A Step-To-Step Guide on Outsourcing Software Development Services in Romania

Software development outsourcing in Romania has grown in popularity recently due to the benefits this country offers. With over 200,000 people working in the IT industry, Romania has a large number of experts who speak English fluently, making it easy for companies to communicate with their outsourcing partners.

Also, the stable political and economic environment provides safety for companies outsourcing their projects. Government support towards the offshore software development Romania has definitely played a significant impact on this industry’s growth.

This has led to the development of a strong IT industry in the country, with many professional services available and a recorded 6.4% GDP growth in 2022.

Benefits of Outsourcing Software Development in Romania

Besides its outstanding beauty, Romania also provides many benefits to professionals willing to leave a mark in the industry. These include:

A skilled workforce: Romania has highly experienced software developers, so it’s easy for companies to choose the right members for their projects.

Cost-effectiveness: Outsourcing software development to Romania is more convenient than other countries due to low labor costs, which help companies maintain and stick to their budget.

Time zone advantage: Being in a close time zone to Western Europe means Romania has a similar work schedule, so companies can easily stay in touch with their outsourcing partners.

Stable business environment: Romania has a stable political and economic environment, providing security for outsourcing software development projects.

Government support: The Romanian government has invested in the education and training of software developers, which has contributed to them having professional skills.

High-quality work: The work provided by software developers is of high quality to ensure that the project is completed on time and correctly.

Access to software development skills: The software development outsourcing industry in Romania offers hundreds of services, including web and mobile app development, cloud computing, big data, and more.

English speaking: Romanians can speak English fluently, so communication and collaboration are always accessible.

These reasons make Romania a superb choice for companies looking for a cost-effective and reliable solution to their software development needs.

1. How to Outsource services in Romania: Evaluate Your Project Needs

Set the Project’s Requirements

Every impactful collaboration starts with a good understanding of the project first. This requires setting the main goals and objectives and specifying expectations.

To evaluate the complexity of your project, you must consider the technologies and platforms that will be used, as well as any specific technical challenges that may arise. You should also assess the project organization system, including the level of coordination that will be required.

All these details will help you identify the right outsourcing partner for your project and make the following steps easier.

Determine the Aspects of the Project That Will Be Outsourced

Not all customers want to outsource all of their work; some want to keep the critical aspects of the project in-house. If you’re one of them, here are some ideas for projects that you can outsource:

• Back-end or front-end development
• Custom software development
• Development of specific features and functionalities
• Maintenance of systems
• Testing and QA

There are some aspects of a software development project that are best kept in-house, such as:

• Legal requirements
• Sensitive business data
• Strategic decision-making
• Key company processes or competitive advantages

2. Identify Potential Outsourcing Partners

Research Software Development Professionals

As with every industry, researching is critical to identifying potentials that match your project requirements.

Here are some strategies to help you find outsourcing partners in Romania:

Online directories and marketplaces: Websites like Upwork, Clutch, and GoodFirms provide a list of software development companies and freelancers in Romania.

Consulting companies: Many consulting companies, such as 112Hub, can find potential professionals for outsourcing. They are experts in identifying the qualifications required for a particular job and can use their networks to discover the best candidates.

Referrals and recommendations: Asking colleagues, friends, or other business contacts for recommendations on software development companies or freelancers in Romania.

Social media and professional networks: Using social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook to find and connect with software development companies or freelancers in Romania.

Industry events: Attending industry events such as conferences, meetups, and networking events to meet potential outsourcing partners in person.

Evaluate the Potential Partners

We know the competitiveness is too high out there, and finding the right partner for your project can be challenging. Here’s what to look for in a potential software developer:

Specialized skills: Consider the specific technologies, programming languages, and platforms you need them to know.

Industry experience: Identify potential partners with experience in your industry, as they will better understand your business needs and be able to provide solutions.

Project management knowledge: Experience in project management is important for ensuring that the project is completed on time and within budget.

