Effective communication is key to the success of any software development project, especially when outsourcing work to offshore teams. When selecting a suitable Vietnam software development company, you must have sure that good communication exists.
What should you do to improve communication between offshore teams?
Clear and concise communication
It is important to use clear and concise language when communicating with offshore teams. Misunderstandings can easily occur due to language barriers or cultural differences. Sometimes English is neither the client’s or the offshoring team’s first language, that adds to the challenge.
Here are some tips for making communication clear and concise. These can certainly apply to software outsourcing context.
- Use simple language: Avoid using jargon (e.g. acronyms) or complex language. Instead, employ simple and straightforward language that is easy to understand. E.g. many Vietnamese software developers don’t understand common Singapore acronyms such as CPF, GST,…
- Be specific: Be specific about what you are trying to communicate, and avoid using vague or ambiguous language. Here are some examples:
– Specific: “The login page should display an error message if the user enters an incorrect password.” Vague: “The login page should handle errors.”
– Specific: “The user’s profile page should display their name, email address, and profile picture.” Vague: “The user’s profile page should display their personal information.” - Use bullet points: Bullet points can help organize information and make it easier to read and understand. It also makes it easier to refer to in text-chat discussions, or comments thread.
- Use headings and subheadings: Headings and subheadings can help break up long blocks of text and make it easier to scan and understand the content.
Video conferencing
Video conferencing tools like Skype or Zoom allow team members to see and hear each other. This significantly improves communication and foster a sense of teamwork – even in the context of client and software outsourcing vendor.
Turning camera on must always be a priority as it helps your team feels more like they’re talking to real persons. If they are shy about it, you should make some effort to encourage them to do so.
Do take note, we also don’t want to have excessive number of meetings. Too many meetings will render your team unproductive. Besides, many software engineers (or even in other countries) are introverts, they don’t like to talk too much 😉 This is the same with any Vietnam software development company.
Project management tools
Project management tools like Jira, Asana or Trello allow team members to track progress, assign tasks, and collaborate on projects in real-time. They are now a must for any software outsourcing project.
These tools have also become more user-friendly in the past few years, making adoption quicker especially for non-English speakers like Vietnamese software developers.
Clients sometimes prefer simpler tool like Google Sheet. Although Google Sheet works in some cases, it’ll soon become unfriendly when your project grows and the amount of content increases. It’s hard to track progress and comments as well.
Talk to the Vietnam software development company of your choice to establish set of tools that both sides are comfortable with.
Instant messaging
Instant messaging tools like WhatsApp, Skype, Slack or Microsoft Teams allow team members to quickly and easily communicate with each other. They are ideal choices for offshore software outsourcing teams. Vietnamese software outsourcing teams are often familiar with most of the instant messaging tools out there.
Visual aids
Visual aids like diagrams, flowcharts, or wireframes can help communicate complex requirements in a more easily understood way. Make use of tools such as Figma, Draw.io, Miro, StarUML in your communication of requirements.
In our experience, having an UI design go together with a feature requirement often works for the quality of the end result. Regardless which Vietnam software development company you hire, make this a priority in your communication.
Regular check-ins
Regular check-ins, either in instant messaging or via video conference, can help ensure that team members are on track and that any issues or concerns are addressed in a timely manner. However, it’s important that teams define what is “regular”. Checking in every 30 mins or hour is often not a good idea. Do discuss with your software outsourcing teams openly about this.
Additional points for bug report
- Use a clear and concise subject line: A clear and concise subject line will help the recipient understand the nature of the bug and prioritize it accordingly.
- Provide a detailed description of the bug: A detailed description of the bug, including steps to reproduce it, will help the recipient understand the issue and how to fix it.
- Include any relevant information: Relevant information such as the version of the software, the operating system, and the hardware being used can be helpful in identifying and fixing the bug.
- Use screenshots or video: Screenshots or video of the bug in action can help illustrate the issue and make it easier to understand.
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