What is a Dedicated Software Development Team?
The dedicated developers' team model is essentially a company that uses Software Development companies to create a technical team for your project. They are essentially remote employees and become an extension of your existing team. They can work with you for years, while your partners manage all logistics, legal payroll, hiring, firing, and other administrative tasks.
These are the roles that are most sought-after in a dedicated developers team:
- Tech Leads
- Software developers
- QA
- UX/UI
- Analysts for business
- Project Managers
- Product experts
This model is often preferred by companies because it is faster and cheaper than hiring in-house staff. The Software Development company can bring a wealth of technical expertise to your startup, which you can also benefit from. Let's examine whether a dedicated team is right for your startup.
Do you need a dedicated Software Development team?
Your business needs will determine whether or not a dedicated developers team is right for you.
A dedicated developers team is a great option when you need to grow your business quickly. The majority of the hiring process will be handled by the software company upon your onboarding. Dedicated programmers can also be beneficial for your startup if your project requires flexibility. A flexible development team is essential for success in rapidly changing industries. A high-quality team of dedicated people will be flexible by nature and will be working on the most difficult technologies. They will not only be able to adapt to change, but also anticipate the future of technology and alert you quickly.
A dedicated team is not worth the effort if you don't have enough to do it. If you have a significant technology workflow to accomplish, then a dedicated team is a benefit for your startup. If you don't have a significant technology workflow to achieve, you might consider switching to a different model such as time or materials.
Before you hire dedicated developers, make sure to consider the cost and duration of your project.
Offshore dedicated developer teams for your long-term Software Development projects of around one year or more work best
Project-based work (a.k.a. Time & Materials is a great option for projects with a time frame of less than one year. There's no commitment to continue working. It is a good idea to hire an offshore dedicated developer team for the long term as the hourly rate will be 30 to 50% lower. Locking up team members on a single project reduces allocation risk for the Software Development company, which justifies the lower price.
This model is often chosen by companies that have a new strategy and roadmap to digital transformation. They do however have a structure that can be used to support an existing product and often legacy technologies.
A company may have decided to hire dedicated programmers teams because it is difficult to find talent locally, or too costly, or it will take too much time to get the talent needed to implement the plan.
These are also pragmatic and goal-oriented businesses that don't mind putting in the effort to establish a whole division overseas with office managers, hiring managers, fitting, legal structure, accounting, etc.
When it works
Dedicated teams work well when they have a clear business vision and are able to steer the work efficiently and effectively.
Let's say you have a company that gathers experts to solve business problems and wants to create a market. They have a business plan. They don't have the technical skills to implement the project within the three-year timeline. They can quickly create the MVP and develop the extended roadmap to achieve the business vision by hiring a dedicated team.
When it Doesn't
Dedicated teams can struggle when projects don't have clear goals and project management. Or, if the project is still in its ideation phase.
This is a good example. You should then consider a time-and-materials model.
Are you looking for an offshore dedicated developer team?
An expert in the development of top-talent startups provides straightforward, jargon-free advice.
Dedicated Software Development Teams vs. Time & Materials
Time and materials, just like the dedicated team model allow for flexibility in budget and development. This flexibility allows for quick adaptation and scalability.
It all boils down to how much time you plan to spend on your project.
A Time & Materials team is more suitable for projects that last up to nine months. A dedicated team is a good option for commitments that last longer than nine months. It costs 40% less and allows you to change the outcome as needed.
Dedicated Developers Teams vs. Hiring in-house
Hiring a dedicated team is generally cheaper, easier, and less risky than hiring employees in-house. This takes less time and does not affect your financial statements as employees. It is much easier to start the hiring process.
Many startup founders have difficulty finding the right talent because they aren't experienced in hiring and what to look for in a candidate. 83% of HR managers and business leaders are having difficulty finding the right talent to join their teams.
The burden of finding the best talent for onboarding is not on your shoulders. It's on the shoulders of the software company you work with.
They will screen the candidates and narrow down the pool to the best. Only then can you and your management team interview them, and select the final candidates.
This means that you'll spend less time and effort as you'll only need to carry out three interviews with viable candidates (per job) instead of:
- Source talent from the talent pool
- Examining applications
- Candidates must be pre-screened
- Interview preparation
- We have conducted around 20 interviews.
- Shortlisting of candidates
- Interviewing those candidates again
- Closing the hiring process, calling unsuccessful candidates, and conducting reference checks.
This equates to an average time-to-hire of 30 hours for each candidate in the tech sector.
You can save valuable time by hiring a dedicated programmers team to help you focus on your product or business vision
This is all to say that you will need this information when hiring.
- It's a solid process
- To attract prospects, you need to have good PR and marketing skills
- A team of hiring managers
- Structured onboarding.
You only need to conduct final interviews with pre-selected top talent candidates when you hire a software company to build your team.
You'll also need to do the necessary work once you have an in-house team. Payroll, taxes, filing fees, and legal issues are all part of the office work. How stock options and other perks are available to your team.
