In today’s digital age, a website is often the first point of contact between a business and its customers. As such, it is essential for a website to not only function well but also look great. In other words, a cutting-edge website is a great way to get eyes on your business; however, technology changes fast, and website design trends are no different. Therefore if you’re not already thinking about 2023 web design, the time is now. In this blog, we’ll be taking a closer look at the top web design trends of the moment, including tips and tricks for incorporating them into your own website. 

Single-page design

A single or one-page website is simply a website that only contains one HTML page. Although a one-page website won’t be a fit for every business, this design trend encourages users to pay attention and play with a website without feeling overwhelmed by a large amount of text and website sections. Also, content on single-page websites is fully loaded on the initial page, making the user experience more continuous and fluid.

A one-page website can represent many advantages. By focusing on the essentials and striving for a clear and simple design, single-page websites ensure simple and intuitive operations for the user. Plus, with a logical and sequential order, it is possible to present offers and products in a comprehensible way. Thus, the potential client can better exploit the advantages and sales arguments, leading the user directly to conversion.

Virtual and augmented reality

Virtual and augmented reality, commonly known as AR/VR, in design is bringing a critical shift in user experience. This new “extended reality” has been predicted to be the next evolution of technology and represents a white canvas for companies to intervene and adapt their products while this universe blurs the line between physical and digital life.

Before AR/VR, everyone viewed design in mere 2D. But, this new technology has freed the user interface from the limits of a flat rectangular surface or screen into 3D. AR/VR can be powerful tools for a website to serve useful, meaningful content to a visitor in a way that helps them make buying decisions.

Scrollytelling

Scrollytelling is a form of digital storytelling where the narrative is presented through scrolling on a website or application. As the word suggests, scrollytelling involves using animations and full-screen displays as the user scrolls to make scrolling an experiential element. It combines elements of traditional storytelling, such as a plot and characters, with interactive and multimedia elements, such as images, videos, and animations. 

The goal of scrollytelling is to engage the reader and enhance the storytelling experience by allowing them to control the pace of the story and interact with the content. It is often used in news articles, data visualization, and interactive documentaries.

Smart Content Loading

Source-heavy websites with many graphical elements are a thing of the past (or at least they should be); nowadays, there are many different ways to develop smart websites that download only the content that a potential client sees and need.

This is called Smart Content Loading. In other words, a technique used in web development to improve the performance of a website by loading only the necessary content as the user navigates through the site. This can be achieved through a variety of methods, such as lazy loading, where images and other media are only loaded as they come into view, or infinite scrolling, where new content is loaded automatically as the user scrolls to the bottom of the page.

Smart Content Loading can improve the user experience by reducing the amount of time it takes for a page to load and also by reducing the amount of data that needs to be downloaded.

Chatbuds

As the excellent tool they are, chatbots will continue to be relevant in 2023. However, they are expected to change and evolve thanks to artificial intelligence and machine learning, making it possible to have more human-like conversations with them. The future of chatbots is expected to involve more natural language processing, allowing them to understand and respond to more complex inputs. 

Additionally, chatbots are likely to become more integrated with other technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality, and will be used in a wider variety of industries, including healthcare and finance. Additionally, with the rise of the Internet of Things, chatbots will be able to interact with a wide range of devices and control them via voice commands.

Boldness

The newer generations are all about bold combinations and daring colors; therefore, don’t be surprised if 2023 sees more websites employing neon colors, pop-ups, and brash typefaces. 

This new bold trend comes as a reaction to the more minimalistic and modern styles that were popular in web design in the past. Elements like illustrations, iconography, and other graphics are used more and more, as also references to pop culture, including film, music, and television, to create a playful and lighthearted atmosphere.

Although this bold style is often used for sites such as personal blogs, portfolio sites, and small business sites that want to convey a fun and lighthearted atmosphere, nowadays, more major websites are turning their heads toward disruptive designs.

White space

White space, also known as negative space, is a design trend that emphasizes the use of empty or unoccupied space in a composition. The idea behind this trend is that by using empty space, the design can become more visually appealing and easy to understand. White space can be used to create a sense of balance, hierarchy, and emphasis in a design and can also be used to draw attention to specific elements. 

Integrated typography

In modern websites, typography and design don’t have to be separate. Integrating typography into design involves using type as an element in a composition. Typography can be used to create a sense of hierarchy, emphasis, and visual interest in a design. The selection of typefaces, font sizes, and spacing can all be used to create contrast and draw attention to specific elements.

Also, modern web design is all about including typography as a visual element. This can be done by playing with the shapes of the letters, using typography to create patterns or images, or using typography to create a sense of movement in the design.

Thumb-Friendly

Mobile browsing is becoming more popular than desktop browsing. Therefore, it’s no surprise that one of the biggest trends for this and the upcoming years is to adapt web design and make it as mobile-friendly as possible. On that note, a big emphasis this coming year is making sites thumb-friendly.

Putting the navigation bar, menu, and even contact buttons in the space your thumb can reach will make your site more comfortable to use and ultimately improve your users’ UX.

Whether you are about to start planning your next website design or you are already thinking about a total redesign for your old website, we hope these trends for 2023 help you stay on top of your design game. 

If you don’t know where to start, we recommend you search for a reliable partner that helps you design and develop a website customized to your specific requirements and needs.

Regarding outsourcing website development talent, regions like southeast Asia and central Europe always come to mind. Still, everything has been changing with the rise of the Latin American software development boom in the last couple of years.

From Mexico to Argentina, the region is home to a thriving community of talented developers making their mark on the world through their contributions to cutting-edge technologies and innovative software solutions. So whether you’re a software developer yourself, a business leader looking to tap into the region’s talent, or just curious about the advantages of the Latin American development world, you’ll find valuable insights and information here. 

Keep reading to find out how Latin America is shaping the future of website development.

Latin America by the numbers

The development industry in Latin America is booming rapidly. Growth can be traced back to ever-increasing better education in technology and improvement in the region’s development infrastructure. This means there is way more talent to pick from when you look at options from Latin America than within the US. 

