Do You Really Need a Dedicated Software Team?
As with any solution related to software, there is no such thing as the best solution. There is only a great solution to a given context. When the context changes, the solution needs to change as well.
That's the overarching answer to whether or not you need a dedicated software development team. Your project needs to meet some criteria:
You're working on a long-term software project with a variable scope.
You need a team of developers and support staff to work together cohesively.
What is a dedicated software development team?
A dedicated software development team is a staffing model in which:
- There is a complete team that can support the entire software development life cycle, from requirements gathering to operation and maintenance.
- The team works on the project on a long-term basis.
The dedicated team model has expanded from two classic business models:
Fixed cost. In this model, a software vendor estimates how much it will cost to complete a fixed-scope project and bills you accordingly.
Time and materials. A software vendor gives you an upfront estimate of a project's cost but the final bill will depend on the actual hours and materials needed to complete the job.
Fixed cost and time-and-materials are only ideal for projects that have a predictable cost and timeline. In bigger software projects, where there are so many unknowns, it makes more sense to hire a team that can stick to the project and work through changing requirements.
How different is a dedicated team from other models of outsourced software development teams?
Throughout your contract, a dedicated software development team will focus solely on your project. This is where dedicated comes from.
Often, an outsourced development team will work on more than one project at a time. Software companies do this to maximize the hours that they can bill clients.
However, this has a downside: a developer that works on different projects will not be able to focus their energy on your project. This can lead to buggy code, delays in completing a task, or being unresponsive to communication.
Plus, they often have to deal with context switching. Context switching means stopping work on one project to start a new one. This can cause mental strain and decrease an individual's productivity.
Members of a dedicated software development team are unlikely to deal with context switching.
Additionally, they are available to immediately respond to software problems, such as when a bug is discovered in the live version of the software.
Who are the members of a dedicated software development team?
The composition of a dedicated software development team depends on the nature of a project. Typically, it is made up of:
A project manager Front-end developers Back-end developers DevOps engineers QA engineers
What are the benefits of an outsourced dedicated software team?
Equipment and office rent are two of the biggest overheads when expanding a business. These costs can severely limit the capability of a business to expand. By outsourcing your development team, you get access to expert IT talents without the burden of overhead costs.
Zero office and equipment overhead. The software vendor pays for the specialized software and equipment needed to complete your project.
Zero HR overhead. Hiring the right people is the biggest challenge of skill-intensive work like software development. Sourcing, hiring, and onboarding are expensive. By working with an experienced dedicated team, you'll skip most of HR costs.
Access to specialized talent. A software provider will assign people that specialize in the industry or domain of your project. For projects that require hiring new talent, a software company can help you pre-screen individuals with the right tech stack and domain expertise.
No training cost. You'll hire specialists who require little to no training, only a short onboarding time to understand your project.
Flexible team size. A dedicated team can be expanded or downsized, depending on project needs.
Domain expertise. Domain expertise is in-depth knowledge in a particular field, such as financial technology or educational technology. Often, a dedicated team will be a domain expert in a field. A team with domain expertise increases the likelihood of a project's success. They are also more likely to be efficient at solving problems that your project may come across.
What are the disadvantages of a dedicated software development team?
Not compatible with short-term projects. It takes time to assemble a fully staffed dedicated team. This makes them inefficient for short-term contracts.
Not ideal for smaller projects that require limited skillsets. For example, a project that requires one Python developer and one quality engineer does not merit an entire dedicated software development team.
Why is Agile an excellent approach for working with a dedicated software development team?
Complex software problems are difficult to estimate. That is why most software projects end up being delayed and over budget. To prevent this from happening, software teams break down big project timelines into two-week intervals. Every two weeks, a team aims to complete meaningful changes that add value to the software.
The two-week, iterative cycle is the foundational structure of Agile software development. The Agile methodology works well for long-term projects with changing scopes--the exact context in which dedicated software development teams operate.
A dedicated software development team might be what you need for the business success of your software. Schedule an online meeting with our CTO to learn more.
What are the top 5 companies in the Philippines that offer dedicated software development teams?
The Philippines is an excellent destination for software outsourcing.
Hireplicity
Hiring simplified is the banner that Hireplicity waves. It is a software company that embodies white-glove treatment for long-term clients, with an above-industry retention rate for clients and employees. Their suite of dedicated software development services serves businesses across multiple domains.
Arcanys
Arcanys holds an impressive track record for designing IoT and SaaS products. They offer a full range of tech services, from planning and design to customer support.
Chromedia
Chromedia is a software company that has experience in finance, travel, and healthcare. Their range of development services included dedicated teams and staff augmentation.
Lanexus
Lanexus offers full-cycle development. Their dedicated software development team can meet client needs from design to post-development support.
Intelegencia
Intelegencia is a software company that specializes in cloud computing and BPO services. They have multiple global locations that focus on providing services to small businesses and medium enterprises.
