<h4>If you use Adobe Commerce, you're probably aware of how scalable and versatile it is. It enables multinational companies to swiftly incorporate new technologies and engage customers at every touchpoint thanks to its modular core and headless features.</h4>
<p>In the March update there were such aspects as improved performance and overall platform quality (more than 300 quality fixes and enhancements).</p>
<p>Main enhancements:</p>
<ul>
<li>Now Adobe Commerce 2.4.6 supports PHP 8.2 (8.1 remains fully supported) and PHP 7.4 has been removed. </li>
<li>Improved performance for operations affecting many customer segments. </li>
<li>Improved import performance (csv REST API endpoint)</li>
<li>Improved High-throughput order processing</li>
<li>The Purchase Orders for Companies feature is now fully exposed by the GraphQL API.</li>
<li>Improved response time when querying categories with category permissions enabled via GraphQL</li>
<li>Optimized performance of category tree rendering on GraphQL</li>
<li>Reduced bulk cart operations query response times on GraphQL</li>
<li>B2B v1.3.4</li>
</ul>
<p>Here you can find more information about the released update:</p>
<p><u><a href="https://experienceleague.adobe.com/docs/commerce-operations/release/notes/adobe-commerce/2-4-6.html?lang=en">Adobe Commerce 2.4.6 Release Notes</a></u></p>

Adobe Commerce 2.4.6 is now available to partners.

