Choosing the right engagement model in software development is a delicate process that needs serious and careful consideration. It is vital to know all the pros and cons of a model, as well as where it should be used to maximize the profit and eliminate any risks.
This article about the Dedicated Team Model will tell you everything you need to know about this model of engagement. It is supposed to answer if not all of your questions, then at least the majority of them. Let’s start.
What is a Dedicated Team Model?
The name says it all — a dedicated development team is an allocated group of remote employees who are fully dedicated to you and your project. In contrast to an extended team that serves as an extension to your core development teams, a dedicated team works as a separate entity. Such a team usually includes not only developers, but also PMs, QA engineers, designers, and so on.
A dedicated team works exclusively for one client on a regular, full-time basis and devotes all attention and working power to the client’s project. This is what it means to be dedicated.
As for the service provider, they play an intermediary role in this cooperation, offering services of recruiting, providing with necessary resources to reach the project’s goals, and so on.
The client, in turn, has considerably more management power compared to when using other models. As a rule, the client can easily monitor the performance of the team, keep track of the development progress, and manage team members and their daily tasks.
How Does the Dedicated Team Model Work?
Here is the whole process explained step by step:
- It all starts with a client who needs to decide what he/she needs. It is essential to decide on the necessary technical skills needed for the project and the approximate number of employees.
- Then, the service provider selects the fitting dedicated team that fulfills all of the requirements stated by the client. The client can interview the candidates to choose the best ones.
- After this, the team and the client decide on the specific amount of time needed for the implementation of the project and the prospective workload.
- Finally, the workflow starts as the requirements are set, and the hired employees work during regular hours, just like common in-house employees.
- In fact, the client is in charge of all working processes and has full control over the project. The client can monitor and manage the team and their workflow.
Advantages of the Dedicated Team Model
Here are some of the most notable advantages that the Dedicated Team Model offers:
Cost-Efficiency
DT is quite an economically reasonable option. For instance, compared to when you manually gather a suitable team on your own, hiring a dedicated team is not only faster but also a much cheaper variant. Just consider how the recruiting process can sometimes impact the budget. It is not an easy task to find the right experts, interview them, and try to involve them individually into your business plan.
A dedicated team model, in turn, seems more appealing here. There is already a team out there that suits particularly your project needs, so there will be no hustle. These guys work as one mechanism and know how to effectively collaborate to achieve your goal. And there is no need to waste your resources on recruiting.
Great Flexibility
Incredible flexibility is provided by the fact that the dedicated team can be reconfigured whenever there is such a need. Whether you experience some financial constraints or want to implement new technology for your project, you are free to manage your team and change the composition during any stage of the development process.
Using the dedicated team model, you are also flexible with the scope of your project, meaning that you can change it along with the development. If a recent discovery has shown that there is a need to add new functionality to your product, you can easily manage the workflow and put a priority on this task, which you cannot do while using a Fixed Price Model. It is essential to mention that this kind of flexibility is crucial for long-term projects, when you do not have a full picture of the final result and the changes might occur as the development goes.
Full Control
Choosing the dedicated team model, you receive a full management control over your team members. The transparency of the workflow allows you to manage the workload and performance of the hired employees and monitor the progression of work. You can create something you really want with the help of the dedicated team.
Moreover, as it was mentioned, the dedicated team is a hundred percent dedicated to you and your project, and they do their best to achieve your goal. They are not involved in any other projects and don’t work with other clients. Their time is all yours, and it is you who consider how to manage it.
Efficient Collaboration
The model brings the collaboration between the hired employees and the client to a brand new level, which manifests itself in a long-term commitment. Since the dedicated team model implies long-term cooperation and a strong focus on the project, the dedicated experts engage with your business culture and try to better understand your goals and the ways to reach them. The hired employees can not merely execute orders and do what you ask them, but they may really invest themselves in the project and offer useful insights.
Such a collaboration is not only efficient in terms of time and costs, but it also often leads to the creation of some truly wonderful digital products.
Disadvantages of the Dedicated Team Model
There are also some disadvantages that the dedicated team model holds, and you should better know them before choosing it.
Low Efficiency During Short Terms
The dedicated team model suits best for long-term projects when you are not sure about the peculiarities, deadlines, and the scope of your project. This model allows you to experiment, change the development process whenever and whatever you like. As for short-term projects, a fixed price model might seem like a better option.
It Needs Your Time
If you choose the dedicated team model, then you agree to invest a certain amount of your time in the management of the development process. This was mentioned in the advantages section, but it can appear as a disadvantage if you are not ready to spend your time managing the team.
Cultural & Time-Zone Differences
You and your service provider will likely be in different time-zones, if not parts of the planet. All these can lead to problems with schedule and live communication. Moreover, there are always some cultural and religious differences that determine how well you’ll work together and how clearly the team members will understand your needs.
Remember that efficient cooperation can only be achieved through the mutual effort of both parties.
When the Dedicated Team Model Suits Best?
Before choosing a particular model be sure to know what is the best environment for it. Thus you will avoid unnecessary risks or confusion. As for the dedicated team model, it works quite well in the following cases:
You Are Still Unsure about the Final Result
If you have a business plan but still do not have a clear vision of the project scope, budget, or timeline, then a dedicated team model is suitable for you. You can start working with the team, reaching your planned milestones, and conducting discoveries to see where you are going. The model allows you to introduce changes as the development goes with no charges. However, be sure to have at least a rough plan and know some possible ways of development not to merely waste your resources and face the deadlock after all.
Long-term Projects That are Likely to Expand
The full potential of the dedicated team model manifests itself during the long-term projects. If you know that your project will eventually grow and expand, then this model is the best option for you. It allows you to avoid ongoing recruitment and gather new essential experts to fulfill your development desires. Moreover, having worked with a team for a long time, your collaboration becomes even more efficient.
Projects with Constant Workflow
If you go for a dedicated team model, it means that you hire a large team of professionals that are paid for regular hours, and you have to actually provide them with work to do. Your project must have a constant workload, or otherwise you will push yourself into the red.
When the Dedicated Team Model Is Not Suitable
Similarly, the dedicated team model may not work well in the following cases:
You Have a Short-term Project
If you want to start a short-term project that has a small scale and will not eventually grow, then you can just hire a development company to make it happen. This case is more likely not suitable for a dedicated team model, which is more advantageous during long-term development and continuous growth.
The Project Has a Defined Scope
If you have a detailed plan of your project and know for sure that the scope will not change, then the dedicated team model is probably not your best choice. You should better choose the fixed price model and not waste your time on unnecessary management of the development process.
There is No Trust to the Service Provider
Sounds naive, but it actually is a valid argument not to choose this model if you do not trust the vendor. Since the dedicated team model implies close collaboration with the allocated experts, it means that you should really trust them with your project and make them do their work. You need to share the information that is needed for product development. Otherwise the team will not be able to help you reach your goals.
Try reading the vendor’s testimonials on such platforms as Clutch or GoodFirms to make sure that these people are trustworthy.
How to Find a Professional Dedicated Development Team?
You already did it :)
OTAKOYI is an unrivaled software development company with almost 9 years of professional experience. We know exactly what is the definition of dedicated. We will gladly provide you with a dedicated team if you have a large, complex project in your plans. If your project does not suit well for this model, then we can discuss what engagement model will fit specifically your needs.
You can check out what our clients say about us on Clutch or GoodFirms. Built that trust up and contact our team right away.
