3 ms·

We're exploring outsourcing again

joelbluminator 6y ago
Not sure what you mean, this isn't outsourcing. This is remote first...two different things. In outsourcing the development is done by an entity which doesn't belong to you, that's a different thing.
- three_seagrass 6y ago
  I believe what they meant to say was offshoring, not outsourcing.
cobookman 6y ago
Timezones matter. There's large benefits in having an entire team in the same timezone. If you've ever tried scheduling a call between India, East Coast US, Europe, and West Coast US...you've dealt with the fact that there's only a few hours a day such a call can occur, greatly limiting the ability to schedule last minute meetings.
- joelbluminator 6y ago
  All big corps have development teams all over the world though no? I agree it's an issue. But the talent pool remote work opens to you is huge.
  - tanilama 6y ago
    It rarely organized in a way that cross many timezones. For the same team, it is at most 3 hour difference, I would say.
  - novok 6y ago
    And you learn to stop working with teams that are across big timezone gaps, for your own sanity.
    - disgruntledphd2 6y ago
      I dunno. I worked on a team of 3 with one in SF, one in Europe and one in Singapore. If you're OK with repeating meetings and work mostly async it's doable. You'll never get everyone together (unless someone takes a midnight meeting, but that's just cruel) except on special occasions, which sucks but it can be done.
- vmception 6y ago
  In the last 4 years I've learned about the Americas. There is a wealth of engineering talent in Central and South America and its basically all within US business hours. They are about double the price of Asian and Eastern European developers. Which is about the price of a junior US developer. (Independent freelance devs try to charge about the same price that development firms charge you). This solves the time zone problem. The distribution of English proficiency amongst developers is about the same as the other places, where only occasionally you will encounter a real language barrier with one or two devs. Now that all big tech workers are digital nomads against their will, there are two entire continents that can chill on without stretching the time zone issue.
  - Apocryphon 6y ago
    Chile is an hour ahead of EST, and Argentina and Brazil are two hours ahead. Always wondered if they could serve as a good bridge between North American offices and Western Europe.

Not sure what you mean, this isn't outsourcing. This is remote first...two different things. In outsourcing the development is done by an entity which doesn't belong to you, that's a different thing.

three_seagrass 6y ago
I believe what they meant to say was offshoring, not outsourcing.

cobookman 6y ago

Timezones matter. There's large benefits in having an entire team in the same timezone. If you've ever tried scheduling a call between India, East Coast US, Europe, and West Coast US...you've dealt with the fact that there's only a few hours a day such a call can occur, greatly limiting the ability to schedule last minute meetings.

joelbluminator 6y ago
All big corps have development teams all over the world though no? I agree it's an issue. But the talent pool remote work opens to you is huge.
- tanilama 6y ago
  It rarely organized in a way that cross many timezones. For the same team, it is at most 3 hour difference, I would say.
- novok 6y ago
  And you learn to stop working with teams that are across big timezone gaps, for your own sanity.
  - disgruntledphd2 6y ago
    I dunno. I worked on a team of 3 with one in SF, one in Europe and one in Singapore. If you're OK with repeating meetings and work mostly async it's doable. You'll never get everyone together (unless someone takes a midnight meeting, but that's just cruel) except on special occasions, which sucks but it can be done.
vmception 6y ago
In the last 4 years I've learned about the Americas. There is a wealth of engineering talent in Central and South America and its basically all within US business hours. They are about double the price of Asian and Eastern European developers. Which is about the price of a junior US developer. (Independent freelance devs try to charge about the same price that development firms charge you). This solves the time zone problem. The distribution of English proficiency amongst developers is about the same as the other places, where only occasionally you will encounter a real language barrier with one or two devs. Now that all big tech workers are digital nomads against their will, there are two entire continents that can chill on without stretching the time zone issue.
- Apocryphon 6y ago
  Chile is an hour ahead of EST, and Argentina and Brazil are two hours ahead. Always wondered if they could serve as a good bridge between North American offices and Western Europe.