Adobe Commerce 2.4.6

<p>Five years after its previous publication, OWASP has today issued its updated list of the top 10 vulnerabilities for organizations in 2021–2022. The 10 widespread vulnerabilities identified by OWASP that are most likely to have an impact on businesses in the upcoming years are explained in this article.</p>
<h3>OWASP Top 10: 2021–2022, compared to 2017</h3>
<p>A nonprofit organization called OWASP was founded with the purpose of enhancing software security. It is a one-stop shop for those looking for application security failure and practical expertise, as well as businesses, governments, and other international organizations. It presents its own collection of lessons on application security and related topics rather than promoting any commercial services or goods.</p>
<p>Additionally, it embodies the idea of an "open community," in which anybody may take part in online OWASP discussions, projects, and other activities. All of the OWASP's resources, such as online tools, videos, forums, and events, are made available to the general public via its website. Data leaks, shoddy access control, and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are all common as a result of the increase in cybercrime. The OWASP Top 10 was created by the OWASP Foundation to aid in avoiding certain security issues. It is an order by assessing the relevance of the 10 most serious security risks to current web apps. The most recent revision to OWASP's "Top 10" list, which was last updated in Q4 of 2021, was made in 2017.</p>
<h3>A03:2021-injections expand in scope</h3>
<p>Injections are used in the initial modification. When a hacker tries to provide data to a web application, it is known as an "injection attack," and the web program ends up acting inadvertently. These vulnerabilities may involve LDAP (lightweight directory access protocol) injection, SQL, and operating system bugs. The most recent update to the OWASP Top 10 now includes A07:2017 cross-site scripting vulnerability since this weakness is also injectable (XSS).</p>
<h3>A05:2021-rising importance of security misconfiguration</h3>
<p>This category has climbed in the OWASP Top 10 due to the increase of configuration choices. A04: 2017-XML External Entities starting in 2021 are also included (XXE). An XML input processing client-side software is the target of the XXE attack. When hazardous XML input references to external entities are handled, an XML-External-Entities-Attack occurs. However, this attack only works when the XML parser is broken or badly set up. As a result, A04:2017-XML External Entities (XXE) has been added as a specific kind of misconfiguration to A05:2021-Security Misconfiguration.</p>
<h3>The Top 10 OWASP Vulnerabilities for 2022: What Are They?</h3>
<p>With revised scope, renamed categories, and consolidation, the Top 10 for 2021 now includes three new categories. Here are the main security flaws to look out for in 2022 to get things going and defend against these dangers:</p>
<p><img src="https://cms.cloud.mygento.com/uploads/OWASP_Vulnerabilities_928bf9bd29.png" alt="OWASP Vulnerabilities.png" /></p>
<h3>1. Access control issues</h3>
<p>Access control puts tactics into action to stop users from going outside the bounds of the permissions they have been granted. Unauthorized or undesired users may get access to sensitive data, processes, and user privilege settings as a result of access vulnerabilities. </p>
<p>An example of an access control vulnerability is metadata manipulation, which includes tampering with or replaying with a JSON web token (JWT) access control token, or changing cookies or hidden information to increase privileges or exploit JWT invalidation. Another illustration is when the rule of default denial is broken. Everyone has access, but access must only be allowed to certain positions, talents, or users. Attackers may find it easy to gain access to all they want as a result of such flaws.
However, by using safe coding techniques and adopting steps like turning off administrator accounts and limits and installing multi-factor authentication, one may prevent insufficient access security mechanisms and identity or password management concerns. </p>
<p>Additional preventative strategies comprise:</p>
<ul>
<li>To minimize cross-origin resource sharing, enforce access control methods only once and utilize them throughout the application (CORS). </li>
<li>Clearly defined application business limits ought to be imposed by domain models. </li>
<li>Limit user access to controllers and application programming interfaces (API) to lessen the impact of automated attack tools. </li>
<li>Log access control errors and notify administrators as necessary. </li>
<li>Model access controls must ensure record ownership rather than providing the user access to create, view, alter, or delete any information.</li>
</ul>
<h3>2. Cryptographic failures</h3>
<p>Sensitive data exposure, formerly known as cryptographic failures, moved up one place to position two. The emphasis here is on cryptographic mistakes or lack thereof, which commonly reveal sensitive data; this is more of a symptom than a major cause. The following are common instances of exposed sensitive information: </p>
<ul>
<li>Session tokens </li>
<li>Login credentials and passwords </li>
<li>Online purchases </li>
<li>Personal data (switched service network or SSN, health records, etc.)</li>
</ul>
<p>For instance, automatic database encryption may be used by an application to securely encrypt credit card information. Unfortunately, when this data is read, it is instantly decrypted, making it possible for an attacker to use a SQL injection flaw to extract credit card information in cleartext. The following preventative measures can be taken to minimize these failures: </p>
<ul>
<li>To save passwords, you should use strong, salted, adaptive hashing algorithms with a delay factor, such as scrypt, Argon2, PBKDF2, or bcrypt. </li>
<li>When sharing sensitive data, older protocols like the file transfer protocol (FTP) and simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) should be avoided. </li>
<li>It is advisable to use authenticated encryption rather than just utilizing encryption. </li>
<li>Keys that are generated via cryptographic randomness must be kept in byte arrays. If passwords are used, they must be converted into something akin to a key using a password-based key production process.</li>
</ul>
<h3>3. Injections</h3>
<p>A database attack known as injection (also known as SQL injections) targets websites that utilize structured query language (SQL) to collect information or carry out tasks that typically require an authenticated user account. Because these codes are challenging for the software to decipher from its own code, attackers can employ injection attacks to access restricted regions and sensitive information while posing as trusted users. SQL injections, command injections, CRLF injections, LDAP injections, etc. are examples of injections. </p>
<p>94 percent of the applications were checked for injections, with a maximum estimated incidence of 19 percent, an average rate of incidence of 3 percent, and 274,000 incidents. Injection was thus demoted to third on the updated ranking.</p>
<p>Among such preventative strategies are: </p>
<ul>
<li>Employing an API that totally avoids the interpreter, provides a parameterized API, or switches to object-relational mapping (ORM) tools is a preferred option. </li>
<li>It is advised to use server-side validation input that is positive. Special characters are required by several applications, including text fields and APIs for mobile apps. </li>
<li>It's a wonderful idea to use LIMIT and other SQL limitations inside queries to prevent large amounts of data from being exposed in the event of a SQL injection.</li>
</ul>
<h3>4. Unsafe architecture</h3>
<p>This is a new category for 2021 that focuses on design and architectural defects. Reference architectures, threat modeling, and design safety guidelines should all be used more frequently in this area. There are several issues that fall under the broad category of "insecure design," such as "missing or insufficient control design." This does not mean that the other top 10 risk categories are all caused by insecure design. </p>
<p>Insecure implementation differs from insecure design. Even though the design is secure, implementation problems might result in vulnerabilities. On the other hand, if there aren't adequate security measures in place to protect against specific risks, a defective design cannot be made up for by faultless execution.
These dangers can be avoided by utilizing the following preventative methods: </p>
<ul>
<li>With the help of AppSec experts, set up and apply a secure development lifecycle to assess and create security and privacy measures. </li>
<li>For important verification, access control, application logic, and crucial flows, threat modeling is suggested. </li>
<li>User stories should contain terms and controls related to security. </li>
<li>Another effective preventive strategy is the design-based separation of tenants into distinct groups across all layers.</li>
</ul>
<h3>5. Incorrect security setups</h3>
<p>Similar to improperly configured access restrictions, general security setup flaws offer serious risks by giving attackers rapid and simple access to sensitive data and site areas. </p>
<p>90% of applications were examined by OWASP for misconfiguration due to an average incidence rate of 4% and over 208,000 instances of a common weakness enumeration (CWE) in this category. Two significant CWEs are "CWE-16 configuration" and "CWE-611 incorrect limitation of XML external entity reference." Secure installation methods, which include the following, must be utilized to prevent configuration issues:</p>
<ul>
<li>A secure environment may be quickly and simply deployed using a methodical reinforcing procedure. Similar environments should be set up for development, quality assurance, and operations, each with its own set of user privileges. </li>
<li>It is perfect for automating procedures for creating a new safe environment in order to save the required time and effort. Frameworks and features that are not utilized should not be added or uninstalled. The risk of configuration vulnerabilities is reduced by a primary platform devoid of auxiliary features, parts, documentation, or demonstrations.</li>
</ul>
<h3>6. Weak and out-of-date components</h3>
<p>Most internet applications are developed using third-party frameworks. Unknown application codes might lead to problematic situations and effects, such SQL injections and accent control violations. </p>
<p>There may be vulnerability-related risks if the application is unreliable, unsupported, or out-of-date. The package consists of the operating system, applications, DBMS, APIs, other components, libraries, and runtime environments. It also contains the application/web server. </p>
<p>Attackers can locate unpatched or incorrectly configured machines using automated methods. For instance, users may find devices that are vulnerable to the Heartbleed issue using the Shodan IoT search engine, which was addressed in April 2014. Several preventative strategies include:</p>
<ul>
<li>It is essential to buy parts from reputable vendors using safe payment methods. </li>
<li>Be on the watch for components and modules that lack functionality or don't offer security updates for previous iterations. If patching is not possible, think about creating virtual patches to monitor, recognize, or protect against the vulnerability. </li>
<li>Eliminate any extraneous needs, features, components, directories, or documentation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>7. Failures in identification and authentication</h3>
<p>Previously known as broken authentication, this category now includes CWEs related to identity issues after falling from second place. Security risks arise when an attacker acquires user data, password recovery, ID sessions, and other login credentials. An identity and authentication failure comprises hackers taking advantage of such vulnerabilities to take advantage of weak authentication, as the name suggests. </p>
<p>These might be indicators of authentication weaknesses if the program allows automated attacks like credential stuffing, when the attacker has access to lists of genuine users and passwords, or predetermined, weaker, and popular passwords like "Password1" or "admin/admin."
Consider the following preventative actions to avoid such flaws: </p>
<ul>
<li>To prevent automated credential stuffing, brute-force attacks, and the reuse of stolen credentials, multi-factor authentication must be utilized wherever it is practical. </li>
<li>Password security can be improved by comparing newly created or altered passwords to a database of the 10,000 worst passwords. </li>
<li>In order to protect password recovery, registrations, and API paths from account enumeration attacks, using the same messages for every outcome is a good idea. </li>
<li>Installing default login credentials is not recommended, especially for administrative users.</li>
</ul>
<h3>8. Failures in software and data integrity</h3>
<p>Data integrity considerations are becoming important for software since more sensitive data is kept in databases that are susceptible to security breaches. </p>
<p>This is a brand-new category that concentrates on taking for granted the reliability of CI/CD processes, critical data, and software upgrades. Applications using add-ons, modules, or repositories from unofficial or content delivery networks (CDNs) are one instance. Unprotected continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) processes run the risk of unwanted access, system compromise, and malicious code. </p>
<p>Prevention strategies involve:</p>
<ul>
<li>To ensure that data or software comes from legitimate sources without being tampered with, one might take precautions like using digital signatures. </li>
<li>To ensure that components don't include design defects, a security tool for the software supply chains, such as OWASP CycloneDX or OWASP Dependency-Check, may be utilized. </li>
<li>To protect the integrity of the code throughout setup and deployment processes, it is essential to ensure that the CI/CD workflow includes the requisite segmentation, access control, and parameterization. </li>
<li>Sending unsigned or unencrypted compilation data to customers who are not trusted is not advised unless integrity checks or a digital signature are in place to detect data duplication or tampering.</li>
</ul>
<h3>9. Failures in security logging and monitoring</h3>
<p>A lack of tracking in the presence of suspicious activities and events might extend gaps in time that go unmonitored, allowing security breaches to go unreported for longer than they would with better documentation. This portion of the OWASP Top 10 for 2021 is designed to help with the detection, escalation, and remediation of recent breaches. Without recording and monitoring, it is unlikely that a security breach will be discovered. </p>
<p>This failure was demonstrated by a General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) issue involving a significant European airline. Over 400,000 customer payments' worth of information were allegedly obtained by hackers who used security holes in payment applications. The airline was penalized by the privacy authorities 20 million pounds for the lost data.</p>
<p>As a precaution against such hacks, users should: </p>
<ul>
<li>Check that any issues with authentication, access security, and server-side data validation are documented with enough user information to identify erroneous or fraudulent accounts and preserved for a long enough time to support a delayed thorough investigation. </li>
<li>Ensure that logs are produced in forms that log management systems can use. </li>
<li>Develop or use a newer version of NIST 800-61r2 or another approach for incident recovery and response efforts. </li>
<li>Make that log data is properly encoded to prevent hacker threats or intrusions into the monitoring systems.</li>
</ul>
<h3>10. Server-side request forgery (SSRF)</h3>
<p>An above-average testing coverage, a comparatively low incidence rate, and above-average Impact and Exploit scores are among the findings for this category. When server-side queries are made without first checking the user-provided URL, SSRF develops. This enables an attacker to bypass network access control lists, virtual private networks, or firewalls to force an application to send a falsified request to a malicious address (ACL). </p>
<p>With the introduction of new web apps that provide end-users practical functions, fetching a URL has become a common occurrence. As a result, the prevalence of SSRF is rising. Additionally, cloud services and design complexity are contributing to an increase in SSRF intensity. In light of this, the following preventative methods can be used to prevent similar attacks:</p>
<ul>
<li>One should divide distant resource access functions into several networks to reduce the impact of SSRF. </li>
<li>Install network access control rules or "deny by default" firewall settings to prevent all web traffic aside from necessary internal traffic. </li>
<li>It's wise to be aware of URL correctness to defend against attacks like DNS remapping and "time of check, time of usage" in (TOCTOU) scenarios.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Implementing OWASP's Top 10 Insights</h3>
<p>The 2021 update comes with a number of notable improvements over earlier versions. The newly classified category A04:2021-insecure design clearly suggests that security has to be prioritized even during the design phase. The benefits of microservices versus monoliths in terms of security come next. They are not impenetrable, though, as shown by A10:2021-server-side request forgery (SSRF), which calls for extra parameters (A05:2021-security misconfiguration). </p>
<p>Taking OWASP's recommendations into consideration may increase application security against cyberthreats, strengthen network and cloud encryption, increase application success rates, and significantly boost a company's cyber resilience.</p>

The most recent list from OWASP details the dangers that are most likely to affect businesses in 2022 and how to defend against them.

