Our proprietary “Accelerate framework and methodology” offers access to cutting-edge technologies and a vast talent pool…
OVERVIEW
Our proprietary “Accelerate framework and methodology” offers you access to cutting-edge technologies and a vast talent pool. With our optimized scheduling, resource allocation, insights into sprint metrics and JIRA data, and process experience, your organization will be able to leverage new market opportunities. BigR.io has extensive experience in providing both internal staff as well as staff augmentation for virtually all types of development projects. Below you will find our recommendations based on our experience which we have found makes the process of bringing external staff on board a project much easier and results in teams that are able to contribute to the project in a much shorter timeframe.
THE PROCESS
RECRUITING/ONBOARDING
If the staffing for the project is not already available or if it needs to be augmented, or to account for normal attrition, we have a robust process for bringing in great talent:
1. We maintain a significant portfolio (several thousand globally) of previously engaged consultants along with new talent as we find them which provides for a pipeline of hundreds of new candidates through:
- A technical recruiter interview
- A second technical interview with a Sr Developer
2. We then share our prescreened candidates for review and approval with the client hiring manager and work with them to complete any additional screening they may desire. We have a dedicated scheduler assigned to expedite the process and we have found that placing candidates into dedicated time slots provided by the Client team to be the most effective method of scheduling.
3. After new talent is identified and approved, we work in conjunction with the client team to make sure background checks, NDA’s and onboarding details are updated to shared folders in a real time manner.
Background checks have created delays due to the ongoing COVID crisis, and the closure of courthouses worldwide. This has been addressed through using multiple background check companies and coordinating exemptions with the client team.
4. We have found that scheduling starts for Mondays to be the most effective for group training/orientation and clarity for team leads.
- Details for equipment/environment setup workbest if they are managed through a dedicated team from both BigR.io and the client.
- Communication is critical during this process and we have found that using a common communication system (Slack, Teams, etc.) and shared documents (Google docs, One Drive, Teams, etc.) works well.
- We also recommend a bi-weekly call with the key stakeholders from both the client and BigR.io. These meetings are run with a standup style agenda and are kept to 30 minute to ensure we focus on the key issues.
SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Dedicated/Named Client resources:
- HR/Talent Acquisition: We have found that a dedicated HR/Talent Acquisition person on the client side is invaluable in expediting and effectively solving challenges around onboarding.
- IT: Having a named and dedicated contact within the client IT department is key getting set up with access to the working environment and ensure effective rollout of equipment (if any) and VPN access.
2. Shared Documents: Utilizing shared documents which allow both BigR.io and the client track and understand the status of incoming talent in real time allows for a higher level of collaboration. This can be accomplished in either a client system or BigR.io as long as everyone has equal access to the data.
3. Pre-Start Review: This is a “hands-on” review of the client processes and flow required to onboard contractors. It normally takes a day or two. The review should cover at a minimum:
- The “Big Picture” plan and how the BigR.io team supports that plan.
- All systems to which the contractors will need access and the process to obtain that access
- Understand up front if any seat license increases are required or other license issues that might arise.
- Confirm adequate capacity exits within the systems to absorb the number of people that will be onboarded or determine a schedule of when such capacity will be available.
- Review the plan for any significant scheduled systems downtime.
- Review and understand any required and/or recommended training prior to start and the process to obtain access to training. Also, understand and agree on any deadlines (if any) for completion of that training.
- Review the details of the IT processes and personnel used to resolve any issues with connection, access, capacity.
- Understand and confirm any specific client definition on the equipment configuration and software required for the teams.
- Understand client reporting requirements/desires and the plan to deliver those reports.
- Understand how the client measures success for their development teams and how the reports support that measurement. We generally just use the client format to make it easy however, we can also recommend some good formats depending on the available tools and the client desires.
- Understand how the teams will be composed and managed. There is no “right” answer on this, and we have worked in several different formats. From our people joining an already formed client team or having a completely outsourced team managed by BigR.io and just about everything in between. During the initial ramp-up, it seems to work best if at least one or two members of the development team are client employees with experience working in the client environment regardless of the format chosen.
4. Issue Escalation Plan: It works best to have a clear procedure/plan and an identified client contact for issue escalation prior to start. Issues always come up in some form or another, having a plan to deal with them that we all agree on ahead of time has saved our projects enormous amounts of time.
5. Documentation: Having access to the documentation for the various systems and tools in use is key a smooth ramp-up. Additionally, understanding where and how the documentation is structured is also important.
6. Regular Management Reviews: During the initial ramp-up phases, it has worked best to have a review ith the key stakeholders on the client’s team. This is usually a 30-minute meeting twice a week to start then moving to once a week as the project matures. This is separate from the personnel status review and ensures BigR.io is aware of any items that we need to address to keep the project running smoothly. BigR.io’s CTO usually attends these meetings until the project has matured sufficiently.
7. Time Zones: As a general rule we try to make sure the members of any single team are located as close as possible in the same time zone. It also works best to have a few hours of overlap between the team working hours and the client location. Usually, the more overlap the better however we have been successful utilizing development teams across the globe.
