Using remote developers in a nation relatively near the firm is referred to as nearshoring or nearshore software development.

Latin America and Canada are usually included in this category in the US. Companies in the United States frequently choose Latin America over Canada because of lower prices and broader talent pools. On the other hand, the most significant advantage of nearshore development is the all-day cooperation made possible by synchronized time zones.

In addition, nearshore software development helps firms overcome one of the significant IT outsourcing challenges: keeping an agile development process in place while working with your outsourced provider. While working with a typical offshore partner, number8’s founder saw how difficult it was to implement an agile approach. As a result, we’ve made it our goal to help agile firms save money by outsourcing their IT needs.

Agile software development concept

The many Agile approaches have different techniques, vocabulary, and strategies for implementation, yet they all share the same concept, traits, and specific behaviors. In modern times we are lucky to have knowlege of various Agile approaches, including Scrum, Lean, Kanban, and iterative development. According to the most recent “State of Agile” study, there is little question that Agile development is becoming more common, even among distributed teams. According to the given data, Scrum is the most popular Agile framework; thus, that is where I will mainly concentrate my attention. Agile project management strategies help to organize and communicate software development projects, as well as to ensure effectiveness and enhance progress monitoring. This makes it ideal for nearshoring operations, where the abovementioned factors are crucial.

The right combination of nearshoring and Agile

While there are certain disadvantages to using a nearshore software development team, we can all agree that they outweigh the negatives. Benefits include simple and flexible access to a larger pool of highly skilled professionals situated in the same time zone, a comparable culture and attitude, and reduced costs. These advantages are all in action. However, we should not ignore the difficulties that nearshoring may provide. Let’s get to know each other and go through them together. There are several reasons why conventional hierarchical structures continue to be the best way to operate, including the inherent human fear of change and the inability to communicate across geographical boundaries effectively. The fact that we are used to something makes it appear more straightforward. In reality, the nature of nearshoring calls for cross-functional, collaborative work in groups that operate in comparable time zones. It’s an excellent match for agile teams, whether they’re based locally or remotely! Agility is a perfect way to increase communication, organization, and software development in nearshore teams. Here’s how you do it.

Online communication

Time is now infinitely valuable. We get hundreds of emails daily, and since we are too busy to read them, contacting each other is much simpler than starting a complicated chain of emails. For instance, in Scrum, everyday communication is prioritized throughout so-called “events” (Daily, Review, Retrospective meetings). Clients that work with remote teams or nearshore collaborations soon adjust to having daily meetings using a range of video conferencing platforms. Communicating consistently and clearly with each team member in nearshore outsourcing teams is essential. Additionally, the chance to interact with one another at daily sessions enhances dialogue and fosters respect and awareness.

How to participate in nearshoring

First, I urge you to establish connections between the development and client teams as soon as possible. This might include often communicating with one another and participating in online meetings and video conferences. Additionally, it is suggested that the onboarding process be carried out at the client’s location and that periodic face-to-face discussions be held to promote engagement. Second, we must establish the norms of interaction clearly and lay out clear expectations. This is particularly important when remote employees work on various projects and in multiple places. The team must know why, how, and what to engage people. When individuals are appropriately educated on everything mentioned above, the other procedures must change independently. These simple guidelines will improve communication, enabling the provider’s developers to fulfill expectations across national borders. 

Free feedback and idea-sharing

This point and the one before it are closely linked. Another factor in the success of the Agile approach is open communication. It is crucial to establish clear communication routes to connect the teams and discuss vital project components. Making ensuring that everyone is aware of their responsibilities is also essential. For instance, in Scrum, the Scrum Master’s job greatly assists in overcoming obstacles and problems, encouraging continual progress, and bolstering psychological safety. Such a strategy enables open communication regarding the team’s actual opinions, which fosters innovation. By asking essential questions and guaranteeing that every work is clear to all team members, scrum masters assist the development team.

Retrospectives or learning from the past

As a two-word description of Agile, “continuous improvement” would do the trick. Iterations are the means through which progress is made. Agile software development teams learn from their mistakes and successes and then apply that knowledge to future projects to improve the software development process. Agile nearshore teams may use a broad range of web resources to make retrospectives more efficient. There are a variety of pre-made basic templates from which to choose. In the software development process, it is simpler to decide what to start and stop doing or identify concerns or emotions inside the team. Software development may be well-organized, thanks to this. Regarding retrospectives, learning from the past and applying “the lessons learned” to the future is the most significant component. In agile development, tasks are iterated to enhance the product over time. 

How does the previous concern collaboration be nearshoring? The nearshore development paradigm is unusual in that it emphasizes collaboration in addition to constant improvement. We can’t establish a fruitful alliance in a single day. Like the Agile model, an effective and productive partnership between a company and an outsourced services provider involves continual development.

Project management

You may track a project’s progress in real-time if you want to employ the Kanban approach in your Agile software development. When working with remote teams in the nearshoring paradigm, it is advantageous to have digital representations of the physical dashboard accessible. Utilizing the virtual board, you may systematize, organize, and set deadlines for all the tasks. This aids dispersed teams in work planning and monitoring.

For ordinary tasks, these tools may be quite helpful. The vast majority of information is acquired visually; according to studies, A project’s comprehension and task management are made easier thanks to visualization. Trello is an excellent tool for me since it helps me keep track of everything I’m working on at any time. Improved efficiency and improved time management may be achieved via the use of these technologies. In addition, numerous labels and tags allow us to customize the background picture and user interface.

