When searching for a software development agency, you need to be aware that there are multiple types of agencies you can hire, all with different specialities. If you choose the wrong agency for your business, you risk creating a product that you never wanted in the first place.
There are millions of software developers all around the world, the services that they will provide depends in large part on the type of agency they come from. Rather than go straight into vetting different companies, your first step should be to decide which type of agency is the best fit for your needs.
The top three types of software development agencies are as follows:
- Scalable, fully managed services
- Boutique development firm with limited capacity
- Staffing agency with no management
Here’s an overview of what each one will provide to give you a better understanding of where your best path forward might lie:
Scalable, Fully Managed Services
As suggested by the name, this category of software development agency will fully manage your software. They are the most comprehensive and scalable type of organisation and offer a custom service tailored to your business.
Mostly likely, this agency will consist of a large team that can perform multiple tasks simultaneously on a considerable scale. So, if you don’t have the software or bandwidth needed to manage or perform critical business tasks in-house, they can provide everything required to launch and maintain quality software – ideal for small businesses.
With this type of agency, you will not be burdened with coordinating resources and keeping everyone on track as this will all be done on your behalf. Essentially, you will be handing over the reins to the company.
If you decide to choose a fully managed service, be sure to find out if they have a transition service for when you want to manage things yourself.
Boutique Development Firm with Limited Capacity
This type of development organisation will also offer a full managed service, but with much less scalability. They are usually smaller agencies not interested in scaling – so they may be a little picky about who they choose to work with.
They are likely to provide the same custom service with all the software required to see a project through from start to finish. However, as boutique firms tend to have limited employees, their offering will depend on their teams’ internal skills.
Again, this type of agency will manage everything for you, but they may not have systems in place to hand back the reins after the project is completed, something to bear in mind. Also, due to the limited capacity of boutique firms, there is likely to be a long waiting list.
Staffing agency with no management
Unlike a managed service, these agencies instead help you staff developers. They usually offer either ongoing service fees for working with developers or a one-time finding fee for hiring developers.
A staffing agency can help you find and hire the right software developers, but they don’t manage these resources for you. Their job is to give you access to developers, and it’s up to you to produce quality software.
Which is the right type of software development agency for you?
This all depends on what you are looking for. Therefore, your first step should be to decide which type of agency is the best fit for your needs. So, first, ask yourself a few questions:
- Do you need strategic guidance in business processes and product strategy?
- Will you need other resources besides software engineers such as DevOps, UX designers, and QA managers?
- Do you have the capability and capacity to manage all required resources?
- Are you unable to provide project management not, but hoping to do so in-house in the future?
Ultimately, before you choose the right agency, you first need to get clear on the type of agency you’re looking for. This will help ensure that your investment is a success.
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