hookatooka.com

Fast Tracking a Remote Developer

bhook — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 02:37:34 +0000

You’ve taken the risk of hiring a remote developer, and you want him to get started as soon as possible. What’s your first step?

In my experience, the #1 thing a client can do to get a developer up to speed with their team is to provide a 100% preconfigured development box. This might seem like a waste of resources and time, but this actually has a lot of benefits:

all software packages such as source control, VPN, task management, etc. can be preconfigured by your IT staff
software licenses for tools that the contractor may not already posses (Max, Maya, Visual Studio, Photoshop) can be installed. This is a huge issue, especially when dealing with software with annoying floating license issues
bookmarks/URLs can be loaded into the browser of choice
appropriate internal IM clients can be preconfigured and ready to roll
an initial depot dump from your asset/source repository can be installed, saving hours of pulling it down remotely

Additionally, this sequesters all of your stuff onto a single machine. When the contract has expired, the contractor can simply return the machine and you’ll know that your confidential materials were compartmentalized onto a single machine.

Many clients underestimate just how long it can take to get someone setup remotely. In my experience I often spend at least eight hours getting a system configured for a client, especially when in separate time zones. Ensuring that you have proper accounts for Wikis, VPN, source control, task management and other internal stuff is difficult enough, but then you have to take into account grabbing the latest repository, ensuring you have proper software licenses, that all the necessary development tools have been configured and installed, and on and on, and it becomes a very fragile process that is easy to derail.

And the reality is that contractors are going to bill for that time. If you have an IT staff that can get everything setup and configured, you’re saving money and time in the process.

Communication: The Key to On-time and On-Budget Projects

bhook — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 03:19:53 +0000

One of the greatest dilemmas a contractor has to face when submitting a bid for a project is whether to be conservative or liberal in the bid. If you’re overly conservative (overbid) then you look expensive, and there’s a good chance a competitor is going to undercut you. If you’re liberal (underbid) then you run the risk of looking cheap and, of greater importance, you’re very often assuming a large financial risk if the project goes over budget and time through no fault of your own. (more…)

How does off-site development work?

bhook — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 03:06:53 +0000

Many potential clients are unsure how off-site development works. Traditional companies are used to the model of “you show up, you sit down, and you do your work”. Many managers are uneasy with off-site development since the workers are now “out of sight”. To get around this ingrained mindset, freelancers such as Hooka Tooka must use technology to integrate into a client’s infrastructure and provide visible progress. (more…)

When Should You Hire a Contractor?

bhook — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 22:38:22 +0000

Assuming your company is comfortable with the process of off-site development, the obvious question is: is hiring a contractor right for you? While I have an obvious bias, there are many situations where contracting makes sense and a few cases where it really doesn’t. (more…)

Are contractors overpriced?

bhook — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:41:54 +0000

A common assumption about freelancers is that they’re overpriced. This belief is based upon the “sticker shock” some managers feel when they see a quoted hourly rate or a final bid for a particular project, but to understand why contractors are often economically attractive, we have to put those numbers into perspective. (more…)