difficult at times -- especially if you’re looking for developers skilled in a specific tech stack or a niche technology.

Opening up remote software development roles nationally/internationally gives companies access to untapped domestic markets and an endless stream of qualified foreign talent.

Lower Infrastructure costs

Appealing and well-designed workspaces, fitted with the latest technology, and in a convenient location can be very expensive to acquire and maintain. By working remotely you’re saving a lot of the money you would be spending on installing and maintaining technology systems and infrastructure.

The only limitation remote workers have as to where they can work is the need for a reliable internet connection. Other than that, just about anywhere is fair game. You’ll commonly find remote workers set up in coworking spaces, coffee shops, restaurants, and even overlooking a beach on occasion if the internet connection is sound enough.

Not only do you save money on infrastructure and maintenance, but employees enjoy the freedom of choosing their own tech and work environment.

In conclusion

A shortage of IT talent has prompted more and more companies to look nationally or even internationally when hiring for remote positions.

While there will always be considerable benefits to working with someone in person, the advantages of hiring remote programmers is undeniable, offering everything from lower costs to access to better talent.

Ready to hire remotely?

Find the right software development talent for your team. Contact us today and find out how our specialized staffing and recruitment services can help.

Advantages of hiring remote programmers

MaxB-2148 — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 22:46:19 +0000

Many companies found themselves forced to abruptly implement company-wide work from home policies due to the pandemic. While creating the policies and procedures necessary to support a fully remote workforce may seem like a daunting task, transitioning to remote work also offers easily quantifiable value like lower overhead costs, better employee retention, and access to a wider pool of talent.

In this article, we’ll examine the benefits of hiring remote software developers as compared to hiring onsite developers.

What are the reasons people want to work remotely?

Benefits of hiring remote developers

Increase employee retention
Greater productivity
Access to more talent
Lower infrastructure costs

Increase employee retention

The will of the workplace is changing. Research finds companies that don’t meet employees’ needs will have trouble competing in the labor market and holding on to their existing employees.

Employee turnover is expensive. One tactic we’ve found that helps us keep our employees happy is letting them work from wherever they want as long as it doesn’t affect their performance.

Recent surveys found:

51% of workers are actively looking for a new job or are open to one
Coincidentally, 51% say they would switch to a job that allows them flextime
55% of remote workers would be likely to look for another job if they were no longer allowed to work remotely
61% of remote workers would expect a pay increase if they were no longer allowed to work remotely

Source: Gallup & Owl Labs

Greater productivity

Interestingly enough, 72% of both remote and on-site workers feel they're working the right amount of hours each week.

Access to more talent

HackerRank asked 7,000 employers what the biggest challenge they face is when hiring talent and 41% said talent shortage.

Opening up remote software development roles nationally/internationally gives companies access to untapped domestic markets and an endless stream of qualified foreign talent.

Lower Infrastructure costs

Not only do you save money on infrastructure and maintenance, but employees enjoy the freedom of choosing their own tech and work environment.

Conclusion

A shortage of IT talent has prompted more and more companies to look nationally or even internationally when hiring for remote positions.

While there will always be considerable benefits to working with someone in person, the advantages of hiring remote programmers are undeniable, offering everything from lower costs to access to better talent.

Ready to hire remotely?

Find the right software development talent for your team. Contact us today and find out how our specialized staffing and recruitment services can help your organization.

What is staff augmentation?

MaxB-2148 — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 19:41:48 +0000

Staff augmentation is a term that is being thrown around a lot lately and if you’re in IT recruitment you’ve definitely heard the term before.

Let’s start out by clarifying that staff augmentation isn’t a new phenomenon, contingent workforces have been around forever. What’s changing is more and more companies are adopting remote work lowering the barrier for freelancers and outsourcing services like staff augmentation.

In this article we’ll break down the benefits of staff augmentation, compare it to the leading alternatives, and share tips to help your organization be successful with outsourcing.

Defining staff augmentation

You may find yourself asking what exactly is staff augmentation? While most will be able to infer it relates to increasing staff, it still leaves the questions of how and why.

So how do we define staff augmentation? With staff augmentation, we’re referring to bringing in software developers to work alongside your inhouse team. These developers aren’t hired directly, they’re employed through an external agency or are hired as independent contractors.

The software developers work exclusively on your project and you manage them directly, in effect they act as an extension of your inhouse team.