Top 10 Vulnerabilities by OWASP 

<p>Recent world events have accelerated the already accelerating change in the internet commerce sector. Passed years were genuinely important for internet sales since they kept customers at home, which resulted in a significant shift in consumer behavior. </p>
<p>By the next few years, customer expectations for internet enterprises have continued to rise. As a result, businesses that take advantage of the current trends' sales potential outperform those of their rivals.</p>
<p>Direct-to-consumer (D2C) ecommerce is forcing B2B enterprises who were previously dependent on pure distribution networks to change their business strategies. D2C digital commerce sales in the US soared to 11.5 billion USD in 2020, and that number exploded to 129 billion USD by 2021. With 25% of customers utilizing D2C subscription services solely, millennials and Gen Z are driving a growing interest in the D2C sector. </p>
<p>Join us as we analyze what it means to go from distribution to direct-to-consumer (D2C), the motivations behind doing so, and the possible risks and problems associated with doing so successfully. We also look at the most recent developments and elements that play a role in expanding your D2C business.</p>
<h3>FROM DELIVERY TO D2C</h3>
<p>In the past, B2B businesses depended on retailers or distributors to sell their goods to final consumers. The well-functioning system was nevertheless upset by COVID when retail closures, lockdowns, and supply chain interruptions led to sharp decreases in sales. Distribution and retail partners even shut down completely in some instances. </p>
<p>The switch to D2C already took place before the pandemic; the lockdown just accelerated the process for businesses considering the change. As a result, many businesses that formerly sold through distribution now do direct-to-consumer business. </p>
<p>But would a direct-to-consumer sales channel help any eCommerce business grow? </p>
<p>After all, a significant change is always dangerous. </p>
<h3>5 GOOD REASONS TO CHANGE TO D2C</h3>
<p>Selling direct-to-consumer (D2C) enables businesses to diversify their revenue streams by generating an extra source of income that is not impacted by the cyclicality of B2B sales to retailers and distributors. This innovative sales approach has the potential to help you build stronger bonds with your clients and gain more control over your brand.</p>
<h4>1. DEPENDENCE REDUCE</h4>
<p>You may lessen your dependency on wholesalers and retail partners by taking advantage of the D2C industry. When the lockdowns made it impossible for customers to visit physical stores, several distribution-only companies permanently shut their doors. B2B companies suffered greatly from the lack of a specific D2C digital commerce strategy. Nike started moving toward a direct-to-consumer business strategy a few years before the pandemic, and it paid off: the company's internet sales grew by 82% at the start of 2020.</p>
<h4>2. BE AWARE OF YOUR CLIENT DATA</h4>
<p>You get far from your client when you distribute or work with retailers to sell your products. D2C commerce enables you to get closer to your clients and start gathering more information about their identities, interests, and buying habits. </p>
<p>This supports the development of a more clever long-term business plan, impacting everything from future market expansion to R&amp;D.</p>
<h4>3. MANAGE YOUR BRAND</h4>
<p>You lose some control over your brand when you merely provide your product to another company for sale. When you use a digital commerce strategy to sell directly to clients, you regain control over the brand image by interacting with them directly. </p>
<p>Additionally, by providing superior customer service, you may affect how they engage with your business. To stay ahead of the competition in the cutthroat market, your brand must differentiate itself significantly. Your company's performance as a whole depends critically on the quality of your direct consumer relationships.</p>
<h4>4. EXPAND YOUR TERRITORY</h4>
<p>Your D2C sales strategy has the potential to assist you in increasing your market share and fostering quick growth if it is backed by a solid product and marketing strategy. The reach of your brand is frequently constrained by distribution networks and retail locations. </p>
<p>It is possible to get beyond the limitations of conventional retail locations in the realm of internet commerce. You may connect with clients all across the country or even the world if you have the correct fulfillment and delivery plan in place.</p>
<h4>5. LOWER COSTS</h4>
<p>Businesses must consider methods to lower their expenses as budgets become more constrained. Digital D2C commerce has the potential to reduce expenses through more automation and self-service. </p>
<p>Retail establishments have always depended on in-person encounters to generate sales. Rent, labor, and other expenditures are included in this. Successful digital commerce reduces costs through self-service and direct-to-consumer shipping while maintaining the human touch. As customers perform some of the "hard lifting," your business can concentrate on reducing the price of your products.</p>
<h3>4 D2C TRENDS</h3>
<p>Digital businesses confront a number of difficulties this year, including rising consumer expectations and persistent supply chain problems. D2C companies and conventional digital merchants will be prepared to face challenges and thrive in the nearest future by keeping up with current developments. </p>
<h4>1. MORE B2B BUSINESSES WILL CHANGE TO D2C</h4>
<p>Many more significant B2B companies will create their own D2C channels in order to compete with digital D2C brands. Less people visit physical stores as a result of the pandemic's continuing consequences, such as the continued work from home of many employees and supply chain problems. In order to build stronger ties with their consumers, traditional businesses will seek to connect with potential customers online.</p>
<h4>2. MORE D2C BRANDS WILL INCLUDE A D2C SUBSCRIPTION MODEL</h4>
<p>A minimum of one retail subscription is paid for by around 33% of all US customers. With around 51 million US customers adopting D2C subscriptions, D2C subscriptions are becoming more and more popular among retail subscribers. </p>
<p>Of course, not every direct-to-consumer firm can use a subscription model. Vendors must research the market to determine where their company gives the greatest value. </p>
<p>You don't have to reinvent the wheel; perhaps it's simply a matter of packaging and distributing the wheel in a novel manner.</p>
<h4>3. THE CX FOR D2C CUSTOMERS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP</h4>
<p>While D2C businesses provide functionality, they have the opportunity to better cater to their customers' needs. Brands offering direct-to-consumer subscription services may make ordering more flexible. A consumer who subscribes to prenatal vitamins, for instance, would prefer to receive orders every three weeks rather than every four because traveling might keep them away from home. </p>
<p>Customizing the customer experience also entails paying attention to your clients' wants. It may take some time for a brand that has only sold to wholesalers and retail partners to understand the specifics of each of its clients.</p>
<p>However, you can enhance your CX and broaden your category reach by providing more items or services by getting to know your clients at several contact points and obtaining information about their requirements and wants.</p>
<h4>4. A HEADLESS OR COMPOSABLE APPROACH WILL BE ADOPTED BY MORE D2C BRANDS</h4>
<p>B2B companies creating a new D2C channel today have a distinct advantage over their rivals because they can create a flexible digital commerce solution that enables them to quickly adapt to the shifting demands of the customer. D2C businesses can immediately deploy new and highly flexible solutions, such a headless or composable approach, to their digital commerce platform.</p>

Recent world events have accelerated the already accelerating change in the internet commerce sector.

D2C Trends, Benefits, Risks, and Success Strategies

<h4>If you use Adobe Commerce, you're probably aware of how scalable and versatile it is. It enables multinational companies to swiftly incorporate new technologies and engage customers at every touchpoint thanks to its modular core and headless features.</h4>
<p>In the August update there were such aspects as improved performance and overall platform quality.</p>
<p>More than 20 vulnerability-related issues have been fixed in the updating Adobe Commerce 2.4.5 and over 290 quality fixes and enhancements for Magento Open Source. This allows business and data to remain absolutely safe.</p>
<p>Here you can find more information about the released update:</p>
<p><u><a href="https://devdocs.magento.com/guides/v2.4/release-notes/open-source-2-4-5.html">Magento Open Source 2.4.5 Release Notes</a></u></p>
<p><u><a href="https://devdocs.magento.com/guides/v2.4/release-notes/commerce-2-4-5.html">Adobe Commerce 2.4.5 Release Notes</a></u></p>

Adobe Commerce 2.4.5 is now available to partners.

