As more and more companies are embracing software outsourcing services to build and maintain enterprise-level software and mobile apps, IT staff augmentation is slowly starting to gain traction too. Questions are being raised about which staff augmentation models are ideal, depending on company size, industry or even compliance obligations.
While there is much buzz around the topic, what you eventually choose for your organisation is purely dependent on what it needs – there are no rules or restrictions in terms of who you can hire, from where, and how many.
In this article, we shed light on what IT staff augmentation is from a foundational perspective, along with benefits most commonly associated with the same. With IT staff augmentation being quite the fluid concept, we’re also going to share some common use cases that warrant switching to IT staff augmentation of some sort, to help you possibly resonate with your business’s unique use case.
Looking for IT staff augmentation services? At EFutures, we can help. As a leading software development outsourcing company based in Sri Lanka, our team can help fulfil niche roles, depending on your project’s individual requirements.
Additionally, we can also source suitable team members to fill any gaps in your existing software development project, thanks to our long-standing expertise in the outsourcing industry. Contact us today for a no-obligation assessment, and to know which subject matter experts are ideal for your business’s unique needs.
IT staff augmentation is the process of leveraging existing IT and software development teams with relevant professionals, in order to fill any gaps pertaining to the project. This can be done in multiple ways, based on what is required.
For example, a subject matter expert can be introduced to conduct analyses of an existing area that may be causing confusion for team members, or offer strategic guidance as existing team members may not have the skills to evaluate and decipher.
On the other hand, IT staff augmentation is also beneficial for removing bottlenecks, as new team members can be added on a temporary/contract basis to address excess workloads that existing team members may not be able to address.
With IT staff augmentation, your software development project can avail the hands-on expertise it needs on short notice, as only one or a few team members at most are being added to existing projects on a temporary or contract basis. IT staff augmentation models typically feature less administrative overhead due to their contractual nature, thereby affording companies a faster turnaround time between identifying a gap, and hiring someone to fill that gap.
What’s more, IT staff augmentation is flexible enough to be included within any existing project, irrespective of the model it follows. From outsourcing software team efforts, to managing teams in-house, IT staff augmentation can be implemented as long as there are requirements to be fulfilled – and as long as someone suitable is available for the task.
The ability to access and recruit staff from literally any location in the world is something that IT and software outsourcing models are best known for – and IT staff augmentation, being closely related, is no exception, as a result. This is particularly true for companies that are using software offshoring models, as now they have access to the best experts without having to worry about geographical constraints.
What’s more, the growing popularity of virtual work environments and distributed teams mean that remote subject matter experts can be onboarded quickly, and they should have a flatter learning curve when it comes to getting accustomed to their new work arrangement.
Adding extra members to execute tasks that are excessive in terms of workload, or are causing bottlenecks is one of the most common use cases for IT staff augmentation. Essentially, hiring ‘extra hands on deck’ to execute tasks surrounding coding, data transformation, UI/UX, software testing or practically anything else that is on a bottleneck can help inundated teams meet deadlines, as well as cater to better quality – since existing team members don’t have to work overtime to deliver.
IT staff augmentation services aren’t strictly meant for software development projects alone; they can also include the addition of expertise that helps supplement the main software or application that is being built. This includes areas such as SEO, marketing, editorial and even social media management, all of which are business units that can help brand and publicise applications – especially those that are B2C.
Top IT outsourcing companies understand this, and as a result, also cater to client requirements that pertain to providing leverage for software, from a marketing standpoint. Considering the highly technical nature of SEO, for example, many IT and software outsourcing companies already have relevant consultants in their arsenal that can advise on technicalities surrounding sitemaps, URL structures and keywords.
With leading IT outsourcing companies already offering SEO consultants as part of staff augmentation efforts, these consultants can coordinate between software development teams, as well as in-house marketing teams that businesses may have. However, sourcing marketing consultants that have background knowledge in technicalities such as UI/UX is also something IT outsourcing companies can undertake, so businesses can obtain an expert that can offer multiple skills across varied (yet closely connected) units.
IT staff augmentation can serve as a highly useful way to deliver perspectives that may otherwise be blindsided or missed by existing team members. From user interface designs and user journeys, to overall software architecture and cloud management, there is much potential for an external consultant who is well-versed in what they specialise in, to offer clarity and insight when it comes to existing problems and bottlenecks.
With there being no set of strict rules when it comes to choosing experts as part of IT staff augmentation efforts, businesses can follow standard rules that pertain to hiring, onboarding and monitoring employees.
If you already partner with an IT or software outsourcing company, they can certainly do all the groundwork for you – while you, as a business leader or manager, can interview shortlisted candidates to determine if they will eventually be a good fit for your project.
Common rules-of-thumb include:
IT staff augmentation can significantly help improve the level of agility and quality that existing teams can deliver. Suitable subject matter experts can help identify silos, close gaps, and provide renewed perspectives on existing workflows – which go beyond core software development, extending all the way to SEO and marketing.
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