Procedural coordination and offshored software tasks: Lessons from two case studies

Abstract

This paper presents two case studies of offshored software tasks. The success of such tasks is critically dependent on managing an inherent interdependence between onshore and offshore teams. In one case study, both teams belong to the vendor organization, while in the other they are affiliated respectively with client and vendor. It is shown that that interdependence is best addressed through procedural coordination, which entails two complementary strategies. The first consists of carefully specifying and partitioning tasks, and the second of implementing integration mechanisms to bridge communication gaps. Despite contextual differences, the two case studies offer common lessons.