Java is one of the most popular programming languages used by enterprise organizations around the globe. Being a platform-independent language, Java is used by enterprises to build robust and scalable applications through a large number of libraries and frameworks and strong community support. However, Java applications are expensive to develop and maintain, hire skilled developers, set up infrastructure, and keep up with the latest technologies. To benefit from this, the best way for enterprises is to partner with a specialized Java outsourcing company.
Access to Expertise and Scalability
Outsourcing Java development to a 3rd party vendor gives the enterprise access to skilled Java developers who are adept at various Java technologies such as Spring Boot, Hibernate, Struts, etc., and outsourcing companies spend money on training their developers and keeping them up to date on the latest happenings in the Java ecosystem.
Additionally, outsource Java programming vendors maintain large teams of Java developers, which can be tapped into for large or complex enterprise projects. It offers enterprises great cost flexibility since it allows scale-up or down as per project needs. It may be difficult and expensive to try to achieve similar flexibility with only in-house resources.
Increased Focus on Core Competencies
Software application development is important for companies in non-IT domains like banking, retail, etc, but it is not a core activity. Java application development, maintenance and support outsourcing frees them to concentrate their capital, resources and management bandwidth on their core business objectives.
It also uses a lot of bandwidth of the in-house IT team for activities like upgrades, migrations or enhancements. By outsourcing these to a vendor, you get superior application support and free up IT resources to work on strategic initiatives.
Cost and Time Savings
Outsourcing vendors offer enterprises cost savings by way of specialized skills and scale. The costs of setting up infrastructure, licensing tools, and training resources add up for any enterprise wanting to maintain specialized Java teams in-house. Outsourced projects cost between 40-60% less compared to the same work done internally.
The out-of-the-box best practices and processes followed by mature outsourcing vendors also help enterprises. As a result, application development and maintenance requests and enhancements can quickly become time to market, and turnarounds can be quick. Setting up robust processes and best practices requires investments and time, which outsourcing vendors already have.
Reduced Risks and Higher Quality
Java applications developed by expert outsourcing vendors undergo multiple reviews, testing, security assessments and optimization. Mature vendors account for risks much ahead in the development lifecycle, leading to higher-quality applications with fewer disruptions.
Enterprises also mitigate risks of over-dependence on a few internal resources by partnering with outsourcing vendors. Vendors maintain 2-3 resources trained on critical applications as backups. This ensures there are no scramble situations in case of loss of any internal resource.
Access to Newer Technologies
The Java ecosystem evolves rapidly, with new frameworks, tools and paradigms like microservices coming up every few years. Partnering with Java outsourcing companies gives enterprises access to expertise on these newer technologies.
Outsourcing vendors invest regularly in training their teams on newer advancements, which may be expensive for enterprises to replicate internally. This also mitigates the risks of internal skills getting outdated.
Global Delivery Models
Leading Java outsourcing vendors maintain geographically diverse teams that are often spread across countries. This allows them to offer 24/7 support by leveraging time-zone differences as well as options for remote working models.
Enterprises thus have access to a global and distributed team of experts working round the clock on their projects. Such global delivery models are tough to replicate internally and provide greater flexibility.
Improved Time to Market
Software application development typically goes through requirements finalization, design, coding, testing, security review and phases. Mature outsourcing vendors have institutionalized internal knowledge management processes that help reuse solutions where possible.
For example, using a standard security framework for authentication instead of building from scratch saves time. Code snippets, templates and tools also help accelerate the development. This brings down overall time-to-market for enterprise application projects.
Key Considerations for Partnering with a Java Outsourcing Company
While outsourcing Java projects offers many benefits, realizing them requires partnering with the right vendor. Here are some key aspects enterprises should evaluate:
Domain Experience
Ideally, the Java outsourcing company should have worked on projects in the enterprise’s industry verticals, such as banking, insurance, retail, etc. Experience in the specific domain indicates the vendor has relevant knowledge and solution accelerators that can be leveraged.
Technical Capabilities
At a minimum, the vendor should have capabilities across Java, SQL, web services, messaging, design patterns and other core technologies. Additionally, evaluate their experience in related technologies like JavaScript frameworks, mobile, and big data, which may be required for enterprise projects.
Delivery Models
Evaluate delivery models, including onsite, offsite, offshore development centers and hybrid models. See models that can work best for your projects from management control, IP security and cost perspectives.
Pricing Models
Outsourcing vendors offer different pricing models, including fixed price, time and material, dedicated resource model etc. See which aligns closer to your budgets and risk appetite for the Java initiatives being outsourced.
Processes and Communication
Mature vendors will follow standardized processes for application lifecycle management, including development, testing, and release management. Ensure processes are compatible with your IT team to enable smooth collaboration. Also, communication models, including daily standups, status reports, ticketing systems, etc., should be evaluated.
Company Stability
Partnering with outsourcing vendors is a strategic long-term decision for enterprises. Evaluate financial stability, customer retention levels, management credibility etc, to ensure the vendor has the financial and execution capacity to deliver complex projects over the long term.
A Phased Approach is Key to Success
While outsourcing the entire application portfolio may not be feasible at once, enterprises can take a phased approach to realize benefits:
Initial Small Projects
This helps establish an understanding of capabilities from both sides. The small project scopes also make transitions smooth during initial engagements.
Transitioning Maintenance and Enhancements
As success is demonstrated in initial projects, additional work like production support and application enhancements can be transitioned to the outsourcing vendor. This slowly builds up their knowledge of the application landscape.
New Development
After the outsourcing vendor demonstrates a good understanding of existing applications, responsibility for new development initiatives can be transitioned to leverage their expertise and faster time to market.
Refactoring Monoliths
However, many enterprises have legacy monolithic applications that are hard to enhance or scale. They can be refactored incrementally in phases to take advantage of newer technologies like cloud, containers, and microservices. Vendors who outsource can execute such initiatives faster.
Conclusion
With more and more enterprises across verticals looking at outsourcing partners to leverage specialized skills and cost arbitrage, the outsourcing space has been on an upswing. Optimizing investments in Java application development and maintenance is possible through outsourcing. Through a partner with the right vendor, enterprises gain access to expert skills, scalability, cost savings, and reduced risks related to Java initiatives. To succeed, you need to take a phased approach.
