One key question that many businesses face is deciding whether to hire an agency or freelance talent to take on the task of building their software project. The truth of the matter is that the answer isn’t so cut and dry.

The “right” choice, in fact, lies in deciding which option is best suited for your particular situation for the purpose of achieving your specific business goals.  There are a few things to consider when deciding on which option is best for your business, and we’ve included six important insights to help guide you along the way.

Be clear about your goals.

Every company is driven by business goals. What is your goal? It could be a minimum viable product (MVP), developing a mobile-app or complex database optimization. To define your goals, you’ll need to ask yourself questions about your project in order to gain clarity.

For example:

• What is your budget?
• Do you have a particularly tight deadline?
• What kind of work is involved?
• How complex is the process?

Regardless of the answer, the solution is never as simple as hiring a front-end guy or back-end guy. By posing questions as such, you can work towards defining what matters most so that you’re able to identify the best option for achieving your company’s strategic goals.

One person is not going to solve all of your problems.

The truth of the matter is that one developer simply will not solve all of your problems. In order to build a software product, it’s imperative that you have at least some high-level understanding about the software development life-cycle and are well-versed in agile product development and other modern development trends.

The bare minimum requirements needed in order to put together for instance, a mobile app, is you, the product person, developers, QA, and DevOps. A diverse skill set is imperative. This is where an agency’s team can have an advantage.

Choose the right vendor.

Choosing the right vendor is another decision that is going to be vital to the outcome of your project. While budget is of course of paramount importance, focusing on the most cost-effective solution alone will end up costing you more in the long-run.

When evaluating vendors, you’ll want to ensure there is a good management structure in place. Do they offer a comprehensive and cutting-edge system? What is the quality of the talent? Do they have a deep level of industry expertise and experience? Does the vendor offer reliable, efficient delivery and take responsibility for timeliness and quality of deliverables? You should view your vendor as a partner of sorts and ensure their capabilities fit well with your demands.

Size matters.

The size and complexity of your project is also going to be a major determining factor in whether you move forward with an agency or freelance talent for your project. If you only need one small, relatively straightforward project completed, then it may be best to move forward with freelance talent.

However, for larger, more complex projects, moving forward with an agency will benefit you more in terms of quality assurance and efficiency and will give you the peace of mind you need regarding your return on investment.

Look for fully-managed service.

Opting for a fully-managed development service lightens the load for you and your company, enabling you to focus on the core of your business and doing what you do best.

A fully-managed service can help ensure that no facet of your business is negatively impacted due to a marked shift in the allotment of valuable human resources. Choosing a fully-managed service also helps shift the responsibility of compliance to the service provider, thus reducing risk regarding any potential security and compliance issues. A

ll-in-all, a fully-managed software development solution is a great option for companies looking to maintain and gain a competitive advantage, and serves to help level the playing field in the midst of fierce competition.

Think long-term value.

David Tolioupov, CEO of Zensoft, said “Freelancers are cost-effective, can get started quickly and are great options for small projects. As a result, they offer obvious immediate value.

However, this value diminishes with increased project. Freelancers are more difficult to manage, tend to be less consistent than their agency counterparts which offer greater reliability and quality control, and as a result, there is a greater deal of ambiguity surrounding the final outcome.

Working with agencies may be more expensive, but they offer greater consistency, quality assurance, streamlined workflows, solid-management structures, a proven track-record of success and access to expert talent. Choosing an agency gives you the peace of mind that your dollars are well-invested and offers greater long-term value.”

Conclusion

Making the decision to hire an agency or freelance talent to oversee the development of your software product is a tough one. While freelance talent is a viable option for those with small and relatively straightforward projects, agencies provide a plethora of benefits and prove to be a wiser choice for larger, more complex projects. Whatever your situation may be, the truth of the matter is your resources are valuable, so taking the time to weigh the pros and cons relative to your particular situation is going to be essential to your success.

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