Java ranks in the top 5 of the most popular programming languages across the world in both the TIOBE and PYPL indexes. According to SlashData, the global Java community was counting 17.1 million developers in Q1 of 2023. The language has registered a significant growth during the last 2 years, with about 8 million users joining the group.
Created as a language where coding is about ‘Write once, run everywhere’, Java is widely used today for a large variety of digital products, including:
- Mobile App Development
- Desktop GUI Applications
- Web-based Applications
- Gaming Applications
- Big Data Technologies
- Distributed Applications
- Cloud-based Applications
- IoT Applications
Moreover, due to Android’s popularity as an AR/VR platform, a rising adoption of Java is stated among AR/VR developers.
Companies like Amazon, Google, Netflix, Pinterest, Spotify, or Zoom are actively using Java to build and maintain their products. It also stays behind high-scale infrastructure and big data software projects like Apache Hadoop, Kafka, and Spark.
Since coding with Java becomes an extensive practice, finding and maintaining the right talents plays a crucial role for companies. Hiring in-house could be the first solution taken into consideration by many businesses. But the lack of experience of building projects with Java and/or the current critical shortage of skilled IT professionals might transform the process into a real challenge.
One of the tactical strategies able to speed up the terms your product is built in is trusting a nearshore software development provider with expertise in Java. If you go the right way in setting up the collaboration, you are going to achieve results with a positive impact for your enterprise.
In this article, we aim to help you define one of the crucial steps included in any partnership with a software development company – onboarding the developers. Keep reading to find the ultimate onboarding checklist when a remote Java development team is assigned to your project.
1. What is onboarding?
The term onboarding is largely known as the process that integrates newly hired employees in organizations during their first weeks or months of working there. When talking about remotely onboarding a dedicated Java development team hired through a software development company, the meaning is quite similar, but the process has a set of specificities that we are going to explore.
2. Why do you need a well-set onboarding to succeed?
A well-set onboarding gets you closer to a successful delivery of your project. It is the stage where you make sure that everyone is aware about your project’s goals, expectations, global vision and understands what your project is about. Having everyone on the same page from the very beginning is a formula that translates into faster development cycles, increased delivery time and a transparent communication with the Java team along the collaboration.
3. The checklist for a successful pre-onboarding stage
Preparation is the key to success. Before diving into the onboarding itself, here is a checklist of the core steps to pursue:
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Choose thoroughly your nearshore partner
There are many aspects to consider before signing a partnership contract. You might want to analyze in-depth the expertise in the skills you need and in building products for your industry, the geographical location, the portfolio of delivered projects, and even the involvement of the company in the local IT community.
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Sign an NDA
Keep safe all the sensitive information and intellectual property from the early stages of your discussions with the software development provider. Signing a confidentiality agreement, also known as non-disclosure agreement, or NDA, is a reliable solution to opt for.
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Build a strong remote Java team
Finding the talents and getting them together in a strong and effective team comes hand in hand with a smooth onboarding. You can find a detailed guide on the process of setting up a remote dedicated software development team here.
4. The checklist for a well-set onboarding
After signing all the necessary documents for your collaboration, deciding upon the team that is going to work on your product, and establishing the ‘day one’ of the project, the time has come for the onboarding process. Here is what you should consider:
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Prepare all the logistics before ‘day one’
To hit the ground running, welcome the team with all the logistics prepared. Before the day one, create accounts for everyone on all the necessary platforms like Jira, email etc. If you prefer the Java developers to be working on your company’s laptops, make sure you send them in advance.
Also, get all the set-ups done for the communication channels. Either it is Microsoft Teams, Slack or any other one platform, make all the necessary arrangements for an easy and transparent communication from the very start.
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Meet the team & define the contact people for both sides
On day one, have a welcome meeting with the Java development team. Get to know everyone and introduce the people from your company who are going to be in touch with them and their roles. They should be the team members able to quickly answer questions when they arise and play the role of ‘buddies’ to facilitate the working together period.
We encourage to have the introductory meetings face to face, either in our clients’ headquarters or in our office. Our 15-years practice has showed that collaborations are usually more productive when they start this way.
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Share the scope of the project and your expectations
Be transparent with all the details related to the product the Java team should develop. Share as clear as possible the scope of the project, your expectations, and the results you are waiting for.
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Provide all the necessary documentation and product requirements
The more information about the product functionalities and the product overall you provide, the easier for the team to understand what they have to deliver. The documentation serves as a reference point throughout the project, helps the team to estimate their efforts and time and to have a more efficient development process.
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Ensure constant communication
Set regular meetings with the team to talk about the progress of their work, to provide feedback and to see if your expectations are being gradually met. It is a practice that is going to take off any communication barriers and fasten the project lifecycle.
Working with remote dedicated Java development teams could support your business in dealing with the current talents crisis, and to obtain valuable long-term results. Choose a partner with a history in building products with Java, because they are going to guide on the safe path of developing your project.