Why outsourcing means "derisking" your projects

Companies face competing pressures to grow the business while managing complex operational aspects. In the world of engineering, this balance is even more elusive given the nature of project work. At each stage of the project lifecycle from feasibility through to delivery and maintenance, different types of work are performed. And each type of work requires a different set of special skills.

Have you ever given up competing for a big project, or struggled to deliver it, because your organization couldn't find the balance? Sometimes Because finding and hiring an entire department takes time you don’t have and brings a steep learning curve. Because growing your team for a short-term project means long-term unnecessary payroll pressure. Because a portion of work falls outside of your core area of expertise. Managing the successful delivery at each phase is like being a conductor of a massive orchestra. And why should the conductor need to learn how to play every instrument? Outsourcing Is a way to keep the balance between efficiency and operational pressure.

It all comes down to the power of people. 

Setting up the right teams is critical for success, but the longer companies spend configuring the project, the less time left for actual execution. Setting up the right infrastructure isn’t a core skill for most technical companies, delivering large industrial projects and winning bids are. So, the area that poses the biggest risk is building the right teams to match project phases for predictable delivery.  

Sharing the workload without long-term cost

Resourcing a large industrial project takes a lot of capital outlays. After aligning technical project scopes with people, then comes the costs of hiring, securing office spaces, onboarding, managing, administration, and more. As you increase the number of staff you manage, the job only gets harder. Plus, adding more people to your team means growing your long-term payroll and operational expenses.

Even worse than shelling out large sums of money to get set up, all of the time you spend getting ready is time lost for execution. Keeping up with operational costs and project deadlines is hard work. More than anything, when you don’t have more visibility than a couple of projects, this represents a considerable risk for your company.

Instead of adding more people and complexity, outsourcing a few parts of the project is smart and transfers the risk. It diminishes the long-term costs and avoids putting the future of your company in jeopardy. It also leaves your core team free to focus on delivering more high-value work and keeps you free to do more of the work you love.

Adding specific skills to your team snapping your fingers

Large industrial projects have many moving parts. Most companies are experts at a set group of engineering disciplines. And that’s why they’re winning the big projects. But in the world of large, complex industrial projects, engineering work has many phases and each one requires a different set of skills. There are almost always in-house capabilities, especially in highly specialised areas.

Finding and hiring an experienced specialised engineering team takes time you don’t have. Translating technical needs in job offers and attracting the right person is tough and time-demanding. Plus, managing specialised departments and teams means a steep learning curve.

When you need access to a motivated team of high calibre engineering experts, outsourcing engineering work that falls outside your core business is the key to working smarter. Outsourced engineering consulting team takes on specialised scopes of work and manages deliverables according to your milestones so you can focus your energy on growing the business.

Outsourcing without deviating from the plan

The juggle to set up is real.  It’s impossible to have a large fleet of engineers available on standby-by. If they’re not working on active projects, it’s a waste of precious overhead. But once a bid is won, a healthy dose of panic sets in as managers race to get everything ready quickly. To ensure on-time delivery, projects need to be scoped, packaged into phases, and workforce planning needs to be handled.

The trend towards outsourcing engineering work is really taking off. There’s a strong value proposition found in slicing off portions of a large technical project. Once these packages of work are clearly defined, finding the right outsourcing partner is the key to predictable project delivery. When it’s your reputation on the line, making alliances with the right people partner will unlock long-term strategic value.

Sourcing one trustworthy engineering partner is easier than sourcing several team members. Plus, outsourced engineering solutions transfer accountability and risk. The team takes the stress off your plate and give you predictable project delivery.

Outsourced engineering is a smart move. 

Diverting your focus away from your core business, comes with a big costs. When you’re busy trying to learn a new discipline, build a specialised team rapidly, and set up a new office, it means you aren’t able to grow your business. 

Outsourced engineering solutions are really taking off because they are the best way to reduce or eliminate the panic phase. Outsourcing is where a portion of a large engineering project is assigned to an external engineering team. Some people might consider a few consultants or contractors outsourcing, but it’s bigger than that. Leveraging an external engineering firm to take on a well-defined scope of work is how companies work smarter.