IT Outsourcing according to j-labs – 4 models of cooperation

Team Extension and Dedicated Development Team mean outsourcing services, specific roles, and competencies. However, these terms may be ambiguous – after all, they do not say who will be managing a given employee or team, assigning them tasks, or verifying work. That’s why we decided to describe 4 models of cooperation with j-labs – Agile Project Outsourcing, Custom Development, Dedicated Development Team, and Team Extension – and explain what the day-to-day collaboration under each model looks like.

Agile Project Outsourcing

We take on a complete project, a solution to a specific business problem. From start to finish, all tasks are carried out by an experienced team of j-labs engineers according to the principles of the agile methodology. 

It is crucial that the team becomes an element of the client’s organization, integrates with it, adapts its communication style, and fits in other teams’ rhythms. At the same time, our project team collects client requirements, proposes architecture and technology. It agrees with the client on the timeframe, pricing model and results. It plans tasks and selects people to carry them out.

Custom Development

It is a possible solution when a client trusts our expertise and approaches us with an IT challenge of the whole organization. With our expertise and the important role of the Delivery Manager in the process, we help the client prioritize the work, we advise and cooperate closely with business. In this arrangement, we are the strategic technology partner. We support the client in planning, budgeting, and mapping the project funnel. We listen and propose solutions matching the client’s needs.

But what is the difference between Custom Development and Agile Project Outsourcing? In the case of CD, the collaboration with a client and blend with its organization is tighter. In Agile Project Outsourcing, the j-labs team is exclusively responsible for the outcome.

Dedicated Development Team

We provide a client with a team of specialists, sometimes with a leader, sometimes without. In most cases – the client is responsible for management. The team is independent and self-organizing, has all the necessary roles and competences. Depending on the client’s needs, time of cooperation and trust, this service can evolve into Custom Development. j-labs then becomes a client’s strategic technology partner.

Team Extension

This model is widely known as body leasing, staff augmentation or people outsourcing. Companies decide on this service when their permanent teams need additional support, either in the form of additional specialists or competencies. In most cases, j-labs specialists offer skills that are beyond the capabilities of a company’s current employees. A j-labs employee becomes a member of the client’s team. Clients are the one supervising, leading, and managing them.

We offer Team Extension service in remote version or onsite. In the latter model, our employee works in the client’s office, which means the offer is addressed to companies on the Polish market only. 

In the case of all four cooperation models, we regularly collect feedback from both clients and our employees to assess their satisfaction and introduce possible improvements. 

Summary

Outsourcing of IT services at j-labs may take various forms. We are filling skill gaps that allow businesses to hire top-level specialists for short- or long-term projects. We help clients who are interested in long-term cooperation because their projects require a significant volume of work. In most cases, we become as time goes on a strategic technology partner.