Outsourcing is subcontracting a process, such as product design or manufacturing, to a third-party company. Outsourcing became part of the business lexicon during the 1980s, as project management developed as a field. It became more visible in technical communication after the 1990s, when salaries in the field rose significantly, encouraging employers to attempt to lower costs for documentation/user assistance (often regarded by business models as a 'cost center'). It is sometimes considered related to offshoring, the relocation of business processes from one country to another.
#27643
Outsourcing Documentation Development: Assessing the Offshore Option
This paper discusses some of the aspects that should be considered when evaluating the required resources and total cost of offshoring documentation development. As consultants to the documentation industry, The Integrity Group is committed to recommending the overall best solution for each business need. We have, therefore, drawn some conclusions from our research and made recommendations for those who are considering offshoring.
Clifton, Deborah. WritersUA (2005). Careers>Documentation>Outsourcing>Offshoring
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Outsourcing Documentation Development: Assessing the Offshoring Option 
This paper discusses some of the aspects that should be considered when evaluating the required resources and total cost of offshoring documentation development. The actual metrics for assessing offshoring costs are not included in this paper. Rather, it is suggested that you take each of the topic areas and measure the costs as they relate to your specific situation. It is only after factoring in the dollars related to these activities that you and your company’s executive team can make a complete assessment of offshoring’s potential financial benefit.
Clifton, Deborah. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Documentation>Outsourcing>Offshoring
#28402
To use freelance talent effectively it's important to know your strenghts and weaknesses, to be aware of the risks and have contingencies to handle when things go wrong.
Hunt, Ben. Web Design From Scratch (2006). Careers>Management>Outsourcing>Project Management
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Outsourcing Information Projects
Issues you should consider when selecting a service provider for documentation, help or other information projects.
Dawson, Colin. Info Action (2002). Articles>Management>Outsourcing
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The Outsourcing Institute is a professional association dedicated to outsourcing--a source for outsourcing information, consulting and networking opportunities.
Outsourcing Institute, The. Organizations>Collaboration>Outsourcing
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To determine the Risk of outsourcing your business.
Info Sourcing (2004). Resources>Project Management>Outsourcing>Offshoring
#25135
Have you calculated the risks of outsourcing, and how do you find the best vendor and what would you outsource?
Info Sourcing (2004). Resources>Documentation>Outsourcing>Offshoring
#27252
With the proliferation of outsourcing, there is little doubt that it has become the business byword of the last few years. Organisations of all sizes are realising the benefits of using suppliers to handle processes such as technology, HR, finance and procurement. Lured by the cost savings and the ability to harness external expertise much more economically than providing that experience in-house, more and more organisations believe outsourcing to be the cure all for business ills.
Ripley, Adam. StickyMinds (2006). Careers>Project Management>Outsourcing
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Requesting a quote for outsourced documentation services can be confusing and frustrating. Often it means that managers in IT, engineering or HR must negotiate with professionals whose skills they cannot effectively assess. This can easily lead to inappropriate expectations and disappointment.
Dawson, Colin. Info Action (2000). Articles>Documentation>Outsourcing>Assessment
#30456
The Rise of the Rupee: Time to Look at Alternative Growth Models? 
Thailand, India, Taiwan, China, and pretty much every other country in the vicinity with an economy worth talking about, is facing heavy capital inflows. In spite of the Rupee appreciation vis-a-vis the dollar, foreign capital inflows have been on the rise.
Kumar, Suman. TWIN (2007). Careers>Management>Outsourcing>India
#22677
Send Jobs to India? Some Find It's Not Always Best
Even as the prospect of high-skilled American jobs moving to low-wage countries like India ignites hot political debate, some entrepreneurs are finding that India's vaunted high-technology work force is not always as effective as advertised.
Porter, Eduardo. New York Times, The (2004). Careers>TC>Outsourcing>Offshoring
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Six Ways to 'Sell the Boss' on Outsourcing White Papers
Calculate the time of the manager and your time to do edits. Determine the cost to the company based on average salaries. Chances are it's costing MORE than if it was outsourced.
Stelzner, Michael A. WhitePaperSource (2008). Articles>Business Communication>Outsourcing>White Papers
#27210
Stop Whining About Outsourcing!
I’m sick of hearing all the whining about how outsourcing is going to migrate all IT jobs to the country with the lowest wages.
Patterson, David. Queue (2005). Careers>Unemployment>Outsourcing>Offshoring
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Technical Writing: A Candidate for Outsourcing?
Nowadays, outsourcing seems to be a de facto approach in the IT industry. As a part of the software development process, it seems reasonable to consider technical writing as a candidate for outsourcing. Through this article, I propose to explore the pros, cons, risks, and opportunities for outsourcing your technical documentation.
Talbot, Fabrice. LiveTechDocs (2008). Careers>Management>Outsourcing>Technical Writing
#13098
The Theory and Practice of Outsourcing
This paper discusses the reasons why companies are interested in information outsourcing (the theory) and how it can be made to work for the benefit of companies and individual information developers (the practice). The paper examines how information developers can, and do, react to the prospect of outsourcing. And by doing so, I hope to help information developers to understand the process and take advantages of the benefits it does offer them, while recognizing that there are some downsides to the process. where an organisation can best utilise its own core competencies.