Size and scalability: Consider the size and complexity of your project, and identify potential partners with the capacity to handle the project’s requirements.

Interview Potential Partners

Interviewing potential partners will give you a better understanding of their professional backgrounds. It will also help you to identify potential red flags, such as lack of experience or poor communication skills, that may indicate that you need another fit for your project.

During the interview, you can understand the potential candidate’s work ethic, culture, and team dynamics. Ask specific questions to evaluate their qualifications and experience. For example, some of them might be:

• Can you show a portfolio of your previous projects?
• Which are some of your best projects?
• Can you provide reviews from previous clients?
• How do you ensure your work fits the required standards?
• How do you manage collaboration with clients?

Estimate Potential Partner Experiences

This involves analyzing the information provided by the potential partner to understand their skills better.

Experience: A company or freelancer with significant experience in the software development industry is likely to have the skills necessary to complete your project successfully. Ask for the years they have worked in the industry, the working system, and the specific skills they might own.

Track record: A potential partner with a track record of successful projects is more likely to deliver your project on time and within budget. You can ask for testimonials from previous clients or check online reviews to create an idea of the potential partner’s professional journey.

Portfolio: A portfolio is always a good way to get a direct sense of their work, approach, and results. By looking at previous projects similar to yours, you can check the partner’s technical skills and experience.

3. Negotiate the Contract

One of the main steps in outsourcing is negotiating the contract with the chosen partner. This includes establishing clear communication channels, agreeing on a detailed project plan, and establishing an agreement with all the terms.

Clear communication channels: Ensure that the project runs smoothly and that any issues will be addressed promptly. Some methods to achieve that could be regular meetings, using a team project management tool, or setting an emergency contact.

Detailed project plan: Agreeing on a detailed project plan serves as a written rule for confirming the project is completed on time and with the right quality. This should cover the project’s deliverables, timelines, and costs.

Contract: Setting up a contract that includes all the details and payment terms protects both parties’ interests. The contract should clearly outline each party’s responsibilities and the process for handling changes or disputes.

4. Manage the Project

Managing the project is as important as the other steps mentioned in this article. A project management system is essential for assuring the project stays on track. This system should track progress and manage communications, project-related documents, and information.

Test and Quality Assurance

Testing and quality assurance (QA) are critical steps in the software development process. They ensure that the software is tested properly and that any changes or improvements are made before it is released to the end user.

Testing: Testing the software identifies and addresses any issues or bugs before release. Functional testing tests the software’s functionality, and non-functional testing tests the software’s performance, security, and usability.

Quality Assurance: QA verifies that the software meets the required quality standards. It can be completed by creating a test plan, executing test cases, and reporting and tracking defects.

User acceptance testing: UAT tests the software with real end-users to confirm that it meets their needs and expectations. It is a way of validating the software from the user’s perspective and checking if it meets all the client’s requirements.

5. Evaluate the Outsourcing Relationship

This step is all about assessing the outsourcing partner’s performance and determining whether the partnership should continue or be terminated. It can be validated within some time after the contract is signed, preferably 3 months, and it includes the following:

Evaluating the outsourcing relationship: Assessing whether the project was completed on time, the requirements were met, and the end-user was satisfied with the outcome.

Assessing the outsourcing partner’s performance: This includes determining whether the partner met the agreed-upon quality standards and how well they handled teamwork.

Determining the continuity of the partnership: Based on the project results and the outsourcing partner’s performance, a decision should be made on whether to continue or terminate the partnership. If the outsourcing partner has performed successfully, it may be beneficial to continue the partnership. If the outsourcing partner has not performed well, it may be necessary to end it.

Final Thoughts

Outsourcing software development to Romania is a smart business strategy for companies looking to have a cost-effective but productive workforce. This is because Romania has a strong IT and engineering industry and many other outsourcing benefits compared to Western European countries. Consider our step-to-step guide to help you find and sign a successful partnership with Romanian development teams; we guarantee you won’t be disappointed!