What’s Best for Your Project: Staff Augmentation vs. Dedicated Team vs. Extended Team Model

Hardik Thakker

Published On: October 13, 2023

With more than 5.2 billion active internet users globally, taking your business online is an excellent idea. A modern business website, a customer-centric mobile app, or tailor-made software can enhance your online presence, make it easy to engage with your customers effectively, provide convenient access to your products or services, stay competitive in the digital market, and much more.

There are tons more benefits of taking your business online in the age of the internet, but the real question arises: how will you bring your ideas to life? When it comes to websites, mobile apps, or software development, you have options such as working with a software development team nearby, partnering with an offshore website development company, or hiring a team of developers to power your ideas.

All the options are feasible and guarantee good results, but hiring a team of developers is highly recommended if you are planning for cost-effective and premium-quality digital solutions for your business. When you hire a team of developers, you can have complete control over your project and ensure the project is progressing as per your business requirements.

However, when it comes to hiring developers from an offshore web development company, there are three main hiring models that you should understand so that you get precisely what you want by spending less. Below are the three popular developer hiring models for your business:

1. Staff Augmentation
2. Dedicated Team
3. Extended Team Model

Above mentioned are the three different staffing models for businesses, and we will discuss Staff Augmentation vs. Dedicated Team vs. Extended Team Model in detail to help you make an informed decision for your project. So, let’s get started.

What is Staff Augmentation?

Staff Augmentation is a flexible web and app development hiring strategy where a company brings in temporary professionals or experts to work on specific projects or fill skill gaps. Instead of hiring full-time developers, businesses can augment their existing team with specialists for a defined period.

This approach offers flexibility, cost savings, and access to specialized skills when needed. It is a practical solution for addressing short-term needs and ensuring that projects are completed efficiently and successfully. In short, Staff Augmentation allows companies to scale their workforce up or down as project requirements change, providing adaptability in the ever-evolving business landscape.

Do you want to know whether Staff Augmentation is best for your web/app development project? Schedule a free consultation with experts today.

What are the Benefits of Staff Augmentation?

Staff augmentation provides a cost-effective and efficient way to bolster your team with the right skills and resources to successfully complete projects, adapt to market changes, and drive business success. There are many benefits of Staff Augmentation, and some of them are listed below for your reference:

1. Flexibility: Staff augmentation offers the flexibility to quickly scale your team up or down based on project demands. This agility allows you to respond effectively to the changing needs of your project.
2. Cost-Efficiency: You only pay for the skills and developers you require during a specific project, eliminating the overhead costs of hiring full-time developers, like benefits, training, and downtime. Moreover, you can hire experienced software developers at unbelievable rates.
3. Access to Specialized Skills: You can easily access specialized skills and expertise that may not be available in your existing team, ensuring that your project benefits from the best talent in the industry.
4. Faster Project Completion: Augmented software and app developers are typically experienced professionals, which can lead to faster project completion times and improved efficiency.
5. Lower Long-Term Commitment: Since augmented staff are usually hired for specific projects or durations, you’re not locked into long-term commitments, offering more control over your workforce.
6. Risk Mitigation: By working with talented professionals, you can reduce the risk of project delays, errors, or quality issues, leading to smoother project execution.
7. Focus on Core Competencies: It allows your core team to focus on strategic tasks and core competencies while external experts handle specialized aspects of the project.
8. Scalability: As your project grows, you can easily add more augmented developers to meet increased demands, ensuring you can keep up with your business’s growth.
9. Global Talent Pool: Staff augmentation enables you to tap into a global talent pool, giving you access to diverse perspectives and expertise from around the world.