Adobe Commerce 2.4.5  

<h3>When you need everyone to be singing from the same hymn sheet, it can easily be a difficult time for an organization, whether you are starting a brand-new project or if you have been working on the same one for a while now. To provide that you hit the ground running, or keep delivery on track, you should learn to create a plan for knowledge transfer for your IT projects.</h3>
<p>If you have decided to bring in an outsourcing team, we hope you’ve checked out the rest of this blog series on the challenges of outsourcing. In the opening issue, we took a deep dive into the best practices for hiring the right outsourcing vendor for you, and then, we broke down the different team structures available, comparing them so you knew what would work best for your project. Didn’t catch them? Well, luckily for you, the links are right here:</p>
<p><u><a href="https://www.mygento.com/blog/6-reasons-to-go-remote">Why Go Remote</a></u></p>
<p><u><a href="https://www.mygento.com/blog/team-structure">Team Structure</a></u></p>
<p>In this edition, we’re going to look at the process of creating a fool-proof knowledge transfer plan for outsourced IT projects. Our aim is for you to be able to use this as your checklist for knowledge transfer at the beginning of a successful project. When expectations aren’t met on a project, the outsourcing team often gets the blame, but the unmet or misrepresented expectations usually have unclear causes. To make sure this doesn’t happen on your project, you must have a precise knowledge transfer plan. Such a plan in action helps to identify main responsibilities and checkpoints, both for the internal team and the outsourced team.</p>
<p>When knowledge transfer plans are brought in for IT projects, the procedure will appear different depending on the level of the organization. At the organizational level, the identification and the definition of their responsibilities must apply to all teams at all times during the process. We will go further into this over Stage 1 and 2, but put briefly, the company must flexible when dealing with questions like what are the tasks involved at the moment with the project, to whom does each process belong and, to calculate success of the transfer, what needs to be produced, much like a sprint goal or an Objectives &amp; Key Results (OKR).</p>
<p>Then at the team level itself, objectives (also like OKRs or sprint goals) need to be provided to every team, which must be plainly defined so there is no misunderstanding as to their end target. Documentation and regular, scheduled stand-up or scrum meetings would be a common way to do this. Ideally, knowledge transfer should be treated in the same way as all projects or sprints, to keep teams synchronized and goal targeted. This approach then trickles down to the individual team member and any particular objectives or duties they have.</p>
<h3>Stage 1: Roles and responsibilities; a full immersion</h3>
<p>First, before any meetings with the outsourcing team take place and plans are put together, you must look internally. No, we don’t mean to have an x-ray, we’re talking about pragmatism. Over eagerness from the organization can mean tasks and duties are dished out to the outsourced team before roles and responsibilities become known. A lack of organization and clarity ensues and the costs rocket past the first estimates. To guarantee this doesn’t become reality, organizations and teams have to meet together.</p>
<p>The role each person or group has, and what they are responsible for, must be clearly established at the initial meetings. The working process and the amount of time to be committed must also be clarified, so the expectations of the outsourcing team can be understood. The planning can then move on to Stage 2 after the roles and responsibilities panorama has been viewed from every angle</p>
<h3>Stage 2: Dismantling Silos</h3>
<p>Every organization suffers from siloed knowledge. Yes, there are tools to battle back against this, such as confluence or document repositories, but even companies with the most transparent communication can fall ill sometimes to the effects of tribal knowledge. Some routines or repetitive tasks might be unearthed when meeting with contributors in the first stage, but these can eventually be streamlined or just eliminated once the outsourced team has been amalgamated.</p>
<p>The more you can avoid repetition, the less that will be asked of the outsourced group, and as a result, the project’s cost will be reduced. After the rubber-stamping of roles and responsibilities, and the definition of the outsourcing team’s goals and intentions, we can move onto the written knowledge transfer.</p>
<h3>Stage 3: Outlining clear, ambitious goals</h3>
<p>An outsourcing team getting lost in the everyday processes of the IT project and losing track of that mountain top you’re all working towards? We’ve all been there. It’s crucial to articulate what the end goal of the team is before the delivery of documentation. Once that’s established, mark out a path to that target with properly written guidelines.</p>
<p>To remind the outsourced team of what they’re aiming to achieve, the goals must be front and center of the knowledge transfer. Whatever the measurement, be it sprints, KPIs or OKRs, you must make the outsourced team aware at the beginning of the process of what they’re there to deliver come the end of your business together.</p>
<h3>Stage 4: Documenting the current process in detail</h3>
<p>This is the third stage of the process all together, but the first point of engagement for the outsourcing team, so they need to — literally — be on the same page, so having complete, well-written and detailed documentation of the company’s current processes is a must. To begin with, define the terminology and workflows of the project, but don’t assume any knowledge. This can be tough to bypass when those compiling the documents are so involved with the project itself.</p>
<p>After a straightforward definition of the tasks and terms, you can start to introduce the details of the processes and services in as molecular a way as needs be. We can’t stress enough the necessity to be as removed as possible from the current knowledge when writing, and the documents should be proof-read imagining that the person reading is following what is written as gospel. Once you have transparent documentation, you can deliver it to the outsourcing team through the mediums of calls, meetings or training.</p>
<h3>Stage 5: Giving the new guys tasks and responsibilities</h3>
<p>Depending on the logistics, the outsourcing team may be taking control of the entire project, or just working in tandem with the in-house organization, but whatever the situation, they have to be treated like they are full-blown members of the main organization, and a good way to achieve that is through regular, two-way communication. Unfortunately, this is an often-neglected aspect.</p>
<p>Make sure you arrange regular meetings to touch base with the outsourcing team to assess if the knowledge transfer is properly complete. If there is still any ambiguity or confusion, consistent dialogue will guarantee everyone stays on the same wavelength and will remain on the straight and narrow for the foreseeable future.</p>
<h3>Stage 6: Measure goals and assess objectives</h3>
<p>Day-to-day or short-term alignment can be observed with regular check-ins, but long-term success needs more than intermediary steps, so measuring objectives and goals is crucial. Again, whether it’s OKRs, KPIs, sprints, or anything else you use for your measurements, it doesn’t matter, as long as they’re frequently used to ensure the outsourced group is meeting the targets set, they’re a great indicator of how well the knowledge transfer was carried out. If any deterioration exists in performance or ability to meet goals, they can be reviewed and improved for the next knowledge transfer.</p>
<p>Why take unnecessary risks with your project? Contact us today and we’ll guide you and your organization on to achieving your goals.</p>

