Outsource your idea | Launch your business for 1/4 the price from Udemy

What's inside

Learning objectives

Understand what is and isn't outsourcing
Validate your idea's preparedness and eligibility for outsourcing
Plan on budgeting and ways of reducing the project cost before starting
Navigate and operate outsourcing platforms upwork and freelancer
Use advanced search criteria to locate specific outsourcing partners
Build a contracting strategy that works with your level of experience and your idea's level of progress
Figure out your ideal price point and preferred region
Write job titles, descriptions, and settings that bring high quality bids
Conceptualize your idea through the sx5 framework to solidify your featureset
Decide which features to include (and drop) in your project's first iteration
Rapidly sketch your ideas like a professional

Use wireframing tools like balsamiq to quickly put together idea mockups
Break through creativity blocks and keep your project ideation going
Use prototyping tools to add interactivity to your mockup and pre-test features before slating them for development
Create mockups and demos that deploy natively on tablets and phones
Use advanced techniques for quickly bringing your project together
Employ best practices for outsourcing, such as hybrid rates, managing tone, and navigating legality
Use asana and trello to keep your project on track and increase project transparency
Bug hunt and run qa tests like a professional
Navigate the most common scenarios that arise from outsourcing
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Understand what is and isn't outsourcing
Validate your idea's preparedness and eligibility for outsourcing
Plan on budgeting and ways of reducing the project cost before starting
Navigate and operate outsourcing platforms upwork and freelancer
Use advanced search criteria to locate specific outsourcing partners
Build a contracting strategy that works with your level of experience and your idea's level of progress
Figure out your ideal price point and preferred region
Write job titles, descriptions, and settings that bring high quality bids
Conceptualize your idea through the sx5 framework to solidify your featureset
Decide which features to include (and drop) in your project's first iteration
Rapidly sketch your ideas like a professional
Use wireframing tools like balsamiq to quickly put together idea mockups
Break through creativity blocks and keep your project ideation going
Use prototyping tools to add interactivity to your mockup and pre-test features before slating them for development
Create mockups and demos that deploy natively on tablets and phones
Use advanced techniques for quickly bringing your project together
Employ best practices for outsourcing, such as hybrid rates, managing tone, and navigating legality
Use asana and trello to keep your project on track and increase project transparency
Bug hunt and run qa tests like a professional
Navigate the most common scenarios that arise from outsourcing
Show more
Show less

Syllabus

Introduction (39 minutes)

Course overview

Join our community on Slack!

What is outsourcing?

What is it good and not good for?

How much should I budget?

Section 1 review material

All the course review sheets in one PDF

Getting Started (70 minutes)

Where to find outsourcing firms and freelancers

Introduction to Elance

Going further in-depth with Elance

Introduction to Upwork

Going further in-depth with Upwork

Introduction to Freelancer

Other techniques and platforms for finding contractors

Section 2 review material

Dive Deeper (63 minutes)

Choosing your ideal subcontractor strategy

Deciding between a firm or freelancer

Understanding how to choose from the best outsourcing zones

Understanding price & autonomy

The "Goldilocks Syndrome"

Section 3 review material

Posting Expertise (84 minutes)

Writing the right title

Practicing with titles

Writing the right description

Getting hands on with writing descriptions

Getting the settings right

Reviewing your settings

Section 4 review material

Plan Your Outsourced Idea (Optional) (48 minutes)

The Sx5 framework for solidifying product ideas

Coming up with strategy, Sx1

Coming up with scope, Sx2

Section 5 review material

Documentation (71 minutes)

Creating an overview

Adding the functions section

Going further in-depth with functions

Creating the pages section

Creating parameters

Creating the users section

Adding comments

Section 6 review material

Building a Low Fidelity Wireframe (128 minutes)

Intro to sketching

Materials for sketching

Sketching it out

The finishing touches

Upgrade to a tool, getting started with Pidoco

Getting used to the features in Pidoco

Creating a quick sitemap

Site elements to start with

Using templates to save time

Handling images in Pidoco

Adding and controlling layers in Pidoco

Annotating everything

Alternative: Using Balsamiq for quick wireframing

Alternative: Using Balsamiq continued...

An example project created in Balsamiq

Section 7 review material

Creating a Demo for Outsourcing (Optional) (48 minutes)

Introducing M.A.P.

