Nana's Pot Roast

A husband walks into the kitchen just as his wife is preparing his favorite pot roast. "Honey, have I told you lately how much I love your pot roast? The way you season it makes it taste great. What do you put on it?"

"Well," she says, "I've just been adding ingredients as the years go by. I started with your basic salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Then, a friend would suggest something else, like rosemary, and I'd try that. Over the years I've probably tried lots of different combinations so now I just see what I feel like and put it in. Sure hope no one asks for my recipe 'cause I never write it down."

"By the way, I also noticed you cut the end off the roast before you put it in the oven. Why do you do that?"

"It makes the roast taste better, silly," she replies.

"Taste better? That doesn't make any sense at all."

"If you don't believe me," she retorts, "just ask my mother. She taught me."

So, the husband calls his mother-in-law and asks sheepishly, "Mother, why do you cut off the end of the roast before putting it into the oven?"

"Because it makes it taste better," mom replies.

"Really?" the husband responds. "That doesn't make any sense at all."

"Well," the mother-in-law replies sternly, "that's what MY mother taught me so you can just go ask her, if you think it wise."

So, off to his grandmother-in-law he goes for an answer to this baffling question. "Grandma, why do you cut off the end of the roast before putting it into the oven?" "Because," she shares sweetly, "it makes the roast taste better."

"With all due respect, grandma, that just doesn't make any sense."

"Well, if you don't believe ME, just ask my mother. She taught me!"

"She's over 100 years old. Do you think she'll remember?"

"She remembers everything; just like me!"

So, he drives to the nursing home and asks his great-grandmother-in-law,

"Nana, do you remember why you cut off the end of the roast before you put it in the oven?" Nana looks coldly at this man who has NEVER visited her before and responds, "cause it wouldn't fit in the oven otherwise, stupid!"

In the realm of software development, just like the story of the pot roast, many organizations continue to trim the ends of their resources without understanding why, adhering to outdated practices that no longer serve their original purpose.

This narrative is a perfect metaphor for companies that have yet to explore the advantages of nearshore software development services. They stick to traditional models, like offshoring, without questioning their efficiency or alignment with current business needs.

In this globalized age, where technology evolves rapidly, clinging to old software development methods can hinder a company's growth and innovation. Nearshore software development services offer a middle ground, combining the cost-effectiveness of offshoring with the convenience of having a team in a similar time zone and culture, thereby facilitating better communication, collaboration and outcomes.

Just as the husband in our story had to uncover the truth behind the family's cooking tradition, businesses need to assess and challenge their existing software development practices. Nearshore services can be the solution to enhancing operational efficiency, improving time-to-market, and achieving better alignment with business objectives.

Therefore, the real question companies should ask is not why they should cut the roast, but rather if the oven they're using—their current software development model—truly fits their needs. Just as Nana's practical solution to a long-overlooked problem brought clarity, considering nearshore software development can illuminate new possibilities and pathways for success in the digital era.