All of this will be on the vendor's balance sheet, not yours when you hire a dedicated team.
A dedicated Software Development team can provide many benefits
Cost-Efficiency
We have already discussed that hiring in-house staff can be costly and time-consuming. It can take over a year for a company to achieve the same scale as a dedicated team provider. It is much cheaper to hire a dedicated team to support your startup.
For a long-term project, it's cheaper than the time-and-materials model.
Flexibility
You can scale up or down your team based on the project's requirements using the dedicated team model. This flexibility is crucial in a startup environment where things are often lean and agile.
Expertise & Experience
Software Development companies that are well-established will have extensive experience in many industries and access to top-quality candidates. They will most likely have built something in your industry. They will have a better idea of the needs of your team and will be able to quickly align their efforts to your business goals.
Partnering with a reliable, long-term business partner
The dedicated team will work closely with you, often for many years, to achieve your development goals. You will have almost zero time to manage HR, hiring, and firing, and the partner is committed to creating a productive and strong team.
The Cons of Dedicated Development Team
Inefficient for short-term projects
The dedicated team model works best for long-term projects, as we have already mentioned. For smaller projects, I recommend the time and materials model.
Misalignment between the Service Provider and the Customer
Communication is essential when outsourcing any work that isn't a commodity. You could be assigned the wrong team if your service provider doesn't understand your project scope and your needs.
This goes beyond the technical skills needed to complete your project. It is also important to align yourself with the service provider regarding company culture.
Here's how to manage and onboard a dedicated developers team.
How to Hire and Manage a Team of dedicated developers?
Be sure to look for your team before you start
Scoring the product is the best way to determine if you need a team of dedicated developers or if you have the time and materials.
An agency can assist you with this.
Here are some resources to help you find the right service provider to help you build a team of dedicated programmers.
How to find a team of dedicated developers?
You can find service providers, such as Software Development companies, that will help you to build your team. Refer to your family, friends, and colleagues to get recommendations.
Google is your best friend if your network of contacts doesn't direct you in the right direction. Make sure you are using the correct keywords, such as "Software Development Services" and "dedicated team service".
There are many other options than Google to locate a team of developers dedicated to your startup. B2B platforms are one example.
B2B platforms
B2B platforms are a great way for software developers to locate companies offering dedicated team services such as Clutch.co and Techreviewer.
Communities & Social Networks
Asking for advice is another great way to find and hire dedicated developers. You can use your LinkedIn network to connect with other founders who have used dedicated teams and even ask service providers for their advice.
Quora is another great place to get advice. Quora is a great place to ask for advice from experts and professionals.
Keep an eye out for tech events. They're a great way to learn about technology and expand your network.
How to Choose a team of dedicated developers?
It's important to choose the right agency for your startup once you have identified where to find dedicated developers. You should consider your track record and previous experience.
Track Record & Experience
It is important to ensure that the partner who will build your team of developers has the experience and a track record.
Look through their portfolio to find out which companies they have worked within the past. Next, reach out to these companies and ask about their research.
I recommend asking a friend who has the technical expertise to validate the portfolio of your agency.
Technology
Your agency should have expertise in the technology that you plan to use to build your startup. They will be able to identify the hard skills you need in your developer's candidates if they are familiar with the technology.
Lean/Product-Centric Approach
You will want to implement the agile and lean methodologies if you are building a startup.
Partnering with a partner to build your team is crucial so that they are familiar with your startup's needs.
Communication
Communication is an essential part of any business relationship. This is true even when building a team of developers.
They will often be in another country, or even distant. You should ensure that the agency or service provider with whom you are working has clear communication procedures.
Company Culture & Onboarding Process
To build your dedicated team, it is essential that you partner with a company that has a solid onboarding process. Their company culture is even more important.
This is a people-based business. Working on exciting projects, karma and culture will help you get and keep what you need.
Your company culture should be aligned with theirs. Your dedicated team will benefit from elements of both the company culture and that of the service provider, no matter where they are located. This can lead to a misalignment that could cause problems down the road.
How to manage a team of dedicated developers?
It is essential to have your own internal operational and proactive project and product management chain. You must be able to direct your team towards both.
- Your business vision is the foundation of your success.
- Precision is essential for the constantly changing Sprint requirements of 15 days.
You must treat your remote team as you would an in-house staff. You should treat them as a part of your company's culture, even though they are miles away.
Devoted teams can blend into your culture while keeping some elements of their company's culture. Your chances of success are higher if your culture and project are excellent and you hire a team from a Software house.
Wrapping up
When you have a solid roadmap to follow, offshore dedicated developer teams can be a great way of getting the job done quickly. If you already have a team of Product and Project experts and want to quickly expand your team with minimal effort (legal and sourcing management, etc.), dedicated teams can be a great option. You will still save time and materials by having a dedicated team. However, you will still be able to pick from great candidates who will work for you long-term.
