Sample: How To Build a Strong Software Development Team

Every software development team strives for success. But not every team succeeds. Those software development teams who rely on their core strengths are, usually, the most successful ones. 

But, what are the core elements a software development team needs to focus on? And how those can help in building an efficient team? Read on.

Defining the kind of team your project needs

At the outset, you need to decide on the kind of software development team you want to build. Having a clear team structure is a prerequisite for your project’s overall success.  

The three main types of software development teams are

• Generalists — Generalists are those who, for most of the time, know everything; they seem to possess a wide range of software expertise. It is good to have those teams handle end-to-end solutions. Generalists usually provide a complete solution to a problem at hand. However, they may not be having the core expertise in some areas and may lack specific knowledge and skills.

• Specialists — They are quite unlike generalists; these teams are highly skilled in a particular field. Specialists can address a specific issue with all their knowledge and expertise. This results in more efficiency. But, similar to generalists, they too have some drawbacks – for example, it could be a lack of communication skills. Since they are totally engrossed in a particular field, they do not know much about other co-teams, thus making communication between them somewhat ineffective.

• Hybrid teams — This team includes both generalists and specialists. But, it is really difficult to build such a team because of financial and time constraints.

There is no prize for guessing that every software industry would and should look for hybrids to achieve better results.

Deciding on the team size

There isn’t really a fixed number when it comes to deciding on the size of a software development team. Smaller teams are definitely easier to manage. But there is always a threat that even if one member leaves, the impact could be devastating. And, with bigger teams, the main challenge is to keep them all motivated.

Whether it’s small or big, building a team boils down to the following key factors:  

• The complexity of your project 
• Budget 
• Deadline 
• Available resources

Establishing clear roles and goals

Typically, a software development team includes the following roles:

• Product Owner — Clients with knowhow about how the end product should look.
• Project Manager — Responsible for managing and leading the team.
• Software Architect — A highly skilled software developer who makes high-level technical decisions and design choices.
• Developers — Those who develop software.
• Designers — Their role is to ensure that the product is easy-to-use. They interact with end users.
• Quality Analyst — They are responsible for sanity testing and ensuring there are no defects.
• Technical Writers — They are responsible for managing and creating all technical documents.
• Business Analyst — Their role is to come up with ideas to improve the product and interact with stakeholders.

Adopting an agile methodology

For uninterrupted success, practising or implementing an agile methodology is a must as it provides the team with flexibility, adaptability and responsiveness. A software development team can either choose kanban or scrum agile methodologies depending on their business structure.

Communication

Communication is important in every field, and most of the time, it is the reason for the success or failure of a software development team. If a team lacks communication skills, it can sufficiently harm your product and the whole business process itself. 

To sum it up, ensure that the purpose, size and structure are clearly established while building a software development team. Remember that one needs to be supported by an efficient team to become successful.