This blog explains both models in detail, when to use each, and how an IT partner like Baltech can help you choose the right approach for your next project.
Hire an IT Team
Why Traditional Hiring Often Fails Modern IT Needs
Classic in-house hiring has several challenges:
- Long recruitment cycles and high HR effort
- Fixed costs regardless of project load
- Limited access to niche skills (AI, cloud-native, DevOps, mobile, etc.)
- Difficulty scaling teams up or down based on project phases
As business priorities change rapidly, companies need more agile, on-demand access to talent. That is exactly what project-based teams and dedicated teams are designed to deliver.
What Is the Project-Based Hiring Model?
The Project-Based Hiring Model is a flexible engagement where you hire a specialized team for a specific project with a clear scope, timeline, and deliverables.
Key Characteristics
- Fixed or well-defined scope: Features, modules, and outcomes are largely known upfront.
- Time-bound engagement: The team works with you until the project is delivered and stabilized.
- Predefined budget: Easier cost estimation since the work is tied to a specific project.
- Outcome-focused: The primary goal is successful delivery of a product, MVP, or feature set.
Typical Roles in a Project-Based Team
Depending on project size and complexity, your project-based team may include:
- Project Manager / Scrum Master
- Business Analyst / Product Owner proxy
- UI/UX Designer
- Frontend and Backend Developers
- Mobile App Developers
- QA Engineers (manual + automation)
- DevOps / Cloud Engineer (if needed)
When to Choose a Project-Based Hiring Model
This model is ideal when:
- You are building a new product or MVP with a defined feature list.
- You have a fixed deadline (e.g., product launch, investor demo, event).
- You want to validate an idea before investing in a long-term team.
- You need to modernize or re-engineer a specific system or module.
- Your internal team is busy, and you want an external team to own one project end-to-end.
Business Benefits
- Lower upfront commitment: No need to expand permanent headcount.
- Faster kick-off: Use a pre-assembled, experienced team.
- Predictable costs: Clear estimation based on scope and timeline.
- Minimal management overhead: Your partner manages day-to-day team operations.
For many companies, project-based hiring is the perfect way to get high-quality delivery without long-term risk.
What Is the Dedicated Team Model?
The Dedicated Team Model provides you with a long-term, integrated remote team that works exclusively on your product or portfolio of projects, just like an extension of your in-house team.
Key Characteristics
- Long-term collaboration: Typically ongoing, with no fixed end date.
- Exclusive focus: The team works only on your projects, aligned with your roadmap.
- High control and collaboration: You manage priorities, tasks, and direction.
- Scalable structure: You can easily grow or adjust the team as your needs evolve.
Typical Roles in a Dedicated Team
A dedicated team can be structured to mirror your internal organization:
- Product Owner / Product Manager
- Tech Lead / Solution Architect
- Full-stack or specialized Developers
- Mobile Developers (React Native, Flutter, native iOS/Android, etc.)
- QA & Test Automation Engineers
- DevOps & Cloud Engineers
- UI/UX Designers
- Data Engineers / AI-ML Specialists (if needed)
When to Choose a Dedicated Team Model
This model is ideal when:
- You have a long-term product roadmap with continuous development.
- You need to scale your engineering capacity without building a local team.
- Your business operates in a dynamic market where priorities change frequently.
- You want a strategic tech partner, not just one-off project delivery.
- You are managing multiple products or modules that need constant attention.
Business Benefits
- Deep domain understanding: The team learns your business, processes, and users over time.
- High flexibility: Adjust scope, priorities, and backlog whenever needed.
- Better communication: Long-term relationships lead to smoother collaboration and trust.
- Cost-efficiency at scale: A dedicated team often becomes more economical over time than repeating project-based engagements.
A dedicated team is the right choice for companies who see technology as a core, ongoing strategic asset rather than a one-time investment.
Project-Based vs Dedicated Team Model: Quick Comparison
| Aspect | Project-Based Hiring Model | Dedicated Team Model |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement duration | Short-term / fixed to a project | Long-term / ongoing |
| Scope | Defined upfront | Flexible, can evolve |
| Budgeting | Easier to estimate per project | Ongoing monthly / retainer style |
| Control & involvement | Moderate – more vendor-managed | High – you prioritize and manage like an in-house team |
| Best for | MVPs, one-off builds, migrations, pilots | Product roadmaps, complex platforms, continuous improvement |
| Knowledge retention | Limited after project ends | High – team retains domain and system knowledge |
| Ideal company stage | Startups/SMEs testing ideas, specific initiatives in enterprises | Scale-ups and enterprises with continuous development needs |
How Baltech Implements the Project-Based Hiring Model
At Baltech, the project-based engagement typically follows a clear, structured approach:
-
Discovery & Requirements
- Understand your business goals, users, and success metrics.
- Define scope, features, milestones, and timelines.
-
Solution Design & Planning
- Architecture design, tech stack selection, and UX flows.
- Effort estimation and project plan.
-
Development & QA
- Agile sprints with regular demos.
- Continuous testing, bug fixing, and optimization.
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Deployment & Handover
- Launch to production, monitoring, and stabilization.
- Documentation, knowledge transfer, and optional support phase.
This model ensures end-to-end responsibility: from idea to deploy.
How Baltech Builds and Manages Dedicated Teams
With the dedicated team model, Baltech focuses on building a high-performing, long-term squad that feels like part of your own company.
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Team Profiling & Setup
- Understand your tech stack, culture, and processes.
- Select team members with the right skills and mindset.
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Onboarding & Integration
- Align on tools, workflows, communication channels, and ceremonies.
- Integrate into your sprint cycles, standups, and reviews.
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Continuous Delivery & Optimization
- Work on your backlog and roadmap, delivering features iteratively.
- Actively suggest improvements in architecture, UX, and performance.
-
Scaling & Evolution
- Adjust team size and skills as your product and business grow.
- Add new specialties (e.g., AI/ML, cloud, security) when needed.
This approach turns Baltech into your strategic, long-term technology partner.
How to Decide Which Model Is Right for You
Ask yourself a few key questions:
-
Is this a one-time project or an ongoing product?
- One-time, with clear scope → Project-Based.
- Ongoing roadmap / multiple releases → Dedicated Team.
-
How stable are your requirements?
- Stable and well-defined → Project-Based.
- Evolving, dependent on market feedback → Dedicated Team.
-
How much control do you want over daily tasks?
- Prefer vendor to manage delivery → Project-Based.
- Want to drive priorities and backlog → Dedicated Team.
-
What is your budget and timeline expectation?
- Fixed budget, fixed scope, fixed time → Project-Based.
- Flexible scope with long-term value → Dedicated Team.
In many cases, businesses even start with a project-based engagement to validate the partnership, and then transition to a dedicated team once trust and alignment are established.
Why Partner with Baltech for Talent Acquisition in IT
Choosing the right hiring model is only half the story. You also need a partner who:
- Understands both business and technology
- Has proven experience across web, mobile, enterprise, and cloud solutions
- Offers transparent communication and predictable delivery
- Can scale from project-based teams to dedicated squads as you grow
Baltech combines deep technical expertise with flexible engagement models to help you build, scale, and maintain digital products that move your business forward.
Ready to Build Your Ideal Tech Team?
Whether you need a focused project team for your next big release or a long-term dedicated team to power your digital transformation, Baltech can design the right model for you.
- Have a specific project in mind?
- Unsure which model fits your situation?
- Want to compare cost and timelines?
Get in touch with Baltech today to discuss your goals and explore the best talent acquisition model for your business.
