Organizing Agile Teams And ARTs: Team Topologies At Scale
This article introduces new models of Agile team organization and software development and ART for large systems. The use of four basic topologies can simplify the complex problem. Of course, all this involves the need to constantly consider whether the current organizational models are appropriate for you. Therefore, companies must constantly I&A (Inspect & Adapt) and, if necessary, restructure to monitor the value that drives the changing market.
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Four Fundamentals Of Team
Topologies To Organize Agile Team
Figure 1:
Four Fundamentals Of Team Topologies
(Source:
Scaled Agile Inc.)
1) Stream-aligned Team
This term emphasizes the importance of organizing teams to
ensure a constant "flow of value" in the development value stream (DVS)
that develops, markets, and maintains a solution/product.
SAFe teams work with ART to meet higher DVS. Rarely, one stream-aligned
team can create a complete solution. Additionally, they handle a DVS portion
that satisfies one of the following:
1.
A specific solution/subset of solutions
2.
Feature set
3.
The specific personality of the client
4.
Concrete steps on the customer journey
5.
A specialized business domain
6.
Compliance & regulatory requirements
7.
Innovation of new products
2) Complicated-Subsystem Team
While simplified teams are a
reasonable target, it is unlikely to be the only type of team required. As
solutions grow and become more complex (mix of hardware & software
components), they can also include subsystems. The development and operation of
some of these subsystems require knowledge and experience.
Complicated subsystems can create
things like:
1. Highly
specialized system components that are often used in many systems
2. Safety-critical
system components with high downtime costs
3. Special
algorithms/business rules required for domain authorization
4. Part of a
cyber-physical system
3) Enabling Team
Solution development tools and
methods are constantly evolving, giving organizations the opportunity to
introduce new technologies and practices on a regular basis. While this has
many benefits, it is also challenging to develop the necessary skills and
knowledge within the teams. The enabling team is considered as an important
construct and thereby can support and lead other teams by helping them learn
new skills and technologies.
The demand for SAFe Certification training courses has increased
because of the increasing popularity of the SAFe framework.
4) Platform Team
A technology/computing platform
is a set of services that can be accessed by stream-aligned teams, typically
through an APIs set. Like complex subsystem commands, platform commands are
designed to reduce the cognitive load of a stream-aligned team. In addition,
they must be distributed in such a way as to increase the autonomy of those
teams.
The platform team's
responsibilities and conduct include:
1. Work with
stream-aligned teams - Make sure platforms are built to meet customer
needs.
2. Build the
platform step by step - Build and implement step by step ensuring
frequent customer feedback and acceptance.
3. Focus on
Ease of Use - Provide easy-to-use platforms with self-service
capabilities and support documents.
4. Make a
commitment to support & maintenance - Ensure platform durability and
availability and enter into appropriate service contracts.
5. Lead an
example - Keep platforms thin and build on other platforms if
necessary.
Scaling
agile involves the use of a framework to support scaling at all organizational
levels, from teams to an entire organization. A scaled framework typically
consists of repeatable processes and tools that allow an organization to scale,
such as team topologies.
Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is a popular way for managing
innovation and large-scale change. SAFe
Certification is the way to go if you want to keep up with the trends
in agile project development. Know
more here!
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