What To Consider When Outsourcing PHP Development: A Step-by-Step Guide

PHP is a preferred choice for web development to build robust and scalable applications. Developers choose it because of its flexibility in supporting simple applications to complex web apps. Outsourcing allows businesses to flexibly hire PHP developers from a global talent pool rather than depending only on in-house resources. It can reduce time and cost for companies by reaching the right skill set.

Outsourcing PHP development might be a difficult process when not followed correctly. In this guide, we will learn the steps to follow from selecting the right model to post-deployment services for a smooth outsourcing process.

Key Factors to Consider When Outsourcing PHP Development

The selection of the right PHP outsourcing company or developer relies on the following factors:

Step 01 – Clearly Define Your Requirements

Before starting the project, it is important to define the project scope and requirements for outsourced PHP developers. It is not possible to find the right outsourced company and make a successful project without letting them know clearly about goals. Defining requirements means:

Outlining goals to let the developer know what your destination of the project is

Project scope to define tasks and functionalities that the developer should focus on

Use of technologies in the PHP development process, frameworks, libraries, and tools

Clarity before starting the project will help to communicate effectively and reduce any kind of misunderstandings which results in achieving the expected goal more easily.

Step 02 – Select The Right Outsourcing Model

After setting the objectives of the project, the next step is to select the best outsourcing model. It depends on the size of the team, project scope, and budget to select any of these models:

Staff Augmentation allows us to hire freelancers or PHP developers to work with an in-house team of developers. This is best for small-sized businesses who need to hire an external developer for some time.

A dedicated team is for complex projects that hire a team of PHP developers for one specific project which might run long-term.

The project-based model allows us to hire an entire external team to lead the project, it is best suited for businesses that don’t want to take on projects with an in-house team.

Choosing the right outsourcing model helps companies to find the most fitted outsourcing PHP development for their project.

Step 03 – Look For Experience and Technical Skills

After selecting the model, businesses should look to hire PHP developer who has the right expertise to make high-quality applications. First evaluate at what level of experience the PHP developer is:

Junior PHP developer has basic knowledge of PHP, works on smaller projects, and understand basic technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Middle PHP developer is skilled in PHP, working on complex projects and mastering PHP frameworks such as Symfony or Laravel.

Senior PHP developer is an expert in PHP, builds complex solutions, and is skilled in RESTful API development, and version control systems like Git.

PHP development projects are successful when they hire PHP developers who are technically skilled. Technical knowledge of PHP depends on their experience level.

Step 04- Conduct An In-Depth Screening Process

After shortlisting potential contestants, completely evaluate them. There are different tools and techniques businesses can use to perform screening processes. Such as skills testing, live interviews, resume review, and phone screening. To outsource PHP development following techniques can be beneficial:

Ask technical questions about the use of PHP frameworks, new features, and problem-solving methods.

Assign them some tasks as a trial project to identify their technical skills

Evaluate their communication skills during the interview, and ensure that they clearly understand your needs and requirements

This step helps businesses to find the right candidate with the right skill set.

Step 05 – Set Up Communication Channels

Once a business hires a PHP developer, they should discuss how often they demand updates and meetings with a developer. They can categorize each channel on the type of information exchange, For example:

For video conferencing select Google Meet or Zoom

For sharing reports and updates go for Outlook or Gmail

For project management and tracking, choose Trello or Jira

For daily updates, Teams or Skype are good options

Communication is important to avoid any kind of misunderstanding. When businesses hire PHP developers, they should provide them with access to their project management tools to simplify project tracking.

Step 06 – Access Budget and Pricing

PHP is famous because it offers high-quality solutions at low cost. Businesses should plan their budget carefully when outsourcing PHP development by following these key factors:

They should evaluate development rates by considering developer’s location, experience level, and recruiting model.

Look for hidden costs by evaluating maintenance and third-party integration charges

Clearly define project scope to avoid unexpected, incurred cost

Additionally, businesses that choose low cost over quality result in poor code standards, missed deadlines, and hidden expenses. So, they should ensure the pricing model and additional cost as well-balanced.

Step 07 – Quality Assurance and Testing

After completion of the project, it's important to build a strong quality assurance process. The outsourcing PHP web development company that offers this is reliable and authentic. To run a smooth and bug-free application it is suggested that businesses follow these steps:

Review code regularly to preserve code standards

Perform automated testing to find and fix bugs at the early stage

There are tools of PHP that developers can use to perform testing such as PHPUnit, Codeception, Behat, and PHPSpec. After this step, businesses can ensure that they get their desired project or need any changes.

Step 08- Post Deployment Support

Finally, there is the support that outsourcing PHP development companies provide. PHP projects do not end after deployment, they need ongoing support for success. Businesses should consider to hire PHP developer who is available to provide support after launching the project. That support matters because:

It helps to find and fix bugs to ensure user-friendly experience

It provides updates to run the application smoothly after deploying it

The maintenance and support of applications keep it sustainable and future-proof

The post-development process makes sure that the application is running as per the demand of the business to keep it for long-term success.

Conclusion

Outsourcing PHP development is beneficial for businesses in terms of cost and providing high-quality projects. It allows businesses to approach a global talent pool of developers to select from. However, businesses can get the maximum benefit from outsourcing PHP development by following a well-structure approach – from defining project requirements and selecting the right outsourcing model, looking for technical expertise, to accessing budget and post-deployment services.

If you are looking to outsource PHP development services, Bizmia is a great choice for it. It is a trusted partner in PHP development and provides experts to help you achieve your project goals in the long term.