How can a team extension model help you scale up?

If you don’t like the idea of handing over control over the project, but you need someone to help you, a team extension model might be the perfect solution for you.

The process of building software is not easy. You have to go through a lot of planning, organizing resources, and work on building a company culture that will enable growth.

The validation of a business idea is rarely enough, as there are always new challenges to overcome. With the evolving marketplace, the need to fulfill customer expectations, or the investors’ demands, you may need more people on board to be able to achieve your goals.

Nowadays, hiring software engineers with specific knowledge can be hard, especially if you're short on time. In addition to being able to offer highly competitive salaries, you will probably have to engage multiple recruitment agencies.

Generally, companies at this stage don't like outsourcing, as it requires hiring a dedicated team that will take care of a complete project.

A team extension model might be the perfect solution for you especially if you need someone who will enable speedy implementation and smooth time-to-market, without the burden of extra time.

Keep reading if you want to find out what a team extension model is, and how it can help you multiply your business bottom line.

What is the team extension model?

Just like the name suggests, the team extension model is the process of finding software developers that will work and act as an integral part of your existing team.

You’ll be able to tap on specific skills you are working on by hiring one or more software developers that will fill the technical gap of your existing staff.

While you'll be the one in charge of the whole project, and responsible for managing all the team members, you won't have any additional costs (recruitment, employee screening, payroll, bonuses, healthcare, etc).

How is the team extension model different from traditional IT outsourcing?

Hiring a team that will work outside of your organization and take care of your whole project is another option that you may want to consider. Even though it sounds similar, the team extension model is quite different from outsourcing a project to a dedicated development team.

In case that you decide to outsource your complete project, you won’t be as involved as with the team extension model. The dedicated team will be the one in charge of handling the project from the ground up, planning, project management, and timeframes.

The essential difference between an extension team and other outsourcing options is in their goals.

Your extended team will have efficiency and speed as their priorities, while the dedicated team’s goal is to deliver high-quality and specific solutions.

How does team extension work?

Companies experienced in working on a broad range of projects across different geographies usually offer team extension services. Thanks to this experience, they can offer developers skilled not only in technical areas but also in adapting to the company’s processes and culture.

We heavily rely on our well-built processes, and we’re grateful to see that our clients recognize it. You can read more about it on our Clutch profile.

1st step - Gathering requirements and information

Your company needs developers with specific skills, so we take some time to understand your projects and determine what skills you need to achieve your goals. During this step, you’ll also get role descriptions, so that we can both align on people with types of profiles, skills, and experiences you can benefit the most from.

You’ll also have a chance to gather more information about us, the way we work and our previous experience.

2nd step - Candidate interviews

Since our developers will act as an extended hand of your team, you must check whether they fit your culture and your requirements that go beyond technical skills. Taking into account the expertise and requirements we have established, you’ll be able to interview candidates and decide if they are a fit for our team extension collaboration.

3rd step - Project kick-off

In this final stage, you will be able to proceed with managing the candidates you’ve previously chosen. We will be taking care of their performance, well-being, and everything you and them deserve, and you’ll be the one in charge of managing them and controlling the project.

If you are still on the fence, here are a few ways you can benefit from a team extension model

1. You’ll have an access to specific skills

The supply and demand for great software engineers have never been out of sync as it is right now. This talent shortage is exponentially increasing, leading to extremely high salaries and costs of retaining talent.

With team extension services, you don’t have to worry about finding top developers, retaining them, or committing to long-term employment. You’ll be able to have instant access to people with a specific skill set that your project requires.

2. You’ll be able to scale quickly while reducing potential risks

When scaling up your team of developers is crucial for the growth of your project, a team extension model especially comes in handy. You won’t be limited by the size of your team because you’ll have access to a talent pool that will enable you to scale your team without disrupting your processes or changing your goals. The team can be scaled up or down easily to match your needs.

3. You will lower your costs

We have already mentioned it above, but it’s an important point to repeat. To employ and nurture experienced software engineers, you’ll have to invest a considerable amount of time and money. That’s why hiring your future team members by using a team extension model is a more profitable option, especially if the IT company offering these services is located in some of the regions known for the great balance between costs and quality, such as Eastern Europe.

Tips for choosing a team that will truly empower your business

Besides the technical experience, you must choose developers that can integrate into your team easily. They will be fully dedicated to your project, and working with your team side-by-side, so make sure that you check all the boxes before kicking off the collaboration.

• Check whether the developers have the right expertise
• Check whether the developers fit the culture of your organization or other team members
• Establish methods of controlling teams’ work
• Define project goals
• Leave some time for developers to integrate into your team
• Inform developers of your internal processes

We hope that you enjoyed reading this article and that we helped you understand all the ways you can benefit from using the team extension services. If you want to learn more about our team extension services, feel free to reach out to us.