so plan your knowledge transfer for all your IT projects

A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle

<h3>Choosing the proper eCommerce solution partner is critical for business success in the face of a continuously changing eCommerce landscape. Businesses are being forced to adapt rapidly and frequently due to new technology, fragmented purchasing habits, and shifting consumer expectations.</h3>
<p>To thrive in the digital world, you'll need a partner who can lead your digital strategy while you focus on the rest of your company. But where do you look for the right candidate? And how can you be sure you can put your trust in them to make your eCommerce initiative a success? You'll need a clear grasp of your priorities and goals to accomplish this. You'll be able to see which partners are a suitable fit for your company and who have the skills and experience to assist you achieve your objectives.</p>
<p>You've come to the correct place if you're looking for an eCommerce partner but don't know where to begin.</p>
<p>We've compiled a list of crucial points to consider when selecting an eCommerce solution provider.</p>
<h3>What Does It Take To Be Successful?</h3>
<p>Consider your goals before you start researching and comparing other players in the space. What do you want this partner to help you achieve, and how do you envision this partnership succeeding?</p>
<p>Companies vying for your favor will offer you some intriguing and new ideas, but don't let fancy designs or language divert you from your initial objectives.</p>
<p>Knowing exactly what you want from a partner will make it easier to filter out extraneous information and make the best decision possible.</p>
<h3>Is It Necessary For Them To Be Local?</h3>
<p>An e-commerce partner does not have to be located nearby. They can be chosen from any part of the globe. In digital marketing, proximity is less important than the capacity to meet deadlines, provide ideas, and deliver. If a portfolio is required, they can simply email or use face-to-face communication tools such as Zoom or Skype.</p>
<p>You have the option of selecting and working with e-commerce providers and specialists who advertise their services on the internet. However, it's a good idea to read through their profile thoroughly and pay attention to how they respond while negotiating offers.</p>
<h3>With Whom Has the eCommerce Company Partnered Earlier?</h3>
<p>Next, find out what kinds of businesses they work with on a regular basis, or have worked with in the past. Do they often work with businesses that are comparable to yours, such as enterprise or small businesses? Too many businesses rely solely on their websites to provide information about prior customers, but it's critical to ask the question up front.</p>
<p>Inquire about specific, quantitative examples of the provider's success, particularly for companies that face similar difficulties and are at the same point of the life cycle as yours. You want to work with someone who can set attainable, quantifiable goals and has a track record of success.</p>
<h3>What Experience To Look For In an eComm Partner?</h3>
<p>It may be clear (and it is), but what has your partner truly provided, and to whom? Because of the complexities of eCommerce, you'll want a partner who has proven competence in all aspects of the business. Because if they don't, you can be in for some unpleasant shocks down the road.</p>
<p>So, in addition to your unique objectives, consider whether they've completed projects in B2C, B2B, across industries, and for well-known successful clients with proven results. If you wish to go international, do they have both local and worldwide eCommerce experience? Do they provide a full suite of services that will address all aspects of your digital goals?</p>
<p>Spend some time researching and learning about your potential partner. You're seeking for proof of the aforementioned questions, whether it's in the form of evaluations, case studies, or recommendations. This manner, you'll know if the partner is capable of turning your eCommerce idea into a reality. If you don't have a vision yet, it's just as crucial to have a partner that can help you establish one based on your present digital maturity as well as your goals and objectives.</p>
<h3>Do They Know How to Integrate?</h3>
<p>To improve corporate efficiencies and improve the consumer experience, the most successful eCommerce projects often include a variety of integrations. PIM, ERP, POS, Order Management, Search, CRM, Payment Gateways, Loyalty Programs, User-Generated Content, and Personalization are just a few of the integrations we've built for customers at Mygento to help them scale and achieve their objectives.</p>
<p>So the major message here is to look for a partner with experience and skills in integrating the technologies you're already using. Integrations have the ability to alter your eCommerce offering, but if done incorrectly, they can wreak chaos with your organization.</p>
<h3>What About Their Individual Awards and Qualifications?</h3>
<p>Above all else, a partner's success for its clients is the most important factor. However, if you want to delve a little deeper, you can look into their qualifications. To begin, you can look into their standings to determine if they are well-liked by their peers and technology providers. Let's pretend you're considering switching your online store to the Magento Commerce platform. You should think about things like: Is this partner well-known in the Magento ecosystem? And how long have they been providing Magento Commerce eCommerce projects?</p>
<p>There are various awards to consider. Yes, awards aren't everything, but they can at least give you a sense of how capable your partner is. You may observe if the partner's eCommerce projects have received appreciation from their peers and the general public, whether for the partner or its clients.</p>
<p>You may get a feel of a partner's capabilities by looking at the eCommerce awards it has won, whether it's for design, innovation, implementation, customer experience, or growth.</p>
<h3>Are They Familiar With Omnichannel?</h3>
<p>If there's one thing today's customer wants, it's the freedom to purchase when, when, and how they want. They now have the ball in their hands. To meet these higher consumer expectations, your company must be present wherever your customers are. So simply having a website will not suffice.</p>
<p>Today, you must be present on every channel and make channel transitions as seamless as possible. For the smooth and frictionless customer experiences that modern audiences want, you need a partner who knows omnichannel inside and out, from physical shop to app to online customer support to delivery tracking.</p>
<h3>Do They Mind Maintenance, Accuracy and all that Security?</h3>
<p>OK, this isn't the most exciting aspect of picking a partner, but it is one of the most crucial. In today's digital environment, any downtime has significant financial consequences. Customers will leave if they can't access your site or make a transaction, and they may never return. Then there's the issue of online security, which is only becoming worse. Whether it's data breaches, stolen money, lost productivity, or intellectual property theft, your company's reputation might be ruined forever if your security architecture isn't up to par.</p>
<p>In terms of hosting, maintenance, support, and security, your eCommerce partner should have a committed team and resources. Examine the technology they use to keep your site functioning efficiently and your clients' information safe and secure.</p>
<h3>What Is Their Business Culture?</h3>
<p>Remember that implementing any digital strategy is no easy task. It will take time and will demand feedback and buy-in from all of your company's stakeholders. So, for the time being, disregard a partner's technical achievements… First and foremost, you must proceed. Because, believe it or not, you'll be interacting with this partner on a frequent basis, perhaps more than some of your coworkers! Depending on the complexity of your project and ambitions, you may be working with this partner for months or even years.</p>
<ul>
<li>What does success mean to them?</li>
<li>What are their business principles/ethics?</li>
<li>Is this the kind of partner that will listen and consider my suggestions, or will they just go ahead and do things their way?</li>
<li>Do they have the knowledge and experience to not only build a solution, but also to offer advice and added value along the way?</li>
<li>Is it possible for me to work with this company and its workers on a regular basis?</li>
</ul>
<h3>How Will All Of It Will Turn Out?</h3>
<p>As we've seen, how you feel about a partner is quite important. Results, on the other hand, are unbeatable in terms of cold, hard evidence. And by results, we don't just mean the number of websites they've built… But consider what has transpired as a result of these websites.</p>
<p>So consider how a new solution has impacted the traffic, conversions, sales, customer lifetime value, mobile purchases, growth, and revenue of the solution partner's clients (and any other metrics that are priorities for your business).</p>
<p>This will offer you a better idea of whether or not this partner can translate technology into real-world results for your company.</p>
<h3>How Much Is the Fish?</h3>
<p>Finally, there's the issue of cost.</p>
<p>And in many circumstances, this will be the determining factor—you've decided on an eCommerce budget and must keep to it.</p>
<p>However, there are a few variables to consider when it comes to pricing.</p>
<p>Depending on the partner, ecommerce solutions have different pricing structures and timelines. You may receive a single price that is based on fixed costs, is completely transparent, and gives you an accurate estimate of what you will pay throughout the project and afterwards. Another partner, on the other hand, may claim a cheaper starting price to close the contract, only to slap you with additional fees during the build and after your site is live.</p>
<p>And it's because of this wide range of pricing structures that straight price comparisons are nearly impossible. Yes, one partner may appear to be the less expensive alternative at first, but what happens when they add other costs later on? When seeking and assessing proposals, it's critical to demand clarity from solution suppliers.</p>
<p>Taking on an eCommerce project is a major step for any company. As a result, you should scrutinize every pricing schedule you come across. Because having a clear, long-term vision of price from the outset will be significantly more important than settling for a price that could fluctuate and shoot up without warning at any time in the future.</p>
<h3>Still Undecided? Ask</h3>
<p>Tell the possible partner that you're looking at their competition and inquire about what sets them apart. Their differentiators should be focused on assisting you in achieving the goals you set out in the first place - don't get caught up with flashy extras that don't provide value.</p>
<h3>And Get Back To the Goal</h3>
<p>When choosing who to work with, always consider how your IT partners can assist you in achieving your set goals in a way that makes your life easier rather than more difficult.</p>
<p>Make sure they have the resources to provide you the time and attention you require, as well as the flexibility to work with your current processes and the ability to expand with you as your company grows.</p>
<p>Mygento works with brands, retailers, and manufacturers all across the world to help them succeed in digital commerce. We can provide your company with an end-to-end solution to help you flourish in the digital world, thanks to our expertise in B2B, B2C, D2C, Order Management, integrations, marketing automation, and SLA maintenance.</p>

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Why Go Remote? 

