Global Software Engineering: Challenges in Customer Value Creation

Global Software Engineering (GSE) involves software engineering projects executed with virtual teams from different time zones and diverse cultures. Over the past decade GSE has become the norm influenced by several factors such as optimal costs, availability of skilled pool of resources and globalization trends such as mergers and acquisitions. Adoption of Customer Value Management (CVM) and implementing value-based practices in GSE context is at a nascent stage. Realizing stakeholder values and implementing value-based practices are crucial to offer tangible as well as intangible value additions besides ensuring high quality deliverables on schedule. On GSE perspective it is mandatory to align the values offered by projects with stakeholder values in order to improve customer satisfaction and retention. This paper is based on our experience in executing Outsourced Product Development & Testing engagements. This paper discusses the challenges we faced in implementing value-based practices in a set of projects, and the approach we followed to overcome some of these challenges. Also, this paper presents our findings and results obtained through annual Customer Experience Surveys.