These are 8 excellent tips, but I think there is one that is very important. Make sure you close the communication loop and seek active validation. In outsourcing engagements, especially offshore outsourcing, diversity in culture, tradition, and skills play a big role. To ensure proper understanding of the tasks and projects, it is important to validate and perhaps even revalidate what needs to be done. An “active handshake” is important to minimize mis-understanding. This is especially important in a new relationship or working with a new team member. After all, remember that “yes” does not mean the same thing to everyone.

Te Wu’s comments on the article below….

Jennifer Lonoff Schiff for CIO writes:  “As if managing complex technology projects wasn’t difficult enough, outsourcing can create numerous stresses you likely have not experienced when using a primarily or exclusively internal team,” says Tom Fountain, CTO of Pneuron, which provides distributed enterprise solutions. “Interestingly, it’s not the technical competence of the outsourcer that normally derails projects. Instead, it’s a lack of communications and common understanding of simply what’s important and how to meld diverse organizations into a cohesive unit.”

So how can project leaders keep outsourced, especially internationally outsourced, projects on track and on budget? Following are eight helpful suggestions.

Help the outsourced party (or parties) understand your business and goals

“This does not entail endless training sessions and lengthy document exchange [but] sharing the important elements of your business, your customers, your business processes, your people,” says Fountain. “The more of these elements you can share effectively, the more likely your outsourcer will be aligned [with your business goals and be able to] create real value.”  SNIP, the article continues @ CIO, click here to continue reading….