Agility in Software Development: The Impact of Team Size and System Complexity

In software development, we often hear term "agile". In this context, agility is a key factor that determines how quickly and efficiently a team can deliver high-quality products while also chasing a moving pole of changing requirements(or implementation because something better discovered). To explain this concept to a non-engineering audience, let's use the analogy of momentum in physics.

Momentum, in simple terms, is the product of an object's mass and velocity. In software development, think of a team's momentum as its ability to make progress. The "mass" represents the size of the team and the complexity of the existing system, while the "velocity" represents the team's speed and efficiency.

Team Size and system complexity

Imagine a small, car like alto versus a large, heavy multi axle truck. The car can accelerate quickly and change direction with ease, while the truck takes longer to get up to speed and is less agile when it comes to making sharp turns. Similarly, a small development team can often move faster and adapt more quickly to changes compared to a larger team.

Now, consider the complexity of the existing system as the terrain on which our car or truck is driving. A simple, well-structured system is like a smooth, straight road, allowing for easy navigation and quick progress. On the other hand, a complex, poorly-structured system is like a winding, bumpy road that requires careful maneuvering and slows down the journey.

In fact some systems are unpredictable to the team. You never know that a thing looking like a light switch can turn on shower when pressed. Analogies can go even funnier here.

In software development, a complex system can hinder a team's agility by making it harder to implement changes and fix issues. The more complex the system, the more time and effort it takes to understand and modify it. This is where context switching becomes a significant factor. When developers have to constantly switch between different parts of a complex system, it disrupts their focus and reduces their productivity.

The similar analogy applies for the kind of project they are working on. Even in case of a new project, if the change is too drastic and even the car has come halfway chances are it'll have more distance to cover and hence more time to reach the destination.

Balancing Agility

To maintain agility, it's crucial to find the right balance between team size and system complexity. Smaller teams can be more agile, but they may struggle with larger, more complex systems. Conversely, larger teams can handle more complexity but may face challenges with coordination and context switching.

Typically divide and conquer with right implementation of share nothing phylosophy does ease things. Making milestones as short as possible minimises the quantum of detours and rework.

By understanding the relationship between team size, system complexity, and agility, organizations can make informed decisions to optimize their development processes and maintain momentum.