How can agile software development continue to advance?

 

You can be Agile even if your team is dispersed across many locations. Software development teams throughout the globe are likely to face the same challenges. It is thus possible to rely on your partner’s nearshore development team’s skills and the information they have already gathered if you have elected to collaborate with a cross-functional team. When you do this, you’ll be able to expand your horizons and use Agile methods to enhance communication, organization, and the overall software development process. In the Agile model, nearshoring collaboration provides access to your partner’s experience and improves your employees’ social skills and techniques.

 

Chose to outsource using Agile nearshore

We have witnessed a significant change in how we operate due to adopting Agile methods, which have also positively influenced IT nearshoring. All businesses also have to explore and experiment with new techniques to see if we can’t boost productivity, communication, and project management. This could be the starting point for building long term relationships with a nearshoring partner for many organizations.

FAQ

What is meant by agile software development?

When delivering a final product, agile software development — also known as Agile — takes into account the requirement for adaptability and utilizes pragmatism when appropriate.

What are the 4 principles of Agile?

According to the Agile Manifesto, there are four fundamental principles of Agile software development:

• over procedures and equipment, it is people and their relationships;
• a functional program above thorough documentation;
• collaborating with the client during contract negotiations; and
• following a plan as opposed to reacting to change.

What is Agile Software Development example?

Scrum, Feature Driven Development (FDD), eXtreme Programming (XP), Adaptive Software Development (ASD), Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM), Crystal, and Lean Software Development are the most well-known and widespread examples (LSD). Teams often choose one or two strategies.

What do Agile developers do?

Agile developers manage all tasks by estimating, planning, tracking them, and reporting on their progress—program quality. The software quality that the Agile developer creates is their responsibility.

How do you become an agile software developer?

You must have a fundamental understanding of software development processes and procedures.

Why Agile is used?

Agile approaches are being adopted by many businesses to boost team productivity, raise customer happiness, and broaden project scope. Agile practices enable organizations to adapt to changing market conditions and effectively finish more projects.

7. What are the 12 Agile principles?
8. Customer satisfaction via timely and consistent delivery
9. Keep a Sustainable Pace of Work
10. Even late in the project, accept varying requirements
11. Permanent Excellence Improves Agility
12. Provide Value Frequently
13. Break Your Project’s Silos
14. Build Initiatives Around Motivated People
15. Face-to-face communication is the most effective kind.
16. Reflect often and change how you do things to be more effective.
17. Working Software Is the Main Progress Indicator
18. Simpleness Is Crucial
19. Teams that self-organize provide the most value
20. What are 3 Agile practices?
21. Work together with the customer
22. Work regularly together
23. Build initiatives around motivated people
24. What are the 5 principles of agile methods?

The Agile Manifesto’s Core Values and Principles:

• People and interactions above procedures and equipment
• Working software is preferred over thorough documentation
• Collaboration with the customer during contract negotiations
• Following a strategy of reacting to change
• Utilize the principles and patterns of agile design

What are the 6 scrum principles?

10. Control over the process of empirical research.
11. Self-organization.
13. Prioritization is based on values.
14. Time-boxing.
15. Iterative design.
16. What is a key concept behind agile?

Plan-driven, large-batch, final test motivated by value and excellence.

What is agile and scrum methodology?

Incremental development is a critical component of the agile scrum methodology project management system. A prospective deliverable product is created at the end of each two- to four-week sprint that makes up each iteration. The main objective of each Sprint is to implement the most crucial features first.

What is Agile and DevOps?

Agile emphasizes accepting changes in the middle of a project. DevOps focuses on the comprehensive approach to software engineering that incorporates ongoing development and testing. After each sprint, agile encourages incremental deployments. Daily introduction of continuous delivery is a goal of DevOps. Agile teams share a lot of the same skills.

What do you learn in Agile?

Agile promotes flexibility, adaptability, and experimentation. This is a key strategy to implement if you like working in a setting where you are encouraged to push the envelope and seek out more effective approaches. Agile enables you to make the limits of conventional project management and explore new ideas.

Is Agile a programming language?

Agile isn’t a programming language. Agile isn’t even a framework. Agile is best characterized as a method of thinking or a set of rules to guide developers in producing practical and long-lasting work.

Is Agile same as Scrum?

What distinguishes agile and Scrum methodologies? All scrum processes are agile, but agile isn’t necessarily Scrum, which is the distinction between Scrum and agile methodology. Agile can be described as a project management style that emphasizes freedom and flexibility while creating a product.

Is Agile only for software development?

Agile was first created for software development, but it has expanded to include many more kinds of projects.

Why DevOps is better than Agile?

Agile offers the capacity to quickly adapt to changing needs and superb communication between several smaller teams. In contrast, DevOps supports a completely automated continuous integration and deployment pipeline to allow frequent releases.

Is DevOps replacing Agile?

DevOps and agile are contemporary software development methodologies designed to provide a framework for producing a product component, a release, or a launch.

What is Scrum vs DevOps?

In contrast to DevOps, which is described as a collection of concepts, technologies, processes, and practices used by development and operations teams to improve the product development process, Scrum is defined as a framework of roles, rules, artifacts, and events that ensures regular delivery of new product versions.