<h1>How to Overcome the Challenges of Outsourcing</h1>
<h3>What is the biggest danger that businesses - both large and small - will need to overcome sooner rather than later in terms of technology adoption? Well, Gartner says it’s a shortage of talent; a main factor as to why outsourcing is, generally speaking, expanding.</h3>
<p>In the past, the only reason for linking up with external providers for some projects was to save some cash, but nowadays, it’s not always that simple. While saving money is, obviously, never a bad idea in business, being able to make a connection with trustworthy technology partners is the primary influence when choosing who to outsource to. Companies need to know they’re getting the expertise they need.</p>
<p>If you need to know how to pick out the most influential outsource software development company, take a look at the following tips:</p>
<ul>
<li>Outsourcing: The reasons why</li>
<li>Modeling your outsource engagement </li>
<li>What not to forget during the hiring process</li>
<li>Hazards to mind in software development contracts</li>
<li>Your outsource team’s structure </li>
<li>Managing the transfer of outsourced knowledge</li>
<li>Maximizing an outsource vendor’s efficiency</li>
</ul>
<h3>Outsourcing: The reasons why</h3>
<p>A quick and easy way to cut costs and keep to deadlines - that used to be the reputation of outsourced software development, and it’s no wonder businesses would make an association between tech outsourcing and budget, second-rate quick-fixes.</p>
<p>But over the last ten years, there have been major changes to the outsourcing game. One reason is that the outsource crowd has leveled up, but another is that more and more companies are finding it hard to create the resources they need within their four walls to stay afloat in the ever-changing technological landscape.</p>
<p>Today, companies are looking to outsource their software development for the following reasons:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Searching for resources and ability. Sometimes particular skills are in short supply within the company or just may not be available, meaning a sensible solution is to outsource and keep projects moving forward </p></li>
<li><p>Innovation. Advanced analytics, blockchain and AI are becoming more common but not every business has the knowledge of how to harness these technologies within their teams, but outsourcing brings these innovations to the fore, keeping companies ahead of the competition.</p></li>
<li><p>Streamlining IT costs. By outsourcing to the likes of cloud vendors, companies are not just trimming existing costs, but changing existing processes; optimizing their IT and legacy IT systems.</p></li>
</ul>
<h3>Modeling your outsource engagement</h3>
<p>The rationale is not the only thing that’s different nowadays; having a distinctive method that can discover the most valuable vendors is part of a company’s arsenal. Here are three models that cover the main outsourcing engagement approaches:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>The Out-staffing method. Out-staffing allows for an increase in staff numbers and both size and number of teams, while keeping the control and results of the teams with the management. This can be achieved by multiplying employee numbers, bringing in a new team or even a whole development center.</p></li>
<li><p>Developing products. Businesses can also link up with product development services and outsource whole projects for an agreed rate, putting the vendor in charge of the process. This is used to meet a specific requirement and creates a tailor-made solution.</p></li>
<li><p>Outsourcing innovation. Rather than offering specifications, companies use R&amp;D or innovation outsourcing, hiring partners for market evaluation, producing a proof of concept and analyzing the potential for return on investment of projects in the developmental stage.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The model of choice will depend on the rationale behind IT outsourcing a software development project. The motivations behind also influence how outsourced software development teams are structured</p>
<p>The method that companies go for will be influenced by the reasons behind the IT outsourcing. How the team of software developers is formed will be impacted by the motivations behind the chosen model.</p>
<h3>What not to forget during the hiring process</h3>
<p>When outsourcing software development, you can meet any number of hazards, so it is pivotal that your new provider is in-sync with the culture and requirements of your organization. You’ll want to bear in mind the following:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Keep culture in mind. The dos and don't of every country are different, especially in the business world. It can be beneficial to stick to countries that adhere to your values, but an awareness and experience of cultural differences is useful too. Is your provider team-orientated, or task-orientated? How are they with deadlines and change? Are their levels of communication and general attitude right for you?</p></li>
<li><p>Check the time. The world may be more connected than ever before but time zones are still a thing, and your outsourced team may not be in yours. The working hours may be something to consider, but a big difference is not always a negative, depending how integrated the internal and outsourced teams are.</p></li>
<li><p>Think about project management and development. Does the methodology match up with the ingrained best practices of your company? You will need a vendor that governs openly in terms of managing problems, resolving them, reporting progress and deploying the product, while key responsibilities and job roles will have to be clearly marked out, all to ensure your project stays on track.</p></li>
</ul>
<h3>Hazards to mind in software development contracts</h3>
<p>To get that tick that says they’re to be trusted, the due diligence criteria will have to be met if the outsource vendors are going to go from nobody to new partner. Watch out too for particular red flags in the software development contract; if you don’t pay enough attention, you could end up with a mountain of extra fees to pay and no legal loopholes to jump through.</p>
<p>Governance of the project and scope of work; those are the two crucial areas that your software development contract makes completely clear before you do anything else. Before anything gets agreed, you must clarify under whose jurisdiction project management falls, and what guarantees your vendor can provide in terms of delivery.</p>
<p>Furthermore, ensure the contract can provide definite answers to these questions:</p>
<ul>
<li>Do you and your vendor know who is responsible for what?</li>
<li>What expectations exist in terms of quality and acceptance?</li>
<li>What are the necessary skills your team should possess?</li>
<li>Has the price of the work been agreed?</li>
<li>After the project is finished, how is its ownership handled?</li>
<li>Who will be owning the code?</li>
</ul>
<h3>Your outsource team’s structure</h3>
<p>Outsource software development vendors are compiled in a way that suits the needs of the internal company. General structural models are useful for when businesses just want to increase their capacity for development, but when innovation is the goal, a specialized team providing cutting-edge technology may be the ideal choice.</p>
<p>There are three general structures used mainly by external software development companies:</p>
<ul>
<li>Generalist teams where a wide range of knowledge is covered, allowing them to take a project from start to finish</li>
<li>Specialist teams, these ones tend to be a bit more niche but the expertise is very high. These are best utilized when more distinct tech expertise is needed</li>
<li>Hybrid teams, composed of a mixture of generalist expertise and employees with specialist competences</li>
</ul>
<p>The most ideal team structure is one that is able to complete the most rigorous requirements of a given project. Experts from a broad spectrum of technological backgrounds can be employed.</p>
<h3>Managing the transfer of outsourced knowledge</h3>
<p>Knowledge, at some stage, must be passed on to the client or to other software partners that come in to pick up the mantle. Also, there are reasons for relationships with outsourced vendors even after project completion.</p>
<p>When knowledge is lost from a poorly-managed transfer, the success of the whole project can be severely compromised, and the complete outsourcing mission could be rendered pointless. Both explicit knowledge - files, data and records - and tacit knowledge - competence, experience and know-how - should be accounted for during transfer.</p>
<p>A step-by-step procedure, such as these, will often provide optimal results, as unofficial knowledge transfers are usually not comprehensive enough:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Assess the knowledge. You need to be fully aware of what knowledge an outsourcing team possesses, as you can’t gather information you don’t know. Review all source code, documentation, workflow and processes.</p></li>
<li><p>Illustrate important players. The success of the project is facilitated by key team members from both companies and these are the people who are pivotal for ideal knowledge transfer. Make sure these particular staff members meet together to share knowledge.</p></li>
<li><p>Manage the data. Knowledge needs to be understood by those who haven’t been part of the project, so you must lay it out appropriately and to do this you can exploit anything from Q&amp;A meetings and demonstrations to in-house training. Review how well the captured information matches with the original scope.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>No matter how well you capture it, some knowledge will always be lost. Utilizing organized, detailed transfer procedures is the norm for companies starting on outsourcing software development, meaning the most important knowledge can be saved.</p>
<h3>Maximizing an outsource vendor’s efficiency</h3>
<p>First-rate management skills will be delivered by the elite software development companies, but don’t allow yourself to take the laissez-faire approach.
For the best results, you should instead manage off-site or outsource teams carefully to circumvent typical issues. Here are some tips to think about to regulate efficiency:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Distribute responsibility. Varying structures and aims will affect the amount of responsibility handed to the partner vendor, but whatever the amount, the expectations must be set. Communication must be transparent in case of misunderstandings, and using a RACI matrix may help indicate ownership boundaries.</p></li>
<li><p>Targets and risks. Hazards are possible with every project whether they are dealt with internally or externally, but clear aims and objectives can reduce risk. A reliable SDLC or such risk controls can guarantee safety of information. Make sure outsourced tasks are well-padded in order to withstand any overruns or unforeseen complications.</p></li>
<li><p>Deal with changing teams. Losing vital staff members can have big consequences, even on the outsourced side. Knowledge must be well spread so the loss of one particular individual won’t grind the project to a halt. Making sure staff are motivated to go the distance on a project is a great help to potential success.</p></li>
<li><p>Keep everyone together. Oursource teams can feel they are distant from the organization that took them on board, meaning they can quickly lose motivation and efficiency. Make sure they feel part of the club, listen to their input and communicate regularly and precisely, as you would to the CEO.</p></li>
<li><p>Be dynamic. You can never just set an external company a task and then forget they exist, you have to sync-up with them every day. Don’t presume that all your messages will be taken onboard, or even taken, so make sure everything is acknowledged and properly communicated.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>External teams can, by and large, work well independently, but that should never hinder your management of them as, at the end of the day, they are attempting to make your company more successful.</p>
<h3>Choose your new partner properly</h3>
<p>There are two sides to every partnership and a well-structured team, proper knowledge management and the success of the software development all depend on both sides; the client company and the outsourced vendor. Get in contact with us to discover how we can give you the very best results for your software development needs.</p>

