When rushing to complete projects, you\u2019re probably familiar with these questions — Can we get it done faster? Can we get it done cheaper? How can we get this done more efficiently?<\/p>\n
As you take on more challenging projects, and you start to operate right on the edge of your team\u2019s capabilities, you may run into circumstances where the success of the projects depend entirely on whether they can be completed on time… and within budget… without sacrificing any requirements or client expectations.<\/p>\n
This situation is made worse in a competitive niche like IT, where success can often depend on speed.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a tough situation to juggle.<\/p>\n
Usually, technology is the answer. If you can automate or eliminate certain processes through technology, that\u2019s less wasted time and money overall. However, technology can\u2019t solve everything — doing complicated and creative tasks at scale, for example. Or flexibly changing approaches in the middle of a project. Or pivoting to a different focus.<\/p>\n
You and your staff or team must meet all of these challenges. And, when you ramp up and down, you\u2019ll need the flexibility to hire or let go of workers and talent as the project requires.<\/p>\n
This being the case, hiring in-house is not always the answer. In fact, it is almost always the most costly and least flexible option. Hiring in-house is great for your core team, but not always right for immediate or conditional needs.<\/p>\n
So what is the answer?<\/p>\n
We have two: staff augmentation and project outsourcing.<\/p>\n
But wait. What\u2019s the difference? What\u2019s best for you?<\/p>\n
Read on to find out.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s start with a subject that is near and dear to our hearts here at Capital Numbers: outsourcing. We love outsourcing. We recommend it to almost everyone if it makes sense to their business (it usually does).<\/p>\n
Outsourcing the entire project allows you to entrust your entire project to a remote outsourcing partner<\/a>. You\u2019ll use your partner\u2019s resources, including tools, hours worked, and project management systems, to complete the project. In this way, completely outsourcing a project becomes like a partnership. (Conversely, staff augmentation is more akin to hiring new employees. We\u2019ll get to that in a minute).<\/p>\n So why might outsourcing your entire project be the best choice for you?<\/p>\n First and foremost, it gives you some space to focus resources on your core operations.<\/p>\n Take the typical cost reductions associated with outsourcing. Outsourcing allows you to reduce training costs simply by handing that responsibility over to your remote partner. For example, at Capital Numbers we have rigorous training, vetting, and hiring process. We undertake this process so that our clients don\u2019t have to. They can trust that when they work with our teams, they\u2019re working with teams similar to the ones they might have hired themselves. A good, reputable remote outsourcing partner should do the same.<\/p>\n Further, you don\u2019t have to expend as much management time on outsourced projects. Your communication with your remote partner might be as little as a one-line email per day, or it might be more robust depending on your preferences. But the point is, the day to day management operations will mostly be the responsibility of your partner. They\u2019ll be the ones taking care of the details. And consider what YOUR teams will be doing in the meantime\u2026 They\u2019ll be working on your core projects, which leads to twice as many projects ticking along simultaneously. Plus, your outsourced project will usually only take about half the price.<\/p>\n Finally, you can take advantage of more opportunities in project outsourcing<\/a>. Just use the abilities of your remote partner to fulfill gaps in your skillset. Just because you might not have the internal capabilities to complete certain projects, doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t take them on. You can always outsource them to your remote partner.<\/p>\n Moving on\u2026<\/p>\n In contrast to remote outsourcing, which is all about getting entire projects completed remotely, staff augmentation is a matter of bringing on additional remote workers to help you complete a project.<\/p>\nStaff Augmentation<\/h2>\n