You’re on the verge of launching a game-changing digital product, but there’s one problem: finding the right niche talent, especially software engineers and developers, to bring your vision to life.
You’re not alone—66% of IT leaders in the U.S. face the same challenge, with talent shortages costing a staggering $5.5 trillion in project delays.
But guess what? There are smart ways to tackle this issue.
In this article, we’ll cover one of the most effective solutions to the talent gap in software development: dedicated teams. We’ll break down what dedicated teams are, how they work, tips for managing them, and why partnering with a nearshoring provider can be a game-changer.
What Is a Dedicated Team?
A dedicated team is a group of software development pros who work exclusively on your project. Unlike traditional outsourcing, this team integrates with your business, aligning with your goals and working directly under your guidance.
This approach doesn’t just bridge the talent gap—it also brings added perks like cost savings from nearshoring to countries with lower labor costs.
How Do Dedicated Teams Work in Software Development?
Dedicated teams collaborate with your in-house staff, typically from remote locations, functioning as an extension of your workforce. They’re not permanent employees but work closely with your team over the long term, adapting to your processes and culture just like full-time staff.
This setup fosters a close-knit collaboration that boosts productivity and alignment. The team becomes deeply invested in your success, participating in meetings, strategy sessions, and receiving feedback as your internal team does. And the best part? You maintain full control over the project’s direction, scope, and methodologies.
What Is the Structure of Dedicated Teams?
Dedicated teams are typically structured to include various roles based on project requirements, including software engineers, developers, QA specialists, and project managers. The structure often mirrors an Agile software development team structure, where roles are defined but flexible enough to adapt to evolving project demands.
The team’s setup can include specialized DevOps teams and software engineering teams according to your needs.
In short, a dedicated team provides a complete development unit with the roles and skills you need on demand. However, the hiring company retains overall control of the project. The team operates as a focused pod that aligns with your project needs, while you maintain oversight through regular meetings and communication with your account manager.
This setup ensures that the team is always following the playbook and playing by your rules.
What Is the Responsibility Distribution Between the Software Development Partner and the Client?
To clarify the responsibility distribution, let’s use an example.
Imagine you’ve hired a nearshoring provider from Latin America to build a dedicated team tailored to your needs. The team includes software developers from Brazil, QA specialists from Argentina, and DevOps engineers from Colombia.
In this dedicated team model:
- Client Responsibilities (In-House Team in the USA): You, as the client, set the project vision, goals, and priorities. You’re responsible for decision-making, defining project requirements, and providing overall direction. This ensures the project aligns with your business objectives.
- Outsourcing Partner Responsibilities (Nearshoring Provider): The outsourcing partner manages the day-to-day operations of the dedicated team. This includes recruiting the right talent, training the team, and executing the project plan. The partner handles the logistics of working with remote developers and maintains communication through regular updates and Kanban boards.
For instance, the US-based project manager might oversee the team’s work, while the Brazilian developers work on coding, the Argentine QA specialists test the software, and the Colombian DevOps engineers ensure smooth deployment. The nearshoring provider ensures that this team operates efficiently, adhering to the agreed timelines and methodologies.
The key benefit is that despite the team being based in Latin America, they work within a similar time zone and can communicate effectively in English with your US team.
What Are the Benefits of Outsourcing a Dedicated Software Development Team?
Outsourcing to a dedicated team offers several benefits worth analyzing:
- Assemble your team on-demand. You can select the exact skills you need, ensuring each member makes a significant impact on the project’s progress.
- Economize. You can save on expenses related to training and skill development for your in-house team. Additionally, by outsourcing, you gain access to elite specialists without paying the premium rates typically seen in the U.S.
- Adapt scaling to your needs. Scale up or down based on dynamic work demands. For instance, if Black Friday is approaching and you temporarily need more team members, you can quickly add to your team. Conversely, if an internal developer leaves, you can swiftly have the partner replace them, avoiding delays and extra recruiting costs.
- Unleash agility. Our team includes over 200 certified specialists with proven soft skills, accustomed to working with agile methodologies in dynamic and changing environments. They excel in problem-solving and communication.
Learn more about how our recruitment engine ensures we work with only the top 1% of certified talent:
Why Choose a Dedicated Nearshoring Team for Your Next Project?
Nearshoring refers to outsourcing business processes or services to a nearby country rather than a distant one. Traditionally, this was based on geographic proximity, but in the wake of the pandemic, the concept has evolved to focus on time zone alignment as a key factor.
A nearshore country is one that shares or has a very similar time zone to the client’s location.
For U.S. companies, nearshoring often means partnering with countries in Latin America, where a wealth of IT talent is readily available.
Here’s why a dedicated nearshoring team could be the right choice for your next project:
1. Mitigating talent shortages:
The U.S. faces a significant talent gap, especially in IT and tech roles. Nearshoring to Latin America provides access to a skilled pool of IT professionals, helping to address this shortage. With 64% of IT executives acknowledging the talent gap as a major barrier to technology adoption, nearshore teams can bridge this gap by offering the expertise needed to drive forward innovative projects, including those in AI and other emerging technologies.
2. Enhancing your operations:
Far from leading to job losses, nearshoring can actually bolster U.S. companies operations. By outsourcing specific IT functions, U.S. companies can reallocate resources to more strategic, high-value tasks, potentially creating new roles in project management and team integration. This can lead to overall job growth and more dynamic roles within the U.S. job market.
3. Increasing team seniority:
Nearshoring allows you to enhance the seniority of your team. By integrating experienced IT professionals from Latin America, you can benefit from their high level of expertise and advanced skill sets, which might not be readily available domestically. This can elevate the quality of your projects and bring valuable insights to your development efforts.
4. Managing cultural differences effectively:
Cultural differences, while real, are not insurmountable. Many Latin American IT professionals are accustomed to working with diverse international teams and bring strong alignment with global professional standards and methodologies. The ability to work across different time zones and cultural contexts often enhances collaboration and enriches the team’s overall performance.
5. Shared time zone:
Latin American countries offer similar time zones and overlapping work hours with the U.S., facilitating smoother communication and collaboration. This alignment reduces the potential for delays and misunderstandings, making project management more efficient.
Looking for a dependable nearshoring partner for custom software development? Inclusion Cloud has you covered. With our AI-driven recruiting engine, we access a pool of over 1 million specialists, bringing you the top talent you need in just 72 hours. That means you can kickstart your project fast and with the right people on board.
Ready to get started? Let’s chat—book a call with us today!
And don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn for daily insights and updates. Join our community and stay in the loop!