Source: Evans Data

As an outsourcing strategy, staff augmentation has been gaining traction due to the shifts in U.S. immigration policy that have lead to a decrease in the availability of domestic-based foreign talent. This led to an increase in demand for outsourcing services like staff augmentation, that allow companies to source tech talent from anywhere in the world without having to worry about the implications of hiring them directly.

What are the benefits of staff augmentation?

While there are many benefits to staff augmentation, we’ll be focusing on nearshore staff augmentation, which is our area of expertise.

Respond to changing business needs: staff augmentation allows hiring managers to take advantage of new growth opportunities, scale their existing team to meet deadlines, and even scale down without worrying about the associated cost and liabilities you’d have with direct hires.

Closely manage resources: staff augmentation brings the software development process inhouse, as opposed to managed services, where you basically hand off the entire process to an external team. With staff augmentation you’ll be closely overlooking each step of the software delivery process, ensuring you’re always on schedule and giving you more control over the outcome of your project.

Spend less time and money on recruitment: traditional inhouse IT recruitment is notoriously expensive, difficult, and unreliable. This is only exasperated when trying to manage the hiring process across multiple countries (or even continents), with each country having its own unique employment laws and regulations. Staff augmentation on the other hand, offers predictable recruitment costs and minimal burden on your inhouse team.

Quickly & efficiently gain inhouse expertise: staff augmentation allows you to quickly close the skill gap presented by building a project with a new technology or framework. No need to use internal resources training your existing team or trying to recruit a new team, use staff augmentation to hire a team of experts with minimal risk.

No infrastructure investment: you don’t have to worry about trying to account for most of the costs associated with direct hires like equipment, employee benefits, training, office rental, etc..

With staff augmentation, all those costs are either absorbed by your outsourcing partner or included in the hourly rate. Staff augmentation also allows you to try out software developers before committing to hiring them directly.

Easier and more accurate cost planning: one of the complaints with traditional inhouse software recruitment is it’s difficult to accurately predict how much it will cost to fill a position. Recruitment costs tend to vary as well as administrative costs, making it difficult to accurately predict the cost of hiring and maintaining an employee. With staff augmentation, you have a transparent cost structure; all the administrative and organizational expenses are covered by your outsourcing partner and are included in the hourly rate. That means you no longer have to try to plan for fluctuating recruitment and administrative costs.

No geographic limitations: this is a big one, especially for companies struggling to recruit the level of talent they need for their projects. In 2019, the global outsourcing market amounted to 92.5 billion U.S. dollars. Latin America has the second-fastest-growing software developer population in the world, second only to India. Both regions are set to outpace North America and the EMEA region for the fastest growth according to a study by Evans Data Corp.

When to use staff augmentation

Shortage of local talent. If you’re struggling to find developers locally with the skills you need for your project, staff augmentation will give you access to a broader pool of talent allowing you to fill positions quicker.
When you’re already outsourcing part of your product development but want more insight and control, with staff augmentation developers work exclusively on your project allowing you to manage their work directly.

Staff augmentation vs managed services##

Staff augmentation

With staff augmentation, you’re in charge of the selection process and manage the candidates directly. Your outsourcing partner is responsible for all the organizational and administrative burdens allowing you to focus on initiatives that will move your business forward.

Managed Services

Managed services are great especially when your company’s core competencies aren’t tech-related, seeing as many times you won’t have the internal knowledge to effectively manage the entire software delivery process. With managed services, your outsourcing partner will handle everything from selecting the developers for your project to managing the team’s workload.

How to succeed with staff augmentation

Make it a point to incorporate your nearshore team with your in-house team. Making them feel like part of the team helps motivate developers and increase their interest in your project.

Incorporate best practices for remote teams, including using tools that facilitate remote team collaboration and holding virtual team-building events to improve remote work culture.

Outsourcing partners offer varying levels of support. For example at Blue Coding, you’ll receive continued support from our HR department and client management team. If you need more support than what your outsourcing partner offers you’ll need to consider hiring supporting roles like a project manager to work alongside your development team.

Why Augment Your Team with Blue Coding?

Blue Coding has a strong recruitment presence that expands across Latin America, the Caribbean, and beyond. This includes the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Peru, and more.

We offer our clients continued support from our HR department and client management team for the duration of their contract.

You only pay for the developers you hire, it doesn’t matter how many candidates you interview. We understand the importance of finding the best fit for your organization.

Flexible capacity - expand or reduce your team based on changing business needs.

Track record of success: we've been helping North American clients build teams in Latin America since 2014.

If you need help deciding between staff augmentation, managed services, or a hybrid approach, schedule a free outsourcing strategy call today!