Comments on: Nine Questions to Assess Team Structure http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/nine-questions-to-assess-team-structure Succeeding With Agile® Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:51:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mike Cohn http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/nine-questions-to-assess-team-structure/comment-page-1#comment-188587 Mike Cohn Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:58:26 +0000 http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/?p=752#comment-188587 Hi Alaa-- Thanks for your kind words. I don't mind when one team works on many projects as long as the one team has one person doing prioritization for them. That is, it shouldn't be up to team members to resolve disputes among a dozen competing stakeholders. I will say, though, that when a team is working on a lot of projects, it can often be worthwhile to batch them up a bit because I'm fully convinced there are synergies to be had that way. So, rather than work on projects A, B, C, D, E, F, and G this sprint and then A, B, C, D, X, Y, Z next sprint it may make sense to just get ABCD done in the first sprint and then do E, F, G, X, Y, Z the next. Whoever manages priorities for the team in this situation should be on the lookout for such opportunities. Hi Alaa–
Thanks for your kind words. I don’t mind when one team works on many projects as long as the one team has one person doing prioritization for them. That is, it shouldn’t be up to team members to resolve disputes among a dozen competing stakeholders.

I will say, though, that when a team is working on a lot of projects, it can often be worthwhile to batch them up a bit because I’m fully convinced there are synergies to be had that way. So, rather than work on projects A, B, C, D, E, F, and G this sprint and then A, B, C, D, X, Y, Z next sprint it may make sense to just get ABCD done in the first sprint and then do E, F, G, X, Y, Z the next. Whoever manages priorities for the team in this situation should be on the lookout for such opportunities.

]]> By: Alaa http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/nine-questions-to-assess-team-structure/comment-page-1#comment-187946 Alaa Sat, 16 Apr 2011 20:12:34 +0000 http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/?p=752#comment-187946 Hi Mike, Great article as usual. Regarding point -2- when you say no more than 20% should be in more than 2 teams, does this stand also for having multiple projects with the same team? i.e. the same team has 3 projects in parallel however no person is on any other team. Thanks. Hi Mike,

Great article as usual. Regarding point -2- when you say no more than 20% should be in more than 2 teams, does this stand also for having multiple projects with the same team? i.e. the same team has 3 projects in parallel however no person is on any other team. Thanks.

]]> By: Mike Cohn http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/nine-questions-to-assess-team-structure/comment-page-1#comment-83451 Mike Cohn Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:43:43 +0000 http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/?p=752#comment-83451 You need to get some bigger pizzas! ;) Yes, it is perhaps US-centric. But the idea holds. Pick a local food and some quantity of it and use that as a gauge for team size. (Perhaps some churrasco steak. I had some from Argentina last week and it was the best I've ever had.) Alternatively, I often simplify the idea by saying that if ordering lunch for a team meeting is hard, the team is probably too big. You need to get some bigger pizzas! ;) Yes, it is perhaps US-centric. But the idea holds. Pick a local food and some quantity of it and use that as a gauge for team size. (Perhaps some churrasco steak. I had some from Argentina last week and it was the best I’ve ever had.) Alternatively, I often simplify the idea by saying that if ordering lunch for a team meeting is hard, the team is probably too big.

]]> By: Pizza Lover http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/nine-questions-to-assess-team-structure/comment-page-1#comment-83449 Pizza Lover Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:24:36 +0000 http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/?p=752#comment-83449 the pizza analogy is a little US-centric; in Argentina two pizzas feed four men the pizza analogy is a little US-centric; in Argentina two pizzas feed four men

]]> By: Mike Cohn http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/nine-questions-to-assess-team-structure/comment-page-1#comment-69725 Mike Cohn Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:37:28 +0000 http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/?p=752#comment-69725 Thanks, Per. Thanks, Per.

]]> By: Per Lund http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/nine-questions-to-assess-team-structure/comment-page-1#comment-69721 Per Lund Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:58:22 +0000 http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/?p=752#comment-69721 Hi Mike, I couldn't agree more! A good Team structure is crucial for succeeding in teamwork (agile og nonagile). Keep up the good work - I look forward reading further posts! Regards Per Lund Hi Mike,

I couldn’t agree more! A good Team structure is crucial for succeeding in teamwork (agile og nonagile).

Keep up the good work – I look forward reading further posts!

Regards
Per Lund

]]> By: Rodney Barlow http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/nine-questions-to-assess-team-structure/comment-page-1#comment-68586 Rodney Barlow Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:36:32 +0000 http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/?p=752#comment-68586 Hi Mike, A really interesting read, particularly your first point about finding a "team structure which accentuates the strengths of as many team members as possible". Just last week I blogged about a production support role in a team I work with. We've worked hard to create a structure for both accentuating team members strengths, and for minimizing distractions and requirements for multi-tasking. It took the team some time to find the sweet spot for the team structure. Thinking back, the entire team used the retrospective as a forum for constant evaluation of our progress on creating the ideal production support role. In Shopzilla terms, the optimal "Fire Chief". Cheers, Rod. Hi Mike,

A really interesting read, particularly your first point about finding a “team structure which accentuates the strengths of as many team members as possible”. Just last week I blogged about a production support role in a team I work with. We’ve worked hard to create a structure for both accentuating team members strengths, and for minimizing distractions and requirements for multi-tasking.

It took the team some time to find the sweet spot for the team structure. Thinking back, the entire team used the retrospective as a forum for constant evaluation of our progress on creating the ideal production support role. In Shopzilla terms, the optimal “Fire Chief”.

Cheers,
Rod.

]]> By: Mike Cohn http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/nine-questions-to-assess-team-structure/comment-page-1#comment-68098 Mike Cohn Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:56:22 +0000 http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/?p=752#comment-68098 Hi Stefano-- I must be part Italian then myself! Hi Stefano–
I must be part Italian then myself!

]]> By: Stefano http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/nine-questions-to-assess-team-structure/comment-page-1#comment-68061 Stefano Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:32:56 +0000 http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/?p=752#comment-68061 Mike, we are italians! with two pizzas you feed just two people! :) Mike, we are italians! with two pizzas you feed just two people! :)

]]> By: Mike Cohn http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/nine-questions-to-assess-team-structure/comment-page-1#comment-67959 Mike Cohn Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:06:20 +0000 http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/?p=752#comment-67959 Thanks, Diego. You're right about the pizzas but it's the idea that counts. If ordering lunch for your team is hard ("how many vegetarians do we have?" "Is any gluten-free?"), the team is probably too big. Thanks, Diego. You’re right about the pizzas but it’s the idea that counts. If ordering lunch for your team is hard (“how many vegetarians do we have?” “Is any gluten-free?”), the team is probably too big.

]]>