We work in Close Collaboration With Clients to Develop and Maintain Software as a Single Team

A Dedicated Offshore Team is a unit that works in close collaboration with the client’s own software development personnel to develop, maintain and quality assure software as a single team. We study the processes and methodology already used by the customer, and in consultation with the customer, design a methodology and collaboration model that would allow the Dedicated Offshore Team to function as though they were just located in another room of the same building. The objective is the seamless integration of the Dedicated Offshore Team into the client's organization.

Case Study

A European software supplier needed to increase its software development, maintenance and quality assurance capacity. They were reluctant to increase the business risk by taking on more staff and were considering the possibilities of reducing costs by expanding offshore.

However, as a software supplier they had concerns about outsourcing the very core of their business - the product development. They knew from experience that it takes time for new resources to acquire sufficient domain knowledge of product lines to effectively contribute to the development effort. They had to be certain that the competence built up would be retained over time.

Creative Solutions worked with this client to set up a team that now carries out more than 70% of their software development, maintenance and quality assurance work:

	Demonstrating Capability To build confidence by demonstrating that Creative Solutions was capable of developing the client's products to the required standards a two man month trial project was initiated that involved developing a real but not time critical requirement.
	Forming the Core Team Together with the client a Project Manager, Team Leaders and Lead Software Engineers were selected, with one Team Leader appointed per product line.
	Training The Team Leaders received training on the products relevant to them and on the development methodology used by the client. Some of the training was delivered by the client’s staff visiting Sri Lanka and some was conducted by web conference.
	Development The relatively small teams commenced work and after a couple of months the client felt confident that the partnership was working well and a decision was made to rapidly accelerate the expansion of the Dedicated Offshore Team.
	Recruitment Campaign A recruitment campaign was planned and carried out by Creative Solutions. Suitable applicants were interviewed by Creative Solutions and the best candidates were selected to be interviewed by the client.
	Monitoring and Evaluation Frequent status reports, regular telephone meetings between Creative Solutions management and the client, and periodic visits by the client, are used to monitor the status of the partnership and chart the way forward.