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How to seamlessly integrate an external development team into your company
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Companies can benefit from the cross-industry experience and built-in expertise of hiring an outside development agency to assist with a software application launch, rather than relying on internal staff. But once you’ve brought on a team, the next question is how should you integrate them into your existing workflow?
Projects always go more smoothly when the teams are aligned, so it’s vital to get the chemistry right from the start. Here are some strategies we’ve identified that will pave the way for productive collaboration with an external app development team:
OVERVIEW
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People work best when they have that sense of camaraderie and familiarity. We encourage on-site meetings so that both teams are familiar with the others’ company culture. In some cases, several of our developers will even set up camp in our clients’ offices for the duration of the project.
GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER
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We’re currently working with a company that is building an electronic skateboard with a linked mobile app that allows users to customize their ride. Our work flow is clearly delineated: While they develop the product, we are simultaneously creating the strategy and design of the mobile app. We have regular check-in meetings with the engineers working on the board, but we know that we own the specifics of the mobile app so we are given the freedom to develop that aspect of the product.
CLEARLY DEFINE THE SEGMENTS OF THE PROJECT THAT EACH TEAM WILL OWN.
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We like to sit down with the research and development team to establish the testing steps & plan so that we know what will constitute a pass/fail. Defining “success” up front ensures we hit the target.
DEFINE WHICH METRICS SUCCESS WILL BE MEASURED BY
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At Yeti, we invite our clients to listen in on our daily Scrum meetings so that they are continuously updated, and are aware of any programming roadblocks that might lead the company to re-envision the features of the end product.
In addition, we loop clients in by kicking off the week with a sprint planning meeting and concluding it with a sprint summary meeting. Finally, we send out weekly or bi-weekly builds for the client to see and test, so they can evaluate the app’s functionality in almost real-time.
DEVELOP PROCESSES FOR COMMUNICATING PROGRESS
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In addition to regular meetings, there are so many moving parts that it’s vital to stay in communication with your development team through a variety of online methods. Here are some of our favorite tools for staying in touch: • Programs like Slack or Basecamp make it easy for teams
to follow threads and conversations in real time.• GitHub offers private repositories which allow only teammates
and collaborators to create and view issues.• Pivotal Tracker is a story-based agile software development
tool that allows teams to track all user stories & identified bugs and react instantly to real-world changes.
USE ONLINE COMMUNICATION TOOLS THAT WORK FOR THE WHOLE TEAM
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External teams can be a valuable addition to any digital innovation project, but it’s important to remove the “us” and “them” mentality. Everyone is working together towards the same end goal—a seamless and successful software application.
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Yeti collaborates with industry leaders to design, develop, and ship the products that shape the future. Leaders from industries such as robotics, IoT hardware development, virtual reality experiences, data science analytics, and community building applications partner with Yeti to define and solve problems. Our team designs, prototypes, and builds effective solutions, elegantly delivered through an iterative process that continuously evolves the product. For more information, visit us on the web at yeti.co.
Additional Resources: The Product Design Process Guide
Video: Intro To Agile Development
Webinar: Taking Your Product Idea To The Next Level
