The Goal
My client, an Indian B2B development services company, wanted to establish itself in the German market. As for many start-ups and mid-sized companies in expansion mode, that meant building a presence, delivering a successful pilot project and keeping the big picture in view the whole time.
With 4 development teams across 3 time zones, that was no small undertaking.
The Approach
Rigorous project management first. When several teams develop in parallel, project management has to come first. Together with my client, I set up the right project management tool, wrote the user stories and defined the communication channels the project needed.
A direct line to leadership. On large projects it is easy to lose track and leave behind the people who are ultimately accountable: senior management. Regular status meetings, involvement in key decisions and short lines of communication meant everyone knew at all times where the project stood and when to expect the launch.
Thoughtful use of technology. AI can do a lot, but in the end, customers are people. Throughout development, AI, automation and software tools were used specifically where they delivered the highest ROI.
The Result
The platform went from concept to launch in under 12 months, built by 4 development teams across 3 time zones with no delays. My client launched successfully in Germany, and the pilot project's end customer was satisfied.
The project shows that outsourcing development can work very well, but only with an experienced project manager holding everything together.