On that note, Latin America has a great population of 21 million software engineers who are currently available in the market. And according to Statista, there are roughly over 1 million software developers in Latin America​​ involved in offshore development. Just to name a few countries, Brazil tops the list with around 500,000 developers, followed by Mexico (225,000 developers), Argentina (115,000 developers), Colombia (62,000 developers), and Chile (61,000 developers).

Also, the region is full of a young population ready to take on new challenges. This young talent force can bring fresh perspectives, enthusiasm, and energy, making them more flexible and creative potential workers. Plus, they are tech-savvy and, therefore, excellent web development candidates. 

Advantages of working with Latin American developers

It’s no secret that Latin America has seen outstanding economic growth in the past few years. According to Bloomberg, companies looking to hire from Latin America have increased by 156%, making LATAM the most popular worldwide, with software engineers leading the recruitment sector.

The growth rate of hiring across Latin America for software engineer and account executive positions increased by 286% in the second half of 2021, more than in any other region in the world. Most of the new hires are located in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico, but competitive wages also make companies take a closer look at Colombia. But why? 

First of all, Latin American software developers are one of the best options to work with, as they often have a strong technical background and are able to deliver high-quality work at competitive rates. Additionally, many Latin American countries have a strong IT and development education tradition and a culture that values technical skills, which can lead to a high level of expertise among software developers in the region.

From Baja California, Mexico to Patagonia, Latin America is bursting with bright young web developers, data scientists, and programmers, driving rapid Latin American technology sector growth. Based on the current technological development in Latin America, experts expect the region to continue producing top-notch software development professionals to cater to the growing industry’s needs. This makes a good pool of highly qualified and very experienced workers at the reach of companies HR team’s hands. In other words, LATAM is full of attractive candidates to choose from when companies are looking to set up world-class development tech talent networks or hire individual remote engineering talent.

It’s also worth noting that many Latin American countries have a good time zone overlap with the US, which can benefit communication and collaboration. Therefore, besides the competitive costs, the Latin American region is close enough to the North American markets, enabling real-time collaboration at times that work best for both parties to make projects time-efficient and easy to coordinate. While the time difference between America and Asia can exceed 12 hours, the time difference between American companies and countries in South America is usually within 5 hours, which keeps exchanges within the same business day.

Should I nearshore in Latin America?

Short answer, yes! As geographical proximity is of prime importance in nearshoring, Latin America has become one of the favorite outsourcing destinations for US-based companies. The LATAM region has slowly but steadily become one of the primal providers of tech talent worldwide, with its thriving economies, steady political contexts, and big pools of development talents.

The number of developers is projected to rise to 28.7 million in 2024. Latin America is one of the regions that will grow the most regarding programmers and developers, even growing faster than North America. 

Among Latam countries, Mexico gains the most because of its proximity to the United States. In fact, it has already started to show the benefits, reflected in high foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into Mexican states bordering the United States. While Mexico as a whole reported a 4% decrease in FDI in 2021 against the average from 2015 to 2019, its northern states of Baja California, Chihuahua, and Nuevo León recorded increases of 54%, 6%, and 4%, respectively, according to Mexico’s Secretary of Economy. 

The Inter-American Development Bank estimates that nearshoring could add US$78 billion to Latam’s exports yearly, from which US$35 billion would go to Mexico and US$7.8 billion to Brazil. Industries such as automobiles, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy could benefit the most.

When thinking about nearshore, other strong allies that come to mind are Argentina, Chile, and Colombia. 

First, on the list, Argentina is one of the best options to outsource IT talent, as it offers cost-effective software solutions with a large pool of industry experts within a pretty convenient time zone and almost cero cultural barriers. The country also has the highest level of English in the region. 

Regarding Chile, the country has one of the most business-friendly environments and advanced infrastructure facilities in the Latin American region, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the country aims to be a key supplier of IT and software development services to the western market. Also, the country’s BPO and IT industry is thriving and provides high-quality services to local and global clients. As of 2021, the literacy rate in Chile is 96.4% — higher than the Latin American average of 93.9%. Finally, Chilean software developers are known for their solid programming skills and consistently rank in various coding competitions, making software development one of the most outsourced services to Chile. 

Finally, thanks to all the hiring and investment benefit from the government to attract foreign IT leading companies worldwide, Colombia has earned the status of the software development outsourcing hotspot in South America. Colombia’s economy is among the strongest in Latin America, ranking as the fourth largest and making it a stable and reliable region for companies looking to outsource IT services. 

Wherever you look at it, Latin America is the future of website development. From increased efficiency to wider access to specialized skills, resources, and top talent, the region is the place to be looking at this 2023. Now, it is only a matter of deciding the best country for nearshore web development according to your business needs. 

Don’t know where to start? Talk to our experts! At Intersog, we have been delivering success across industries for over 15 years, developing web applications customized to each client’s specific requirements by leveraging our extensive expertise and deep technology capabilities.

If we know something for a fact is that software companies are always on the lookout for innovative ways to accelerate development. Businesses usually need to meet strict deadlines and reduce time-to-market to get a competitive advantage. By launching a product or service sooner, a business can start generating revenue and gaining market share before its competitors. This can be especially important in highly competitive industries where the first-mover advantage can be crucial.

Reducing time-to-market can also help a business respond more quickly to changes in the market or customer needs. For example, if there is a sudden demand for a particular product or service, a business that can bring that product or service to market faster will capture more of that demand.

In addition to the competitive advantages, reducing time-to-market can also help a business save money by reducing the time and resources spent on development and testing. By streamlining these processes, a business can bring a product or service to market more efficiently and at a lower cost.

Overall, accelerating software development is an essential strategy for businesses that want to stay competitive and respond effectively to changes in the market. And although attempts to speed things up will likely impact other aspects of product development, certain best practices can help you ensure saving time without sacrificing quality. Here are some tips on how to speed up software development and optimize your overall workflow.

Things that impact software development speed

Many factors can impact the speed of software development. Some of the main factors include:

The complexity of the project: Every developer faces numerous challenges during the working process, and the more complex a project is, the longer it will typically take to develop. This is because there are more components to build and integrate, and more testing and debugging are required.

The skills and experience of the development team: A team with a high level of skill and experience will typically be able to develop software more quickly than a team with less experience.

