3 Signs Your Project Needs Outside Help
Throughout the course of every project, it is necessary to assess the effectiveness of your team and of their approach to creating a solution. Has your team successfully completed projects of this nature before? Are they using the most up-to-date technologies and resources? Are they prioritizing this project properly?
If you are unhappy with the results of this self-reflection, then you can either refocus your existing team or bring in outside help. But how do you know when bringing in outside assistance is the best option?
You don’t have to wait until you have burned through all of your internal resources to bring in reinforcements; instead, consider how well the following signs apply to your project.
1. Team lacks appropriate technical expertise
Your team may be highly efficient in the tasks required for the day-to-day functioning of your company, but they may still need external assistance if the technical requirements for a new project fall outside of their expertise and, as a result, the project is suffering. In some instances, you may be able to realign a staggering project to fall within your team’s area of experience and comfort. However, there are many instances in which you will not be able to make this adjustment, such as when:
- a boss or client requires the use of a certain technology,
- your current solution proves to be dated or inefficient, or
- a problem encountered during your project is best solved by employing a new technology
In these cases, it can be cost and time effective to bring in a guiding hand that can make sure your team is on the right path and address any issues or concerns that arise throughout the process.
2. Need fresh perspective to solve a problem
A fresh perspective can bring new life to a struggling project. You should especially consider bringing in an outside point of view if:
- your team has been working the task for months without making significant progress,
- your current solution is unreliable, inconsistent, or incomplete, or
- you are putting together a proposal for a new project, but have trouble mapping out the details
While every project requires a great deal of time, in some cases time alone will not bring your team closer to an adequate solution. When this happens, the project can greatly benefit from the application of outside experiences and problem solving skills.
3. Insufficient staff for projects
This is the most straightforward of the signs that you need outside help – your team is unable to complete the project on their own. Whether that is because your staff is unable to prioritize the project because of other pressing demands on their time, you do not have dedicated IT personnel, or you just won a bid for a new project that is a larger scale than you’ve worked in the past, you should be able to identify quickly that you do not have the appropriate resources to complete the project.
Luckily, insufficient staffing does not mean that the project is doomed. Outside contractors are ready and willing to provide you with the resources needed to make every project a success.
If any of these signs apply to your project, or if you are considering partnering with an external technology company for future endeavors, contact RTS Labs today.