Thoroughly Modern: Flexible And Fractional Staffing Models That Deliver

February 13, 2023 Christine McDowell

If you run an organization that relies on IBM i (AS/400, iSeries) systems, then you know how important it is to have the right skills and expertise accessible when you need them. The reality facing IT leaders is that having the right staff can be both a challenge and costly, but it doesn’t need to be.

By augmenting your teams with the right skills, you can get the help you need when you need it without needing to hire full-time staff. Let’s explore the benefits of augmenting your teams with IBM i (AS/400, iSeries) and other skills.

Integration Services

Integrating multiple systems isn’t something that happens overnight. It can be time consuming and difficult for teams who don’t have an understanding of the different systems or a specialty in integration services. By augmenting your team with experienced integration specialists, you can take advantage of their experience and knowledge to make sure your system is integrated quickly and correctly. This will save time and money in the long run by avoiding costly mistakes that could happen if inexperienced hands were in charge.

Web And Mobile Development Services

Having a website or mobile application that runs smoothly and looks great is essential for any business these days, but creating these applications from scratch requires skill, knowledge, and experience. By bringing in experts in web and mobile development services, you can ensure that your applications are built properly from the ground up so you don’t have to worry about them failing or looking unprofessional after launch.

In a recent webinar, attendees communicated with us that skills, time, and people were their most significant barriers to developing digital solutions. Attendees were able to select multiple options, and 41 percent said stakeholder/management buy-in, 67 percent said skill gaps, 59 percent said time, 46 percent said lack of strategy/roadmap, and 4 percent said they had other barriers.

Database And Application Modernization Services

Your database needs to be up-to-date if it’s going to remain secure and efficient. Not only do outdated databases put customer data at risk but they can also lead to slowdowns or even complete failures if they aren’t maintained regularly. With database and application modernization services, you can ensure that your databases are always running at peak efficiency so there are no unexpected problems down the line.

By augmenting your teams with IBM i skills, such as Integration Services, Web and Mobile Development Services, Database and Application Modernization Services, among other flexible fragmented engagements like developing new modern open source applications. You can ensure that any project requiring expert knowledge will go smoothly without having to invest too much into hiring full-time staff members who may not have all the necessary skillset required for certain projects. Additionally, using this approach gives organizations more flexibility when tackling projects by being able to access specific skills sets at specific times without committing long term resources or over spending on salaries for permanent employees.

Augmenting your teams with various IT and IBM i skills and experts can be an invaluable resource when it comes to application support services, help desk and other mundane tasks that are well suited for flexible and fragmented service engagements. With several different engagement models that exist, how do you determine which model is right for you or your project? Let’s take a look at the options.

Onshore Model

The onshore model is ideal for companies who prefer face-to-face contact with their IBM i (AS/400, iSeries) team members. This model tends to see better communication between all stakeholders in the project, which helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page throughout the entire process. Additionally, this model often makes for simpler integration of existing systems and processes into any new solutions being developed by the team.

Nearshore Model

The nearshore model typically involves working with offsite teams located in nearby countries or regions. This option offers competitive rates as well as access to a larger pool of skilled professionals than would be available through an onsite team. Additionally, since these teams are close by geographically, they may have more familiarity with local culture and customs – allowing them to better understand client requirements. Furthermore, communication is usually much easier with a nearshore team due to their geographical proximity.

Offshore Model

The offshore model offers cost-savings due to lower labor costs associated with overseas locations. Additionally, these teams offer access to a global talent pool that may not be available through other models – giving businesses access to some specialized skill sets not typically found locally or regionally. However, this model can come with certain challenges such as language barriers and cultural differences which make communication more difficult at times – so it’s important to plan accordingly when considering an offshore option.

Choosing the sourcing model that best suits you often comes down to preference. All three models (onshore, nearshore, and offshore) offer distinct advantages depending on the specific needs of your project; however all require planning and consideration before committing to any long-term engagements or partnerships. Ultimately though, if done correctly engaging IT and IBM i experts can help ensure that your application development projects run smoothly from start to finish!

We recently hosted an informative series about how IT executives are approaching IBM i in 2023. We discussed staffing and digital services, as well as IT strategy, cloud, and security. View all of the recordings here: https://hubs.ly/Q01B-V7K0.

Christine McDowell is vice president of corporate marketing and business development at Fresche Solutions. She started her career administering IBM midrange machines and is now a driving force in the world of IT. With over three decades of experience in the industry, Christine has a wealth of knowledge and insight that she brings to her role at Fresche. She is a strong leader with a proven track record of growth and is known for her ability to develop successful industry relationships. Above all, Christine is dedicated to ensuring customer success in everything she does at Fresche Solutions.

This content is sponsored by Fresche Solutions.

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