The tools and technologies being used: Modern, well-supported tools and technologies can help speed up development, as they are more efficient and easier to work with. On the other hand, using outdated or unsupported tools can slow development down.

The availability of resources: Having all the necessary resources, such as hardware, software, and data, readily available can help speed up development. 

The project management approach: An efficient project management approach, such as agile development, can help speed up development by allowing for rapid iteration and flexible response to changes. On the other hand, a slow or inflexible project management approach can slow development down.

The quality of the requirements and design: Having precise, detailed requirements and a well-designed architecture can help speed up development. It reduces the need for rework and helps developers understand what they need to build. 

External factors: Finally, external factors such as external dependencies, external constraints, or external changes can also impact the speed of software development.

How to accelerate software development

Now, let’s get to the 1 million dollar question: How to speed up software development without compromising the product quality and well-being of your developers? Here are some useful trends:

1. Set clear requirements and roadmap  

Like in any business process, a company will achieve much better and faster results if the leading team takes the time to plan carefully every step of the process. With a clear roadmap, the development team can break down the project into smaller, more manageable tasks and allocate resources accordingly. This helps to ensure that the project stays on track and is delivered on time. Plus, if the development team is very clear on the project requirements and goals, and they know exactly what to do and when to do it, it will be more productive. 

Also, setting clear requirements and a roadmap will ensure that the software meets the needs of the end-users or customers. By clearly defining the requirements, the development team can ensure that the software addresses the specific needs of the users and meets their expectations.

By creating a roadmap of the entire project and discussing it with the team before the beginning of the development process, the team can reduce the risk of scope creep, which is the tendency for the scope of a project to increase gradually over time, which can lead to delays and cost overruns. 

2. Automate as much as you can

Although you can’t “automate” software development in the traditional sense of this word, you can still take a lot of work off your shoulders. Companies worldwide are automating as many processes as possible because they have figured out that employees spend a lot of time on repetitive manual tasks. A study by McKinsey and Co. found that 85% of companies have accelerated the digitization of their businesses.

These tasks can become frustrating and even lead to human errors. Automation eliminates that factor and is an important aspect of software development because it can help improve the efficiency, reliability, and speed of the development process.  A company can automate transactions, approvals, and workflows, among other processes, to free employees from manual tasks that only waste time. These include a wide range of tasks; for example, automation can be used to build and deploy code to various environments, such as staging and production. This helps to ensure that code is built and deployed consistently and quickly.

Automation can also be used in testing processes, such as unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end tests. This can help to catch bugs early on in the development process and ensure that the code is of high quality.

Finally, automation is at the heart of CI/CD, which is a practice that aims to build, test, and deploy code changes continuously. By automating these processes, teams can more easily and quickly deliver user code changes.

Overall, automation can help improve the quality and speed of software development, making it easier for developers to focus on writing high-quality code and delivering value to users.

3. Use a version control system

A version control system (VCS) is a tool that tracks changes to a codebase over time and allows multiple developers to work on the same codebase simultaneously. Some common version control systems include Git, Mercurial, and Subversion.

Using a VCS can accelerate software development in a few ways:

Collaboration: With a VCS, multiple developers can work on the same codebase simultaneously without overwriting each other’s changes. This can be especially helpful when working on large projects with a team.

Rollback: If a developer makes a mistake or wants to revert to an earlier code version, they can easily do so with a VCS. This can save time and reduce frustration.

History: A VCS keeps a record of every change made to the codebase, so the team can see who made changes and when. This can be helpful for debugging and understanding how the code has evolved over time.

Branching: With a VCS, developers can create branches of their codebase to experiment with new features or fixes without affecting the main codebase. This can be a quick and easy way to try out new ideas without risking breaking the main codebase.

4. Have a healthy work environment

As important as a clear roadmap, having a healthy work environment is crucial to boost productivity and accelerating software development. There are several ways a healthy work environment can benefit a company’s productivity. For starters, allowing employees to have a healthy work-life balance can help reduce stress and prevent burnout, leading to better overall productivity. When an individual can maintain a healthy balance between their work and personal life, they may experience less stress and be better able to handle the demands of their job. This can lead to improved focus and productivity.

Employees who feel within a healthy work environment may be more satisfied with their job overall, leading to improved motivation and productivity. This can also help improve an individual’s mental and physical health and better time management. 

Another great tool to accelerate software development is to encourage healthy and necessary breaks. This can help prevent burnout and give the mind a chance to rest and recharge, leading to better productivity when your developers return to work.

5. Expand your team

Even with an outstanding planning process, It is normal that sometimes the project deadline doesn’t match its scope. A great solution to this problem is adding more talented developers to your team. Finding the right developers to fill highly-technical positions can indeed be challenging. However, you can overcome the tech talent shortage with nearshore software engineers through staff augmentation. 

Nearshore staff augmentation is a flexible solution for businesses that experience regular shifts in demand, where individuals or teams are hired to fill positions or supplement a team on a particular project. Simply put is the use of talent outside your organization to increase the capacity of your company. 

Another great advantage of staff augmentation is the ability it gives to any business to adjust to market changes without losing value. In other words, this scalability component allows companies to generate revenue and grow without being held back by a rigid structure or lack of resources. 

Scalability encompasses all solutions that can be easily modified and scaled up whenever needed. Still, it also refers to the possibility of modifying and updating a company’s existing solutions to help them meet new business challenges. Therefore, having the ability to scale upwards or downwards depending on the demand can help companies to sort out any obstacle by adding strategic resources where they are needed. 

There is no magical fit-for-all solution to accelerate software development and reduce time-to-market instantly. Software development is a complex, interdependent, and multifaceted concept and depends entirely on a company’s team, resources and mission.

The best solution is to think deeply about the company, development processes, people, tools, etc., and build the right model for your team. Don’t forget to plan accordingly to your deliverables, automate as possible, keep a healthy work environment and extend your development team with highly skilled global talent if needed. At Intersog, we can help you by providing you with a flexible nearshore workforce solution of highly skilled tech talent tailored to your company’s needs.

The Covid-19 pandemic basically reshaped global society; it reinvented the way we work, our needs, and the way we do business. But one of the most tangible changes in the last two years is our increasing dependence on digital infrastructure and software development. 