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Consider the Source

<h3>Software developed by outsourced teams permits companies to carry out development projects and, in the meantime, keep total costs to a minimum. There are different sorts of outsourced teams out there which function to deal with specific software development tasks and selecting the correct one for your project will help eliminate errors and bypass miscommunication over the course of the project, saving valuable funds.</h3>
<p>We’ll now forage further into the subject of composing your outsourced software development squad, so by the end of this article, you’ll have all the most important advice for molding your team together.</p>
<h3>An outsource development what?</h3>
<p>Unsure about what outsource development teams are? Well, you’ve come to the right place! They are a clever way for companies to keep those in-house expenses down, maintain aerodynamic operations and trim the needs for development. The outsourced team, specialists in their field, have know-how and experience that your business can utilize, enabling you to increase your capacity for development, stick to even the most difficult deadlines without breaking the bank and cut resourcing costs in half.</p>
<p>Four significant advantages of bringing outsourced software developers on board were slashing the cost of IT, greater efficiency in operations, flexibility of augmentation and a relationship with developers with greatly-specific skills and experience. Therefore, outsourced teams allow for quicker, cost-efficient and more adept first-rate solutions.</p>
<p>One of these three engagement models are often used by companies who make the most of outsourcing:</p>
<ul>
<li>Outstaffing. This software development team composition features extra outsourced staff members who help with development, known as “smart teams”. This structure can include growth of staff numbers, adding a devoted team to a complete development hub.</li>
<li>Product advancement. Based on agreed-upon requirements, this model is a fixed-bid project and uses a wholly outsourced cohort of software developers to complete tasks. The product advancement model meets the main company’s needs and produces tailored solutions, whether that’s by undertaking the development of particular applications or solutions, or a total Product Development Services project.</li>
<li>R&amp;D - Research &amp; Development. An R&amp;D model of outsourcing, emphasizing innovation, dictates the possibility of investing in new, breakthrough technologies, compared with the established tech marketplace. With a technical feasibility study and proof of concept development usually included, an outsourced R&amp;D team dynamic has, as its main goals, the reduction of uncertainty surrounding technology, and providing clients with an unwavering belief in the groundbreaking technology solution they’ve invested in.</li>
</ul>
<h3>The ideal way to organize your software team</h3>
<p>So, you need to piece together the members for your perfect team of software developers, but what does that look like exactly? The outsourced team should be combined to meet the specific needs of your company and the ideal combination is the only that best delivers the most arduous requirements within the deadlines and funds of the project. These team compositions are three types you will stumble upon:</p>
<ul>
<li>Generalist teams, where a wide range of knowledge is covered, allowing them to take a project from start to finish</li>
<li>Specialist teams, these ones tend to be a bit more niche, but the expertise is very high. These are best utilized when more distinct tech expertise is needed</li>
<li>Hybrid teams, composed of a mixture of generalist expertise and employees with specialist competences</li>
</ul>
<p>The team you compile can be full of all types of developers; front-end developers, back-end, full-stack, both desktop and mobile, data and information. As well as all manner of engineers including manual test and automation test engineers, data engineers and support engineers to name a few, plus the likes of software architects, product designers and business analysts, depending on what your project requires. Driving development capacity forward may call for a generalist model, while a team of specialists could be utilized to implement the newest innovations when disruptive changes occur.</p>
<h3>The best way to structure a software team managing multiple projects</h3>
<p>The intricacies and particulars of a project influence how to go about your team organization. Sometimes one manager is plenty to take care of many smaller projects, but at the larger end of the scale, a project manager dedicated to guaranteeing that everything goes according to schedule will often be necessary to keep things on time, on value and within budget.</p>
<h3>Forming an outsourced software development team; our top suggestions</h3>
<p>When we don’t establish certain aims, ways of running our businesses and our lines of communication, software development can fail when in the hands of outsourced vendors. Keep the following best practices in mind when compiling your outsource development team:</p>
<ul>
<li>Carry out a comprehensive vetting process. Deciding which outsource software development company is right for you should be a thorough process. If sufficient time isn’t taken to judge what is provided by service providers - and the main differences between them - you could end up forming a lasting relationship with a vendor that doesn’t meet the needs of your organization. </li>
<li>Be clear about your goals and create a pathway to success. A company can aim to achieve any number of objectives at any given time; be it quicker time-to-market, improved scalability, or extra resources to complete something specific. Whatever it is, they have to know the main reasons why they are bringing outsourced developers on board. The path to success will only be traveled if those reasons are clearly defined, otherwise it will be impossible to precisely assess progression and guarantee that goals are accomplished.</li>
<li>Manage ownership and distribution of responsibility. How much responsibility an outsourced development team has, whether it’s full control, or if it’s mostly managed in-house, will depend on the chosen engagement model, but regardless of which is chosen, everyone involved has to be able to communicate, decide on key points and accept product results.</li>
<li>Determine objectives and control risks. Before development begins, plan effectively with the vendor so all of their important objectives are determined. Evaluating the outsourced group’s security controls, searching for possible risks, and budgeting for potential contingency plans should be part of the planning process to stop potential problems at source, rather than them coming to the surface during the development.</li>
<li>Establish lines of communication. Different companies and teams have different preferences when it comes to communication; some are fully involved but others are more laissez-faire. When working together, though, you must be on the same page, so a detailed plan of important meetings, reports and demos should be compiled and agreed upon.</li>
</ul>
<p>To find out more about putting together the best outsourced software development team for your business, whether you’re a large corporation or a startup, contact us today and we will ensure successful results for your projects.</p>

... to make all the small pieces fit to a perfect team picture.

