How We Work

Delivery models

Offshore/Nearshore delivery

Under this model, all project activities, from requirements gathering, architecture, analysis and design to coding, testing, bug-fixing, deployment and support, are performed at our offshore/nearshore facilities. Offshore delivery is particularly beneficial in cases where costs and quick ramp-ups are critical. The project management functions and communications are the responsibility of the offshore Project Managers and/or Delivery Directors, who execute the projects using proven and well-defined process centric templates and metrics. In some cases, we recommend limited time onsite presence for key offshore personnel to facilitate the onboarding, knowledge transfer and developing trust.

Onsite delivery

Under the onsite delivery model, First Line Software places well qualified software skilled professionals at the client's location to integrate both the in-house and off-shore teams for project delivery.

Hybrid delivery model

This model combines both the onsite and offshore scenarios for maximized efficiency. The roles that are typically well suited for working onsite are program/project managers, architects, business analysts, technical leads, QA lead and senior developers. The onsite team will directly interact with the customer’s in-house team for requirements gathering, requirement studies, design and development, while also managing the offshore team, thus achieving around the clock delivery. This model allows for scalability and addresses several important issues, such as establishing personal contact with the team and developing trust, time zone differences, faster turnaround times for immediate feedback on deliverables and additional duties.

ENGAGEMENT MODELS

Project Work

Under this model, we are contracted to perform specific application development work based on the customer’s requirements. As a full cycle application development service provider, we can support the customer in all stages of the project lifecycle, including technology research and selection, prototyping, development, testing, deployment and support.

This model is best employed when a customer is looking to address a specific challenge that is limited in scope and/or time. It is common to use this model as a first engagement proof -of- concept project to gauge future metrics and commit to a longer-term business relationship.

Dedicated Team, or Dedicated Offshore Development Center (ODC)

This model is designed for clients whose strategic objective is to augment their in-house software development organization using an external partner. A dedicated ODC team fully integrates with the in-house teams is best used for recurring streams of software development work, e.g. software product vendors. It is a strategic commitment to outsourcing. 

Within First Line Software, ODCs operate with a high degree of autonomy from the rest of the company, with their dedicated physical space, networks, access, security and any other customer off-shore requirement. We take IP protection very seriously, and our ODCs routinely pass stringent security audits by our customers.

PRICING MODELS

Different pricing models lend themselves to different circumstances. For example, a fixed-price approach works best in a project where the scope is clearly defined and is unlikely to change during implementation.

For projects with more fluid requirements, where the customer has to respond to changing market conditions, Time and Materials (T&M) may be a better fit. ODC agreements usually employ some flavor of T&M pricing as well.