After the pandemic, the software development market was expected to grow from $205.15 billion in 2021 to $260.38 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.92%. However, the Russia-Ukraine war disrupted the efforts of global economic recovery and has led to economic sanctions on many countries and supply chain disruptions. As a result, the development world expects an increasing demand for customized apps to boost industry growth. On that note, the application development software is expected to grow to $703.13 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 28.19%.

In this scenario, the aftershocks of the major health emergency and the current political crisis have caused major disruptions to the operations of development teams worldwide. These external factors, summed with internal industry trends and needs, have not only opened up new methods of working and tools to support them but also fueled new software development trends.

Therefore, understanding what is coming and adapting to it has become one of the best business skills for companies to have. Staying up to date can make your company more adaptable to change and, therefore, more efficient despite the global setup and the unique challenges we might encounter. With that in mind, here are six 2023 software development trends to know about:

1. Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the network of billions of physical devices – “things” around the globe that are connected to the internet and, therefore, constantly sharing data. Thanks to fast technological development, now it’s possible to connect almost anything to the web, from a small speaker to a rocket, and turn it into a part of the IoT. 

The Internet of Things market is huge, and nowadays, IoT devices are everywhere and part of our daily life, from smart cities to our cellphones, homes, and cars. According to ZDNet, tech statistics predict that in total, there will be 41.6 billion connected IoT devices by 2025, or “things.” Consumer IoT spending was expected to hit $108 billion, making it the second-largest industry segment: smart homes, personal wellness, and connected vehicle infotainment will see much of the spending. 

The presence of IoT is increasing at an impressive speed, and we can deny that IoT has become an integral part of our lives. Therefore, there is no better time to seize the opportunity and get all the necessary insights on how to attract and capitalize talented developers to build IoT platforms to enter the market of the future.

2. Artificial Intelligence

Yes, it sounds like a sci-fi movie, but Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer fiction; in fact, it is part of our everyday life. From chatbots to face recognition technology, AI has become a part of our everyday lives. 

In our ever-increasing technological world, we cannot separate Artificial Intelligence (AI) from product development any longer. Having AI and machine learning knowledge allows real-time analysis and better interaction between people and machines for smarter task executions. As the level of communication between devices and humans through intelligent technology, the convergence of both through AI helps applications and solutions to make predictions based on the identification of data patterns to ease the interaction. 

Overall, because of AI’s potential across industries and applications, the technology has the potential to change how businesses operate.

3. Cloud Computing

During the pandemic, most companies shifted their structure to anywhere operations strategies, which prompted the rapid acceleration of cloud computing. Consequently, cloud computing technology is growing exponentially, allowing companies to be genuinely independent of the physical location of their employees.

Also, having secure remote access is a priority for any remote work, and cloud infrastructure is the only way to achieve it. On that note, cloud computing technology is here to stay as it allows companies to safely construct, design, and operate workloads directly developed through the cloud. 

4. Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity development is in a permanent state of evolution and expansion. However, since remote became the new normal, digital business and hybrid work models are changing how cybersecurity is understood. 

As technology and software development expands, so does the complexity of risk and threats; therefore, cybersecurity will be at the forefront of digital transformation. As both hackers and security experts are in a permanent battle to outsmart each other, it is crucial to rethink security and prepare for new threats. 

According to some figures, within the next five years, there will be 64 billion IoT devices installed around the world. This means we will be more dependent on technology than ever before, from online banking to downloading private information. On that note, safety and privacy will be at the forefront of anything we do online, and every new app developed will need to incorporate cybersecurity. 

5. Remote Work

For some years now (even before Covid-19 hit us, forcing us to adapt to a new reality of working), many companies have started following the increasingly common practice of having remote teams. Why? Because remote teams are a great way of cooperating and leveraging skilled specialists. In the case of software development, hiring a remote team of developers and engineers is a great strategy for success.

Remote became the new normal, and companies worldwide had a pleasant surprise: remote operations are not only possible, but they also come with plenty of advantages. Now more than ever, companies, big and small, around the globe are leveraging remote work to their advantage by hiring tech talent remotely. 

According to Gartner, through 2023, 40% of organizations will blend virtual and physical experiences, leading to increased workforce productivity and customer reach. So let’s get something clear, the workplaces of the future will become more remote and less in-person. This will create a growing necessity for developers to create software to facilitate remote operations and allow businesses to evolve in response to the new normal, a world where employees, contractors, business partners, and customers will be remote from each other but more connected than ever.

6. Web 3.0

Web 3.0 is an idea for a new iteration of the World Wide Web, which incorporates concepts such as decentralization, blockchain technologies, and token-based economics (different from Web 2.0, where data and content are centralized in a small group of Big Tech companies). 

Since the platforms will no longer be centralized, there will be no fear of hacks of data. However, it is still too soon to know if this new idea will fully succeed. However, to some, Web3 represents the next phase of the internet and, perhaps, of organizing society. On that note, it is crucial for companies to keep an eye on this trend and follow its development closely.

As we navigate the last remains of the Pandemic and the current political crisis, CEOs and business leaders should be aware of emerging software development trends and be ready to identify which will shape the way business is done. Now more than ever, it’s crucial for companies to stay on top of the latest tech trends that will help them develop better solutions for their clients, so they don’t fall behind in the tech game. 

Now that the Covid pandemic crisis is starting to fade away, the IT industry is returning to its continuous growth pattern of 5%-6% yearly growth, which means the industry worldwide is expected to surpass the US$5.3 trillion mark by the end of 2022. For example, currently, there are about 1.35 million tech startups around the world, and by 2030, 500 billion devices will be connected to the internet. 

Just in the U.S., the tech sector has seen unprecedented growth in recent years. The country still represents the largest technology market in the world, and the IT industry is expected to reach $1.8 trillion dollars by the end of the year. As the global tech industry keeps booming, it relies on a continuous influx of professionals to fill its growing number of job demands.

On that note, Latin America has become one of the main hubs for tech talent and software development for companies that are looking to find affordable talent in a shared time zone yet don’t want to compromise on quality. The region has become the perfect place to look for engineering talent due to its ever-increasing number of tech graduates and new developers.