Solving the Great Puzzle

<p>With the fast-paced and dynamic nature of technology-driven businesses, it's sometimes impossible to achieve workable and scalable growth with an in-house staff. This typically means that the only long-term solution is to seek resources from outside sources. In this post, we'll go over the differences between the three types of outsourcing: offshore, nearshore, and onshore. We will dwell on the nearshore outsourcing in detail and talk about its advantages.</p>
<h3>What’s The Difference Between Offshoring, Nearshoring and Onshoring?</h3>
<p>Outsourcing is a broad word used to refer to transferring specific business operations or projects to a third-party company located anywhere in the world, whether it's two blocks away from your headquarters or on the other side of the globe.
An example of outsourcing would be a Munich-based digital agency collaborating with a Hamburg-based software development company to develop the former's website.
Companies may choose to outsource for a variety of reasons. Lower expenses are sometimes regarded as the most important motivator, however this isn't the complete explanation. Lack of locally qualified people, access to a global talent pool, the opportunity to scale quickly, faster delivery times, and the elimination of the need to spend time and money on recruitment are all pull factors that are luring organizations big and small towards outsourcing.</p>
<h3>Offshoring Definition</h3>
<p>Offshoring involves delegating certain company tasks to a third-party vendor based in a different country. We're talking about a time differential of at least 5–6 hours here. 
We'd term it offshore if a digital marketing agency in Munich paired with a Chinese software development company.
India, the Philippines, and China are popular outsourcing destinations for both the United States and Western European countries. Offshoring can also be defined as corporations situated in the United States that outsource to Eastern European countries such as Romania, Poland, Ukraine or Russia.</p>
<h3>Nearshoring Definition</h3>
<p>Nearshoring entails delegating certain company operations to a third-party provider based significantly closer to your home – usually in the same time zone or within a few hours. 
Nearshoring is exemplified by a Munich digital agency collaborating with a Russian development company.
Companies in the United States frequently outsource to Mexico, as well as many other Central and South American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, and El Salvador. 
Nearshoring connections between Western European and Eastern European enterprises are common in Europe. Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia and the Baltic republics are popular nearshoring destinations.</p>
<h3>Onshoring Definition</h3>
<p>Onshoring is a collaboration model in which a customer works with a company or a group of software engineers who are based in the same country and share the same time zone. 
This method is normally more expensive than offshoring and nearshoring, but it has various benefits, including faster outcomes and better communication.
Offshoring, Nearshoring and Onshoring have their strong and weak points. Let’s take a closer look at each of them to help you figure out which model will work best for your business.
Offshoring, Nearshoring, and Onshoring all have advantages and disadvantages. Let's take a deeper look at nearshoring to see why it can be the greatest option for your company.</p>
<h3>Nearshoring Pros and Cons</h3>
<p>Due to the usually hard means of recruiting new talent, outsourcing software development projects has become a strategic and central concern for most businesses. We all know how difficult, expensive, and time-consuming it can be to hire new software developers in the United States, Central Europe or Canada. Even if you discover the ideal individual for the position, keeping them motivated and working for your company takes a lot of effort.
Despite the fact that many businesses prefer to have an in-house software development team, resources and the product roadmap eventually force them to work with an outsourcing company. This frequently occurs when a startup decides to hire a company that was recommended to them during a critical scenario.</p>
<h3>The Benefits of Nearshoring</h3>
<ul>
<li><p>Similar Time Zones. Because you and your nearshore partner have a minimal or non-existent time difference, you won't have to work overtime or at night to synchronise meetings or stay in touch.  When an outsourced team is located on the other side of the world, all business operations involving that team must be moved to late evenings or early mornings.
This means there might be a 12-hour gap between meetings with team members. It also means a significant reduction in project productivity. If an issue arises offshore and the team has to consult someone at the main headquarters, they will have to wait several hours for a response.</p></li>
<li><p>Raising wages. When you're based in Germany, it's obvious that your nearshoring partner should be based in Europe. As a result, the first direct benefit you might anticipate is financial. Money will continue in circulation in the region since it is pumped into the same sector of trade. This benefits all parties based in the area, resulting in a win-win situation as the project progresses. Creating jobs for businesses and paying your taxes locally contributes to the local economy's growth and success. Because you're paying for high-quality service, going local ensures you get the most bang for your buck.</p></li>
<li><p>Travel Costs are Low. Only a few outsourced software development teams are capable of working independently without direct interaction with the employing company. In any project, visits and meetings are unavoidable, yet deploying personnel across the globe can be taxing and costly.
You lose money in missed production due to weary staff, in addition to the money you spend on travel expenses. The advantage of nearshore software development is that most European airports offer direct flights to the best nearshore destinations. If you need to conduct face-to-face meetings, instead of spending a day or two on a plane, travel simply takes a few hours.</p></li>
<li><p>Shared Values and Culture. Would it make you happy if your development team took an extended break during your working hours? That may be great if you are adaptable, but keep in mind the various work ethics and cultures. Do these developers complete projects on schedule, or do they take their time and procrastinate? Many nearshore countries have favorable relations with Europe. Due to the importance of tourism and trade between countries, there is a stronger familiarity with each other's language and culture, reducing the likelihood of any barriers. If you and your partner share a similar cultural background, you won't have to adjust your work habits.</p></li>
<li><p>Achieving Cost-Quality Parity. Low expenses are one of the reasons why most organizations embrace outsourcing. Of course, money is a big consideration when picking between the two outsourcing methods, but do you prioritize price over quality? It's worth emphasizing that software development isn't something you'd want to undertake on a shoestring budget. If the software needs to be improved and fixed after it's finished, you can end up paying more afterwards.</p></li>
<li><p>Excellent Relationships. At the end of the day, the value of your human connections determines your success in outsourced software development. It also relies on both parties instilling mutual trust and devotion. As a result, a significant portion of your resources and efforts should be directed into these ties. Nearshoring also allows those resources to go further due to the values of cultural similarity, proximity, and affordability.</p></li>
<li><p>Added to the Talent Pool. When you nearshore your development, you expand your skill pool by hiring a more capable staff to work on your projects. Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria and many others have made a name for themself in the realm of information technology. When it comes to nearshore software development, they have become popular places. Many EU companies have entrusted their projects to great Eastern Europe developers rather than in-house teams.</p></li>
<li><p>Expansion into New Markets. Nearshoring also makes it easier to break into new markets. For example, you may employ a team of subcontracted experts to handle your back-end development so that you can focus on other important responsibilities. Additionally, if your staff are required to work overnight on a regular basis, they may become burned out. Nearshoring may allow you to eliminate night shifts entirely, improving both the quality of work and employee retention.</p></li>
<li><p>Fast Integration. You don't have to wait weeks for your subcontracted staff to integrate with your business procedures when nearshoring your operations to a country with a comparable culture or language. They can swiftly deliver the best of their abilities. It is critical, however, that your nearshore partner has the same level of technical expertise as your internal staff. The alliance will be more useful as a result of this.</p></li>
<li><p>An improved return on investment (ROI). The return on investment is what drives companies to outsource their development in the first place. Although offshore is initially less expensive, you may incur additional costs as a result of challenges encountered along the route. For instance, you could be dealing with managerial challenges, underperformance, a lack of control, and poor communication, among other things.</p></li>
<li><p>Greater Supervisory role. Because you share a common language, have sufficient knowledge, and are in the same time zone, it is easier for you to maintain full control and involvement in your development project. You need to work with developers who are close by, who can interact with you simply and fluently, and who are available throughout your normal working hours.</p></li>
</ul>
<h3>The Drawbacks of Nearshoring</h3>
<ul>
<li><p>Fewer possibilities because your options are limited to suppliers in nearby regions.</p></li>
<li><p>If your company operates in Europe or the United States, it will be more expensive than offshoring.
Nearshoring, on the other hand, may appear costly at first, but it produces superior results and saves money in the long run.</p></li>
</ul>
<h3>Epilogue</h3>
<p>When it comes to enhancing productivity and lowering project costs, outsourcing can be an excellent choice for any company. It's no wonder that nearshore software development is becoming more popular these days.</p>
<p>Companies of many types–not just IT businesses now benefit from the lower cost of both nearshore and offshore development teams thanks to technological advancements in recent years. Businesses can analyze their alternatives and choose the outsourcing technique most suited to their project by knowing the advantages of nearshore software development.</p>