Ask HN: How can I make outsourcing easier/better?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2137758

by aymeric • 16 years ago

5 3 16 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I strongly believe the classic bidding system we see in outsourcing websites is WRONG both for the provider and the buyer.

Two years ago, I started a website called TaskArmy (http://taskarmy.com) that aims to simplify outsourcing and produce better results.

I originally envisioned an all-email based outsourcing system, then it evolved into a fixed price service marketplace a la fiverr.

Today TaskArmy has slowly matured to the point that I want to start exploring new ways to make outsourcing better / easier.

I am reaching out to HN to ask the following:

1. What annoys you when you outsource stuff?

2. If you don't outsource stuff, why? what are the resistance factors?

3. I am considering bringing back my idea of a email-based posting system (you send an email with the task you want to outsource and the system deals with it), what do you think of this?

4. What kind of things do you outsource?

Thank you for your help,

Aymeric

mauiuku• 15 years ago

I just started testing outsourcing to help out some of the more mindless things involved in freelancing.

On oDesk I had a person working on a project (he was slow and had poor English skills) but he ended up bailing out before completing the project...

...long story short he tried negotiating his rating/feedback by refunding my money.

I did find one guy on oDesk I am still working with but funny enough he is a fellow hn-er.

Now I am giving freelance.com a try.

aymeric• 15 years ago

Are you outsourcing dev work mainly?

Diegoterra• 15 years ago

I love outsourcing stuff that is nota core to the business. At the office I want to have the best people that have a direct impact on the core offering of our product. So outsourcing is good and works for us, for stuff we don't want our great devs to work on or spend a minute on. we have a team building budget every year, to try new guys on outsourcing every year. so we even invent projects so we can get to know top developers, designers, copywriters, etc. Then when we need them we know which one is good, which one delivers, and we already have a working relationship. This has a huge impact in times where business is kicking in and we need people fast that delivers. It's a great strategy and it works for us. We can build a great team in no time because we have built this internal ecosystem of outsourced resources.

We get them from everywhere and linked in has been he best. Now that we can target by position/title the ads, it should be much better.

Ask HN: How can I make outsourcing easier/better?

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