Building and leading a software team

• Companies hiring their first developer or first team
• Businesses that work with outsourcing and want to bring software in-house
• Founders and managers whose delivery slows down as the team grows
• Managers without a technical background who have to lead a software team

Mistakes made while building a team usually surface months later:

1. a.Nobody knows who decides what; every topic is debated again in meetings.
2. b.Hiring follows whichever position happens to be open, not the actual need.
3. c.Code review, testing and releases depend on individuals; when someone is away, work stops.
4. d.Priorities change every week and the team does not know why it is doing what it does.

1. 1

   Discovery call

   I listen to the product, the team and the goals, and review the current workflow if there is one.

2. 2

   Diagnosis

   I write down the bottlenecks and the gaps in decision making.

3. 3

   Structure design

   We prepare a practical plan for roles, workflow and rhythm.

4. 4

   Hands-on support

   I stay with you through the first sprints and hires.

5. 5

   Review

   After a set period we look at what works and adjust the plan.