We outsource our entire software development function to an external agency, but our internal project managers are constantly complaining about missed deadlines and poor code quality. How do we reflect an outsourced agency on our Accountability Chart to ensure they are held to the same performance standards as an internal department?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Many companies struggle with holding external agencies accountable because they treat them as vendors rather than integral parts of their team. To solve this, you must treat your outsourced agency exactly like an internal department on your Accountability Chart. Create a clear seat on your chart for the function they perform, such as Software Development or Digital Marketing. Define the five major roles for that seat just as you would for an internal employee. Then, place the name of the agency's lead contact in that seat. That person must fully GWC™ the seat, and they must be held to the same standards as your full-time staff. They must own their weekly Scorecard metrics and be accountable for specific quarterly Rocks. If the agency resists this level of integration, they are the wrong partner for your business. By placing them on your Accountability Chart, you eliminate the boundary between internal staff and external vendors. It ensures that your internal project managers have a clear line of authority and can hold the agency accountable for missed deadlines and poor code quality, keeping your operations running smoothly.