How IT Team Extension Helps Accelerate Backlog Delivery

Globalization and the ever-expanding reach of technology have opened up almost unlimited options when it comes to IT staffing. Today’s IT teams are diverse, distributed and in demand.

IT team extension is a popular option for organizations that lack the desire or the resources to hire full-time technical experts that may only be needed temporarily for a specific project or to offset the in-house team’s workload during a busy period.

No longer constrained to hiring locally from whatever talent is available, this staffing model provides access to global pool of experts and allows organizations to scale and meet changing IT requirements quickly and cost-effectively.

Is IT team extension the same as managed IT teams?

Although IT team extension and managed IT teams sound as if they serve the same purpose, there are significant differences between the two that make them better suited for specific use cases.

The fundamental difference between the two models is that IT team extension delivers a specific function, while managed teams provide a defined approach and methodology.

Other notable differences between the two models include:

Pricing:

Team extension: Tied to hours worked and availability
Managed teams: Tied to service levels

Contract terms:

Team extension: Limited Commitment
Managed teams: Defined scope and term

Project management:

Team extension: The end client manages the team
Managed teams: The MTP company manages its staff

How does IT team extension help manage product backlogs?

In-house IT teams are often short-staffed and struggle to work through their day-to-day responsibilities, leaving little time to work deep into the product backlog. If you think of the product backlog as a sort of wish list, extending your IT team provides the extra resources needed to move those items from the “nice-to-have” list to the “in-progress” column.

By taking pressure off of internal IT teams, these teams are freed to work on high-value, revenue-supporting initiatives while the extended team accelerates the delivery of new products and features from the backlog.

Extending IT staff provides significant cost and time savings by decreasing the expense and onboarding effort associated with hiring full-time staff. It also allows organizations to “right-size” project staffing, which eliminates wasted resources and provides access to the specialized skills and expertise that are needed specifically for the project.

How do you select the right IT team extension partner?

As with any third-party partnership, choosing to extend your IT team requires planning and a heavy dose of due diligence.

To help ensure you find a partner you can trust and who can provide the right staff for the project, preparation is key. First, define the scope of the project you need additional staff for. Your extended team will be ready to work on day one, so be sure you know what you need them to do.

Before you reach out to potential staffing sources, know what skills you are lacking. This can make a huge difference in which provider you select and how useful the extended team will be once they are staffed on your project.

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