Resource Augmentation

Software development, especially product development, requires lots of things to reach the project goals. It’s all about gathering both functional and non-functional requirements appropriately, breaking the work structure down, describing the project scope in detail, and many more. Involving the right people to make the team together is as necessary as all the rest.

Firstly, you as a client should identify the required expertise and skills, the number of developers, and their level of qualification. It should be a kind of detailed job description. Only then can a recruiting partner help you find the people that match your description and expectations. Upon completion, send the explanation to a staffing company for implementation.

The most frequent reasons companies turn to staff augmentation services include the lack of required skills in the local market, the need for specific expertise and the desire to decrease the cost of software development. Imagine; you are a fast-growing startup that raised a couple of millions of dollars in funding and needs to scale up fast. However, it occurs that there are not enough developers in your city or even country to take on the development.

Outstaffing in IT is a combination of plans and actions aimed at helping you hire the most qualified employees at the most affordable rates possible. The strategy is related to legal arrangements, recruitment, interviewing, hiring, training and onboarding best practices, workspace environment, retention, etc. An IT outstaffing firm or a client can formulate the strategy. Why is it necessary to have such a strategy? Having a well-structured and well-organized procedure is key to success.

There are several ways to get staff augmentation services. Let’s talk about the two most popular ones. Firstly, you can cooperate with a recruiting agency. Secondly, a software development company, which, in most cases, will provide outsourcing services. The first variant can be a good fit if an agency understands the specifics of IT business, tech startups, and technology trends. Otherwise, you risk hiring the wrong person. The second variant is much better, as software development companies understand your business well.

A staff augmentation strategy involves engaging external resources. Simply put, there are three types of engagement: remote consulting, on-site consulting, and individual or team specialists. The fourth is a blended approach, where you might use all three types of commitment simultaneously. The best approach is the one that fits your needs. Identify your gaps by conducting an audit of your current resources. Then you can determine what resources or expertise are lacking and what approach is best

To find a reliable vendor, try one of these ways:

Recommendations - Word of mouth is probably one of the oldest and most proven ways to find a trusted contractor. Your friend would never recommend you an unfair provider. However, you should check if they provide precisely the services you need.

Listings - Some platforms as Clutch or Good Firms, usually have thousands of different vendors on their lists. Checked and ranked companies are usually present there, so you understand who is the best. NET developers, for example.

Google - When you are proficient at digging deeper, selecting a reliable vendor is also an excellent option. You will meet millions of websites offering software development. Your task number one is to check their legal identity and portfolio; your second job will be communicating with company representatives. During the talk, you will see if it’s the right people to hire. Ideally, it should look like a kind of strategy session when a vendor provides you with rates, hiring speed and steps, deadlines, etc.

Fixed price is a kind of engagement model with a predictable budget and set timelines, which works best for short-term projects. The fixed-price model is more common when outsourcing turnkey software development. The fixed hourly rate for developers makes it suitable for staff augmentation.