Adding interactivity to your prototype

Collaborators and reviewers

Creating a tablet version

Section 8 review material

Selecting the Best Person (41 minutes)

Reviewing bid language

Bid language

The response rate test

Dissecting the bid rate

Section 9 review material

Strategies for Getting the Best Price and Experience (44 minutes)

Strategy: The $50 test

Strategy: Rapid cycling posts

Strategy: The Keyer question

Strategy: Repeat the project back to you

Strategy: Get them off the platform

Strategy: The long term strategy

Strategy: Messaging freelancers

Strategy: Dividing specializations

Section 10 review material

Outsourcing Best Practices (83 minutes)

Five pillars for evaluating contractors

Six red flags for contractors

Response rate sets the tone

How important is site reputation?

How to handle referrals

Is outsourcing a long term solution?

How to handle extra work

Legality with outsourcing

Fixed rate versus hourly rate - use my method

What is good? Avoid this trap

Outsourcing and protecting your IP

Section 11 review material

Managing Your Ongoing Project (23 minutes)

Getting introduced to Asana

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores outsourcing, which is standard in the tech industry

Provides a comprehensive overview of outsourcing strategies and techniques

Teaches learners how to find, select, and manage outsourced teams

Helps learners build strong foundations in outsourcing best practices

Suitable for learners with little to no prior experience in outsourcing

Reviews summary

Helpful business advice

Mostly, learners feel confident in the course and find the lectures to be easy to understand. They say the course provides helpful business advice.

Students feel confident after taking the course.

"I feel more confident now!"

"Great explanations provided in an easy to understand and digestible manner!"

The course lectures are easy to understand.

"Great explanations provided in an easy to understand and digestible manner!"

"Thanks, Evan."

This course provides advice that is helpful.

"I feel more confident now!"

"Great explanations provided in an easy to understand and digestible manner!"

"Thanks, Evan."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Outsource your idea | Launch your business for 1/4 the price with these activities:

Explore tutorials on prototyping tools

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Gain hands-on experience with prototyping tools by following guided tutorials that teach their features and capabilities.

Browse courses on Prototyping

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Choose a prototyping tool to focus on
Complete beginner-friendly tutorials
Experiment with different features and functionalities

Sketching Activities

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Immerse yourself in the crucial skill of ideation through sketching exercises.

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Explore Various Sketching Techniques
Practice Sketching Ideas from Different Perspectives
Create a Sketchbook for Idea Generation

Prototyping with Balsamiq Mockups

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Enhance your prototyping skills and bring ideas to life using Balsamiq.

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Familiarize Yourself with the Balsamiq Interface
Create Prototypes for Various Features and Scenarios
Collaborate on Mockups to Refine Designs

Three other activities

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Join a study group for the course

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Collaborate with fellow students to enhance your understanding of course concepts, share insights, and provide mutual support.

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Find or create a study group
Set regular meeting times and stick to them
Actively participate in discussions and share your knowledge

Wireframing and Prototyping Your Idea

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Solidify your product vision by building interactive prototypes and detailed wireframes.

Show steps

Create Low-Fidelity Wireframes Using Pidoco
Design Interactive Prototypes Using Marvel
Test and Iterate on Your Prototypes

Create a low-fidelity prototype of a product idea

Show steps

Apply the concepts learned in the course by creating a low-fidelity prototype of a product idea, solidifying your understanding of the design process.

Browse courses on Prototyping

Show steps

Identify a simple product idea to develop
Sketch out the key features and functionality
Use prototyping tools to create a basic wireframe
Gather feedback and iterate on the design

Career center

Learners who complete Outsource your idea | Launch your business for 1/4 the price will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Freelance Writer

Freelance writers create written content, such as articles, blog posts, and website content, on a contract basis. Outsourcing is a key part of many freelance writing jobs. This course can help you learn how to outsource your writing tasks, allowing you to focus on the creative aspects of your work and grow your business. Whether you're looking to start a freelance writing career or simply want to learn how to outsource your writing tasks more effectively, this course is a valuable resource.

