As organizations grow and evolve, it’s natural for engineering teams to go through periods of reorganization. However, if not done properly, these reorganizations can actually do more harm than good. In this blog post, I’ll explore some of the antipatterns of reorganizing engineering teams and provide some tips on how to avoid them.

Antipattern #1: Reorganizing for the sake of reorganizing

Sometimes organizations fall into the trap of thinking that reorganizing is a way to shake things up and spark innovation. However, if a reorganization doesn’t have a clear purpose, it can lead to confusion and a loss of momentum. To avoid this antipattern, make sure you have a clear goal in mind before embarking on a reorganization. Ask yourself: what problem are we trying to solve? How will this reorganization help us achieve our business goals? Make sure you communicate this purpose clearly to your team so they understand the rationale behind the changes.

Antipattern #2: Moving people without their input

Moving people from one team to another can be disruptive and disorienting, especially if they weren’t consulted about the move. When reorganizing your engineering teams, it’s important to involve the people who will be affected. Ask for their input and make sure they understand the reasons behind the changes. If people feel like they don’t have a say in the matter, they may become disengaged or even leave the company.

Antipattern #3: Ignoring the impact on team dynamics

Engineering teams are more than just collections of individual contributors – they’re also social systems with their own dynamics and culture. When you reorganize teams, you can disrupt these social systems and create new power dynamics. For example, if you move a highly respected engineer from one team to another, it can create resentment among the engineers who were left behind. To avoid this antipattern, make sure you think about the impact on team dynamics before making any changes. Consider how the move will affect the balance of power and the relationships between team members.

Antipattern #4: Overcomplicating team structures

In an effort to create more efficient engineering teams, it’s tempting to create complex team structures with lots of layers and sub-teams. However, this can actually make it harder for engineers to get work done. The more layers of management and bureaucracy, the slower the decision-making process and the harder it is for engineers to collaborate across teams. To avoid this antipattern, keep team structures as simple as possible. Make sure each team has clear roles and responsibilities and encourage cross-functional collaboration.

Antipattern #5: Failing to provide adequate support for new team structures

Reorganizing engineering teams can be a complex process that requires a lot of planning and coordination. However, sometimes organizations don’t provide enough support for the new team structures once they’re in place. This can lead to confusion and inefficiencies as teams struggle to adapt to the new structure. To avoid this antipattern, make sure you have a plan in place to support the new team structures. This might include training, coaching, and mentoring to help engineers adapt to their new roles and responsibilities.

Antipattern #6: Not measuring the impact of the reorganization

One of the biggest antipatterns of reorganizing engineering teams is failing to measure the impact of the changes. Without metrics to track progress, it’s hard to know whether the reorganization is actually improving things or not. To avoid this antipattern, make sure you define clear metrics to track the impact of the changes. This might include metrics like velocity, quality, and customer satisfaction. Make sure you track these metrics over time to see whether the reorganization is having the desired effect.

In conclusion, reorganizing engineering teams can be a valuable tool for improving efficiency and driving innovation. However, it’s important to approach reorganizations with caution and avoid these antipatterns. By having a clear purpose, involving the people who will be affected, considering the impact on team dynamics, keeping team structures simple, providing support for the new structures, and measuring the impact of the changes, you can avoid the pitfalls of reorganization and create a stronger, more effective engineering organization. Remember, the goal of a reorganization is not just to move people around – it’s to create a better environment for your engineers to do their best work and drive business success.