Establishing a Collaborative Relationship for Offshore Agile Software Development

An emphasis on partnership is important for undertaking agile projects. Because agile principles often revolve around teamwork, employees each need to demonstrate the appropriate skill set and expertise required to build a team.  This helps to assure our offshore clients that they are working with a sustainable and stable team that can implement agile principles in project work.

In order to deliver quality software, the team must be prepared to evolve with the client’s fast changing needs and requirements. A cohesive team will work in tandem with the client, staying in constant communication to account for adjustments in development.

Successful offshore agile development is dependent upon a clear understanding of the participant roles.

For Scrum, the roles and their location are:

• Product Owner (normally onshore in the client team)
• Scrum Master (potentially offshore)
• Development Team members (offshore) 

The Product Owner is the primary coordinator of the project on the client’s side.  That person works directly with stakeholders within the company to ensure that the offshore team is operating with a solid understanding of the requirements.

Product Owners typically work most frequently with the offshore team during the start of a project, in order to guarantee clear communication and directions between the client and offshore team members.  These processes help clarify team requirements and expectations and contribute to a healthy working relationship between the client and offshore team members.