Changing IT Contractor

This article was originally published on Ptolemay's blog.

Making a switch from one IT contractor to another can significantly impact your project's timeline and quality. Without careful planning and execution, you risk project delays, cost overruns, and potential disruptions to your business operations.

In this article, we’ll explore practical steps for a smooth transition to a new IT contractor, maintaining control over your project and avoiding communication breakdowns. We’ll also advise on proper knowledge transfer, process improvement, and task prioritization to ensure the transition is as seamless and effective as possible.

Remember: It’s not as bad as it may seem at first glance. There are clear steps and recommendations to get your project back on track!

Solving Problems Without Changing Contractors

Before deciding to change your IT outsourcing provider, consider optimizing your existing team. Here are practical steps to help:

1. Team Augmentation: Poor IT resource management doubles the risk of project failure. If your core team can't meet project demands, consider strengthening it. Discuss adding specialists with your contractor or find them independently through networks or recruitment agencies. For example, delays due to poor code quality can be resolved by hiring developers focused on code review or test automation.
2. Replacing the Project Manager: Teams with qualified project managers have a higher success rate, with 59% delivering on time. In contrast, only 48% of projects without formal management stay within budget, and just 43% meet deadlines. If you notice poor organization or a lack of clear strategy, consider replacing the project manager with a more experienced professional. This will improve coordination, task management, and communication, helping to avoid delays.
3. External Consultant Analysis: An external consultant provides objective insights and identifies gaps in communication, planning, and goal setting. This helps determine if it's better to change the contractor or optimize the current team's work.

Optimizing your existing team can save on the costs of changing contractors and ensure a team that better understands the specifics of your business and project.

Practical Tips for Changing Your Contractor

Poor communication is a major reason to consider changing contractors. If your contractor consistently fails to meet deadlines and you don't know when tasks will be completed, it's a clear sign to look for a new partner.

When the team lacks responsibility and only acts as "executors" without aligning with your goals, your project is at high risk. Here are the most common issues with IT contractors:

Lack of Transparency

If the contractor doesn't provide regular updates and fails to warn about risks, you remain uninformed.

?Tasks aren't recorded or updated, making it difficult to track progress.

?Unclear timelines for project phases, causing deadline confusion.

?Avoiding discussions about potential delays or issues.

Communication Breakdowns

?Delayed responses.

?Cancelled meetings.

These lead to task confusion, reduced motivation, and increased conflicts.

Ignoring Feedback

If the contractor ignores client feedback and focuses only on their tasks, the resulting functionality may not meet market needs.

?Frequent complaints about functionality.

?Disagreements over changes.

Lack of a Clear Plan

Without a detailed work plan, setting priorities and tracking progress is challenging.

?Vague tasks.

?Constantly shifting priorities.

?Mismatch between client requirements and contractor execution.

Frequent Key Developer Turnover

Frequent changes in key personnel can disrupt the project. This often occurs in smaller agencies without established personnel management processes, resulting in poor communication and tracking issues.

?Task completion delays.

?Inconsistent execution styles and unclear communication.

?Poor understanding of project requirements.

If assigned tasks are not being completed and you observe one or more of these issues, it's time for a serious conversation. If nothing changes within a week, start preparing to transition to a new team.

Legal Aspects and Risks of Changing IT Services

When planning to change your IT contractor, it's essential to ensure your project's legal protection. Focus on these three key aspects:

1. Intellectual Property Protection: Ensure that all rights to created content (code, designs, documentation) are transferred to you upon payment. This prevents any claims from the former contractor.
2. Documentation of Communications: Keep records of all communications with the contractor, including emails and meeting notes. These records are valuable in case of legal disputes.
3. Contract Termination Conditions: Clearly state the reasons for contract termination, such as delays or poor quality of work. Outline possible penalties and the conflict resolution process through mediation or arbitration.

These legal measures will help protect your project during the transition.

How to Successfully Transition to a New IT Team During a Project

Deciding to change contractors can be emotionally charged, but it's important to stay calm. Documentation rarely covers every project detail, so maintaining communication with the previous contractor is essential for a smooth transition.

Follow these steps:

1. Maintain Contact with the Previous Contractor: Direct communication with the former contractor makes it easier for the new team to onboard. Instead of spending a month or more understanding the project's details, you can get up to speed in a week.
2. Obtain the Complete Codebase: Ensure you have the full source code and deployment instructions so the new team can start work immediately.
3. Gather API Documentation: Documentation from Swagger or Postman will help the new team quickly understand the technical interactions.
4. Provide Technical Requirements and Test Cases: Give the new team detailed technical requirements and test cases to ensure they understand the project's tasks and standards.
5. Access Task Logs: Access to task logs (Jira/YouTrack/Asana) will provide insights into the project's history. While not always available, they are valuable for analysis.
6. Share Architecture Diagrams: These diagrams map out your project, showing how all parts are connected. They help the new team quickly grasp the details and work efficiently. If available, provide a separate document on architectural decisions for modules.
7. BPMN Diagram (Business Process Model and Notation): If the previous team created this diagram, it will simplify understanding of processes and key decisions.

How to Choose an IT Team for Successful Project Completion

Deciding to change contractors gives you a unique opportunity to find a competent team that can handle your project effectively. Here’s why this is beneficial:

Firstly, you now know the previous developers' mistakes and can bring in experts to analyze and correct them. Secondly, you face tasks that require the right solutions, so you can arrange trial collaborations or conduct a competition among several companies.

Here, we discuss both obvious and hidden criteria for selecting an IT contractor.

Additionally, having a partial codebase and specific deadlines helps filter potential partners. Contractors who can address tasks quickly and efficiently will be ideal.

Show candidates all collected documentation and ask:

1. What needs immediate fixing?

The new team should evaluate critical issues like errors, system failures, or security vulnerabilities that require immediate attention. Identify high-priority areas.

2. What hinders proper project development?

Discuss with the new team the factors limiting project growth, such as inefficient processes, outdated tools, or resource shortages.

3. Does the new team understand market requirements?

Ensure the new team can align the project with current market trends, providing features that users need.

4. What guarantees are there for process improvements?

The new team should have clear and transparent processes for coding standards, reviews, quality assurance, and risk management.

5. How will knowledge transfer be organized?

A thorough knowledge transfer plan ensures the new team understands the system architecture, workflows, and past issues.

Once you've identified the best candidates, organize joint workshops with the outgoing and incoming teams. Creating shared repositories can facilitate a smooth transition.

Change Your Contractor and Steer Your Project to Success

Setbacks in any project teach valuable lessons. Finding a new contractor and continuing your work is straightforward, and now you know what to avoid in the future. Project success hinges on many factors, and choosing the right contractor is crucial.

If your project is stalled, Ptolemay can help quickly and efficiently. We will diagnose the issues, identify problems, and propose optimal solutions for technologies and processes. We will refine requirements, implement best practices, and improve communication.

We know how to make your project successful. Contact us to regain control of your project and achieve your goals.

Join the discussion in the comments below and share your experiences with changing IT contractors!