Newsletter (August 2024): Steering Through Uncertainty: Harnessing Team Topologies for Resilient Change
Companies and leaders have embraced the fact that change is the new normal and there is no other way in which you can thrive in the market. As organisations face constant environmental shifts, market disruptions, and evolving customer expectations, they must adapt not just their products but also their teams and entire structure. The principles in Team Topologies by Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais provide a roadmap for survival, while additional resources extend the tools needed to excel. By focusing on the optimal structuring of teams and understanding key dynamics, leaders can steer their teams through turbulence with confidence and agility.
M3ter has achieved that by using the principles highlighted below. Another example is Flo Health. They have successfully implemented Team Topologies to manage their rapid growth and complex user journeys, resulting in more streamlined team interactions and improved delivery timelines.
Leveraging Team Topologies for Fast Flow of Value
A central theme of Team Topologies is the importance of creating team structures that enable fast flow of value, and we have several resources and newsletters focusing on just that. By implementing the right team patterns and with suitable interactions—whether it be stream-aligned, enabling, complicated subsystem, or platform teams—organisations can streamline work processes, reduce bottlenecks, and accelerate delivery of high business impact.
This approach ensures that teams are not only aligned with business goals but also agile enough to respond to change swiftly and effectively. There are quick ways in which you can identify what your blockers to fast flow of value are. These can be implemented way beyond the software space as highlighted by Matthew Skelton.
Embracing Platform Engineering
As changes in your environment intensify the real impact of good platform engineering strategy starts to show as competitive advantage. By developing and managing internal platforms that provide reusable services and capabilities, platform teams can reduce cognitive load on stream-aligned teams that translates into a shorter time-to-market and bigger impact from their work. This allows them to focus on delivering customer value without being bogged down by concerns or limitations that don't tie directly to your business goals. A well-engineered platform is the backbone of fast, efficient, and resilient product development.
We have curated top resources to guide you in shaping a high-impact platform strategy. Our team is ready to help you with any challenges you encounter along the way.
Get guidance on navigating AI in org design with Adapt Together™️ and Team Topologies via a peer learning session. Join the waiting list.
If you are interested in achieving success with Internal Platform teams you might want to check the Platform Engineering Bundle (self-paced, video courses) offered by the Team Topologies Academy, featuring the 'Platform as a Product' and 'Team Topologies Distilled' courses designed by theTeam Topologies auhtors, Manuel Pais & Matthew Skelton.
Streamline your teams for rapid flow. Consult the experts behind Team Topologies.Optimise your teams for fast flow of value
From Project to Product: A Paradigm Shift
Traditional project management often creates silos and fragmented efforts, making it difficult to adapt quickly to unforeseen challenges. In contrast, a product-focused approach, as highlighted in this article that doesn't express fully the Team Topologies' view on the matter, leverages this approach to create a unified and adaptable environment, where teams are aligned around long-term goals and can effectively share resources and knowledge. This shift not only enhances collaboration but also accelerates innovation, empowering organisations to steer through uncertainty and thrive in the current business environment.
Have any questions about the project to product transformation? Join us for an Open Forum discussion with Rich Allen and Erica Engelen.
Navigating Ambiguity with Clarity
High stress and cognitive load can fracture even the most mature and high-performing teams. By focusing on reducing unnecessary dependencies and fostering a culture of collaboration, leaders can keep teams aligned and resilient. You can now assess and track the evolution of your teams' cognitive load by using Teamperature.
What’s Coming Up Next?
We are constantly on the lookout for events related to Team Topologies and the principles it embodies. Check all of the upcoming ones in our events section and do let us know if you missed any.
Gain deeper insights into Team Topologies principles, understand investment needs for fast flow transformation, and get hands-on experience with Team Interaction Modeling. Save your spot at an Early-Bird rate of £450 until August 31st
Join the Community
We are happy to enrich the practice of The Team Topologies with new ideas and best practices. This is why the community plays a crucial role in ever-evolving. A warm welcome to our newest members:
You can also become a partner and help companies leverage Team Topologies. Some of our most recent partners are:
Have you heard about the Team Topologies Community?
A free and open space to connect with peers and stay updated on practices for achieving fast value flow using Team Topologies, Agile, DevOps, Platform Engineering, DDD, and more. This community fosters a belief in designing modern team-of-teams organizations that deliver high business impact without compromising quality of life. Expect to connect with experts, overcome adoption challenges, and receive quality content. Launching in summer 2024, sign up now to get notified and become part of this transformative movement.
If you're passionate about Team Topologies and want to become an advocate, we would love to have you join us. Or, if you have a story to share, we would be honored to feature it on the website.
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