However, it’s not by chance that companies look at Latin America as a talent gold mine. Here are some advantages to look into:

Benefits of Nearshore in Latin America

Even though a relatively new region to nearshore from, Latin America has kept a good track record of passionate IT developers that are eager to work. Therefore, building a solid team of South American developers has several advantages:

Proximity to the U.S. 

One of the main difficulties of working with partners halfway around the world is trying to manage work within huge differences in time zones. This problem when working with people in countries from Latin America. Latinamerican countries are within (if not in the same) time zones as the US and Canada. This allows real-time collaboration and eases project development and communications.

Less Culture Clash

Latin American countries share several similarities with the U.S, and the work culture is close enough for companies to feel comfortable working with remote developers within the region. Plus, most students in LatAm learn English from a very early age; English is the third most spoken immigrant language in South America, with about 5.4 million speakers.

These cultural shares between North American and South American countries may make their IT professionals and companies a better fit for your team.

Industry Growth

The technology industry in Latin America is booming rapidly. Growth can be traced back to ever-increasing better education in technology and improvement in the South America technology infrastructure. The region is full of a young population ready to take on new challenges. Also, young people bring fresh perspectives, enthusiasm, and energy, making them more flexible and creative potential workers. Plus, they are tech-savvy and, therefore, excellent web development candidates.

Cost-effective

Another advantage of outsourcing Latinamerica development talent is the cost efficiency for American and Canadian companies. The average wage for top talent in the region will vary, but Latin America will still provide quality IT work for significantly less than their North American counterparts.

Best places to Nearshore in Latin

Argentina

Argentina is one of the best options to outsource IT talent, as it offers cost-effective software solutions with a large pool of industry experts within a convenient time zone and almost cero cultural barriers. The country has been developing its IT talent for about 20 years, as the Argentinian government understands the importance of IT outsourcing businesses and has passed laws that support and attract more international businesses. 

Also, Argentina has the highest level of English in the region, so it’s easy to find software development talent proficient in English. 

Another plus comes from the country’s economic development and its affordable prices; since 2002, the Argentinean software development market has become very cost-competitive.

Chile

Chile has one of the most business-friendly environments and advanced infrastructure facilities in the Latinamerican region. Its developed business environment is positioning the country as a key supplier of IT and software development services to the western market.

Also, the country’s BPO and IT industry is thriving and provides high-quality services to local and global clients. Another great advantage of Chile is its high-quality workforce. As of 2021, the literacy rate in Chile is 96.4% — higher than the Latin American average of 93.9%. The country also has a well-developed telecom infrastructure, counting the highest broadband and mobile telephony penetration rates in the south American region. 

Finally, by staying on top of digital innovations, Chilean outsourcing companies are well-equipped to handle projects of any scale and size on top of their affordable prices. Chilean software developers are known for their solid programming skills and consistently rank in various coding competitions, making software development one of the most outsourced services to Chile. 

Colombia

Thanks to all the hiring and investment benefit from the government to attract foreign IT leading companies worldwide, Colombia has earned the status of the software development outsourcing hotspot in South America. Plus, with one of the oldest democracies in Latin America, Colombia’s economy is among the strongest in Latin America, ranking as the fourth largest and making it a stable and reliable region for companies looking to outsource IT services. 

Also, Colombia’s developer communities are active in all the country’s major cities, including Medellín. For example, it holds the largest JavaScript community in Latin America, as does the largest Spanish-speaking JavaScript community in the world.

Now, when it comes to location, Colombia is situated in the Eastern Standard time zone, making it easy for software developers based there to collaborate with teams, U.S.-based teams. Colombia is also close enough to the rest of Latinamerica, allowing all team members to work on the same business day and communicate smoothly between them.

Lastly,  its world-class infrastructure makes Colombia a solid option when it comes to outsourcing IT engineering talent. 

Mexico

Mexico has been an attractive base for manufacturing for decades, but data indicates that more U.S.-based companies are focusing on “nearshoring” operations in Mexico than ever before. This way, the Aztec country has slowly risen as an outsourcing destination when it comes to Information Technology (IT) and Human Resources (HR), and similar to Canada, its strong IT education has become one of the best assets the country has when it comes to outsourcing web developers. 

Plus, language and cultural proximity with the U.S. makes it a great choice for American companies looking to hire nearshore freelancers. The number of consumer and cultural exports from countries like Mexico to the U.S. helps to build familiarity and solidarity between the two countries, which can only help advance a healthy relationship within the company.

Now, there are some things to keep in mind before you begin your quest to find the best remote IT team in Latin America. With limited knowledge of a region, it is complicated to understand the tech landscape and how the foreign hiring processes work. Also, it is crucial to know which universities are producing the best tech talent for you to know what to look for in your potential hires CVs and start building a solid network. 

As a foreign company, it might be difficult to find and hire talent in an unknown region; however, it is not impossible. Having a local partner that it’s established in the region can save you lots of time and resources. This will help you spot the right talent that aligns with the cultural, social, and business values that benefit your business operations. 

Building an IT team in Latinamerica will only bring advantages to your company. Don’t know where to start? Talk to our experts! At Intersog, we have been delivering success across industries for over 15 years, developing web applications customized to each client’s specific requirements by leveraging our extensive expertise and deep technology capabilities.

All companies have a goal in common: to grow their product and the demand for it. Every business should focus its efforts on increasing productivity in the workplace, as the more productive a company is, the easier it is to boost profits and improve business relationships. However, improving productivity is not as simple as it sounds.

Boosting productivity can pose a challenge to all, but particularly to startups, as their customer acquisition growth starts to happen very quickly and the need to accelerate the product roadmap becomes inevitable; this is when the engineering teams need to find ways to be more productive and accomplish their goals accordingly. 

However, being more productive does not rely on working more. In other words, a team cannot simply be asked to work more hours and be told to be more productive; instead, we should be finding new ways of building productive teams. That said, let’s explore some of the most common productivity challenges and how nearshore solutions can be the answer to creating more agile software and development teams.

Let’s stay productive, but how? 

