To begin with, there is nothing worse than missed opportunities and rejecting the idea of outsourcing software development you are very likely to stay disappointed in the end. All you need to do is put aside horror stories told by companies who didn't know how to outsource sensibly and read the following tips for safe and effective software outsourcing.

- Pay attention to scheduling. Set intervals of time at which you expect to receive information on the progress of your offshore dedicated teams. If you define what and when should be done, you are more likely to be in control at all stages and to actually know at which stage the development process is now.

- Pay attention to details. You opted for outsourcing software development because it was the way to get features that will keep your customers happy. So make sure these features are present in every release.

- Communicate with your offshore dedicated teams on almost daily basis. As it's been said above, it keeps you informed in general, stimulates knowledge exchange between your in-house and offshore people and doesn't let minor problems to pile up and block the process.

- Never underestimate the importance of unit and system testing. Insist on creating tests before software is created. It is useful for both clarifying what software should do in the beginning and testing for basic system functionality afterwards. Integration testing is needed to ensure higher levels of performance.

- Recompilation is something that will allow early detecting and quick fixing of problems and errors in your software. Make sure, offshore dedicated teams do not forget about it as this helps to avoid delays in software release.

- Along with offshore dedicated teams a team of your in-house specialists should be responsible for knowledge management. In other words, you should know how software works. Architectural documents and installation instructions are really useful for product installation and support.

Don't be afraid to come across as meticulous and over-cautious. If you outsource your software development to good specialists you can count on understanding and support in all points mentioned above. Outsourcing software development can work wonders and you have the right to take advantage of this kind of cooperation.