This study investigated outsourcing of the development of visual, animated and interactive learning objects for mathematics education by a Norwegian university to software vendors in China. It sought to understand the challenges in this outsourcing engagement and competences needed to meet the challenges. The authors tested outsourcing strategies and summarized their experiences with the ordering and production process. The test design included preliminary prototyping with four software vendors and a test production with one of them. The outcome of the outsourcing engagement was five complex, game-like learning objects. (Contains 5 figures and 2 tables.)