ACJ Creative

In the fast-paced world of software development, scaling your team to meet project demands can often feel like a necessity. However, there's a growing trend towards leveraging software consulting talent to complement in-house capabilities. In this article, I'll explore the benefits of this approach and why it might be the right strategy for your business.

The challenge of rapid team growth

While expanding your team might seem like a straightforward solution, it's important to consider the potential pitfalls:

Increased overhead: Hiring full-time employees comes with significant overhead costs, including salaries, benefits, equipment, licences and office space. This financial commitment continues well beyond completion of your current project.
Slower onboarding: New team members often require time to familiarise themselves with your company culture, tools, and projects, which can delay productivity. While onboarding a software consultant occurs organically during the design process, with alignment strengthening during development.
Potential for disruption: A sudden influx of new employees can disrupt existing team dynamics and workflows, leading to decreased efficiency. Often, your most experienced developers are tasked with training new hires, diverting their attention from critical projects. This can have a significant impact on productivity and overall team morale.
Post-project challenges: After a major project is completed, you may find it difficult to keep your expanded team motivated and engaged on less critical tasks. New hires who were crucial to achieving your initial project goals can become a burden if you don't have a pipeline of high-priority projects to keep them occupied. This can lead to decreased productivity, increased costs, and potential morale issues within your team.

The advantages of hiring consultants

Independent software consultants offer a flexible and cost-effective solution to supplement your in-house team:

Scalability: You can easily adjust your workforce to meet project demands without incurring long-term commitments. If you don’t have substantial long-term need for a larger workforce beyond your current priorities, you are free to reduce costs as your demand for skills decreases. And scale out again the next time you have a high priority project.
Prioritise your core team: By keeping your core team intact and focused on strategic direction, you can maintain a strong sense of cohesion and quality control throughout the development process. Rapid staff growth can often lead to reduced cohesion and quality, making it more difficult to maintain your product's long-term direction.
Cost-efficiency: Consultants offer a flexible and cost-effective solution compared to hiring full-time employees. Similar to the trend of adopting Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP, hiring consultants can be seen as a "Project as a Service" approach. This allows you to scale your workforce up or down based on specific project needs, avoiding the overhead costs associated with maintaining a large, permanent team.

When to grow your team vs. hire consultants

While growing your team can be a valuable strategy, it's crucial to weigh the pros and cons carefully. Here are some guidelines to help you determine when to expand your in-house team versus hiring consultants:

Grow your team when:

Core work is overwhelming: If your core team is consistently stretched thin and struggling to meet deadlines, it might be time to expand.
Potential is lost: If you notice a decline in productivity, innovation, or morale due to an overburdened team, growth can be a solution.
Efficiency is diminished: If team members are juggling multiple tasks or projects, it can lead to decreased efficiency.

However, be cautious of:

Growing too quickly: Rapidly expanding your team can disrupt existing dynamics and hinder progress, especially if there's a need for extensive onboarding and training.
Cultural mismatch: Ensure that new hires align with your company culture to avoid conflicts and maintain a positive work environment.

Hire consultants when:

Demand is fluctuating: If your workload varies significantly, consultants can provide flexibility to meet peak demands without incurring long-term costs.
Specialised skills are needed: Consultants can offer specialised expertise that your in-house team might lack, allowing you to tackle specific projects or challenges.
Temporary projects: For short-term or one-off projects, consultants can be a cost-effective solution.

Recurring work

While consultants can be a valuable asset, building long-term relationships with them can also be beneficial. By establishing trust and rapport, you may be able to work with them again should the need arise. can rely on consultants for recurring projects or when your in-house team needs additional support.

The best approach depends on your specific business needs, project requirements, and long-term goals. By carefully considering these factors, you can make informed decisions about when to grow your team and when to leverage the benefits of independent software consultants.