Griffiths, Dave. STC Proceedings (2001). Presentations>Management>Outsourcing
#21319
Trends in Management: Observations of a SIG Manager
Herr, the manager of STC's Management special interest group, shares some informal observations on several economic and social trends affecting technical communication managers, including telecommuting, outsourcing, contracting, offshoring, and virtual and face-to-face professional networking.
Herr, Judith M. Intercom (2004). Careers>Management>Outsourcing
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What Color Is Your Future Job: Commodity Writer or Strategic Communicator?
Commodity writing is the type of technical communication characterized as the creation of formulaic documentation on demand, and is closely tied to writing code. Companies are increasingly comfortable outsourcing both of these tasks. Those are the jobs being sent offshore, as evidenced by the surge in job openings on STC job boards in the Asia-Pacific countries.
Bailie, Rahel Anne. MetroVoice (2003). Careers>Writing>Outsourcing>Technical Writing
#27402
What is KPO (Knowledge Process Outsourcing)?
The next wave in the evolving dynamic outsourcing markets is here. The emerging Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) is the process where businesses outsource high end knowledge or judgment services such as investment banking research, sales and marketing research, IP/patent research, R&D, legal research and case writing and even animation design. A provider must have an educated, skilled work force able to think independently and provoke their own free thought behind any research criteria. KPO involves a high degree of execution risk as providers look to create and combine complex levels of process, technology, and services. The business processes will require domain expertise and high-end talent such as MBAs, engineers, doctors, lawyers, accountants and other highly skilled professionals. KPO will move outsourcing up the value chain from simply executing commodity processes to carrying out processes with advanced analytical and technical skills and more decision making.
Larkey, Adam. Outsourcing Institute, The (2006). Articles>Knowledge Management>Outsourcing>Offshoring
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When Help Is Half a World Away
I've heard from a multitude of readers annoyed by language difficulties when their calls go to offshore service reps. They say that offshore techs often seem to be reading from a script instead of listening to details, or that they seem ill-informed about products or company policies. And many complain that calls to far-flung tech support centers often get disconnected.
Kandra, Anne. PC World (2004). Articles>Documentation>Outsourcing>Offshoring
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Where Are the Jobs? Work Alternatives for Technical Communicators
As the 90's come to a close, there have never been more options for technical communicators to ply their trade and make a good living. Today, in addition to working as company employees, we are thriving as temporary employees, independent contractors, and owners of temporary agencies and outsourcing companies. Consequently, temporary employment, independent contracting, and the management of technical communication businesses have become a way of life for many technical communicators.
Cheirrett, Peg A. STC Proceedings (1998). Careers>TC>Outsourcing
#27401
Which New Regulatory Changes Will Most Impact Outsourcing Contracts, and How?
In the last two years, more than 300 state bills were introduced directly targeting outsourcing. While the 12 bills that made it into law will impact government contracting most directly, certain pending legislation, if enacted, may force providers to have onshore operations for purposes of providing certain services or handling certain data.
Hirshman, Neil. Outsourcing Institute, The (2006). Careers>Management>Outsourcing>Contracts
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Who Wins and Who Loses as Jobs Move Overseas?
The outsourcing of jobs to China and India is not new, but lately it has earned a chilling new adjective: professional. Advances in communications technology have enabled white-collar jobs to be shipped from the United States and Europe as never before, and the outcry from workers who once considered themselves invulnerable is creating a potent political force.
Kinetz, Erika. New York Times, The (2003). Careers>TC>Outsourcing>Offshoring
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Do you ever find yourself causally picking up the phone to call your subject matter expert over in India? No, neither do I, and at least half my subject experts are in India. Another group is in Egypt, a few are in Russia, one is in Japan, and some are on the eastern U.S. seaboard. (And yes, there are a few in Oregon too?but I walk down the hall to ask them questions.) So how do you get information when your developers are many time zones away?
Lizak, Samantha. STC Williamette Valley (2004). Careers>Collaboration>Outsourcing>Offshoring
#33171
In a Downturn, Is It Better to Use Contractors, Permanent Staff or an Outsourcing Company?
In a downturn, priorities in a business often change, and these changes can affect technical authors as much as others. At the London Connections event earlier this week, where I was promoting Cherryleaf's technical writing services, I was chatting to Mike Southon about business strategies in a downturn. Mike is Visiting Fellow in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at London South Bank University, amongst other things, so I value his judgement. He said, in a downturn, businesses should focus on its Return on Investment, minimising risk and watching its cashflow. So, does this mean you should favour contract technical authors over permanent staff, or vice versa? Should you outsource technical writing work instead? Actually, each option has its merits.
Ellis Pratt. Cherryleaf (2008). Careers>Management>Outsourcing>United Kingdom
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Designing for Offshore Development
One of the most significant realities about offshore developers is that they will build exactly what you tell them to build. This is both good and bad news. The good news is that they are likely to take your specification very seriously--not merely as a suggestion or starting point from which to improvise. The bad news, of course, is that if you don't clearly plan and articulate every aspect of your product from user interface and product behavior to business logic and algorithms, developers are forced to rely on their own experience and judgement to determine an appropriate solution to an unforeseen problem or vaguely documented feature. The reality with offshore resources, however, is that they are very unlikely to have that experience.
Cronin, Dave. Cooper Journal (2004). Articles>Management>Outsourcing>Offshoring
