As more and more people seek remote working opportunities and companies continue to move many of their functions online, the importance of web development teams is only due to increase over time. A web development team is the face behind website functionality, whether as a channel for companies to communicate with each other or as the location for consumers to learn more about a company’s brand. Web development teams have a major responsibility, and as companies debate between hiring an in-house team or an offshore development team, more and more businesses have embraced offshoring a global development team.

Companies have quickly discovered the value in offshoring their web development teams as a cost-effective and streamlined way of finding experts in the field. This has led many companies to explore options of how to build a good software development team and where to find these equipped individuals. In Ecliptic Ideas’ helpful guide, we’ll discuss the benefits of choosing a global development team, and some of the best methods for organizing a group of experts.

Before the increase in remote work and online businesses, hiring an in-house web development team was the natural way of doing this. However, over time we have learned that outsourcing talent, and working with individuals from all over the world, provides access to an extensive list of benefits for optimized web development. Some of the biggest advantages of building a global software development team include:

• Save Money: Building a global development team saves money for numerous reasons. Many in-house teams will require a salary budget for these individuals, and while having these people close to home might seem attractive, those salaries are often pretty high and are only due to increase with inflation. Hiring individuals from other countries allows companies to look at talent pools that more properly align with their budgets than choosing an in-house team. Additionally, the budget for web development projects can be more costly when choosing in-house developers, so by offshoring their development projects companies can effectively get more bang for their buck while still accessing qualified talent.
• Scale Business Faster: Scaling a company’s profits is always a cumbersome task, but when opting for a global development team, you can avoid many of the headaches of scaling a business such as the numerous financial risks and investment in unqualified team members. With an offshored team, the cost of compensation and recruitment is much lower. With these savings, businesses can anticipate show periods more effectively and invest these savings into growth projects.
• Access to More Talent: When choosing an offshore development team, you’ll be accessing a global talent pool with thousands and thousands of qualified candidates. While this might seem overwhelming during the beginning stages of global web development, the increase in qualified individuals can help businesses dodge the frustrating process of sorting through local talent and instead find team members that perfectly align with their project goals.
• Improved coverage: Choosing an outsourced development team allows companies to benefit from niche industry talent, and by choosing team members that have a strong understanding of both the large-scale and small-scale web development needs, coverage for project goals can expand.
• New perspectives: The increase in offshoring web development is not only popular due to affordability, but also a matter of improved insight. By sourcing global team members, businesses can benefit from alternative methods and broadened perspectives, allowing their web development to be taken to the next level.
• Diverse talent: When choosing an in-house development team, companies are restricted to a local viewpoint and talent pool, which can be restricting when building a great website. A global development team boasts diverse talent which can lead to the creation of breaking-edge projects and improved efficiency for the business overall.

Now that we understand the many benefits of building a global web development team, you may be wondering what the first step in building a software development team might be. First things first, it’s time to find the individuals that will comprise the team, but where should companies find these equipped team members? Regardless of if the company is big or small, it’s important to recruit a development team that will get the job done, and luckily finding these people online has never been easier. There is an expansive selection of developers online looking for work, but with hundreds of online channels, many companies are curious about which websites may be the best places to start recruiting. Some of the most common online forums to source a global software development team include:

• LinkedIn
• Stack Overflow
• Dice
• Remote OK
• We Work Remotely
• Upwork

Once you’ve selected a global software development team, the work is finally ready to begin. There are many best practices for managing a global software development team that should be followed to keep project goals on track and accomplished. Especially considering that global development teams are remote in nature, it’s crucial to manage a global development team carefully to ensure the project doesn’t become messy, or worse, a financial waste.

Make sure to begin by establishing meeting times to communicate tasks and responsibilities, that way a clear line of communication is expected and available to all team members. On a similar note, make sure to establish effective communication platforms such as email or Slack so that none of your employees are left in the dark. It’s also important to compensate your development team promptly, as a lack of financial responsibility can easily send the team packing.

Before diving into the main development projects, make sure all team members are on the same page when it comes to the numerous processes and procedures involved. Implementing a project management system is highly suggested to encourage team members to organize and properly facilitate the numerous stages of your web development needs. The remote nature of global development teams should encourage increased communication and trust so that the projects can be completed efficiently.

While more and more companies have shifted to offshoring their global software development teams, that doesn’t mean that offshoring doesn’t have a few disadvantages that companies need to understand before diving in. There are potential drawbacks for both in-house and outsourced development teams, with some of the biggest issues of a global development team including:

• Language Barrier: When organizing a global software development team, it’s very common for team members to speak English as a second language, with some of the largest talent pools being in India, China, and the Philippines. The language barrier shouldn’t be seen as a deterrent, but rather a factor to keep in mind when communicating project goals and effectively speaking with the team.
• Cultural Differences: As with choosing anyone outside of your local culture, there may be cultural differences that companies should be cognizant of. Project managers should stay aware of what may or may not be offensive to their team to stay culturally respectful.
• Regional Conflicts: In certain global circumstances, such as the war in Ukraine, regional conflicts can hurt your team as some of them may be forced to be offline during important project stages.
• Time Differences: One of the most impactful potential drawbacks of choosing a global software development team is the difference in time zones. Project managers and team members need to stay aware of the local time zones of their teams to stay in proper communication with one another.

Learning how to build a good software development team is all about properly utilizing your resources, and building a global development team is a very smart choice. The access to diverse talent and cost savings with offshoring talent can lead to company growth and increased web capabilities, both of which are huge factors when scaling a business and staying competitive within modern digital markets. If you’re not quite ready to build a global development team, Ecliptic Ideas is here to help! Our experienced experts have the resources and know-how to source a qualified team of individuals that will get the job done efficiently and successfully. Contact Ecliptic Ideas today to learn more!