Top Qualities of Successful Software Engineering Services
Software engineering and development is a field that has seen significant growth, as businesses of all sizes have come to depend on software for every aspect of their operations. As a result, the need for software engineers who can build and improve upon complex applications has skyrocketed, giving rise to an entire industry of businesses that provide these services.
Software engineering services are valuable for any business that needs a custom-built software application to help run their day-to-day operations or achieve their strategic goals. They provide your company with specialized teams and technical skill sets to create a platform or software application specifically designed for your needs and with you through the entire development life cycle.
Whether your company is young and just starting or well established and looking to expand its reach, you need a partner that can help you develop the right solutions to enable your organization to reach its full potential.
By working with a firm that provides software engineering services, you benefit from having a team of developers and specialists dedicated to helping you find the right solutions and create the right products.
There are several types of software engineering services, including:
- Consulting (tech assessments, current architecture, project goals)
- Software and architecture design
- Software development
- Software testing
- Deployment
- Application maintenance and support
Pros and Cons of In-House vs. Outsourcing Software Engineering
Your software, like your business, must be adaptable in today’s ever-changing technological landscape. The increasing complexity of software systems, the growing demands on the ability of software to meet new requirements, and the pressure on schedule and quality have led to more companies searching out software engineering services.
When it comes to using software engineering, there are two ways to go about it: You can hire experienced engineers who work in-house, or you can hire a business like ours to do your software development. Of course, both have pros and cons, and the right choice depends entirely on your needs.
In-House
Your internal teams oversee developing the software.
In-house software development, when done right, has the potential to be very successful and productive. When an organization hires a team of full-time developers, it can foster a sense of camaraderie that doesn’t exist in other environments. Having in-house developers also provides excellent physical proximity and collaboration between developers and other employees.
However, in-house teams often result in higher costs because of the need to hire, train, and manage employees. This is especially true if you’re hiring for specific skill sets, like coding languages or technologies that aren’t common across the industry. On the other hand, suppose you employ team members with experts who have enough time to contribute to your project. In that case, these experts will likely become integral parts of your development team — and their salaries will factor into your budgeting accordingly.
Outsourcing
Your software platform is built in collaboration with an onshore or offshore partner.
Outsourcing software development lets you hire people with the expertise required for your project. This is especially useful if you need a particular programming language or testing tool specialist. For example, if you’re building a product well suited for mobile platforms, but you don’t have any mobile experts on your staff. You can outsource to a company specializing in mobile app development.
Outsourcing can also be more affordable than hiring an internal team. Outsourcing the work may be cheaper than increasing your headcount if it’s just a one-off project and not part of your core business.
Not all companies have the luxury of having experienced software engineers on their staff — or even access to top talent for short-term projects. But outsourcing can be the perfect fit when projects need immediate or intensive attention. You can ramp up as many specialists and team members as you need or downsize when required. As a result, less time is spent on staff training and recruiting, allowing you to launch your final product to market faster than you would otherwise.
Outsourcing also lets your internal teams focus on other tasks, while giving you complete control over your project.
The best option for you will depend on your specific needs and goals — you need to consider your requirements before deciding whether you should work with in-house or outsourced software engineers.
Critical Factors of Strong Engineering Services
Providing quality engineering services is a collaborative effort. It takes more than just technical expertise to ensure the success of your project. Communication, leadership, and teamwork are all crucial components in creating a positive experience for your business and team.
To ensure the best possible outcome, look for a company that provides clear communication upfront about their skill sets, process, what you can expect, cost, and an established team with leaders who are accessible for questions, concerns, and ideas. These characteristics will ultimately save time, reduce stress, and improve the overall experience from both sides of the table. Look for these attributes:
- Transparency. A strong software engineering firm will be transparent about its process from beginning to end. Not only do they need to clearly communicate timelines from start to finish, but they’ll also share any changes that might be made along the way. This transparency allows everyone to have an accurate outlook on what’s expected and how long it will take. The last thing you want is for everyone to work with different expectations or timelines.
- Clear communication. Everyone from the engineers to the project manager needs to know exactly what’s going on with the project timeline and goals so there are no surprises about deadlines or changes in direction along the way.
- Teamwork. It’s also essential for everyone aboard to work together as a team. This doesn’t just mean everyone has to get along, but also that there’s a trusting relationship where people aren’t afraid to voice any concerns or ideas they may have.
- Leadership. A strong leadership presence is also crucial because it clarifies who you can approach with questions or concerns about the project. A leader should also be present in all aspects of communication with third parties, such as clients or other stakeholders, so that all parties feel comfortable approaching them with any questions or concerns.
- Knowledge of tools. It’s important to choose a service provider who has experience with multiple platforms and development languages so that they can help you stay on top of technology trends in your industry. Knowledgeable engineers will also allow your company to take advantage of new technologies as the market changes.
- Various skill sets. It’s essential to consider whether everyone has similar skill sets or if they each specialize in certain areas. You want to ensure that you’re getting the best possible value from everyone on the team. Therefore, they should represent a range of both skill sets and knowledge of the latest technology trends and tools.
Finding the Right Team to Deliver High-Quality Engineering Services
A robust software engineering service company will be able to work collaboratively with your team to optimize the outcome of your project while keeping everyone in the loop and involved in decision-making.
If you’re looking for an engineering partner, it’s important to remember that software development is a team sport. While you may work directly with one engineer or another during the project, many others work behind the scenes to deliver a coherent product.
So start by asking about their teams and what makes their engineers different from competitors. Additional asks include:
- Ask to interview a few developers on the team to see if they are a good fit.
- Request customer success stories and case studies.
- View the vendor’s presence and involvement in the tech community for credibility.
How KMS Delivers Software Development Services
We do it all — from building new products to providing technical support for existing ones. Whether you’re looking for a full-service software engineering services company or just need some testing done, we can help you meet your goals. We can help with all stages of your product’s life cycle, from research to design and development, final testing and release.
Our team works with you to deeply understand your specific business and project. Then we work together to develop a plan for what will work best for everyone involved, whether you need full-stack software engineering or something more basic like bug fixing or integration services. Schedule a free consultation to discuss your technology needs.
