What to Look for in an ODC Partner – A Tech Team’s POV

Offshore Development Centers (ODCs) have become a go - to strategy for startups looking to scale quickly and cost-effectively. But choosing the right ODC partner isn’t just about pricing or headcount - it’s about how well they align with your team’s way of working. At Slitigenz, we’ve helped scale tech teams across the US, Singapore, and Europe. Here’s what we believe every startup should evaluate before picking an ODC partner - from a tech team’s perspective. 1. Engineering Mindset > Headcount Anyone can offer developers. But few offer developers who think like product engineers - who ask “why,” challenge assumptions, and improve code collaboratively. Look for partners who invest in onboarding, product understanding, and are comfortable saying “no” when something feels off. 2. DevOps Culture and CI/CD Readiness If an ODC team isn’t familiar with your tech stack, release flow, or doesn’t follow a disciplined CI/CD process - expect bottlenecks. Ask them: How do they manage deployments? Do they write tests before shipping code? Are they comfortable with Git, GitOps, or cloud-native environments? A proper DevOps pipeline has saved our clients countless hours and prevented dozens of “oops” moments. It’s not just technical hygiene - it’s survival at scale. 3. Communication and Timezone Overlap Tech teams don’t break because of bad code. They break because of poor communication. Even 2 – 3 hours of daily overlap is enough if the ODC team: Uses async tools effectively (Notion, Slack, GitHub issues) Writes clear commit messages & PRs Updates blockers proactively 4. Culture Fit > Cost Fit Cheaper hourly rates don’t mean faster progress. Look for a team that: Understands your product vision Works like an extension of your team Shares feedback and learns with you - not just "clocks in and out" 5. Proven Projects, Not Just Portfolios Ask for: Real projects delivered Challenges they faced Decisions they made (and why) The best ODCs don’t just show slides - they show scars. Finding the right ODC partner is like choosing a co-founder for your tech team - alignment matters more than availability. If you’re looking for a partner who codes, questions, and co-builds with you, you might want to check out what we do at Slitigenz About the Author

Apr 15, 2025 - 11:03

What to Look for in an ODC Partner – A Tech Team’s POV

Offshore Development Centers (ODCs) have become a go - to strategy for startups looking to scale quickly and cost-effectively. But choosing the right ODC partner isn’t just about pricing or headcount - it’s about how well they align with your team’s way of working.

At Slitigenz, we’ve helped scale tech teams across the US, Singapore, and Europe. Here’s what we believe every startup should evaluate before picking an ODC partner - from a tech team’s perspective.

1. Engineering Mindset > Headcount

Anyone can offer developers. But few offer developers who think like product engineers - who ask “why,” challenge assumptions, and improve code collaboratively.
Look for partners who invest in onboarding, product understanding, and are comfortable saying “no” when something feels off.

2. DevOps Culture and CI/CD Readiness

If an ODC team isn’t familiar with your tech stack, release flow, or doesn’t follow a disciplined CI/CD process - expect bottlenecks.
Ask them:

How do they manage deployments?
Do they write tests before shipping code?
Are they comfortable with Git, GitOps, or cloud-native environments? A proper DevOps pipeline has saved our clients countless hours and prevented dozens of “oops” moments. It’s not just technical hygiene - it’s survival at scale.

3. Communication and Timezone Overlap

Tech teams don’t break because of bad code. They break because of poor communication.
Even 2 – 3 hours of daily overlap is enough if the ODC team:

Uses async tools effectively (Notion, Slack, GitHub issues)
Writes clear commit messages & PRs
Updates blockers proactively

4. Culture Fit > Cost Fit

Cheaper hourly rates don’t mean faster progress.
Look for a team that:

Understands your product vision
Works like an extension of your team
Shares feedback and learns with you - not just "clocks in and out"

5. Proven Projects, Not Just Portfolios

Ask for:

Real projects delivered
Challenges they faced
Decisions they made (and why) The best ODCs don’t just show slides - they show scars.

Finding the right ODC partner is like choosing a co-founder for your tech team - alignment matters more than availability.
If you’re looking for a partner who codes, questions, and co-builds with you, you might want to check out what we do at Slitigenz