Every team experience a lack of productivity at some point, do not panic! Productivity challenges are common in teams of all sizes; however, as a small company, your team might feel they need to do a lot with little resources, which doesn’t help the productivity process. Even when you have everybody fired up and ready to tackle their tasks, you still get stuck, deadlines are missed, and team members are burnt out.

Being unproductive has a lot of root causes and is especially common during these times, as most employees from all over the world work remotely. We listed below some of the most common productivity issues your team might experience so you can spot them right away and avoid them before they start hampering your team’s productivity.

Social Isolation

Working remotely has many advantages; how don’t you enjoy avoiding traffic at rush hour or working in sweatpants? However, working from home can also feels kind of lonely. Although apparently going all day to the office might seem a thing of the past, it promoted interaction with other employees, camaraderie, and encouragement. In other words, physical and social interaction promotes a sense of community that motivates workers to reach their common goals. 

Working remotely can increase a sense of social isolation and reduce the sense of belonging to a team; this will eventually make your workers feel like they are standing alone while trying to accomplish the company’s goals. Social isolation will have a negative impact on the workers and affect their productivity within the company. 

Overwhelm and burnout:

Did you know that 23% of workers say they feel burned out more often than not, while 44% reported feeling burnt out sometimes? As ironic as it sounds, too much work is one of the main productivity blockers. The feeling of having too many things to do and not making any progress can lead to a feeling of overwhelm and burnout in your workers pretty fast, which will block productivity completely. 

Dealing with burnout has become even more challenging with remote work models, as the lines between having a work/life balance can get blurred easily. Now it is more common for employees to spend extra hours on the computer and have a hard time separating their “home environment” from their “working environment.”

Lack of clarity and communication

One of the biggest challenges of leading a remote engineering team is a lack of communication. According to Buffer’s State Of Remote Work 2020, 20% of workers surveyed responded that the biggest struggle with working remotely they have is difficulties with collaboration and communication. 

Working physically at the same place makes communication more direct and fast, as any manager can just show up at a worker’s desk and ask for something or call a meeting whenever is needed. On the other hand, when all the team is working remotely, communication can be a little trickier. When wires get crossed, the team can get lost in their tasks and priorities, and this can hinder productivity within the company.

Different Time Zones

Working remotely has allowed companies to hire talent without limiting it to their local area, which means having workers within different time zones. Also, some companies choose to outsource their employees from other countries, which poses the same time zone challenge. If not managed masterly,  this can cause problems with scheduling and communication, which will eventually lead to lower productivity rates.

How to increase productivity

Reaching high productivity levels, and more importantly, keeping them, is a learning process; however, it shouldn’t be a paramount task. With the right communication strategies and the right partner, efficiency is just around the corner. Here are some simple techniques to help you maximize the productivity of your remote team and how some solutions like nearshore can help you succeed.

Conduct Regular Online Meetings

As stated above, remote employees often feel isolated as they work without having direct interaction with their colleagues. We recommend you encourage continuous integration and knowledge sharing and prioritize communication to allow an agile development methodology with your remote teams. To fight isolation within your remote team, there´s nothing as effective as holding regular meetings with your employees. This will help you to strengthen your relationship while keeping a sense of belonging in your workers. Make sure to communicate clearly during these meetings and follow a shared agenda, so the meeting can be short and sweet.

Also, it helps to hold regular one-on-one meetings with your employees. These more personal sessions will help you motivate your team members and get more personalized feedback from your employees. Take advantage of these opportunities to discuss particular issues and explore any struggle the team might be facing and come up with solutions. 

Set individual expectations and goals

Setting individual expectations and short and long-term goals is one of the easiest ways to reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed among your employees, reducing the levels of stress and ultimately burnout. Also, try to give your workers specialized guidance on how to achieve what is expected from them; remember if you don’t communicate to your team what they should be doing, it is difficult for them to achieve what you are expecting.

Being realistic about workloads and deadlines will help you organize better and will ultimately help the company as a whole to work in a smoother and more efficient environment. But what happens when a project’s workload is not as straightforward? Nearshore is a great tool to deal with changes in project demands.

With nearshore, you have the ability to scale upwards or downwards depending on the demand allowing you to add strategic resources where they are needed without the need to overload your workers with tasks and extra hours. Plus, strategically hiring nearshore talent of a project-based nature will help you delegate tasks better, allowing your employees to stick to their work plans and organize better.

Promote a healthy work-life

Without a traditional in-house working environment (with coffee breaks, conference room meetings, happy hours, or lunch), you need to create other spaces and procedures in other to build a good work culture based on shared values and a sense of responsibility. There are plenty of helpful actions you can apply to your management skills in order to improve a healthy work culture within your team while improving productivity. Firstly, avoid micromanagement; give your employees the freedom to do what they do best; that’s why you hire them. Communicate clearly your project goals and let go of the outcome. Also, focus on long-term goals; instead of tracking every step of the project, focus on long-term goals to increase productivity. Give your remote workers a problem instead of a solution, they will be more creative. Finally, reduce busywork; automate everything that can be automated, and make sure that your team has fun working for you. Encourage your workers to find solutions and organize their work on their own, trying to avoid routinary tasks as possible.

Effective Communication

Good communication is crucial in any team; without it, hardly any project can be successful. Being located remotely throughout different regions can pose big communication challenges, so make sure to have an effective schedule and organized workflow and that your team stays up-to-date with everything. Try to find the best time for team meetings and stick to a solid communication plan.

It also helps to be present at the meetings. We sometimes know remote meetings are hard to attend but pay as much attention as you can and make sure everyone is engaged and focused. As stated above, it will also help if you make the meetings short and to the point. Finally, build a solid rapport with every team member. You need to communicate with them clearly and make sure that both your in-house team and your remote teams are on the same page.

Having nearshore partners is a great solution to improve communication. By hiring nearshore software development, everyone’s tasks are clear, and the communication is usually straightforward. Also, by having nearshore talent, you won’t need to wait for hours to receive a response making it easier to plan and meet your deadlines.

Work around the time zone

If you succeed in not micromanaging, you are already on the other side of good management skills. Good remote developers tend to be independent and self-organized by nature, so they will surely appreciate you giving them the freedom to organize their time. However, what happens when your remote software team is located throughout different time zones?

