How to choose a product development partner in a VUCA era
The times are turbulent. Many companies are struggling with difficulties caused by sudden large-scale events: pandemic, war, rising inflation. Under these conditions, finding a reliable development partner sounds like a challenge. Here, we will describe the traits of a product development partner suitable for unpredictable VUCA times.
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Why is VUCA more important now than ever?
Only a couple of years ago, the world had to face one of the greatest challenges of this century; the COVID-19 pandemic. That unexpected event forced many companies to restructure and rethink their business strategies. New work processes and remote working tools had to be developed and implemented on a large scale. With disrupted supply chains and coronavirus-related restrictions, companies struggled a lot. And it’s not over.
We live in a VUCA world - a world of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. That’s what we need to manage, and this requires certain strategies. At Boldare, we rely on flexibility, adaptability, transparency and agility. We are not VUCA-proof, but we have noticed those strategies have helped us not only to survive, but to grow in times of pandemic. It helped us to react to sudden changes, protecting Boldare and its clients.
In March 2022, VUCA hit us again. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has taken the lives of many and changed our reality. Simultaneously, it has greatly affected the global software development industry. Ukrainian software companies located in the war zone suddenly lost most of their employees (they either left the country or joined the military forces to defend their motherland). Reality changes in an eyeblink.
For western businesses (US and EU-based) linked to the Ukrainian software industry, this generates huge problems. They lose their reliable partners in Ukraine (and in regions impacted by economic sanctions) and need to find new ones, keeping digital development within a certain budget. That’s not an easy task, considering the war’s after-effects: high inflation rates (in some countries as high as 30%), increasing power costs, and disrupted supply chains.
Traits of a VUCA-proof software development partner
If you’re reading this, you’re probably looking for a company which can help you build a digital product. To succeed in VUCA times, you need a partner who communicates transparently, uses the right methodology, and takes proper care of information security. On top of that, they should know how to organize remote work across different time zones, maintain high levels of agility within their structures, and be ready for pivots when conditions change. Let’s look deeper into those traits.
Agile methodologies
Organizations that apply Agile to their processes and structures are more flexible and offer higher levels of innovation, collaboration, rapid decision making, knowledge sharing, and simplicity. Agile development is focused around building digital products in small iterations, so it can save a lot of time and money should unexpected market events occur.
Moreover, with Agile development, you become an integral part of the development process. For example, as a product owner, you will help define the purpose of the product. If at any point your business goals or your user needs change, you will have the ability to adjust your product accordingly. To avoid mismatching your expectations with future results, you need a development partner that uses an appropriate methodology.
Trust and transparent communication
Building a digital product is not a straightforward endeavor. When working in an Agile methodology product priorities might change and differences of opinions will arise. Also, you might have questions that need to be answered straight away. To handle these matters on a daily basis you need a partner that believes in open communication. It’s important to be able to contact a product team and get a quick response.
It’s also important that the team openly communicates about any problems which may occur during product development. They need to be honest and inform you about any change of plans, potential blockers, and specific situations which may slow down the development process. This is critical in a VUCA era, as rapid reaction to any change of circumstances can save your business and/or product. Choosing a new partner, make sure they emphasize open communication.
One more thing - trust. Trust is essential when you want to collaborate successfully with your remote product team, especially in VUCA times. In our experience, it’s always good to meet the team in person. Direct meetings help in generating reliability, commitment, and motivation. Ask your future partner if they are open to organizing a face-to-face meeting or workshop.
Cooperation across different time zones
If you decide to partner up with a company from a different country from your own, ask them how they will manage communication in light of the time difference. They can do so by careful planning, taking care of their developer’s well-being, and setting an active time overlap (for working together). For example, they could suggest a communication contract describing rules and limitations for future communication.
Innovation & flexibility
Look for a development partner who is not afraid to propose innovative solutions. VUCA times force new ideas as ways of dealing with the unpredictable and overcoming difficulties. Partner with a company that can help you in making bold decisions. Be aware that a VUCA environment may turn your product plans upside down within days, so you need a partner who is open and flexible, who will adapt to new conditions, and who will help you to handle disruption.
Such companies usually have some kind of consulting services in their offer. In case of unexpected events, they can engage their product strategists, Agile coaches, and consultants, to help you identify the potential implications of events for your users, suppliers, teams, etc. This will protect your product and business from the unwanted consequences of VUCA events.
Cyber security
When working with a development partner you need to trust them with your sensitive data, such as your product’s source code or your users’ personal data. After Russia invaded Ukraine, many companies who had previously used Russian tech specialists started to rewrite the Russian parts of their code in order to avoid future cyber-attacks (source). So, before partnering with any organization, check their cooperation history, and make sure they use proper security mechanisms and follow best code security practices.
No vendor lock-in
Imagine you suddenly need to change your software development partner due to unexpected circumstances. Wouldn’t it be easier to move your product to a new organization if you had access to the complete, detailed product documentation and had a wide knowledge of the product itself? The conclusion draws itself - choose a partner who shares product knowledge, who is against vendor lock-in.
It will also enable you to take over your product at any time and develop it further within your own company resources. Long cooperation with a software development partner will help you build a stable and secure product, but at some point, you may need to become self-sufficient and grow your product independently.
How do we handle the unpredictable?
At Boldare, we’ve found our secret sauce to being a reliable partner in the era of VUCA. After 18 years and over 300 products, we can say that:
- we develop our products applying Agile methodologies, including Scrum,
- we have a culture of radical transparency,
- products that we build are subjected to code reviews, bug-catching, penetration testing, and other practices aimed to improve security,
- our developers are based in Poland,
- we offer consulting services and product strategist support (when it’s needed),
- we have experience in cooperating with companies located in different time zones (even a nine-hour difference is not a problem for us),
- we apply proven processes (e.g. full cycle product development, lean startup) and product development tools (product discovery, lean canvas, and more).
Choosing a product development company in a VUCA era - summary
To succeed with your digital product you need to find a development partner that is as VUCA-proof as possible. Look for a company that performs with high levels of adaptability, flexibility, security, and credibility. Choose a partner who will be able to accommodate volatile and rapidly evolving circumstances, and who will help you do the same within your own business.
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