Extended software development has had a rapid growth in popularity, and that’s not just because the COVID-19 crisis forced us all to hunker down and go into remote work mode. From saving time, energy, and resources to improving creativity, performance, and engagement in the long term, the benefits of extended development teams far outweigh the disadvantages.
There are many factors to consider when setting up an extended team, including your budget, the project type, your business goals, your customers’ expectations, and the capacity of your in-house software department. All these and more will determine whether you should opt for nearshoring or a more traditional offshore outsourcing model.
If, after weighing in all the pros and cons, you decide to contract out your software development somewhere closer to home, we highly recommend that you put Spain among the top potential locations on your list. In recent years, the land of paella and flamenco has become a hotspot for high-quality developers and one of the major players on the international tech scene, on a par with the likes of London and Berlin.
With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at the advantages of setting up an extended development team in Spain.
What Is Extended Software Development?
Extended development or staff augmentation is a software development model in which in-house and remote engineers work in tandem on the same projects. The remote team can be based in a nearby country (nearshoring) or on an entirely different continent (offshoring).
Why Choose the Extended Development Team Model?
The extended team model allows you to attract developers at a fraction of the cost of hiring in-house employees. Perhaps more importantly, you get to pick from a global talent pool and partner with top-quality engineers who might not agree to work on your project if they had to relocate physically.
You also save time, energy, and money on HR onboarding, management and payroll, training people, and setting up workstations — to name just a few. And then there are the more favorable labor legislation, taxation rules, and insurance covers of certain countries and regions.
For more details on why extended software development is a great idea, check out our post on the 5 Benefits of Having an Extended Development Team.
Why Spain Is a Great Option for Setting Up an Extended Development Team?
-
Talent Is Abundant
Spain has long had a reputation for consistently producing high-caliber developers and ranks among the top ten European economies in terms of number of software engineers. According to Stack Overflow, there were 268,149 professional developers in the country as of 2017 — more than in Ukraine, a traditional outsourcing destination.
And the best part is that many Spanish developers are currently in search of new or better-paying jobs — and more than willing to join an extended software development team.
-
You Get Access to Top Developers at a Low Cost
Due to the lower cost of living in Southern Europe, software engineers in some cases are paid less than their counterparts in more expensive locations, such as the US, UK and Germany.
But here is where it gets even better. Spanish engineers are on top of their game. They are constantly looking to expand their skillsets, know how to work with state-of-the-art technologies, and have an excellent command of English. The vast majority also have experience working with multinational companies and extended software teams.
You don’t have to take our word for it. The SkillValue IT Ranking 2019 report rated Spain among the top seven countries with the best programmers in the world.
Given all these benefits, it comes as no surprise that Madrid is at the forefront of Europe’s tech leadership.
-
The Location is Great
When it comes to remote work, distance and travel time matter. Madrid, Barcelona, and most other Spanish cities are only a short flight away from virtually all major IT hotspots in Europe. The country is dotted with international airports, has excellent public transportation services, and boasts the world’s third-longest highway network. All that should come in handy when you need to meet your team face-to-face.
-
Communication Is Easy
We already mentioned that Spanish developers have an excellent command of English — not to mention the many foreign nationals resident in Spain who are native English speakers. Most of them have also worked on extended software projects and know their way around multinational corporate environments.
However, effective communication takes more than good language skills and relevant work experience. Cultural differences can result in misunderstandings, things getting lost in translation, and vastly different work ethics. For British, American, and Western European companies, extended software development in Spain ensures a level of cultural proximity that is not guaranteed with more remote outsourcing regions such as Latin America, India, Ukraine, or Serbia.
And don’t forget the timezone differences, too. The time gap between Spain and other European countries is minimal or nonexistent. US companies should also find Spanish time more manageable than that of most locations in Asia or Eastern Europe.
-
You Benefit from a Faster Time to Market
You can design and have your Spanish team extension up and running in just four to six weeks. Overall, you are looking at shorter product development periods, allowing you to become one of the top players in your niche.
This is made possible by the relatively short notice periods in Spain. Most employers there require only two- or three-weeks’ notice. In contrast, the standard in most other European countries is a full month, and Germany takes things to a whole different level with its notice period of three months.
How Zartis Can Help You Set Up an Extended Development Team in Spain
Zartis specializes in building world-class extended teams from our Spanish software development center in addition to teams in Poland, and Portugal. We work with clients in the US, the UK, Germany, and Ireland, among others, helping them fuse their core and remote departments, find opportunities for optimization, boost performance in the long term, and design and create market-leading products in the span of just a few short months.
So, if extended software development in Spain sounds like something your company could use, take action now and contact us. You can expect a response right away, and we will schedule your online appointment as soon as possible. Our experts will:
- Give you more details about our services.
- Provide you with professional advice, ideas, and useful resources.
- Help you design the best solution for your company, save money, and get the best people on your team.
And Spain is not your only option, either — talent is everywhere. We can also architect extended software teams operating from Germany, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, or the UK. It all depends on your budget and company goals.
In any case, Zartis is your go-to partner company. We can help you to:
- Achieve quicker time to market.
- Get the skills and experience your team is lacking to modernize your stack and processes.
- Take your business to the next level.
Extended Software Development in Spain: Final Thoughts
From Madrid to Barcelona to Seville, Spain is an up-and-coming tech hub, and no wonder. The country has a track record of offering an abundance of high-quality engineers at reasonable rates, a convenient location, and a product- and customer-centric work culture. So, if you are planning to transition to an extended development scheme, give Spain some serious thought.
Want to Learn More About Extended Teams?
For more details on the benefits of setting up a Spanish extended team, check out these related posts:
- Nearshore Teams for UK Companies – Case Study of Madrid
- Nearshore vs. Offshore Software Outsourcing: Which one is the better option?
