IT Project Outsourcing
How To Decide On What

Step By Step Overview

Let's begin with an overview of the areas that will help guide you through the process, step by step. The goal is to make the final decision-making an exercise in clear, retraceable logic.

1. Establish clear objectives. This project will affect your entire company.
2. Hire a competent outsourcer, one that's compatible with your company's culture and business objectives.
3. Focus on the long term goals and not just on reducing the costs of the contract.
4. Also focus on the product being delivered by the outsourcer.
5. Remember that IT is not just a cost center, it is there to add value.
6. Communications is the key to making outsourcing work. When there are problems with outsourcing, this is where it all starts.
7. You get what you pay for. Don't waste time and energy beating down the outsourcer's costs because it will cause you problems as the project unfolds.
8. Look into keeping an on-site presence at the service provider. It's worth its weight in gold.
9. Actively work with and manage the outsourcer. You own the results.
10. Make sure senior level people on both sides are signing off on milestones all the way along the project.
11. Sometimes outsourcing projects are picked for the wrong reasons. Make sure you select the right project.
12. Dumping your problems on outsourcers usually produces bad results. Clean up your systems before handing anything over.
13. Don't let the service provider set the baseline for the Service Level Agreement. You are equally responsible for establishing the SLA.

Now that we've highlighted the fundamentals, let's get into some details.

IT Outsourcing Business Plan

You can't select an outsourcer without this. It is your responsibility to build this plan and be forewarned it is not the easiest thing to do. It requires a lot of work on your part, especially if this is your first time hiring an outsourcer.

There's a lot of useful information about IT infrastructure outsourcing business plans available on the Internet. However we have provided a list of the key points you need to cover in building your own plan based on these categories:

1. General
2. The Work Involved
3. Communications
4. The Outsourcer

Learn more on our "IT Outsourcing Business Plan" page.

Pros Cons Of Outsourcing

Many organizations think of offshore IT project outsourcing as the way to go. Some companies dive in head first, so to speak. It is extremely important that you look closely at the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing before making this plunge. Make sure it's "right" for your business.

The list of pros and cons we've provided are designed to:

• Make you think about multiple outsourcing issues.
• Help you make that difficult outsourcing decision.

Read more on our "Pros Cons Of Outsourcing" page.

Best Practices in Outsourcing

There are a number of best practices to be followed when setting up an outsourcing project. We've provided the top 14 in setting up your business plan and evaluating your potential service provider. We've briefly explained why you need to follow these guidelines.

IT Project Outsourcing Statistics

Maybe you're not sure whether you should undertake such a large project. Or perhaps you're having trouble convincing others within your organization that you should proceed.

We've provided some current statistical information by Computer Economics about the types of projects businesses are outsourcing. See where you fit. We've also provided links to the sources of these statistics where you'll find additional useful information.

Read more on our "IT Outsourcing Statistics" page.

IT Project Outsourcing News

Want to learn more of what other companies are doing in terms of IT outsourcing projects? We've provided some current news from Computer Weekly, Sourcing Magazine and Network World.

Just as we've done for outsourcing statistics, we've also provided the links to some very useful online magazines and newspapers specific to IT, with good coverage of outsourcing issues.

Read more on our "IT Outsourcing News" page.

Getting IT Project Outsourcing Help

Our offer of professional help is a serious one. First of all, you'll find that while the site information is exhaustive, it appears in a brief, easy-to-read, often bulleted, executive style.

You won't get bogged down in details while browsing this site, but we DO have extensive in-depth information for you if you want or need it. It's free and all you have to do is ask!

Start right now by going to the Contact Us page and completing the simple online form. You'll receive immediate access to two authoritative industry books, which our site sponsor will mail to you at no cost.

As a thank you for participating in our site, you'll also receive a bonus download of "15 Interview Questions To Ask IT Outsourcing Providers".

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