It’s true that having resources from around the world can steal productivity due to the change of timezone, but don’t be scared about having talent from different regions; with good organization and management skills, they won’t become an obstacle but rather an advantage for your projects. 

Once again, nearshore is a great option to boost productivity within your remote team.

Sharing timezones with nearshore resources means communication happens in real-time, and therefore the team remains collaborative. These overlapping hours when you and your team are available are known as “golden hours” and will be a great asset for your team’s organization. Try to squeeze as many meetings as possible into those times for instant communication.

Summing Up

If you learn to manage remote development teams, you will gain incredible productivity levels. Remember that the quality of work is never determined by a geographical location, and a properly managed team can do wonders for your projects. Don’t be afraid of extending your engineering team with highly skilled global talent. At Intersog, we can help you by providing you with a flexible nearshore workforce solution of highly skilled tech talent tailored to your company’s needs.

From cellphones to smart home devices, you must have come across IoT devices hundreds of times by now; apparently, it is everywhere nowadays, but let’s start from the basics, what exactly is IoT, or rather The Internet of Things? 

IoT refers to the network of billions of physical devices – “things” around the globe that are connected to the internet and therefore constantly sharing data. Thanks to the fast technological development, now it’s possible to connect almost anything to the web, from a small speaker to a rocket, and turn it into a part of the IoT. 

The IoT market is ever-increasing as nowadays there are already more devices connected than people in the world, making IoT devices a fundamental part of our daily life. According to ZDNet, tech statistics predict that in total, there will be 41.6 billion connected IoT devices by 2025, or “things.” Consumer IoT spending was expected to hit $108 billion, making it the second-largest industry segment: smart homes, personal wellness, and connected vehicle infotainment will see much of the spending. Plus, the overall enterprise Internet of Things (IoT) spending grew 12.1% in 2020 to $128.9 billion, indicating that IoT remains a high-growth market with opportunities across the entire technology stack.

Why is IoT so important?

Over the past few years, IoT has become one of the most critical technologies of the century. Connecting all these different objects to the web adds a level of digital intelligence to devices that would be otherwise “dumb,” enabling them to communicate real-time data without the need of human beings. In other words, in this hyperconnected world where we can connect everyday objects to the internet, we can achieve seamless communication between people, processes, and things. The Internet of Things is making the world around us smarter and more responsive, merging the digital and physical universes and making them cooperate.

In this blog, we will walk you through some insights for you to start your newest IoT application development and will give you some helpful tips to assure you of a successful final product.

IoT system structure

If you are already planning to start your next IoT app development project, there are 4 common components to most IoT devices you should be aware of. It is important for you to keep in mind all 4, so you can have a clearer picture of all the necessary elements of your app development project before you start working on it.

Hardware

This refers to all physical devices that will help you connect to the internet; sensors, chips, measuring appliances, etc. Selecting hardware is a crucial stage for the IoT-based system because it should comply with the required performance, and be compatible with the operating applications.

Software

These are both embedded and end-user applications. The first is developed and used for IoT devices to function properly, therefore is task-specific and requires an almost non-user interface. End-user applications are developed for the users to interact with the system and can be web, mobile or cross-platform.

Cloud

Without the cloud, it would be hard to manage the flow, storage, and processing of the enormous amount of data that IoT-enabled devices produce minute by minute worldwide. 

Network

The IoT network helps to link all devices within the system. The connectivity methods vary and can be MQTT, HTTP, LPWAN, LAN, wireless, satellite, WiFi, or Bluetooth.

IoT Development process

Now, like any other technology, IoT has a clear development process from design to support, and it is crucial for you to familiarize with it before embarking yourself on the IoT applications journey. We summarize the process in 6 steps simple steps for you to succeed in your project:  

Design

The best IoT apps have a great back-end as well as an excellent front-end. Remember, the design of IoT software should be created always with the end-user in mind, so you need to find a solid partner with the right tools and expertise to help you create an intuitive and engaging user experience while bringing your IoT ideas to life.

Prototyping

Application prototyping is a simulation of your final mobile product that allows you to answer specific questions and/or check your IoT app’s UI design and attractiveness to users before fundraising or making an investment into the actual product research and development. However, in many cases, prototyping a robust solution may cost you a lot of money so we recommend you look for a partner that can help you tackle this step and save you money.

Development

Product development is the process required to bring your IoT app from just a mere concept to reaching the market. This is a crucial process to ensure value for your potential customers, as well as confirm there is enough demand for your IoT application and that it is of the highest possible quality before your take it to market. 

Keep in mind that staying on top of any industry requires innovation and evolution, so we advise you to partner with someone that can offer you full-cycle development, together with strategic consulting and project management.

Testing

Now, you cannot launch your IoT without being sure it is perfect. If you want people to actually download and use your application, you have to get it as close to being perfect as possible. You should also test it for security by trying out different penetration techniques. All of that can be done by a professional team of QA experts who would run through your app times and times over checking it for every possible flaw. Be sure to partner with an expert that runs both manual and automated tests and checks every component of your software to eliminate possible issues.

Maintenance and support

Keeping your IoT software, networks, and apps running smoothly is as important as designing and developing them. You cannot just code and say goodbyes to it. For this final stage of your IoT app development, we strongly recommend getting a true partner that keeps on supporting your application throughout its lifecycle, adds new features, and expands its functionality for years to come. IoT is a dynamic domain, which means that you cannot afford to lose that momentum.

IoT app development tips

Remember, if you plan to develop IoT apps, you should know that it involves much more than developing a customer-facing mobile application; you need to take into account behind-the-scenes but at the same time robust back-end systems. Here are some tips for you to succeed in creating solid and functional IoT apps from the get-go.

