Outsourcing Lessons
Submitted by Jeremy Palmer on Mon, 09/08/2008 - 18:27.
I've outsourced dozens of projects throughout the years. I know more about outsourcing than the average affiliate, but I still learn from each experience.
I recently outsourced a web project on Elance to convert a mockup design to a fully functional website. I created a detailed Project Specification Document, which outlined exactly what I wanted done, or so I thought...
In my Spec Document I mentioned that I wanted a "CSS Website". I also explained that the "pages must be coded using standards-based CSS (no hacks)".
Despite having detailed page wireframes, a sitemap, and a thorough project specification the results came up a little short.
The company I selected was easy to work with, had a good portfolio, and seemed to know what I was looking for. When they uploaded the site everything looked good, but upon further inspection I realized that they used HTML tables to layout the site, rather than CSS.
They used CSS to style the fonts and color the backgrounds, but the layout was table-based, rather than clean, lightweight, and SEO-optimized CSS.
I don't blame them for this mishap, I blame myself. There were two critical things I didn't do:
1 - I should have said that I wanted a CSS-based page layout with no tables. My title and description were a little ambiguous. Saying that you want a CSS site is different than saying you want a CSS site with a tableless layout.
2 - I should have reviewed the underlying source code in their portfolio. I was a little lazy in this regard. I looked at several sites in their online portfolio, but forgot to look under the hood to make sure they were qualified for the job.
The point of this experience is that you can never be too detailed in your project specification and requirements. In addition to writing a detailed spec you need to examine their portfolio very carefully. Had I given their portfolio more than a cursory glance I would have discovered that their source code wasn't up to par. Just because things look good on the outside, doesn't mean the underlying code is good.
If I had been more detailed I would have gone back and had them redo it, but since I wasn't very clear I didn't have a good argument.
Remember - you can never provide enough detail when outsourcing web projects!
For those who are curious, this project was for Online Meeting Reviews - a new site in the Web Conferencing niche.
Jeremy,
Great post & the stuff you have in BIP2 is great! I know exactly what you mean though and am learning the hard way on my own project.
Some other thoughts on outsourcing:
- Don't underestimate the language barrier. Little things get lost in translation.
- None native speakers will have a hard-time helping you with ideas. They pretty much will only do what you tell them.
- Given the week dollar you might get a US resource from Middle America for almost the same as overseas
- What is the communication process (ticketing system, PM Software, etc...)
- Can you speak to them on the phone, or even better, via Skype
- Whom will you have access too? Just the PM or the designers on the ground
- For a big project, a high level project plan with milestones.
- Pay as little up front as possible. Many firms want 50% up front, try to go for 25% with Milestone payments.
- If you do 50% upfront, try to go for the other 50% only after completion.
I've contracted out a few writing jobs in the last year and I never find the quality I'm looking for, cheaply. Although coding a website is either right or wrong and not opinionated like writing articles.
I hardly ever accept work on the first draft and ask for revisions within reason.
I want my bonsai tree help site to be a quality site not just spam.
Maybe that's a decent piece of advice for people. Get the quality you want and don't settle for just whatever work that was submitted.
-Ken
got twitter?
www.twitter.com/kensavage
I have had nothing but headaches on my last design contract. Time issues, design issues, etc. It was a simple wordpress coding with a doable timeline and decent budget. I gave all the information that was asked for and more in my spec and still I am fighting with communication issues.
In the future I will have to be more strict with my contract terms and refuse to do up-front payments, instead do a list of deliverables and pay in two chunks, one after they start and the second when it is done.
I've found communicating with ESL contractors much easier with the written word. It is slower, but I think that is the point. If English is not as fluent, the contractor can take some moments to come up with the right word when composing a note, but on a phone call or skype they will just keep talking. In programming as well as writing, small word difference can mean a very big change in the final product.
If the project is big enough, like this one for Rochester MN transportataion I prefer using state side contractors and software. By the time the hassle of workers overseas is done, the cost difference is not as big as some think.
-Sandy
I have had two experiences of Outsourcing that didn't work out as I had hoped. This I can also attribute, in part, to my details not being clear enough.
One person I hired through Wealthy Affiliates Job Board for $200 to design my WordPress Blog. He did a lot of work, and I am sure put in plenty of time. But after some time, I ended up scrapping all his work and starting over. I tried to customize things again myself. I think I have improved quite substantially in my ability with WordPress, but my challenge remains that I don't know php or css or html. This is where I have managed to get www.hillbillydirect.com I know its in a very tuff niche and perhaps would be best off to change the direction all together. However, I decided to stay with this theme and try to make it Unique in its style/presentation. So I hired another person on elance to re write my articles and work on my theme design.
Again my challenge has been communicating what I want. I think it is crucial to have your consultant understand what you are after. I had hoped the fella would "pick it up and run with it". I should have been very specific in the persons level of experience and ability to work with minimal supervision. ie I wanted him to 'think for himself' and be creative. But this guy is new, perhaps young and is just not at the point of being able to do much with out some "hand holding". This would be fine as I love to help people grow. But I am very busy, so I had really wanted someone a bit more independent. This is another factor I think worthy of inclusion on the work details..."confidence and ability to show initiative and creativity and to work independently".
I think there are many many folks out there willing to give our projects a run and do a great job. But the relationship (communicating primarily via email) is such that one has to be very clear and specific in what they want. It would almost be worth while to have friends/colleges review the proposal before posting and tell you what they think you are saying you want.
Cheers,
Jeromy
Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.
Napoleon Hill
i thought its normal nowadays that sites are tableless and you know..css-sy. heh.
I'm a webdesigner and perhaps one piece of advice I can give is, try reading .net magazine or practical webdesigner. Maybe there are some trends, or usability advice that can give you one step ahead from your contractors.
And, perhaps the knowledge can help you figure out other creative ways to online marketing.
just a thought.
Can't just leave it to someone else all the time right?