This case study is about Entellects' capabilities for software services. Entellects has expertise in not only software services but we can also outsource personnel software resources for IT and non-IT companies based on our clients requirements.
2. ENTELLECTS INC
CASE STUDY: Outsourcing in Hybrid Model
Company
100 people Software Company based in Chicago.
Industry
Software Services
About Entellects Inc.
Entellects provides specialized technology consulting services that expand our customers’ capabilities and
competitive advantage. Based on a refreshing new platform for delivering talent to the top companies in the
world, Entellects applies proven mechanisms for driving successful outcomes across our consulting and practice
areas. Our resources and expertise in Business Intelligence, Application Services, Enterprise Content Management
and Testing can be deployed in an individual, consulting or outsourced capacity.
Within a span of six years from its launch in 2004, Entellects is now well established services technology
consulting firm located just outside of Chicago, Illinois. From our very first project to the current one we utilize
them as an opportunity for internal learning and challenge to win over. Our approach to consulting is a refreshing
experience that changes the measures of the industry. Entellects strongly believe that ethics and values are the
root of a healthy organization and we practice the same. Client’s satisfaction is our success.
Business Case
A software company in Chicago had immediate software development outsourcing need. The company had
recently undertaken the project, but they discovered they lack many of the capabilities to develop the project.
Moreover while moving ahead they discovered that more than a half of the project had to be outsourced to the
some software company that has capability to take it up.
The company had option either to instantly recruit up new resources in mass or go for outsourcing to successfully
deliver the project. Other constrained company had to abide was to deliver the project under the monetary
budget and no compromise on their clients data security part.
The major part of the project had required lot of Mobile development capabilities and hands on working with
custom control panel in telecom domain. Entellects proposed to implement its Hybrid Outsourcing model with
this company and successfully delivered their outsourcing need.
3. ENTELLECTS INC
Needs
The outsourcing needs of the company were conspicuously visible. To summarize here we have enlighten some of
these needs:
Approximately 60% of the scope of the work had to be outsourced.
Mobile Expertise: Expertise in Mobile Application Development along with good experience working with
Custom Control Panel was required.
Budget Constraints: Due to budget constraint the development rates had to be cost-effective.
Quick Development: The project had to be developed very fast and despite the involvement of two different
development teams.
Persistent Communication & Coordination: It is well needed to employ a model wherein persistent
communication can happen between development teams at both ends till the project gets finished. As the
projected was divided between us so there had to be good coordination needed, so the project progress
should be on track as carved in the start.
Security concerns and trust of local: To avoid legal complications, if any they stumble across in future, the
company strongly wishes their outsourcing partner should be a locally registered company.
Post deployment support: The Company wanted a local partner from US. It is so because they can
communicate with them about the bugs and issues that may rise after deployment of the software. So
clearly here they needed the company to be available locally and can provide post deployment support.
Solution – The Hybrid Model
Entellects analysed this business case and even dealt the similar case before where we have employed our well
tested hybrid model as outsourcing technique.
The implementation of Hybrid Model – Project governing team at onsite and big development team at
offshore:
Entellects worked as team at onsite: We provided the Project Management team including Architects, PMs,
Business Analysts and other key people’s collective team at their premises. Hence they collaboratively
worked as a team to chart out plan for developing the project. Only the onsite rates of these people had
borne by the company and rest of the development work is done through our offshore team in India at very
cost effective rates.
Offshore development team in India: To provide cost advantage and quick development we have used our
development team based offshore.
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Coordination between offshore and onsite: Our project governing team at onsite have persistently
communicated with offshore team in India to get the work done. And in parallel they also worked to provide
interfacing between the on-going works at both ends. This exempted the contracting company from progress
concerns going offshore.
Offshore deliverance – not client’s headache: As just said the software company have freed from progress
and development activities going ahead at offshore. They just had to look after their own team’s
development.
Hybrid Model is about employing the blended approach to attain maximum throughput in least cost & it also
beefs up the complete faith in engagement. The Hybrid approach of resource deployment in onsite + offshore +
nearshore model has tested by Entellects with its customers extensively. It has proven to be extremely cost-
effective while nurturing the close relation with the needful resources at onsite/nearshore proximity.
The Hybrid model not only strengthens the client communication it also nurtures the project implementation.
And now here the project implementation has no flaws because of its direct speculation while it was being in the
development phase.
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The picture associated here depicts our Hybrid model in greater detail and its advantages:
o 24/7 productivity – The client get the advantage of 24/7 productivity by having the different teams
working onshore and offshore places in accord to their time zones. This result in very fast development
cycle of the software in few days with an added advantage of offshore’s low cost rates.
o Exemption from offshore progress concerns – Clients feels bliss because they need not be concerned
about the on-going development at offshore at all. All the Project Management work is handled by the
PMs that reside at the clients place.
o Clear vision of project progress – With the PM, Analyst and Architecture design team presence at
clients place, client can suggest the enhancements, business needs in the projects. And with frequent
meetings, status reports, reviews client feels the transparency and can foresee the outcome as he
desired.
o Local vendor yet offshore advantages - Clients get the trust of a local vendor yet they enjoy the cost
advantage of offshore.
o Security & federal laws - Client feels much securer while working with the software vendor residing on
their turf. By this they work with the incorporated company which abides to the local laws.
o Post Deployment support - The client gets the true post deployment support from the local presence of
the vendor. And even more with end user training, fixing bugs detected post deployment, iterative
enhancement support etc.
Key Issues / challenges
There have been challenges that we had overcome, however it wasn’t on the part of our Hybrid Methodology of
outsourcing. The factors that affected or the issues we faced during this contractual period, here we enlighten
few of them:
Interfacing with Custom Control Panel: Every-time when it is the Custom Control Panel i.e. except Panel D or
C, it takes time to understand and write code to interact with this platform.
Parallel development and testing: Though the project was split-up into modules that either team were
working on. But at the end these modules were supposed to be integrated as single software, and it has to
be well tested after its integration at different stages while it was evolving. Hence there were iterations
going on at both ends which depicts a cycle of development, testing, integration and then testing it again to
check if it is working fine.
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Results
The ultimate result was the project got delivered on time to their client and the client was gratified with quality
and requirements fulfilled that were proposed in the scope of project.
The summary of results can be outlined as:
24/7 speedy development: With the offshore development team in India and team at the company site in
US caused a speedy development of the project. Because when the US leave for the day unlikely the India is
all up and starts running.
Huge Cost-saving: As a result the company gained the advantage of onsite Project Management yet the cost
advantage of getting a big offshore team. Big development team and hence the quick development.
No quality or security compromise: As we are the Incorporated company headquartered in Chicago, the
company felt much securer to outsource its work offshore yet they felt like it was given to a neighbourhood
company on which they can trust on.
Post deployment support: The Post deployment support as discussed above is the added advantage they got
from us.
Unburdened management team: The company had not be concerned about the progress of the
development going at offshore because it was cared by our team working at their premises to provide
coordination and interfacing between the teams of both companies.
Successful on-time delivery: Finally as an outcome the project succeeded to be delivered on time to their
client having them happy with quality and functionalities required.