#1 Secure your IoT Devices

When you develop IoT applications, it’s rarely a single mobile application to control hardware, but rather a mini-ecosystem comprising lots of different elements. That’s why your IoT app must include a multi-layered approach to security from start to end. Here are some key aspects to consider:

• Data encryption: Ensure that all sensitive information is securely encrypted and use well-recommended encryption frameworks.
• Access management: Every platform module and the user should have access to the required minimum of data, while you limit access to device debug capabilities only to approved staff, and keep a log of all access instances.
• User authentication: Require all users to reauthenticate before providing access to personally identifiable information and enable two-factor authentication.
• Safe protocols: Instill a strong password policy by disallowing weak passwords and avoiding duplicate passwords across smart devices.
• Protected networks: Use the secure HTTPS connection to transfer data between devices and applications.
• Security standards: Verify that your security measures comply with such standards as ISO27001, SOC2 Type 2, and IEC 62304 (if it’s a healthcare-related IoT app)

#2 Build an IoT App With Scalability in Mind

All the layers of your IoT system should be scalable as it will need to manage increasing amounts of data and many different devices and processes. Think of solutions that can be easily modified and scaled up whenever you needed to be. For this, you can work with a partner that can modify and update your existing solutions to help you meet new business challenges, so you are always ready to tackle them.

#3 Pick the Right Hardware Vendor

IoT Hardware includes a wide range of physical devices such as devices that manage key tasks and functions such as system activation, security, action specifications, communication, and detection of support-specific goals and actions. Some vendors that offer software for their devices can miss potential software vulnerabilities. For your IoT app, make sure to choose reliable hardware or run it by specialists.

#4 Use a Reliable IoT Platform

There are plenty of end-to-end IoT platforms to create IoT apps. Be careful to choose a reliable one based on its capabilities, communication protocol, and products it offers. Browse through the most popular IoT cloud-based platforms and evaluate their pros and cons before making a final decision.

The presence of IoT is increasing at an impressive speed and we can deny that IoT has become an integral part of our lives. Therefore, there is no better time to seize the opportunity and get all the necessary insights on how to build an IoT platform to enter the market of IoT apps. However, as stated in this blog, building an IoT solution is not a piece of cake; it requires a fundamental approach, deep knowledge of hardware and software technologies, and a solid development strategy.

Do you still have questions on how to develop IoT applications? We can help. At Intersog we offer enterprise IoT solutions tailor-made for your business. Our team of IoT experts will deliver your project in time, ensuring its completion within your budget and the scope of work.

We all can agree that a software development project needs a solid and skilled team to be fulfilled successfully. There are multiple types of software development processes. It doesn’t matter whether you need a mobile app or a web application for e-commerce purposes; it’s important to ensure that your requirements are met in the best possible way.

However, it is common for small companies and startups to lack the skills and knowledge required for specific projects. If that’s your case and you are in search of in-house or outsourced professionals, we invite you to read through this blog and apply our tips to the projects you’re currently working on. We hope this will help you how to plan and run your projects in an optimal way and will provide you with the knowledge you need to make the best out of your outsourcing efforts.

In this blog, we will outline for you the software development process and some of the top advantages of hiring a good partner to help you with your software development needs.

Software Development Process

Before outlining the multiple benefits of outsourcing your software development, we thought it would be important for you to learn a bit more about how does a successful software development process look like in order for you to know what services to look for while looking for outside partners.

Concept development

If you are planning to disrupt the market with a new product or an innovative service but are not sure where to start and which strategies to use, the first step you need to take is to develop your concept.  Before doing anything, you should build a successful project roadmap by defining your development needs and core functionality and discussing competitors and business KPIs. You can always find a partner to work hand-in-hand to define what success looks like for your business and how to get there.

Prototyping

After you figure your idea out, it is essential to see what it looks like in real life. Here is where the ideation of your product development (aka prototyping) comes in handy. You will need to build a minimum value product so you can see what the final product might look like. Try to stick to your concept idea so you can develop the product that corresponds to your vision.

Engineering

Finding skillful coding experts is crucial for any software development project. Why? Because a good developer will ensure that your product has the same look and feel as designed and has been properly tested on a platform of your choice. Try to find engineers that are in tune with the social, cultural, and business trends that might be valuable to your business needs.

Testing

Don’t rush! After your concept is developed and engineered, we recommend you run a testing period to ensure everything is in order and that your product performs as it should. Be sure to find someone that can run manual and automated tests and check every component of your software to eliminate possible issues. A good QA expert will develop a software testing strategy that will work for your business and bring guaranteed results.

Deployment

Now is the time to launch your software! Try to aim for a full-cycle development of custom software, mobile, and web applications along with strategic consulting and project management. We strongly advise you to implement some automation processes and apply top-shelf UI and UX expertise to guarantee comfortable user interface interactions; this will only help you increase the operational efficiency of your enterprise. 

Post Release Support

Keep your software, networks, and platforms running smoothly with a partner that can provide you with efficient maintenance, support, and hosting services.

Advantages of Outsourcing Custom Software Development 

Once we have identified the Custom Software Development process, it is important to outline some of the advantages of outsourcing talent to help you with your next custom software development project.

Custom development from scratch

If you find the right partner, they will help you develop software solutions from the ground up. An agile engineering team should be able to pick your project up from the moment you’ve got that brilliant idea in your mind and translate it into a fully functional product. Companies like Intersog won’t just help your company make the digital transformation through custom software development but accompany you along the way from start to finish.

Scalable solutions

We know how volatile the startup world can be, and that is why a flexible outsource workforce solution of highly skilled tech talent is a great option to build solutions that can be easily modified and scaled up whenever you want. By bringing outside talent to your team, you can modify and update your existing project to help you meet new business challenges, so you are always ready to tackle them. 

Lean Approach

Companies that successfully choose the right software development partner are more likely to be successful and more likely to be able to adapt to any changes in the marketplace. By building a team that is right for you, you can get the advantage of finding and working with excellent candidates who will enhance your company’s culture, help you focus on improving your business, and help you grow to get new customers and expand the user base.

Plus, by finding the right partner, you can get the advantage of a lean approach that will help you think about the startup process, emphasizing the business model and encouraging a process of customer discovery and development to achieve the right market fit for your products.

Are you ready to look for a solid partner to help you craft a digital enterprise solution tailored to your business needs? If you don’t know where to start, contact us. We live and breathe innovation, helping businesses solve their challenges through the latest trends. No matter the size of the company, we offer a wide variety of custom web application development services. Leverage our extensive expertise to turn your web project into an ultimate lead- and profit-generation machine and take advantage of our software development outsourcing for startup advantage. Let’s ride the tech wave and make great things happen.