Why outsource Python development of your project to an external partner?

As we’ve already established, external Python developers can be a godsend if you’re just starting out or if your current projects are just a bit over your in-house team’s skill level. But how exactly can they help you?

1. Python outsourcing gives you better control of your money

Python costs are a bit front-loaded. Any development project has to rely on a prototype designed by someone who really knows what they’re doing. Once a team of professionals builds your prototype for you, you can avoid any hosting fees by getting a trial operation.

At this stage, you should have a much clearer picture on where you stand with the project financially and you can decide whether you want to continue developing the project with the external team or take over the project on your own, since the hardest part is already behind you. Either way, you’re much more in control of your spending.

2. Python outsourcing offers variety, experience, and novelty

Two heads are better than one. Sometimes you may have a clear vision of where you want to go, but be unsure of how to get there. In that case, a fresh perspective can get you on your way.

External Python developers have a great amount of experience in their field, meaning they’ve handled lots of projects—perhaps some of them even similar to yours.

Working with someone from the outside gives you a degree of flexibility and innovation you may not be able to achieve by sticking only to your in-home team.

3. Python outsourcing is an opportunity for knowledge sharing

Keep in mind that with team extension, even though you’re joining forces with external specialists, you’re still in charge of your in-house team. Your own engineers can really only benefit from what the new team members, even temporary, have to offer.

It almost goes without saying that working alongside experts with greater know-how will help grow your own developers’ knowledge of software engineering. You’ll strengthen your business in the long term by allowing outsiders into your midst.

4. Python outsourcing boosts team productivity and project safety

With great experience comes greater awareness of what can go wrong. You can count on beginner’s luck if you feel like gambling, but long-time players will know how to avoid rookie mistakes.

The fewer mistakes you make along the way, the better the team morale, the higher the chances the product will carry on being built without a hitch, and the faster the project turnaround.

5. Python outsourcing allows you to focus on what’s important

With a team of outsiders taking charge of creating your product, you can distribute all your other resources however you like.

You’ll have more time and more manpower to make sure your business keeps on growing, instead of directing most of your efforts toward a project that may not even meet your expectations due to reasons such as lack of experience.

How to find the best outsourced Python team for your web app development?

If you’ve already decided you could use more hands on deck, it’s time to get into the specifics. We’ve established that Python developers aren’t that hard to come by, which really means that you’ll need to consider your options very carefully.

Some outsourcing partners might be competent in their own right, but simply incompatible with your company culture or a poor fit for your project. Others might be less competent than they claim to be and hiring them will create more problems for you than it will solve.

In short, it’s not easy to assemble the right team for your business. Here’s what you should pay special attention to in the developers who might end up working on your project:

1. Do they have the necessary experience?

As we’ve stressed a couple of times up to this point, the entire purpose of hiring an external team to handle your project is to get help from someone who knows what they’re doing.

Take a look at the outsourcing company’s portfolio and see if they’ve worked on something similar to what you have in the works.

Checking their recommendations online using review services such as Clutch.co is also a great idea. If there’s enough positive word of mouth to go around, there’s probably something behind it and that’s a partner you can trust.

2. Are their Python skills up to your standards?

Outsourcing in general is one thing, but we’re talking specifically about Python outsourcing here. There are multiple Python-related skills that should be considered a must when partnering up with a software agency.

We highly recommend you verify the developers and what they bring to the table before making any decisions. Here are several examples:

                         
  • syntax,
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  • semantics,
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  • Python concepts,
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  • Django, Flask, and other popular frameworks,
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  • templating languages on the server side,
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  • testing,
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  • debugging,
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  • database integration.
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3. How good are their soft skills? Is communication an issue?

This is the part you’ll be checking once you come into contact with your potential team. Get a feel of what working with them would look like on a daily basis.

Are they friendly, competent, and ready to accommodate your needs? Or do they have strict rules and make demands of you instead? Are they responsive to your emails and calls? Or do they leave you hanging for days at a time?

If you’re going to work with an outside team for an extended period of time, you need to know you’re compatible. If they’re a poor culture fit for you, can’t be flexible, or won’t communicate with you openly, you’re probably better off looking for someone else.

4. Can you afford them? If so, should you?

Imagine you’ve finally found what seems to be the team of your dreams. They’ve got tons of experience, they’ve delivered something very similar to your project fairly recently, the results are more than satisfying. They’re extremely friendly and responsive, plus they generally seem like they can accommodate all of your needs and requirements without a problem.

There’s a catch though: if you hire them, you’ll go over budget.

Should you splurge on this collaboration and hope the returns will be worth the investment? That’s certainly an option; after all, quality usually comes with a price and those outsourcing agencies who really know their worth won’t be selling themselves short.

However, unless you’re really confident in your potential partner, have a nest egg somewhere, or just love to live on the edge, perhaps it would be better to compromise.

You might find someone who isn’t nearly as good, but their asking price is far more in line with what you can spend. Responsibility is key in business and in the end this decision can make a great impact on the future of your company—both positive and negative.

How to prepare for outsourcing Python software development at your company?

Let’s say you’ve found the right team, hoping for the best. Now the ball is in your court.

You can be working with the greatest partner in the world, but if you don’t make sure everything is in place, the collaboration itself can still turn into a disaster. The more prepared you are, the less can go wrong.

We have a whole article written specifically about handing over your project to an outsourcing partner—it even includes a step-by-step checklist! Head over here if you wish to check it out, which we highly recommend, but in the meantime, here are some of the key aspects of software project handover you should keep in mind:

                         
  • Be upfront about all aspects of your project. Set up goals, list ideas, lay out your requirements. Make sure the team knows all the details before they set a course.
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  • Your new team will need access to data. Make sure they have that necessary access to everything they might require to get your project off the ground.
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  • Establish the relationships between your in-house team and your outsourced team. Make sure everyone knows who they’re reporting to and that no roles or responsibilities overlap. This is a crucial step to ensuring that your work is actually made efficient by adding team members instead of just making things more convoluted. The most important thing to establish here is setting up a project manager, whether it’s someone on your internal team or from the other side.
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  • Keep your eyes on the project. Set up a CRM or other tool that will help you keep track of what stage everyone is at.
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  • Ensure proper communication channels. Make sure everyone knows who to contact and using which channel. Bad communication can sink a perfectly viable project.
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Final thoughts on Python outsourcing

Starting a new software project is always exciting, though it can feel pretty disheartening when you realize you don’t have the skills necessary to complete it. While Python may be a simple tool, you often need more professionals than you can hire in-house to fully realize your vision.

Thankfully, there’s a lot of experts out there who can help you with that—all you need is to know where to look. We don’t want to brag, but as the largest Python software agency in Europe, STX Next might be a good starting point! 

We’re quite proud of the 400+ projects we’ve helped deliver over the years. Check out our portfolio and see for yourself. We also offer a number of useful resources on both software development outsourcing and Python, such as:

We can support your Python development the same way we’ve supported our 200+ clients since 2005. Just reach out to us and we’ll gladly see what we can do for you.