# Staff augmentation

Concept · [Talent and hiring](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/talent)

Also called: staff aug, team augmentation, contract developers, augmented team, contract staffing

Adding outside [contractors](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/contractor-vs-employee) to your own team, usually through a firm, while you keep directing the work. The difference from hiring a development shop to deliver a whole project is who manages the people.

**For example:** A startup with one in-house [developer](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/software-engineer) adds two contract developers through a staffing firm for six months, and its own lead assigns their work every day.

## Connects to (3)

- [Contractor vs employee](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/contractor-vs-employee): A contractor is an outside person or firm you pay for a defined piece of work, and they decide how to do it.
- [Time and materials](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/time-and-materials): A way to pay for services by the hour or day worked, plus costs, instead of a set price for the whole job.
- [Fractional CTO](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/fractional-cto): A part-time chief technology officer.

Map view: https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/staff-augmentation