Drawbacks of Staff Augmentation and How Albiorix Overcomes Them

After considering the benefits, it’s time to think about the limitations/drawbacks of Staff Augmentation. Below are some of the drawbacks of Staff Augmentations:

1. Hiring too many experts through staff augmentation can reduce teamwork and make it hard to manage a team with lots of remote workers.
   At Albiorix, we make sure you have a single Point of Contact (POC) for multiple resources to communicate and coordinate for project updates.
2. This method isn’t very flexible. If the project size/scope changes, it can be difficult to hire more augmented staff.
   At Albiorix, we are extremely flexible with resource swapping and resource allocation as per the project requirements and skillset needs.
3. Getting started with this method takes a lot of time.
   At Albiorix, once the scope is confirmed, we get started really quickly with the projects. Our on-time project delivery ratio is above 97%.

When to Consider a Staff Augmentation Hiring Model?

Now that you understand what the staff augmentation hiring model is and its benefits let’s talk about when it’s the best choice to use it. This model works best when:

• You need experienced and talented programmers/developers.
• You are looking for resources with better project understanding and communication skills.
• You want to expand your team with expertise in modern tools and technologies.

What is a Dedicated Team Model?

The Dedicated Team Model is when you have a group of professionals exclusively working on your project, almost like they’re part of your own team. They focus entirely on your project’s needs, providing specialized expertise and commitment. A company with a long-term project can consider this hiring model and hire skilled and talented developers to work on their projects.

This approach is ideal for long-term projects that require a dedicated and specialized team to achieve success. For instance, if you want to develop an online store for your brick-and-mortar business, then you can hire dedicated eCommerce developers to work on your projects as per your requirements while you supervise them. These developers also assure long-term support and maintenance services for 100% optimum performance of your online store.

What are the Benefits of the Dedicated Team Model?

The Dedicated Team Engagement Model provides a committed and specialized workforce, making it ideal for long-term, complex projects where focused expertise and reliability are paramount.

1. Focused Expertise: A dedicated team focuses exclusively on your project, leading to a deep understanding of its goals and requirements.
2. Long-term Commitment: Team members are committed to your project’s success, aligning with your objectives over an extended period.
3. Scalability: You can easily adjust the team’s size as your project evolves, ensuring optimal resource allocation.
4. Efficient Collaboration: Team cohesion and effective communication are fostered, enhancing collaboration and productivity. As and when required, the dedicated team of developers also collaborates with the clients for better execution of the project.
5. Project Control: You have more control and oversight of the team’s activities, resulting in better project management. You will receive daily, weekly, and monthly updates on project development.
6. Quality Assurance: The dedicated team’s expertise often leads to higher-quality deliverables and reduced errors. The result is always what you want without any bugs/errors.
7. Reduced Hiring Hassles: Avoid the time-consuming process of recruiting and onboarding individual team members for each project.
8. Consistency: A dedicated team ensures consistency in project execution, reducing disruptions caused by changing team members.

Drawbacks of the Dedicated Team Model and How Albiorix Overcomes Them

Along with the benefits, there are some drawbacks of the dedicated team model as well, and they are listed below:

1. You must stay available to manage your team and the project.
   At Albiorix, clients’ availability and input are always welcome. Still, if you are unable to due to some unavoidable reasons or can’t stay available daily, then we will keep you updated by email and project development reports.
2. You will need an in-house expert of the respective technology to manage the project and updates.
   At Albiorix, our engagement model is designed in such a way that there won’t be any need for experts from your end. We will keep you in the loop with everything related to project development and answer all your questions.

When to Consider Dedicated Team Model?

If you have a long-term project where you will need a team of skilled and talented developers, then you can consider a dedicated team hiring model without thinking twice. To help you out, below are a few more instances where you can consider this model.

• Budget and Time Constraints: When you can’t afford or don’t have the time to hire local developers.
• Lack of Management Experience: If you’re not experienced in managing software projects, this model can help.
• Long-term Projects: It’s great for projects that keep going and changing for a long time.

What is an Extended Team Model?

The Extended Team Model is a way of working where you join forces with a team from an external partner or company. It’s like having extra teammates who are not in your office but collaborate with you closely to deliver the project on time. This engagement model lets you access specialized skills from a global talent pool of certified developers, helping to boost your project’s quality and efficiency.

