Outsourcing Doesn't Work

I wonder if a kind of TDD system could work. As in I write a test case and a function prototype, then send it off to a Mechanical Turk type community. Someone picks it up, fills in the details, sends it back. Obviously wouldn't work for some of the more complex parts of the project, but it would save me time from having to build the almost trivial parts.

Re: Outsourcing Doesn't Work

#6

Post by jister » Fri, Jul 02, 2010, 5:01 PM UTC

In my experience it would be the opposite so I guess there is always two side of every story.

>> The entire idea of paying dirt cheap prices for an overseas developer defies a basic logic test. Let’s say you’ve got a really bright developer in India who has managed to overcome the cultural differences to work well remotely. Why wouldn’t he charge $40 an hour?

Cost of living in other countries are different.

>> If an overseas developer is good, he can charge a comparable rate to American developers and will stay busy.

That would defeat the purpose of "outsourcing" is it? Again, cost of living is different.

>> A good developer in any country does not have to fear outsourcing or other cost-saving trends. Good developers are scarce everywhere. That scarcity ensures that good programmers will always be able to find jobs and command a certain high-end rate.

I just wish that all companies would think like you do.

Re: Outsourcing Doesn't Work

#7

Post by charlesju » Fri, Jul 02, 2010, 5:06 PM UTC

Outsourcing definitely works.

The main problem that I with your company is that you guys have poor managers. A good manager will know how to modularize code and quality assurance in such a way that outsourcing will be a well-oiled checked and balanced machine.

Re: Outsourcing Doesn't Work

#8

Post by plinkplonk » Fri, Jul 02, 2010, 5:07 PM UTC

"Outsourcing doesn't work" is as extreme as "Outsourcing always works and is the cool thing to do". Like many other things there are successes and failures, but I guess that doesn't make for a very sensational blog entry or discussion.

Re: Outsourcing Doesn't Work

#9

Post by paulreiners » Fri, Jul 02, 2010, 5:08 PM UTC

jeb wrote: post #4

Outsourcing works, else it would not still exist.

That's like saying, "the market is always right; if it seems like it sometimes isn't, trust me, it is."

Re: Outsourcing Doesn't Work

#10

Post by gte910h » Fri, Jul 02, 2010, 5:08 PM UTC

1> Vast difference between domestic and overseas outsourcing. Domestic outsourcing gets rid of a lot of his beefs.

2> You're not paying the developers to develop software, you're paying them to go away afterwards (so you don't have to keep paying them a salary). The big savings don't come from the hourly rate, but instead the fact they're not employees. You get this same benefit domestically.

Disclosure: I run a domestic product development company.