A Glimpse into the World of Agile: Squads, Chapters, Tribes, and Guilds

This morning I had the pleasure of meeting a seasoned industry leader, our conversation meandered through the ever-evolving landscape of software development, eventually landing on a fascinating topic: Agile team organisation - specifically, the Spotify model.

As he shared their experiences, I found myself captivated by the unique organisational structure of Squads, Chapters, Tribes, and Guilds. Partially this is something we have adopted at IAMPLUS but reading about the intricacies around it brought in some thoughts to share, here's a snapshot of what I learned:

Squads:

A Squad is a small, cross-functional, and autonomous team responsible for a specific part of the product. Each Squad has a dedicated Product Owner who provides user stories. Squads are like mini-startups, owning a certain functionality end-to-end, and include all necessary roles to design, develop, test, and release the product. They typically consist of 5-7 people to keep management efficient.

Tribes:

A Tribe is a group of Squads working on a related business area, e.g., mobile development. Tribes usually have no more than 100 people, and they aim to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among Squads. A Tribe Leader is responsible for creating the right environment for the Squads.

Chapters:

Chapters are groups of people working in a specific domain, e.g., front-end development, back-end development, or QA. Chapters help team members exchange ideas, seek help, and discuss new technologies or methods. A Chapter Lead, who is also a part of a Squad, acts as a line manager for Chapter members, handling responsibilities like salary setting and people development.

Guilds:

A Guild is a community of people with shared interests, such as web technology, test automation, or Agile coaching. Guilds promote knowledge sharing, tool sharing, and best practices across the organisation. Each Guild has a coordinator who helps manage the Guild's activities.

The model offers valuable insights; however, it's essential to consider its pros and cons before implementation. Pros and Cons in my opinion!

Pros:

1. Autonomy: The model fosters team autonomy, enabling members to make decisions and choose methodologies that work best for their objectives. This leads to increased engagement and innovation.
2. Cross-functional collaboration: Squads are composed of professionals from various domains, which encourages seamless collaboration and better understanding of the product vision.
3. Knowledge sharing: Chapters and Guilds provide platforms for professionals to share best practices, learn from each other, and maintain consistency across the organisation.
4. Scalability: The model can accommodate organisational growth without losing agility, as new Squads and Tribes can be easily added or restructured.
5. Flexibility: The model is not prescriptive, allowing organisations to adapt and modify it to suit their unique needs and context.

Cons:

1. Complexity: Implementing the model requires careful planning and change management, as it may involve a significant shift in organisational culture and structure.
2. Misinterpretation: Organisations might copy the model without understanding the underlying principles, leading to suboptimal results or simply renaming existing teams without real change.
3. Overemphasis on autonomy: Excessive autonomy may cause inconsistencies in practices and tools across the organisation, leading to potential conflicts and inefficiencies.
4. Risk of silos: If not managed well, the formation of Tribes and Chapters can lead to siloed thinking and hinder cross-team communication.

I couldn't help but ponder the impact of adopting such an agile team organisation structure with the power of autonomy, trust, and collaboration inherent in the Spotify model. It could unleash the potential of teams in the SDLC, sparking innovation and efficiency at every step. So, I extend an invitation to you, dear reader, to share your thoughts and experiences on Agile team organisation.