It’s a bit like having a remote branch of your own development team, allowing you to grow your capabilities without the full cost and effort of hiring in-house.

What are the Benefits of the Extended Team Model?

The Extended Team Model offers flexibility, access to global talent, and cost savings, making it a valuable choice for businesses looking to expand their capabilities and complete projects efficiently.

1. Scalability: You can easily adjust the team’s size to match your project’s changing needs, ensuring efficient resource utilization.
2. Access to Global Talent: This model allows you to tap into a diverse pool of talent from around the world, bringing in specialized skills and knowledge.
3. Cost-Effectiveness: It is often more cost-effective than maintaining a large in-house team, as you share expenses with an external partner.
4. Faster Project Completion: The Extended Team Model can accelerate project timelines by leveraging a larger pool of experts, resulting in quicker delivery.
5. Reduced Management Overhead: With the external partner handling recruitment and management, you can focus more on your core business activities.
6. Diverse Perspectives: Accessing talent from different backgrounds and regions can provide diverse perspectives and creative solutions to your projects.
7. Risk Mitigation: By working with a trusted partner, you can reduce the risks associated with project delays and quality issues, ensuring smoother project execution.

Drawbacks of the Extended Team Model and How Albiorix Overcomes Them

There are no major setbacks with the Extended Team Hiring Model, but below are a few drawbacks of the extended team model:

1. Coordination Challenges: Managing a distributed team spread across different locations and time zones can be complex and may lead to communication and coordination difficulties.
   At Albiorix, project coordination is never an issue. We have different communication channels to coordinate with clients in their preferred time zones.
2. Data Security Concerns: Sharing project-related information with external team members may raise data security and confidentiality concerns.
   At Albiorix, we have many top-security aspects and protocols in place to ensure our client’s data is neither stolen nor misused by any means. Moreover, we also sign NDAs with our clients to keep their data safe and protected from any threats.
3. Initial Set-Up Time: It may take some time to set up the collaboration and ensure all team members are aligned with your project’s goals and standards.
   At Albiorix, we are a software development company with 10+ years of experience; thus, we have everything in place to get started with the project as soon as possible.

When to Consider the Extended Team Model?

The extended team model is like working with an offshore web development team, but it has some differences that might make it a better choice for certain businesses planning custom software development with complex functionalities. It’s especially good when:

• You plan to grow your project, and your current team is ready to help with future updates.
• You require experts who aren’t available locally.
• The local market doesn’t offer affordable rates for the skills you need.
• Your company is new to this project, and you don’t want to divert your in-house team’s attention.

Still Confused? Not Sure What’s Best For Your Project? We Can Help

Choosing the right hiring model for your project can be challenging, especially when you have multiple options like Staff Augmentation, Dedicated Team, and the Extended Team Model. It’s natural to have questions and concerns about which business engagement model aligns best with your project’s goals, budget, and timeline.

That’s where we come in. Albiorix is a software development company with more than 10+ years of industry experience, and we are committed to helping businesses flourish online by delivering modern, robust, and scalable software solutions. If you are not sure which hiring model is perfect for your project, then we can provide guidance and insights (FOR FREE) to help you make an informed decision.

We’ll take the time to understand your project’s unique requirements and recommend the hiring model that suits you best. Whether you need flexibility, long-term commitment, access to specialized skills, or a combination of these, we’ll tailor a solution that fits your needs like a glove.

Additionally, we also have separate teams of full-stack developers, front-end developers, back-end developers, and more to answer all your technical questions. Don’t let uncertainty hold your project back. Reach out to us for a free consultation, and let’s discuss your project’s staffing needs. We’re here to support your success every step of the way.

To get in touch, you can either call us at (+61) 489-940-484 / +1 (912) 528-5566 or send us your contact details using the contact us form on the website. You can also share your questions/queries with us on LinkedIn and Facebook.

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