The Role of Configuration Management in Outsourcing and Distributed Software Development

The use of distributed development teams is becoming more common and for many good reasons. Some of the advantages are that it makes it possible to outsource parts of the development effort, gives access to a larger pool of talents and specialists, facilitates the integration of mergers and acquisitions, and allows for more flexibility in scaling up and down projects. However, distributed development also brings many new problems to be dealt with on a project. It is more complex to manage, tends to create silos between groups, and there is a risk of loss of control over remote groups or people. Traditionally Configuration Management is seen as the infrastructure that allows for the co-ordination of the various activities on a project and it makes sure that work products flow smoothly through different stages of the development process.