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Book Review: “Offshoring IT Services :A framework for managing outsourced projects”

Management of Information Technology [IT] Projects executed from offshore destinations has brought a lot of attention on offshoring. There is an increasing focus on managing and executing IT projects with geographically and culturally disbursed teams. Best practices, theories and Body of Knowledge on managing IT projects are well established, but there
is a distinct void when it comes to practices on managing offshored projects.

Offshore IT sourcing offers many advantages, but executing offshoring is complicated. Since the number of books on this topic is limited, Mohan Babu K, a technologist at Infosys Techlologies Ltd. has drawn his observations and research in the recently published book “Offshoring IT Services: A framework for managing outsourced projects.” (Publisher: Tata
McGrawHill) It contains more than 250 pages and is one of the most informative and detailed publications available on the subject. The book includes practical insight, strategic guidelines, interviews with experts, and case studies. The book examines some of the emerging trends and practices of managing offshored projects and explores practical ideas.
It also bridges the gap between offshoring strategies and execution of globally distributed IT projects by introducing an Offshoring Management Framework [OMF], a vendor-neutral way of approaching offshoring strategies for execution and management. The Framework is intended to be adopted by IT executives and managers at ‘both ends’ of the offshoring spectrum: at outsourcing organizations and at service delivery firms, onsite and offshore. The thrust is on enabling managers to be comfortable in managing global delivery projects. The book also addresses the challenges of managing onsite and offshore teams, the time and distance challenges of outsourced projects.

This book explains the intricacies involved in the practice of offshoring and covers a comprehensive range of important offshoring issues: from cost advantages and strategy, to execution of projects and programs and aspects of cultural differences and communication. The book concludes with an analysis of some of the key aspects pertaining to external
landscape and Offshoring Management including the Technology Landscape, Knowledge Management, Globalization and the Economic Environment.

The book describes a working model that can be used by organizations, managers and executives looking for inputs on outsourcing and offshoring. The ideas presented in the book can form inputs for developing offshoring strategies and implementing outsourced projects. The book also attempts to provide insights and ‘how to’ techniques that managers can implement.

The book is written for CTOs, CIOs, consultants, IT executives and managers. The book is also targeted at policy makers and analysts who may need inputs in articulating Offshore Outsourcing. It will also guide students of business and technology and others looking for insights into working models of Offshoring, Outsourcing and emerging trends.

More about the book at http://www.offshoringmanagement.com/theBook.htm