Web outsourcing: 24 useful links

Management and technology consultancy Accenture published on 15/5/2003 its second annual study on government outsourcing practices worldwide. Entitled 'Outsourcing in Government: Pathways to Value', this year's report provides an analysis of outsourcing practices and patterns across 23 governments in Asia, Europe, North America and South America, based on a survey of more than 160 government executives involved in large outsourcing projects.

When Adrian Comstock first dreamed up DriveGear.com, international labor management was the last thing on his mind. His seemed like a typically all-American idea: an e-commerce site where auto enthusiasts could purchase performance parts online. Imagine his surprise when, several months later, he found himself working with a development team based in Russia.

Define the problem, choose your design firm carefully, help designers evolve your vision, do preliminary user research, set clear goals and success criteria, map out project modules, demand clear documentation, express communication preferences, designate a single point of contact, and rally key stakeholders.

A large Canadian bank wanted to develop a new computer program to support its mortgage accounts. The project director, having enjoyed many successes with IT outsourcing, felt an outsourcing supplier could complete the project faster and better than its in-house programmers.

This web site offers advisory services that help companies worldwide harness the power of outsourcing. Services include: determine whether or not to outsource, develop an outsourcing strategy, assess the outsourcing value, develop a management plan and governance model to ease the transition to a new way of doing business, and develop a strategy for renewing or ending an outsourcing relationship.

More and more companies are turning to solution providers, or independent contractors such as web developers, who specialize in site development instead of keeping an in-house staff. The practice of hiring an external service provider to manage applications that are too expensive or just too much trouble to manage in-house is know as outsourcing.

This section of the CIO web site covers: what to outsource, management and staff issues, case studies, metrics, CIO radio, questions and answers, books, events, and newsletters.

This web site illustrates some of outsourcing's key business and legal issues. It focuses on decision-making and business process from the customer's standpoint, and also presents the service provider's viewpoint. Its aims at making outsourcing easier, quicker, cheaper, more effective and mutually beneficial.

This web site hosts free research, case studies, database directories, market intelligence, and content targeted to the information organizational decision-makers seek on emerging trends and best practices in outsourcing as a strategic business solution. It also hosts the monthly online Outsourcing Journal and BPO Outsourcing Journal.

This web site provides information, research, networking opportunities and customized services and solutions to the outsourcing industry: buyers, service providers and industry influencers.