communication in ict outsourcing

Communication inICT Outsourcing

Meeting the challenges of staff and stakeholder buy-in.

By Toby Ruckert, Advanced Millennium Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert

"The art of communication isthe language of leadership."

— James Humes


Toby Ruckert, my Outsourcing Experiences from 2001-2011

As a Client Wellness-Shop.com Viva-Lite.com unifiedinbox.com PuzzleCommerce.com Nutricare.co.nz, ...

(as Consultant)

As a Supplier Advanced Millennium

Private Ltd. (India) Apaks International, Co.

LTD (China) IFOS - International

Fulfillment & Outsourcing Services (Germany)


"The search for someone to blame is always successful."

— Robert Half

"The superior man blames himself. The inferior man blames others."

— Don Shula


Communication in Outsourcing – it's a two-way Challenge:

"Outsourcing" involves transferring or sharing management control and/or decision-making of a business function to an outside supplier, which involves a degree of two-way information exchange, coordination and trust between the outsourcer and its client.

Source: Wikipedia.


"Take your life in your ownhands and what happens?

A terrible thing: no one is to blame."

— Erica Jong


Distance & Culture increasesCommunication Challenges

In-house (1 local office) In-house (distributed team, multiple locations) Outsource (1 local location) Outsource (local, distributed, multiple locations) Offshore Outsourcing (1 country, 1 location) Offshore Outsourcing (1 country, 1+ locations) Offshore Outsourcing (multiple countries/locations)


How to find the rightOutsourcing Partner?

→ Check References and Track Records

→ Understand Business Objectives (Expectations)

Skillsets and Domain Expertise

→ Sign a NDA and / or MOU

→ Communicate: Call, talk, check writing(!)

→ Ask for Samples: Helps to get a local team on

board (show technical and process competence)

→ Ensure Post Development Support (Bugs...)


"Outsourcing is a tool,not the problem or the solution. "

— Martin Zwilling


Outsourcing DOs:

→ Build the relationship first

→ Do your “due diligence”, ask many questions

→ Make sure expectations and experiences match

→ Do what you say you'll do

→ Create mutual trust

→ Pay on time


Outsourcing DON'Ts:

→ Never outsource your core competency

→ Be careful with IP rights / content

→ Avoid outsourcing of creative / design works

→ Don't underestimate costs (travel, communication)

→ Don't be afraid – be positive


"The basic building block of good communication is the feeling

that every human being isunique and of value."

— Unknown


Guaranteed Trouble MakersYou: Them:

poor specifications, no acceptance

criteria, scope creep, not enough staff or

stakeholder support

inadequate staff and training,

high turnover, poor or inadequate

processes, lack of vendor project

management


The Agile Manifesto

→ Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.

→ Working software over comprehensive documentation.

→ Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.

→ Responding to change over following a plan.

Agile Manifesto (2001) by Martin Fowler and Jim Highsmith


The Project Management Triangle

Traditional „Iron Triangle“ - graphic by Wikipedia


The Agile Triangle

Agile Triangle (Jim Highsmith*) adding Software Debt


Agile Triange (Jim Highsmith*)with impediment management


Impediment Management comes down to Communication

→ How do impediments occur? → If they are beyond team’s ability to resolve,

how does management support their resolution? → Is there a need to provide visibility to more than

1 or 2 levels higher in the organization? → How do these enterprise impediments get

handled at strategic levels in the organization?

= What is your impediment management strategy?


"Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow.

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead.

Just walk beside me and be my friend."

— Albert Camus


Different Team Maturity Stages

FORMING:→ Ensure everyone is

„on board“, positivity

STORMING:→ Team is in „Chaos“→ Lead into „Order“

PERFORMING:→ Team is self organized→ Observe, fine-tune→ Communicate its value

NORMING:→ Team is learning→ Leader is guiding


"Any one can hold the helmwhen the sea is calm."

— Publilius Syrus


When Chaos rulesDo: Don't:

spend more time with the team,

organize and structure,

find bottlenecks & recurring issues,

start process optimization

act in incorrect role, look the other way / let

the team lead itself, teach too much when

the basics lack, blame, expect too much


Adopt Agile Methodology, e.g. „Scrum“

→ What have you worked on since we last met?→ What will you be working on until we meet again?→ What impediments are blocking our progress?


"People go a lot further when they feel they're led, not pushed."

— Unknown


When the Team takes ShapeDo: Don't:

teach how to avoid the impediments,

create a clear policy for communicating,

detect commitment and integrity issues,

keep pushing the boundaries

fix problems for the team,

fear confrontation, underestimate

impediments and communication blocks


Use Communication and Integrity for Team Clarity and Transparency

→ „I will do this by that.“ = clear commitment!→ Say it – mean it – do it. = define team integrity!→ Impediments? = mention early and communicate!

Be prepared to deal with „communication blocks“.


"When the best leader's work is done, the people say: 'We did it ourselves.'“

— Lao-Tzu


When your Team is maturedDo: Don't:

continue to lead daily meetings,

give „freedom“ with set constraints,

value what you have, communicate that value

decide too much for the team, especially if it's within their domain,

tell people what to do


"The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wantsdone and self-restraint enough

to keep from meddling withthem while they do it.“

— Theodore Roosevelt


Thank you for your attention!

Contact Toby:

via @manibodhi on Twittervia www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert