Mastering the Art of Software Development Team Structure

One of the most challenging aspects for startups and enterprises today is the formulation of an effective software development team structure. Believe it or not, many outstanding product ideas or software concepts fail due to flawed software development teams.  

Moreover, finding the best software development organizational structure is not an insurmountable task. Nevertheless, it relies on several factors, including product delivery timelines, allocated budget, and product complexity.

However, these factors mentioned above can be managed effectively if you have a top-notch software development team. Made carefully with perfect approach and systematic strategy. So if you are a person looking for a super software product then you don’t need sugar, spice, or anything nice. 

You just need a simple software development team structure and this blog is going to be your ultimate guide.

So without further ado, let us tell you about some valuable tips and tricks so that you can structure your perfect software development team without compromising on budget and related factors.

Let’s warm up with the basics here!

What is the Software Development Team Structure?

 

The simple software engineering team structure is with clients on the top with demands. The project managers, designers, developers, and QA work together to bring the client's vision into reality. But the number of developers or Q/A varies depending on the project scope or stage and the approach you aim for. 

Some companies follow this traditional approach whilst others go for a modern approach such as an agile software development team structure. 

Typical Software Development Team VS Modern Software Development Team Structure

A traditional approach is an old approach where every team member has an assigned role in a software development life cycle. Moreover, agile focuses on the diverse abilities of one individual.

 

With this stark difference, you might be thinking about which approach to choose from. Well, keep on reading to find your answer.

How to Structure A Software Development Team?

Quite obviously! Selecting an engineering team structure is a delicate task. 

Therefore, there is a carefully crafted table below made in coordination with InvoZone’s project management team and a group of experts with 8+ years of experience. This will surely help you decide how to structure your team at each stage of the project.

                                                        Have a look 👇 

Key Factors Influencing Software Development Team Structure

As also discussed earlier, the product development team structure can get affected by multiple factors. But there is nothing, a robust team structure for software development cannot endure. Still, it is important to have the know-how of these factors so that you can plan effectively.

• The Complexity of Your Project

The first and foremost factor, on which the structure of the software development team is dependent is your project. However, the stage of the project consequently also defines the extent of the complexity. 

For instance, if it is an e-commerce platform or web app in a specific domain such as blockchain. The first case is quite typical and simple and does not require specialists on the team. Although, in the second scenario, a team of trained professionals is required with broad background experience.

• Time And Deadline

The factor of how quickly you need to get your project on rails also influences the structure of your team. Sometimes the deadlines are provided by the client or in most cases the developers & project managers decide the timeline.  

But if you need to develop a project from scratch within a tight deadline then you might need specialists. Or an extended team of senior engineers or full-stack developers who will be able to cover all within a given timeframe. However, with flexible deadlines, you might need fewer team members to complete the project.

• Budget Allocation

The budget is the king of all factors-being inextricably linked with the two factors above, it affects every decision you make. The team you can hire to the number of seniority specialists you can have. So to avoid any conundrum in the development phase, you must plan as per your budget.

The key to getting desired results is to optimize your budget spending. You can opt for an agile software development team structure. In this, you can focus on high-priority features first and have more cost flexibility. 

Yet companies, to remain within their budget, go for different approaches to set up a robust software development team. These approaches are jotted down later in this blog- so have a look and see which one is suitable for you.

Best Software Development Team Structure Approaches

Moreover, there are different approaches to setting up your top-notch software development team-saving your time as well as money. Take a look to consider!

1. Generalist Team Structure

The generalist team comprises professionals with a broad skill set and experience. All members carry out each responsibility in contrast to narrowing them down to one specific niche. In short, each member is somewhat experienced in many software or product development fields. But none has specific expertise in a specific area.

Pros

• The team is not heavily reliant on one person, each member can perform various tasks.

• Each member has a detailed view of the project, facilitating better decision-making.

• In a team, each member is more resilient to change and unforeseen challenges. 

Cons

• Each member might lack in-depth knowledge in a way a specialist might possess.

• There can be workload, focus, and productivity issues because of multiple responsibilities.

• The effective prioritization of tasks and time might be difficult with a broader scope of work.

2. Specialist Team Structure

In contrast to generalists, this is a match made in heaven, where top-notch experts bring their robust skill sets to the table. Every team is dedicated to the tasks within their area of expertise. Here, the top performance is mandatory and any misstep can cost time and money. Moreover, efficiency is at its peak and every challenge is addressed by an expert. 

Pros

• The experts bring deep knowledge, and experience generating high-quality work.

• Specialists can complete their tasks accurately & efficiently thus optimizing productivity.

• Since specialists are experts, they require less training, resources, and time.

Cons

• The hiring of a specialist can be costly due to their high demand and level of expertise.

• Heavy reliance is on an individual with a specific task or skill.

• There might be reluctance by specialists to adapt tasks outside their area of expertise.

3. Hybrid Team Structure

It is a fusion of both strategies above, so hybrid teams deal with the project in its entirety. They can change their mode of working wherever they are required as per their unique expertise. This structure is a dynamic mix, allowing you to handle any Agile project with finesse and confidence.

Pros

• The mix of generalist flexibility & specialist knowledge provides the best of both worlds.

