Are Co-op Resources Better for Your Business?
Cooperative resourcing, also known as co-op resourcing, is a type of team composition that involves multiple people from different organizations working together. This work is defined by a centralized and shared goal, with each member chipping in with their skills and expertise.
The major difference between traditional outsourcing and co-op resourcing is that the latter has a process of working in a highly collaborative nature. Rather than the parent organization telling the team exactly what to do, the co-op resourced team is left to self organize and produce results based on defined goals and frequent feedback on iterations with the parent.
Outsourcing, in contrast, merely attaches an external resource to the project, meaning that the resource is never truly integrated into the core team or strategic planning.
What Makes Co-op Resourcing Different?
Co-op resourcing is a process of finding the right external people and then integrating them into a cohesive team. Under a traditional outsourced model, external teams remain siloed and disconnected from each other. However, in a co-op resource environment, teams work together as if they are a unit. They are external to your business, but act as if they are part of your business.
But there's more to it than just how teams work with your business to deliver your projects. Here are four advantages that co-op resourcing has over a traditional outsourced model.
Cross Integration of Skills and Organizations
When your business co-ops your resources, it is a process of bringing together multiple teams and having them work together as if they are from the same organization. While this may sound strange, it allows their skills to be utilized to their maximum potential, as well as for cross pollination of ideas and backgrounds for the benefit of your project.
Why is this important?
Because there is no single perfect company that can do everything you need in the most effective and efficient manner. There is, however, a collection of companies that specialize in certain areas and are able to work on a collaborative mission to help you achieve your strategic goals.
Better Teams Rather Than Just Outsourced External Resources
When you focus on the quality of the resource and their ability to work together, you are not in charge of stitching them together. The way co-op resourcing works is that each external team is charged with a central goal. If you couple this with the ability to communicate directly with one another, it allows the team members to figure out issues and find solutions for them without the need for micromanagement.
With co-op resourced teams, there is higher mobility and less bureaucracy involved. Your business will still be involved in the major decision making process, but the finer things that can be resolved easily are left to the team members - freeing up your time and own business resources in the process.
Soft Skills Are Better Utilized Within the Team
Most of the time, when you hire or outsource work, it's for the hard skills. But the best team members also have a high degree of soft skills that are transferable and beneficial for your business and its projects. When a co-op team structure is used, soft skills such as communication, interpersonal skills, and empathy can be utilized to move the work forward faster.
When team members are able to self govern and communicate effectively with one another, it also reduces any gray areas that can emerge at any time as the project develops and progresses. This allows teams and its members to effectively address issues or roadblocks without the need to wait for an intermediary.
Faster Turn Around and Strategic Movement
A co-op structure removes the common pitfalls of outsourcing including communication delays, lack of mutual understanding between team members, a need for a constant middle-man to facilitate movement and a coordinator to show how team members are expected to deliver.
When a co-op structure is used, multiple teams are able to come together as needed, reducing the communication barriers and establishing interpersonal relationships that allow members to gauge the delivery timelines for each component accurately.
Where to Go From Here?
Co-op resourcing has its perks and is definitely better than your usual outsourcing structures. But there's more to it than just bringing in a group of contractors and putting them on the same project. You still need someone to communicate the project guidelines, expectations, briefs and to orchestrate the deliverables.
This is where SRG comes in. We offer world class software development, in addition to strategic structuring of highly effective teams. With over 10 years of industry experience, we have the expertise and personnel to implement cooperative resource structures for your ideas, dreams and projects. If you want to set your projects up for success, we've got the people to help you get there.
Co-authored by:
Dave Wesley ~ President, SRG
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Aphinya Dechalert ~ Marketing Communications, SRG
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