Aberdeen selects BNSF, Infosys for offshore software outsourcing

By Our Convergence Bureau | 21 Nov 2002

Fremont, California: Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF) and Infosys Technologies (www.infosys.com) have announced that they have been selected by the Aberdeen Group as one of the most compelling examples of successful offshore software service delivery.

A case study detailing BNSF's work with Infosys, a provider of global consulting and information technology services, is included in Aberdeen's recent report, 'Offshore Software Outsourcing Best Practices.' BNSF is a subsidiary of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp.

Aberdeen Group, a market analysis and positioning services firm, created this report based on reviews of more than 60 case studies and interviews with offshore services clients. The report indicates that the offshore software delivery model continues to grow and attract the interest of business and IT decision-makers, and that the cost benefits of offshore outsourcing are the primary driver behind the sector's growth.

“Having evaluated the case studies for such offshore outsourcing best practices as collaboration, onsite / offshore team integration, knowledge transfer and relationship continuity,“ notes Aberdeen IT services research director Stephen Lane, “Aberdeen named Infosys as a company that exemplifies these practices through its dedicated sourcing relationship with BNSF.“

The study also found that achieving these cost benefits requires due diligence, a collaborative approach, a defined, measurable process and flexibility. Aberdeen's report recognised that the relationship between BNSF and Infosys, which includes legacy application management and reengineering and Web development work, reflected its objective to focus on enterprises that have successfully established and carried out offshore application initiatives.

“BNSF's collaborative relationship with Infosys has enabled us to reduce application development costs, as well as to benefit from Infosys' quality assurance and project management processes,“ says Jeffrey J Campbell, BNSF vice-president of technology services and CIO. “BNSF is delighted to be cited by Aberdeen for focusing on due diligence, cultural fit and collaboration in our efforts to select Infosys as a well-qualified outsourcing partner.“

“We are proud of our work with BNSF, and pleased to have it highlighted by Aberdeen as representing the best of the best among offshore IT service provider relationships,“ says Basab Pradhan, senior vice-president and head of worldwide sales for Infosys. “This recognition is a significant accomplishment for both companies. Infosys and BNSF hope to continue to provide an excellent example of how a successful outsourcing model results in significant benefits for both parties.“