Is Outsourced Search a Money Saver?
June 10, 2010
I found “The Outsourcing Low Cost Lie” thought provoking. I conducted an interview with an integrator for a podcast and learned quite a bit about search outsourcing. I have never given outsourced search much thought. We have been using Blossom.com’s service for years. I do not think of my use is outsourcing, probably because I know Dr. Alan Feuer and his operation. After reading the article, I realized that the goslings and I had been early adopters of outsourced search, a method used in a number of engagements, including the index for FirstGov.gov, now USA.gov.
The angle the article placed in front of me was that outsourcing was a loser. Here’s a passage I noted:
Nearly 50% of all outsourced projects fail outright or fail to meet expectations in the first place. Essentially, you’re taking the same gamble as red vs. black in Roulette about your project’s success right off the bat, and only then if you pass that hurdle, you’ll get on average, 25% savings over having it done locally.
I don’t want to throw water on this parade, but the original FirstGov.gov deal involved Inktomi and worked pretty well based on my information. We then used the Blossom.com system for the Threat Open Source Intelligence Gateway, and my recollection is that the folks with access to TOSIG were pretty happy for law enforcement and intelligence professionals. We also use “outsourced search” for clients today and for the search system on Beyond Search.
In each of these instances, the horrors described in the write up did not manifest themselves. If you are running a project and crater, maybe the reason is you, not the notion of outsourcing?
Stephen E Arnold, June 10, 2010
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