One of the things that you have to take into account when you offshore something as intricate and risky as software development is the inherent stability of the place you’re offshoring to.

As this article in the EE Times mentions, geopolitical turbulance can be troublesome and can present many obstacles for successfully getting a project out the door.

My motivation for writing this comment is that while India and Pakistan may be good options, so is South Africa. I work in the offshoring industry at large, and it seems that literally everyone is going to India for obvious reasons – but whichever way you cut it, there are other factors to consider when taking something offshore, other than just the cost.

What is the project management component part of the project, relative to the actual software development?
How long is testing going to take?
Is the currency stable?
Are you hedged against that currency?
Is the business you’re contracting your project to stable?
Have you credit checked them? Do they have other long term projects, which therefore offer you peace of mind?

My vested interest is that South Africa’s economy is relatively stable, and it’s stable exchange rate provides an attractive option for overseas businesses and investors to take advantage of. While South Africa may be in a political hotbed, with Zimbabwe being the most obvious sore thumb, it’s unlikely anyone is going to declare war on us, nor drop bombs on Johannesburg or Cape Town – if anything, if there is a drop in the exchange rate, it makes for a more lucrative investment as you stand to get more bang for your buck – the fact remains that the government is still stable, and the country is stable.

While it’s tech industry is not as large as India’s, and it’s population is nowhere near as large as India’s nor Pakistan, it is an option to consider, and one worth discussing with your colleagues.