• The varied skill set in hybrid teams gives innovative solutions & problem-solving.

• There is an effective development process because of well-balanced team composition.

Cons

• The communication gap between people with different approaches can be challenging.

• This approach of the best mix is time-consuming, risky, and expensive creating gaps.

• Managing complex teams can be hard due to varying work styles & diverse skill sets.

How to Structure A Software Development Team?

The team structure for rapid software development includes a product owner, a business analyst, a project manager, software engineers, Q/A engineers as well as DevOps engineers. It is the best saas product team structure also including the test automation engineers (not necessary although). 

If you have to build the super software product development team structure then you must know the importance of each member. 

So to help you construct the best software development department team structure. Below, there is a well-defined arrangement of members. That is noted down here with the help of our expert project managers who have successfully completed 300+ projects.

1. Business Analyst 

The first is the business analyst who digs deep into the customer’s workflows and analyzes stakeholders' feedback. This helps the client decide what their needs and wants might look like in the product. They are also responsible for bridging the gap between software development teams and customers at later stages of development. In short, their role can be defined as 

• Complete comprehension of customers’ business processes.

• Interpret the customer needs into tangible requirements.

The business analyst is connected in the earlier phases to oversee the whole process and set the milestones.

2. Project Manager

The second is the project manager who is responsible for planning work activities, distributing tasks to team members, and updating the project status. In Agile methodology, the PM helps in maintaining transparency, fosters communication, and searches for loopholes & areas of improvement. They connect the dots between day-to-day task execution and high-level stakeholders. 

• Ensure timely delivery of the product or its part, on time and within budget.

• Effective management and monitoring of the software development team.

In some cases, the project manager connects with the clients to note their needs to ensure efficiency.

3. Customer Success Managers

The Customer success managers (CSMs) are attached to the process from the start till the end. They establish a direct relationship with the customer and provide them with a timely value proposition. In most companies, the customer success team usually upsells or cross-sells. But the ideal function they have is to keep the client satisfied and happy. 

•  Ensuring customer satisfaction by keeping the whole process in view.

• Actively listens to all concerns and solves them with creative thinking.

In InvoZone, the CSMs are in close relationships with the client to oversee all the communication between the clients, resources, and project managers. Yet, they also ensure the maintenance of open spaces where the client can communicate their grievances and concerns (even regarding PMs). However, the CSMs bring more transparency into the project.

4. UI/UX Designer

A UX designer is also part of the process and is responsible for activities such as user research, persona development, wireframing, and prototyping. A UI designer devises easy-to-use and eye-catchy interfaces for the product. The designer is the one who accompanies the team throughout the process and helps the client achieve business goals via functional and engaging user experience.

• Transformation of a product into user-friendly attractive designs.

• Constructs the best user journey for the best user experience & high conversion rate.

The UI/UX designers can be appointed as per the requirement of the project.

5. Software Developers

The software developers code the application and in a team, there are two types of developers: back-end developers and front-end developers. The front-end developers create the app or product part with which users interact. However, the back-end developers implement the core of the app-its algorithm & business.

PS: The seasoned back-end developers also do tasks like devising an app’s architecture or constructing and applying necessary integrations. Some full-stack engineers can handle all the tasks from clients to databases to servers and required integrations. In short

•  They stabilize and engineer the product and solve the technical issues.

•   Responsible for making alterations based on user requirements.

6. Software Testing Engineer

The software testing engineer verifies whether an app meets both functional & non-functional requirements. Functional defines what an application should do whilst non-functional specifies how it should do that. They verify the product from different angles such as functionality, usability, security, or performance. 

• Ensure that an application performs as per the requirements of the customer.

• They pinpoint the functional and non-functional defects in the product.

They also prepare different types of testing documents like test protocols for scenarios, etc.

7. Test Automation Engineer

The test automation engineer helps in faster and better testing- they develop test automation scripts. They also design a test automation ecosystem that is easy to maintain and update. Also, they make sure that the test automation initiatives generate as much value as possible at a reasonable cost.

• Constructing and designing a test automation ecosystem.

• Maintenance and writing of test scripts for automated testing. 

8. DevOps Engineers

The DevOps engineers unify & automate the software delivery process. They introduce changes and keep an application stable. Whilst working in close collaboration with software developers, operational staff, and system administrators. They also facilitate the code releases on CI/CD basis.

• They ensure continuous collaboration between the development & operations teams.

• Construct the CI/CD pipelines for faster delivery.

Are you still confused about what type of software development team structure will suit your next big project? Don’t think further and click here to schedule a call ☎️. Our experts will address you towards the best solution saving you time, resources, and finances.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the structure of a software development team?

The structure of a software development team typically involves business analyst project managers, designers, developers, and Q/As. Yet the number of developers or Q/As varies depending on the project scope or stage.

2. What are the different types of development team structures?

There are three different types of development team structures

Generalist Team Structure: It comprises professionals with a broad skill set and experience.

Specialist Team Structure: Here the top-notch experts bring their robust skill sets to the table.

Hybrid Team Structure: The team members change their mode of working wherever they are required as per their unique expertise. 

3. What is an Agile development team structure?

The Agile development team structure is flexible with a focus on aligning the resources in regards to each member’s expertise as per the requirement of the project.