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Common Team Scaling Issues

Scaling an engineering organization from 10 to 100 people is no small feat. It requires thoughtful planning, careful execution, and a willingness to experiment and learn from mistakes. But, by adopting the principles of dynamic reteaming, Team Topologies, and “An Elegant Puzzle”, engineering leaders can create a high-performing team that can deliver innovative solutions at scale.

At the heart of dynamic reteaming is the idea of creating adaptable teams that can respond quickly to changing business needs and challenges. This means building cross-functional, diverse, and self-organizing teams that can work together to solve complex problems. However, as the organization grows, maintaining this flexibility can become increasingly challenging.

To address this challenge, engineering leaders can turn to the principles of Team Topologies. Specifically, enablement teams play a crucial role in providing the tools, processes, and infrastructure that other teams need to be successful. And, by leveraging domain architecture, engineering leaders can assign responsibility for specific areas of expertise to specific teams, reducing dependencies and increasing speed.

But, building a high-performing team also requires creating a culture of learning and experimentation. As Will Larson explores in “An Elegant Puzzle”, this means providing opportunities for team members to learn new skills, try out new approaches, and share their knowledge with others. By creating an environment where teams can experiment, iterate, and learn from their mistakes, engineering leaders can foster a culture of continuous improvement.

In summary, scaling an engineering organization from 10 to 100 people requires a combination of strategy, execution, and culture. By adopting the principles of dynamic reteaming, Team Topologies, and “An Elegant Puzzle”, engineering leaders can create a team that is adaptable, efficient, and continuously improving.