ZagNet Software Project Outsourcing

Software Project Outsourcing

In addition to providing an extra hand on your team, the members of ZagNet are also prepared to take on projects that we deliver complete, on-time, and fully tested by one of our QA professionals. These are billed at time and materials, but we will give you accurate estimates as well as hard and fast upper limits to facilitate your budgeting process.

We understand that you have important business needs, so our philosophy is to do what it takes to deliver software on time. We schedule projects based on a 40-hour work week with a 10% slack to handle the inevitable unexpected problem. This is usually enough, but when larger problems crop up, we work longer hours or bring in additional developers in order to honor our on-time commitment.

Project Process

Step 1

First
Meeting When a new project is first considered, a senior developer from ZagNet will meet with you, either in person or on the phone, for up to two hours. In this meeting we will get an idea of the scope of the project and the technology required. We will discuss what deliverables each side is expected to produce, and we will discuss the criteria for evaluating those deliverables.

Step 2

Initial
Proposal Within one week of the first meeting, the developer who met with you will deliver an Initial Proposal. If the project is small -- less than two person-months -- this proposal will be for completing the work. If the project is larger, this proposal will be for the development of a detailed project specification and formal project plan. Development of a detailed specification typically takes one to three person-weeks, depending on the scope of the final project. This effort is also significantly affected by how precisely you can explain what you are trying to accomplish.

Step 3

Milestone
Deliveries Every detailed project plan will include important milestones which represent an interim delivery of the project. These milestones will be spaced from two to four weeks apart -- never more than six weeks. These deliveries have two purposes: First, they allow you to see the progress of the project, to verify that the development is continuing on schedule. Second, they provide the ZagNet development team with important feedback to ensure we have correctly understood your needs. This feedback period gives you a chance to alter the user interface and appearance slightly. If features are added or removed, a revised project plan will be delivered within one week.

Step 4

Beta
Delivery As the project nears its completion, a beta version of the software will be delivered. This version will have all the functionality available and will be reasonably bug-free. There should not be any "blocking" bugs -- bugs that prevent entire areas of the program from being accessed. The purpose of the beta release is to put the software through its paces, to give it a workout under real conditions. Undoubtably, new bugs will be discovered during this period. These will be addressed quickly and new releases of the software built and delivered daily, if necessary.

Step 5

Final
Delivery The last days of the beta period are usually characterized by the bug count reaching zero every day, as the only new bugs that turn up are ones that are trivial, cosmetic things that were simply overlooked, or they are bugs that only happen under very unusual circumstances. As the deadline approaches, it should become clear that no significant bugs are left, and the final product will be delivered. If it is specified in the contract, the complete source code, development environment, and automated tests will be delivered at this time, as well. We will also bring along a bottle of champagne to share as the official hand-off is made.

Step 6

Burn-in
Period While the final product is release to your users or customers, the ZagNet engineering team who worked on the software will be available for emergencies. If there is any problem with the deployment, setup, or any other issue that prevents the software from working correctly, the developers will be immediately available by phone or in person, if necessary. Our goal is for your experience with the software is both successful and enjoyable, and we will do what it takes to make sure that is true.

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Step 1 First Meeting	When a new project is first considered, a senior developer from ZagNet will meet with you, either in person or on the phone, for up to two hours. In this meeting we will get an idea of the scope of the project and the technology required. We will discuss what deliverables each side is expected to produce, and we will discuss the criteria for evaluating those deliverables.
Step 2 Initial Proposal	Within one week of the first meeting, the developer who met with you will deliver an Initial Proposal. If the project is small -- less than two person-months -- this proposal will be for completing the work. If the project is larger, this proposal will be for the development of a detailed project specification and formal project plan. Development of a detailed specification typically takes one to three person-weeks, depending on the scope of the final project. This effort is also significantly affected by how precisely you can explain what you are trying to accomplish.
Step 3 Milestone Deliveries	Every detailed project plan will include important milestones which represent an interim delivery of the project. These milestones will be spaced from two to four weeks apart -- never more than six weeks. These deliveries have two purposes: First, they allow you to see the progress of the project, to verify that the development is continuing on schedule. Second, they provide the ZagNet development team with important feedback to ensure we have correctly understood your needs. This feedback period gives you a chance to alter the user interface and appearance slightly. If features are added or removed, a revised project plan will be delivered within one week.
Step 4 Beta Delivery	As the project nears its completion, a beta version of the software will be delivered. This version will have all the functionality available and will be reasonably bug-free. There should not be any "blocking" bugs -- bugs that prevent entire areas of the program from being accessed. The purpose of the beta release is to put the software through its paces, to give it a workout under real conditions. Undoubtably, new bugs will be discovered during this period. These will be addressed quickly and new releases of the software built and delivered daily, if necessary.
Step 5 Final Delivery	The last days of the beta period are usually characterized by the bug count reaching zero every day, as the only new bugs that turn up are ones that are trivial, cosmetic things that were simply overlooked, or they are bugs that only happen under very unusual circumstances. As the deadline approaches, it should become clear that no significant bugs are left, and the final product will be delivered. If it is specified in the contract, the complete source code, development environment, and automated tests will be delivered at this time, as well. We will also bring along a bottle of champagne to share as the official hand-off is made.
Step 6 Burn-in Period	While the final product is release to your users or customers, the ZagNet engineering team who worked on the software will be available for emergencies. If there is any problem with the deployment, setup, or any other issue that prevents the software from working correctly, the developers will be immediately available by phone or in person, if necessary. Our goal is for your experience with the software is both successful and enjoyable, and we will do what it takes to make sure that is true.