Development Process Patterns for Distributed Onshore/Offshore Software Projects

the globalisation of the commercial world, and the use of distributed working practices (Offshore/ onshore/ nearshore) has increased dramatically with the improvement of information and communication technologies. Many organisations, especially those that operate within knowledge intensive industries, have turned to distributed work arrangements to facilitate information exchange and provide competitive advantage in terms of cost and quicker delivery of the solutions. The information and communication technologies (ICT) must be able to provide services similar to face-to-face conditions. Additional organisations functions must be enhanced to overcome the shortcomings of ICT and also to compensate for time gaps, cultural differences, and distributed team work. Our proposed model identifies four key work models or patterns that affect the operation of distributed work arrangements, and we also propose guidelines for managing distributed work efficiently and effectively. Keywords—Distributed work; Onshore; Offshore; Software; IT projects; Programme and project Management