How to Change and Hand Over Outsourcing Companies

As a significant step in the application lifecycle, ensuring a seamless and downtime-free project handover is crucial because it can be costly and difficult if not handled properly. Most clients that come to Netsmartz with legacy projects either chose to minimize costs by outsourcing the development or were unhappy because they were unsatisfied with the previous outsourcing enterprise. 

Whatever justification you use to contact a different software provider, remember that the pathway is always crucial for you and this new development crew, who will be responsible for maintaining the legacy code and frequently fixing errors made by the former dev team. So, you must onboard new employees by implementing a well-thought-out strategy.

So, here is a checklist to assist with your preparation for the difficulty and the shift of the workforce.

7 things to consider while changing outsourcing companies

1. Plan beforehand

Handovers take a lot of time. The earlier you get started, the safer. The earlier you get started, the safer. You and the provider must remember to bring up all the crucial points and ask vital questions. This gives you time to let the information plunge in and revisit it if necessary.

2. Clean it up

Ensure the software is clean when delivering it. Look for TODO lists. Start by removing them or making them more transparent. Remove useless code because you won’t use it (YAGNI principle>).

Generally speaking, you should download only the apps you regularly use. You might have downloaded optional things. Individuals unfamiliar with their installations can only delete them slowly. Remove unnecessary dependencies as well. Ensure the unit tests pass and also that you include all of the crucial details. If you don’t, note which elements are missing and should be handled carefully. The CI pipeline can help to ensure that all those procedures are executed by allowing them to run. And lastly, push everything into version control!

3. Create an amazing README

The README file serves as your software’s introduction. It must concisely explain the project’s purpose, provide an installation guide, and provide examples of utilizing it. There are a few other points you can make. For instance, test execution procedures, fundamental design concepts, software assurances, or the application’s various customer groups.

A README should be brief. You can record a lot of stuff, but ensure to make it concise.      

4. Give access to all the essentials

The importance of programmers having access to the source code they will be maintaining is evident. However, consider all the other documentation as well. In the README, be sure to include links to them. For example, you can give them access to important accounts (e.g., for AWS). 

Here is some more necessary information you must give them:

• Where are your logs kept? 
• Where do mistakes become gathered? 
• Where are concerns, reports, objectives, and bugs compiled? 

Also, don’t just provide them access, please. Ascertain that they are familiar with how to operate the tools.  

5. Explain the entire process

• How would you deal with recent releases? 
• How are deployments carried out? 
• Who exactly needs to be notified if there are serious bugs? 
• How would you address incidents that you deem to be incidents? 
• What are your backup procedures? 
• Does every modification need to go through an audit and a pull request?

These are some crucial things you must share with the new outsourcing vendor. 

6. Review thoroughly

Make a substantial modification and give it to the second person for review. You can even read the code while they review it. Let them know what needs to be checked and why the modification was implemented the way it was. Reverse it if it succeeds. Allow the second person to make changes and then review them. Ensure you highlight specifics.    

7. Explain the complete workflow

Determine each of the earlier toolkits, workflows, and management techniques—as well as your duties in contrast to those of the incoming project manager—that will be used going forward. Specify the positions and responsibilities of each person. Several important issues include:

Management:

Which management technique—such as Scrum or Scrumban—should be used? How soon should you decide on Scrum, and how long will a Sprint last? Events involving Scrum must be held at which times, and who needs to participate?

Roles:

Which duties fall under the purview of different team members, such as the PO, SM, and other teammates?         

Communication:

How will we maintain communication? Will we be using Slack, Skype, or Hangouts? How frequently will we hold video conferences?

Workflow:

What applications will we use to log time, organize tasks, etc.? What will the project development process entail?

Wrapping Up

Now that you have this checklist, it will be easier to manage the entire project handover process. Also, make sure you conduct proper research before contacting any outsourcing enterprise. At Netsmartz, our experts understand your software requirements & bring skills to ensure an efficient software development life cycle. We implement an agile development methodology while carrying out all our development services activities. The software development process that we follow prioritizes the requirements of the clients.