Essential Team Building Skills for Successful Projects

But if you do decide to look for external software developers and technology talent to join your in-house team, what qualifications should you look for? From knowledge of programming languages ​​to soft skills like communication, these are the main skills to consider.

In-house development team versus augmented IT team

IT staff augmentation means you are working with an outsourcing company who will find talent to join your in-house team to complete projects or help you as needed, on demand. This model offers numerous benefits for teams of all types and sizes, such as:

• A reduced price due to no need for integration or overhead costs, among other factors
• The ability to fill talent gaps
• Access to specialized skill sets
• Talent when you need it

Top IT Staff Augmentation Skills

These are the most important skills to look for in IT professionals.

#1 Programming languages

One of the most important skills for any IT project is knowledge of the main programming languages. This is fundamental for maintaining technologies, as well as for building new technologies throughout the development cycle.

The main programming languages ​​for this include:

Phyton

A high-level programming language, Python is extremely popular in various use cases, including web applications, desktop software, and complex games. Instagram, Google and Spotify are just some of the applications developed with Python.

Why is Python so popular? It's readable, for example. It is also supported by many libraries and frameworks, which reduces development time and effort. Finally, it is easy to learn and use, and scalable.

JavaScript

JavaScript is ubiquitous in web development. In fact, it is perhaps the most popular language in the world. Although it is traditionally used in front-end development, it is also gaining prominence as a server-side scripting language.

This is an important language for staffing companies to take advantage of because it allows web developers to create feature-rich, interactive websites and applications.

Java

Java is an important language for software developers because of its many qualities and use cases, such as its widespread use in the world of enterprise applications. Object-oriented languages ​​offer features such as memory allocation and garbage collection and have a low learning curve. Additionally, it is platform-independent, allowing developers to work across operating systems and environments.

Java is an official Android language. It is also used to build web servers, e-commerce web applications, and more.

W#

The C family has stood the test of time. C itself dates back to the early 1970s and is the basis for programming languages ​​like C++ and C#.

There are numerous benefits to C#, such as:

• Integration with Microsoft technologies such as Windows, Visual Studio and Azure
• Versatility and popularity
• Easy to use
• Application for game development with Unity

#2 Web Development

Virtually every company today needs a good website. Staffing companies are in a unique position to build websites and maintain them for a variety of companies, which is why web development skills are so important.

Front-end development

Front-end development refers to the part of websites that users see and interact with. Developers specializing in this area must know languages ​​such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript. They must also understand the principles of responsive design so they can create websites that are attractive and responsive to user needs.

Additionally, there are accessibility considerations. It is important that users with diverse experiences and skills can access different aspects of the website.

Alternative text, for example, refers to text that describes visual components of websites, such as images and videos. These tags help visually impaired users understand the context of images.

Backend development

Backend development involves building the infrastructure and behind-the-scenes aspects of the website. Back-end developers must know server-side programming languages ​​like Python, Ruby, and PHP, along with database management systems like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB. API development and integration are also important principles.

Backend and frontend developers often work together, so they will need to collaborate and communicate well.

#3: Mobile App Development

There is a growing demand for mobile app developers as the demand for these apps also grows. Here, we will look at iOS and Android development separately because these two domains require different technical skills.

iOS Development

iOS development requires knowledge of Swift – the main programming language for Apple products. Additionally, these mobile developers must know how to use Apple development tools and frameworks such as Zcode and UIKit.

Android development

Java and Kotlin are the official languages ​​for Android development, so programmers in this field need to know the ins and outs of these tools. They should also have Android Studio and Google development tools in their arsenal.

#4: Cloud Computing and DevOps

Cloud computing is increasingly important in the IT and software development space. Additionally, many companies are adopting DevOps principles in their projects. Here we will take a closer look at these two concepts.

Cloud Platforms

Cloud platforms are computing platforms that provide a variety of services, including storage, networking, and more. They can be accessed anywhere as long as the user has an internet connection.

Examples of cloud platforms include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

DevOps Practices

DevOps is a set of principles that combines software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops). The goal is to improve quality and increase speed through principles such as:

• Collaboration
• Communication
• Automation
• Continuous improvement/continuous deployment (CI/CD)
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
• Containerization and orchestration
• Monitoring and feedback

#5 Cybersecurity

As cybercrime becomes more ubiquitous, IT teams need to hone their skills and expertise to mount defenses.

Network security

Cybersecurity requires a multifaceted approach. Let's start with network security. There are many entities and principles involved in this concept, starting with adherence to secure network design principles.

Additionally, teams must make good use of firewalls, VPNs, and intrusion detection systems.

Application security

Security principles are also important for the applications you create. Secure coding practices are essential for building secure software. Additionally, organizations must create a solid foundation.

Security frameworks and standards such as OWASP and ISO 27001 are important in shaping this type of foundation. Additionally, augmented staff and teams must perform vulnerability assessments, which identify weaknesses before problems escalate.

Penetration testing is another important part of software development. This involves testing products to identify vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit and addressing them before they become problems.

Interpersonal skills

IT staff augmentation teams need a variety of interpersonal skills to complete projects. These interpersonal skills and personal attributes improve project flow and success. Important interpersonal skills in the software development cycle and IT projects include:

#1 Communication

Any team requires strong written and verbal communication skills, and the IT sector is no different. This is critical to solving problems, brainstorming ideas, and working together as a unit.

Collaboration is closely related to communication. This is also essential for IT workflows. Each team member needs to be able to collaborate with colleagues and stakeholders.

#2 Troubleshooting

Problem solving is essential in technology. Teams frequently encounter problems and it is important for professionals to think analytically and find creative solutions.

Additionally, teams need to be able to efficiently troubleshoot and debug technologies quickly and continuously.

#3 Adaptability

The world of technology is constantly changing and IT professionals must be able to learn new tools quickly. Adaptability is also related to flexibility in changing project requirements – it is important to understand how to adapt.

#4 Time management

Time is of the essence when it comes to technology projects. IT professionals must be able to prioritize, organize and meet project deadlines.

Hiring an in-house team versus staff augmentation services

There are many benefits to growing your team compared to consulting or hiring an in-house team. But it’s not an either/or scenario. You may have an in-house team without key specializations, so you hire additional staff to fill in the gaps. Or you need extra talent to accelerate a project and complete it faster. You'll still maintain your existing team while growing your team with external talent.

Conclusion

Successfully scaling your IT team requires numerous technical and interpersonal skills, from tool knowledge to communication, collaboration, and time management.

Remember that this is a team effort and each team member must have a full set of skills. Software developers and IT professionals work together to bring projects to fruition and must enhance their qualifications and skills to ensure they are contributing positively to their team and environment.