How Software Team Augmentation Helps Achieve Sustainable Results

Reports show that around 67% of companies across the UK have unfilled vacancies related to software development. Many EU and US software development companies struggle with the same issue as well. What does it mean? The world is facing a deficit of solid tech specialists. Fortunately, there’s a proven method to add tech talent to your team: Software team augmentation. It is a reliable way to kickstart or skill up and expand your tech unit. If all things are done right, excellent results are guaranteed. Moreover, it is also a cost-efficient solution. Sounds interesting? Then, read this article to know the main benefits of augmenting a software team and tips on how to leverage it properly.  

What is software team augmentation? 

Let’s clarify what it means to augment a software team. Basically, it is all about extending your tech unit with IT experts provided by your chosen vendor of software team augmentation. This approach appeals to companies that lack internal expertise in specific software development aspects. With software team augmentation, they can compensate for it. The result? Your organization’s improved technical capacity. This approach can be a game-changer in many challenging IT staffing situations as well. We’ll discuss its benefits in more detail in the next sections. 

When augmentation of teams is the best solution

To some extent, you can call software team augmentation a type of outsourcing. The difference is that outsourcing is usually about delivering large tasks or the entire project by a team on the side of the provider without bringing the client into the loop. Meanwhile, augmented software teams are a perfect solution if you want to be fully involved in the process of “dedicated” software development where your hired team members work on your project full time and stay dedicated solely to your tasks. 

Software team augmentation will help you handle all processes much more efficiently, without losing team control. So, if you want to expand your software development team with the skillsets you lack on-site, it is the best decision. But that’s not the only scenario when companies resort to the augmentation of teams. 

Common scenarios for augmenting software teams

Now, let’s get more specific about the cases when software team augmentation may become your perfect solution. If you already have developers and other IT experts in place, it’s recommended to go for the augmentation of teams in the following scenarios:

• Your team lacks some unique skills that are vital for successful project implementation; 
• You want to set up a remote dedicated software development center that will be an organic extension of your company;
• You have an internal managerial capacity in place and aim to retain full control over the development process. 
• You need to add team members to your team fast, without going through the trouble of local hiring. 

Surely, there may be many more situations in which software team augmentation will come in handy. These are just some examples that will help you understand the value and the benefits of this approach better. 

A step-by-step guide to team augmentation

Now that you know the reasons to go for software team augmentation, let’s proceed with some practical advice. We will go with a standard step-by-step guide format because it’s always better to divide the process into clear-cut stages so you can further see where you are on the roadmap. So, here’s a step-by-step guide that will help you organize the process of augmenting of teams properly and reap all the benefits of this approach. 

Decide on your ideal candidate(s)

First of all, define vital aspects of your project and the roles to cover them. Do you need someone who is extremely proficient in mobile development? Maybe you’re grappling with finding a top-tier software architect? Or require a person that will perfectly fit your corporate culture as a business analyst? Make sure to clear all these critical aspects, as vendors of software team augmentation will be looking for candidates for you based on your requirements. A clear understanding of what you need is your guiding star in this search for the right kind of team members. 

Make sure your team members collaborate

When it comes to software team augmentation, your remote employees will cooperate with your in-house specialists in a close-knit environment. So, your task is to make sure that they collaborate efficiently. Surely, members of your augmented team can work autonomously. However, building a good collaboration culture is still a very good benefit to your project. You never know when things will change and you’ll need to foster more close collaboration between your units. 

Provide day-to-day support

Building a great team with augmented staff contributes to the success of your business. However, it doesn’t mean that you can leave everything up to your specialists. In this model, your involvement is critical. You should constantly stay in touch with your team members and have them report to you or managers on your side. Be sure to provide them with immediate feedback, streamline the processes, and ensure communication and support whenever possible. Only in this case, you will keep the software development under your control. The outcome is the team that solves all the tasks on time and works like a well-tuned mechanism. 

Why augment your software team with nCube

If you are looking for a strategic partner to augment your software team, nCube has vast experience in this approach to dedicated software development. Here are a few points that we consider critical for your success using this solution:

• We have access to vast pools of tech talent in Eastern Europe and Latin America, so you can expand your team in as little as 2-4 weeks.
• We provide specialists according to your demands, with expertise in your business vertical;
• We pre-screen our candidates for tech skills, culture fit, and English proficiency so you lose no time interviewing the wrong candidates;
• Your team will be fully dedicated to your goals, working for you full-time, 40 hours per week;
• We will augment your team with developers who are purpose-driven and have vast experience working in a remote setting.
• We have more than a decade of experience building tech units with expertise in various technologies and tech stacks.

Contact us to discuss our model of software team augmentation in more detail and let’s see if it’s a good fit for you.