20/04/2023 
In today’s fast-paced business world, the ability to quickly scale up or down your technical team is crucial. Whether you need to fill a skills gap or ramp up your development efforts, partnering with a technical team from an external company can be a smart choice.
However, not all team augmentation partners are created equal.
Read part 1 of this article series here and discover the benefits and challenges of this approach.
To make sure that you choose the best partner for your specific needs, it’s essential to follow a set of best practices. In the second part of this article, we’ll cover the top practices that enterprises should follow when looking for a technical team augmentation partner.
1. Define your requirements clearly
Before you begin your search for a technical team augmentation partner, it’s essential to define your requirements clearly.
Here’s some basic questions you should have clearly answered:
– What skills do I need in order to successfully complete my project?
– What specific roles do I need to fill?
– What is the expected duration of the engagement?
– What are my budget constraints?
– What are our security and data privacy requirements, and how will our technical partner ensure that these are met by the augmented team members?
These are all critical questions that you need to answer before you start evaluating potential partners. Once you have a clear understanding of your requirements, you’ll be able to assess potential partners more effectively.
2. Look for relevant experience
When evaluating potential technical team augmentation partners, it’s important to look for experience that is relevant to your needs. For example, if you need to build a mobile app, you’ll want to look for a partner with a proven track record in mobile app development. If you need to develop an e-commerce platform, you’ll want to look for a partner with experience in that area. Don’t be swayed by a partner’s experience in areas that are not relevant to your needs.
3. Evaluate technical skills
When choosing a technical team augmentation partner, it’s critical to evaluate the technical skills of their team members. You’ll want to make sure that the team members have the necessary skills and experience to meet your requirements. Ask about the partner’s hiring process and how they assess technical skills. You may also want to ask for references or examples of previous work to evaluate their technical abilities.
4. Assess communication skills
Clear communication is crucial for a successful team augmentation partnership. You’ll want to ensure that the partner’s team members can communicate effectively with your team members. During the evaluation process, pay attention to the partner’s communication skills.
Do they respond promptly to your inquiries?
Are they easy to understand?
Do they ask clarifying questions when needed?
Good communication skills are an essential trait for any technical team augmentation partner.
5. Consider cultural fit
A successful team augmentation partnership requires more than just technical skills. It’s essential to consider cultural fit when evaluating potential partners. Look for partners who share your values and work ethic. It’s important to ensure that the partner’s team members will be able to work well with your team members. You may want to ask about the partner’s company culture, team dynamics, and work processes to evaluate cultural fit.
6. Review project management processes
When working with a technical team augmentation partner, project management processes are critical. You’ll want to ensure that the partner has a proven project management process in place. Ask about their methodology, tools, and communication processes. You’ll want to make sure that they have a system for tracking progress, identifying and mitigating risks, and managing timelines.
7. Evaluate pricing and contracts
Pricing and contracts are another critical factor to consider when selecting a technical team augmentation partner. Look for partners who offer transparent pricing and clearly defined contracts. You’ll want to ensure that there are no hidden fees or unexpected costs. Evaluate the partner’s pricing structure and make sure that it aligns with your budget constraints.
8. Consider long-term partnerships
Finally, consider the potential for a long-term partnership with your technical team augmentation partner. While you may initially engage a partner for a specific project or need, a long-term partnership can offer more benefits. Look for partners who are interested in building a long-term relationship with your company.
Some of our most exciting projects have started from the team augmentation of our client’s technical capabilities for a set project and have evolved into complex robust systems serving thousands of users and connecting a breadth of data points. Reach out if you want to know more.
