The Informulate Advantage

• Informulate vs. Body Shopping: We do not simply staff a client with "boots on the ground", you will engage with a Project/Account Executive whose job it is to ensure that results are achieved. There is a clear escalation path available to you for your concerns/feedback. This approach extends to the professionals as well, whom we mentor and support on your projects so they deliver results. Body shoppers, famously, are available just to find you the "paper match" between your job description and a candidate's resume, and are rarely seen or heard after. We take care of our clients and our professionals, looking for long term relationships on both sides. We can take on as much or as little of the management of our professionals as you need. On a project, this means helping the client do the following:
  • Revalidate/clarify the business case for a project prior to initiation,
  • Estimate and manage budgets/burn rates during the implementation,
  • Perform post implementation reviews and RoI analysis.
• Informulate vs. Outsourcing: The world is changing quickly and outsourcing for software needs is now commonplace. We are fully capable of providing you staff augmentation or cost savings through outsourcing. However, we do not simply push all our clients to work with an offshore team. Based on the needs, the budget, and the scope defintion of the project we will help you arrive at the right sourcing approach. Through experience, we have found that outsourcing works better for larger, better defined projects than for smaller projects that may not have clear requirements. We employ traditional Software Development Life Cycles as well as contemporary ones such as Rational Unified Process and Agile. Again, we never limit your options, it is always about what works best for your projects.
• Informulate vs. Big Consultancy: We maximize efficiency and pass on the savings to you. Our business model is based on small, lean teams and minimizing overheads. Apart from the significant differences in billing rates, we really understand small to mid sized business because we are one ourselves, and that is the market we serve. We know that you value flexibility, efficiency, minimal bureaucracy and most importantly, a personal accountability. We know, because we share your values.
• Informulate vs. Web Dev Shops: If you're just looking for a quick, one-time web site or application web development shops or independent consultants might be right for you. They are cost effective and usually quick to turn things around. But ask yourself: what happens if I grow quickly? What happens if there is a major issue and my vendor/consultant is no longer in business? What if the application changes and an out of the box solution may not work? As with all decisions, there are associated risks and rewards. A software cliche goes "If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail". Most web development shops and independent consultants have a very limited bag of tricks and will try to push you towards their one-size-fits-all model. We encourage you to think longer term and make the right decision so that you are not exposed to the risk of suddenly losing support, or facing a complete rewrite of an application you paid for. Not sure your app meets security standards, or possible future performance requirements, or might have to switch a 3rd party application out? We have an expert for that.
• Informulate vs. Hiring: Having your own software staff might seem the easiest way to meet your software needs just based on a direct cost comparison of hourly rates. However, there are many costs that are not reflected in that equation such as: hiring cost, training costs, career path support, mentoring, insurance, benefits, firing/severance, time-off, office space, equipment, software licenses, etc. These hidden costs easily surpass any short term savings that small businesses assume they will see. With us, you can add/remove resources, swap technologies, choose offshore/onshore/at-desk resources or any combination of those without changing your cost basis. Simply put there are no hidden costs, what you see is what you pay for. If you already have IT staff, that is not a problem either. We have work respectfully and professionally with in-house teams to seamlessly deliver solutions using combined teams.