Dedicated Team. What in the World is This?

Dedicated Team

Advantages of the Dedicated Team model

Dadvantages of the Dedicated Team model

Dedicated Team is recent and already popular outsource business model, but there is not an article on Wikipedia on Dedicated Team (at least as of the moment of writing this article), so it does not really exist. That is how it works, right?

Not exactly. Dedicated Team does exist, it is kinda huge in the industry, and it definitely lacks some Wikipedia article (yeah, perhaps it is “no one but us” case).

So, what in the world is Dedicated Team?

When a customer goes to an outsourcing company to, uhm, outsource his/her project, it is up to a company to decide the dynamics within a team that will work on that project. It means that the members of the team could easily work on several projects simultaneously, and the members of the team itself could change and migrate to other projects. Also, the team’s salary is not fixed and may change if project requirements or scope change. A client has no control over these processes, unless, the Dedicated Team contract is chosen.

> Dedicated Team…

…is a business model in accordance to which an outsourcing company provides a client with a team of software specialists who work on a fixed monthly salary and are chosen according to the client’s demands. The client has the possibility to manage the team or assign a project manager (PM). The team works only on the project it is assigned to. 

So what does this model exist for except the fact that the feeling of control and stability that comes along with a team of professionals who are wholeheartedly dedicated to your project is definitely a pleasant one?

Well, if a project big and complex, has a tendency to evolve, its requirements can change, and its scope is difficult to define, the Dedicated Team is a go-to model as it will save you money, time, and harmony of the mind. A fixed monthly salary will remain fixed regardless of the evolving nature of the project while the team will be focused on one project and know it to the slightest detail.

Therefore, the optimal minimal duration is one month. Theoretically, a customer actually can request a Dedicated Team for a project that will last less than a month, but then, the model will be more expensive than the Time and Material one. 

> The advantages of the Dedicated Team model:

-Defined budget 

-Control over the team management

-Easy to adjust the project development to new requirements 

-Team members stay focused on one project and have a great understanding of internal processes and client’s needs

-Great for complex and evolving projects. 

> The disadvantages of the Dedicated Team model:

-Not so great for small projects

-Assembling of the team may take some time

-Team management will take customer’s time if he/she decides to manage the team and not to use the company’s PM

That’s it. The only thing left is a Wikipedia article.