See salaries and explore the career path for Freelance Writer

Project Manager

Project managers plan, organize, and execute projects, ensuring that they are completed on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards. This course can help you learn the skills you need to be a successful project manager, including how to plan and manage outsourced projects. Whether you're working on a small or large project, this course can help you save time and money by teaching you how to outsource effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs start and run their own businesses. Outsourcing is a key part of many successful businesses. This course can help you learn the skills you need to be a successful entrepreneur, including how to outsource your business tasks. Whether you're just starting out or you're looking to grow your existing business, this course can help you save time and money by teaching you how to outsource effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Entrepreneur

Consultant

Consultants provide advice and expertise to businesses and organizations. Outsourcing is a key part of many consulting businesses. This course can help you learn the skills you need to be a successful consultant, including how to outsource your consulting tasks. Whether you're looking to start a consulting business or you're looking to grow your existing business, this course can help you save time and money by teaching you how to outsource effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consultant

Business Analyst

Business analysts help businesses improve their operations by analyzing their current processes and identifying areas for improvement. Outsourcing is a key part of many business analyst jobs. This course can help you learn the skills you need to be a successful business analyst, including how to outsource your business analysis tasks. Whether you're looking to start a business analyst career or you're looking to grow your existing business, this course can help you save time and money by teaching you how to outsource effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Product Manager

Product managers are responsible for the development and launch of new products or services. Outsourcing is a key part of many product development processes. This course can help you learn the skills you need to be a successful product manager, including how to outsource your product development tasks. Whether you're looking to start a product management career or you're looking to grow your existing business, this course can help you save time and money by teaching you how to outsource effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Software Engineer

Software engineers design, develop, and maintain software applications. Outsourcing is a key part of many software development processes. This course can help you learn the skills you need to be a successful software engineer, including how to outsource your software development tasks. Whether you're looking to start a software engineering career or you're looking to grow your existing business, this course can help you save time and money by teaching you how to outsource effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Web Developer

Web developers design and develop websites and web applications. Outsourcing is a key part of many web development processes. This course can help you learn the skills you need to be a successful web developer, including how to outsource your web development tasks. Whether you're looking to start a web development career or you're looking to grow your existing business, this course can help you save time and money by teaching you how to outsource effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Developer

Graphic designer

Graphic designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. Outsourcing is a key part of many graphic design businesses. This course can help you learn the skills you need to be a successful graphic designer, including how to outsource your graphic design tasks. Whether you're looking to start a graphic design career or you're looking to grow your existing business, this course can help you save time and money by teaching you how to outsource effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Graphic designer

Marketing Manager

Marketing managers plan and execute marketing campaigns to promote products or services. Outsourcing is a key part of many marketing campaigns. This course can help you learn the skills you need to be a successful marketing manager, including how to outsource your marketing tasks. Whether you're looking to start a marketing career or you're looking to grow your existing business, this course can help you save time and money by teaching you how to outsource effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Sales Manager

Sales managers lead and motivate sales teams to achieve sales goals. Outsourcing is a key part of many sales processes. This course can help you learn the skills you need to be a successful sales manager, including how to outsource your sales tasks. Whether you're looking to start a sales career or you're looking to grow your existing business, this course can help you save time and money by teaching you how to outsource effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

Operations Manager

Operations managers oversee the day-to-day operations of a business. Outsourcing is a key part of many operational processes. This course can help you learn the skills you need to be a successful operations manager, including how to outsource your operational tasks. Whether you're looking to start an operations career or you're looking to grow your existing business, this course can help you save time and money by teaching you how to outsource effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Manager

Human Resources Manager

Human resources managers oversee the human resources functions of a business, including recruitment, training, and employee relations. Outsourcing is a key part of many human resources functions. This course can help you learn the skills you need to be a successful human resources manager, including how to outsource your human resources tasks. Whether you're looking to start a human resources career or you're looking to grow your existing business, this course can help you save time and money by teaching you how to outsource effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Financial Manager

Financial managers oversee the financial operations of a business. Outsourcing is a key part of many financial operations. This course can help you learn the skills you need to be a successful financial manager, including how to outsource your financial tasks. Whether you're looking to start a financial career or you're looking to grow your existing business, this course can help you save time and money by teaching you how to outsource effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Manager

Administrative Assistant

Administrative assistants provide administrative support to executives and other professionals. Outsourcing is a key part of many administrative assistant jobs. This course can help you learn the skills you need to be a successful administrative assistant, including how to outsource your administrative tasks. Whether you're looking to start an administrative assistant career or you're looking to grow your existing business, this course can help you save time and money by teaching you how to outsource effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Administrative Assistant