August 16, 2018
The Accelerance research team recently reviewed and visited Ukraine to vet the top software development companies in the region. If Ukraine is on your list of potential places to outsource your software development, it’s a great choice. There are hundreds of software development companies in Ukraine and it’s one of the best places for outsourcing in Eastern Europe.
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Why We Like Ukraine for Offshore Development
Accelerance specializes in understanding the world’s software outsourcing landscape. We’ve been traveling the globe to find the best offshore and nearshore outsourcing firms for almost 20 years. We research software outsourcing companies in Europe to find the best outsourcing companies in Ukraine.
Bottom line - we like Ukraine’s outsourcing readiness. You’ll find great software talent, plenty of emerging technologies and affordable rates that help lower your labor costs.
- Top Industries: The top industries in Ukraine include automotive, insurance, banking and finance.
- Top Technologies: Blockchain, Big Data, data science
- History of Technology: Ukraine has a history of technology and engineering. In fact, the first computer in Europe was in Ukraine.
- Communication: Many tech-educated residents of Ukraine speak English and have experience serving Western clients.
- Incentives: The government provides monetary incentives to promote programming as a career choice.
- Standard of Living: Ukraine offers a low cost of living and in turn provides reasonable hourly programming rates.
How to Reduce Risk with Ukraine Software Outsourcing Companies
Outsourcing your software to Ukraine is a good strategy. But you must consider and manage risks that come with offshore development in Ukraine. At Accelerance, our focus is on helping tech and business leaders reduce risk with offshore software development. Based on our experience with Ukrainian software development companies, here’s a few tips to help you avoid risk when choosing a development team to work with:
Be Prepared for Cultural Dynamics
The Ukrainian government supports the growth of technology - which is a great sign. Beyond looking for great Ukrainian software developers, you’ll also want to review business processes, experience with outsourcing services and dive deep into DevOps and tech culture before you choose a Ukraine company for your development.
Here’s a few things to keep in mind as you look for a Ukrainian software company.
- Entrepreneurs - Many Ukraine software developers work as independent entrepreneurs. Often, a Ukraine outsourcing team is made up of independent freelancers, not employees. Decide whether you’re ok with that and be sure to ask before you hire.
- Title Inflation - Career advancement is important, so watch out for title inflation. Make sure that a junior-level person isn’t being presented as a more experienced software developer. Good Ukraine outsourcing companies manage this well. But, you need to ask the right questions and do your proper due diligence.
- Style - Unlike Indian programmers who aren’t direct, the Ukraine communication style is very direct. They’ll make their opinions known. Part of this comes from their scientific and engineering heritage as a country. Ukrainian developers want the be “the smartest person in the room” (or - on the call). For some, this style of communication can be very refreshing - you always know where you stand. On the other hand, it’s easy to feel insulted when your new idea is boldly shot down. Be ready.
- Great with complexities - Software engineers in Ukraine are drawn to complexity. They like new methods, new solutions, new technologies. The flip side is: checking for bugs is dull. So, be sure your Ukraine software outsourcing team has good processes and tools for thorough software testing.
Consider Time Zone Differences
Be aware that time zone differences can be an issue. Ukraine is 7 hours ahead of New York City. Ask about working hours. Some companies schedule their teams to work hours during your work day. Or, you may prefer the round-the-clock development that different time zones provide. If you need a lot of collaboration during your working hours, you’ll need to investigate that with your Ukraine vendor. Or try finding a software company in a more compatible time zone (such as Latin America, for instance).
Hire a Domestic Project Manager
In our experience, companies outsourcing software to Ukraine are more successful when they use a domestic onshore project manager. Over our years in the industry, we’ve seen companies succeed with outsourcing - and, unfortunately, we’ve seen companies struggle. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to help your company reduce risk and protect your investment with coaching services that steer your team away from risk and toward best practices that drive software outsourcing success.
You want maximum value for your investment in software development outsourcing. Accelerance knows that there are three critical aspects you must have to make outsourcing successful.
- Prepare your company for outsourcing.
- Hire the right outsourcing partner.
- Execute the relationship in a successful manner.
Accelerance Coach is the only service of its kind in the industry that ensures your outsourcing succeeds. All business goals are met. Highest possible value is achieved from your outsourcing investment. With our Coach services, we help you plan for your software outsourcing engagement. We help match you with the best fit partner for your needs and your company. We can walk with you through the entire engagement - from kickoff to closure.
Ask about Accelerance Coach services.
Best Cities to Find Software Outsourcing Companies in Ukraine
Ukraine is a significant European country second only to Russia in total land mass and size of military. Many cities in Ukraine have software companies. This is because of the historical technology and engineering emphasis in the region. Ukraine also has a strong higher education system.
From our experience - Kiev, Kharkiv, Lviv and Dnipro are the major cities for software companies. Here’s what we see in each city.
Kiev
Kiev is the capital of Ukraine with rich history and spectacular architecture. It’s a sophisticated European city and home to 3 of the top 5 universities of Ukraine. At one time, Kiev was one of the 3 most important cities in the former Soviet Union. Centuries ago, Kiev was so powerful – it was its own city-state.
Kharkiv
Kharkiv (also known as Kharkov), is the second-largest city in Ukraine located in the northeast part of the country. Kharkiv is considered a true leader in the emerging outsourcing industry in Ukraine. This is due in part to the impressive technical universities in the area.
Lviv
Lviv is a major cultural center of Ukraine life with about 750,000 inhabitants. It’s located in western Ukraine, only 45 miles from Poland. The prestigious Lviv University and Lviv Polytechnic are located there. Strong cultural and educational influences have made Lviv a growing hot-spot for software developers in Ukraine.
Dnipro
Dnipro is located besides the Dnieper River and about 240 miles southeast of Kiev. It’s Ukraine’s 4th largest city, with a population of 1 million. Glassdoor shows about 60 software companies located in Dnipro.
Discover the Top Software Outsourcing Companies in Ukraine
When you’re looking for the best Ukraine software development companies, it’s not a one-size-fits-all answer. A team that works great for one company’s project might be terrible with yours. To pick the right vendor, you’ll need to ask the right questions.
Accelerance is a US-based consulting firm that helps technology leaders create effective strategies for global software outsourcing through better planning, partner selection and ongoing management. Unlike do-it-yourself outsourcing which can be hit-or-miss, Accelerance delivers a proven methodology for outsourcing that identifies and manages risk and optimizes results so that clients gain all the benefits of high performance global partnerships.
Investigating software companies around the world is what we do. The Accelerance research team has investigated the very best companies in India and we’ve identified top vendors in Ukraine that meet over 200 outsourcing readiness criteria. We’ve done the due diligence, so you can sit back and relax.
Want to know what we’ve learned about our travels to Ukraine outsourcing companies and our on-site investigations? Contact us and we’re happy to share. An Accelerance advisor is happy to guide you to the perfect offshore development team proven to deliver.