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Thanks for the reply, that actually makes sense. Using a combination of the two to get something done more efficiently. I guess it really does depend how hands

by yosho 17y ago

Thanks for the reply, that actually makes sense. Using a combination of the two to get something done more efficiently. I guess it really does depend how hands on you want to be vs how much you know.

yannis 17y ago
It is a good strategy and I have used it also with some success. However in most cases it is a deeply frustrating experience, mainly due to communication. Any software application (unless you wake up one morning and you can write a perfect spec for it), is a deeply iterative process. As you develop you tweak and tweak and refactor and refactor. Actually any Development goes through such a process. You will be better off by : (01) Building up your skills so you can manage the process better (02) Finding a developer in your own area, where you can communicate on a one to one basis. Personally I always try to outsource the design. However, it took me a long time to find the right people and I pay top dollar for it. At the end of the day, it is worth it.
- byoung2 17y ago
  I definitely agree...I definitely had a lot of trial and error with offshore teams. Before I found the right ones in the Philippines, I worked with programmers and designers in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine, Belarus, India, Canada, Ireland, and Russia. The most talented OO PHP programmer I have ever worked with was from Belarus, but it was nearly impossible to pay him because the government makes the recipient sign an affidavit that the money is coming from a blood relative. In the end I had to wire the money to Latvia and he could withdraw it using an ATM card in Belarus. I've found that some of the best programmers (particularly for .NET) are in Eastern Europe, but the English is not so great. Latin America is great if you speak Spanish (like I do) because the time zone is perfect for the US. Same with the Caribbean for timezone, but their infrastructure isn't the greatest, especially with hurricanes. The hurricanes are a problem in the Philippines, it's a risk worth taking if you have a backup team in another country.

by yosho 17y ago

Thanks for the reply, that actually makes sense. Using a combination of the two to get something done more efficiently. I guess it really does depend how hands on you want to be vs how much you know.

yannis 17y ago

It is a good strategy and I have used it also with some success. However in most cases it is a deeply frustrating experience, mainly due to communication. Any software application (unless you wake up one morning and you can write a perfect spec for it), is a deeply iterative process. As you develop you tweak and tweak and refactor and refactor. Actually any Development goes through such a process. You will be better off by : (01) Building up your skills so you can manage the process better (02) Finding a developer in your own area, where you can communicate on a one to one basis. Personally I always try to outsource the design. However, it took me a long time to find the right people and I pay top dollar for it. At the end of the day, it is worth it.

byoung2 17y ago
I definitely agree...I definitely had a lot of trial and error with offshore teams. Before I found the right ones in the Philippines, I worked with programmers and designers in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine, Belarus, India, Canada, Ireland, and Russia. The most talented OO PHP programmer I have ever worked with was from Belarus, but it was nearly impossible to pay him because the government makes the recipient sign an affidavit that the money is coming from a blood relative. In the end I had to wire the money to Latvia and he could withdraw it using an ATM card in Belarus. I've found that some of the best programmers (particularly for .NET) are in Eastern Europe, but the English is not so great. Latin America is great if you speak Spanish (like I do) because the time zone is perfect for the US. Same with the Caribbean for timezone, but their infrastructure isn't the greatest, especially with hurricanes. The hurricanes are a problem in the Philippines, it's a risk worth taking if you have a backup team in another country.