Outsource or Else!: How a VP of Software Saved His Company

by Steve Mezak

In Outsource or Else! How a VP of Software Saved His Company, authors Steve Mezak and Andy Hilliard offer a management fable as instructive as it is page-turning.

Jason Jaye is the VP of engineering at ShapeShift, a start-up in Silicon Valley developing cutting-edge fitness technology. When his CEO drops a bombshell that software development for their next product will have to be outsourced, Jason is certain that the product and the company (not to mention he, himself) are doomed. After all, everyone in the Valley knows that outsourcing software development usually equals disaster.

Nevertheless, the fate of ShapeShift rests on Jason’s ability to navigate a safe path through uncharted waters. Enter Patrick Delaney, an eccentric, world-traveling outsourcing expert who offers Jason a compass to guide his way: the Seven Keys of Software Outsourcing, a plan for how to successfully select and work with the right global software outsourcing partner. Will Jason help his company meet its goals and bring its exciting new product to market on time? Or will the pitfalls of outsourcing software development swallow him whole before he gets the chance?

Through engaging storytelling, Mezak and Hilliard reveal the secrets of how to choose a software outsourcing partner that:

• Fits your technical requirements and company culture, for optimal results
• Delivers a quality product, at tremendous cost savings, within the needed time frame
• Improves your innovation by leveraging the broader expertise of an offshore team

Outsource or Else! offers useful, practical advice for tech leaders who want to capitalize on the many benefits of outsourcing software development—and push their businesses to extraordinary new levels of success.

Kindle Edition

Published March 31, 2016

Reviews

[Kaloyan Roussev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dunno why they wrote it as a novel but most of it wasn't useful information. A few very big hints here and there about outsourcing, though. You just have to stomach through the boring novelist storytelling

[Aaron Kent · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fiction as marketing tool. Office find and a clear sign that I'll read just about anything. Are these types of books effective? I think there might be a possibility in this genre for some odd gem to exist but it isn't this book. It would be fun to see a venture capitalist throw some money at an established author and see what they could get out of it.

[Sam Motes · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Outsource of Else” is a business novel in the vein of Goldratt’s “The Goal”, Kim’s “The Phoenix Project” or “Adventures of an IT Manager” by Austin that takes the lessons of the trade and wraps it into an interesting story line to capture and maintain the reader’s attention. The key message is that outsourcing can be a powerful solution not only for cost savings but more critically for expert professionals steeped in an environment of execution and focused expertise. The challenge to do your homework and look for a partner who you can build a solid business relationship with rather than just a set of bodies with some level of skill is the key. As someone who has been involved in outsourcing and been burned by the attrition of the support teams as skilled resources leave to be replaced by a warm body and other cultural and time zone impacts this truly is a great read on how to do outsourcing right. Great read I would recommend all IT and other business leaders to read as a must read.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outsource or Else! How a VP of Software Saved His Company is a technical novel written in the style of The Phoenix Project about how the VP of engineering, Jason, at the company “Shapeshift” is tasked with delivering a new product with a completely unrealistic schedule to meet the demands of investors. This leads the company to outsource software development. I found the plot to be entertaining and enjoyed how the author uses a side story about a landscaping project at Jason’s home which ends up being a prime example of how to fail at outsourcing work. I have to admit, as a software developer myself I was a bit skeptical about a book on outsourcing software development. However, I found the book to be entertaining and was able to gain some business perspective on when it might make sense to contract a third-party for help.

[Toby J. Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very fun read full of very practical advice on making outsourcing work

I not only enjoyed reading this immensely, but I found the advice within immediately helpful to my own outsourcing projects. Well written, a fun story, full of wisdom and practical advice. I really believe that the experience shared on these pages can help prevent disasters (like going for the cheapest option regardless of quality), and help real businesses do outsourcing right. Highly recommended.

[Dexter Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book on how to outsource software development. Having worked at a outsourced software development shop myself all of the points on the checklist are very critical to the success of the organization. A must read for anyone who uses or works for outsourced software development firms. However, the narrative wasn't as captivating as it could have been.