In Outsource or Else! How a VP of Software Saved His Company, authors Steve Mezak and Andy Hilliard offer a management fable as instructive as it is page-turning. Jason Jaye is the VP of engineering at ShapeShift, a start-up in Silicon Valley developing cutting-edge fitness technology. When his CEO drops a bombshell that software development for their next product will have to be outsourced, Jason is certain that the product and the company (not to mention he, himself) are doomed. After all, everyone in the Valley knows that outsourcing software development usually equals disaster. Nevertheless, the fate of ShapeShift rests on Jason’s ability to navigate a safe path through uncharted waters. Enter Patrick Delaney, an eccentric, world-traveling outsourcing expert who offers Jason a compass to guide his way: the Seven Keys of Software Outsourcing, a plan for how to successfully select and work with the right global software outsourcing partner. Will Jason help his company meet its goals and bring its exciting new product to market on time? Or will the pitfalls of outsourcing software development swallow him whole before he gets the chance? Through engaging storytelling, Mezak and Hilliard reveal the secrets of how to choose a software outsourcing partner that: * Fits your technical requirements and company culture, for optimal results * Delivers a quality product, at tremendous cost savings, within the needed time frame * Improves your innovation by leveraging the broader expertise of an offshore team Outsource or Else! offers useful, practical advice for tech leaders who want to capitalize on the many benefits of outsourcing software development—and push their businesses to extraordinary new levels of success.