Building a Systems Development Team - Balance

Striking a balance between immediacy and scalability is a constant decision with Systems Development and will be ever-changing in most organizations.

Steve Jost Profile Picture
Share
Contributors Chris Hodge Profile PictureChris Hodge David Brown Profile PictureDavid Brown

The needs of your organization may necessitate erring on one side of that balance or the other.

  • If your organization is new to software and systems development, you may value more immediacy and short-term projects. The faster you can turn good wins around in the eyes of your customers, the more you can start to scale those solutions for longer periods of time.
  • If your Systems Development team already has people at your company acting as champions, you will gain the ability to start looking forward one or two years with your projects. Additionally, you will have gained enough trust to be finding places where your skills will lead the company, rather than receiving tasks from others.

When scalability and long-term projects become more regular, remain cautious to scope creep and business condition changes. Just as in software, a lot can change in the business landscape in two years.

This is Part 8 of an 18-Part Series


Topics Covered in the Series Include:

  • Clarification
  • Developers
  • Best Fit
  • Outsourcing
  • Time & Money

All relationships start with a simple conversation. Let’s schedule some time to talk about your specific challenges and opportunities.


Building a Systems Development Team - Balance
Construction technology innovation is accelerating and the contractors that learn how to effectively integrate technology into every aspect of their business will dominate tomorrow. ...

Building a Systems Development Team - Balance
Construction technology innovation is accelerating and the contractors that learn how to effectively integrate technology into every aspect of their business will dominate tomorrow. ...

Complexity of Thought and Planning Time Span
There are multiple dimensions of talent including personality traits, IQ, EQ, desire, knowledge and experience. One of the critical dimensions is what Elliott Jaques called “Time Span of Discretion” which is essentially a combination of:
Resource - The First 90 Days (Navigating Job Role Transitions Effectively)
Mastering job role transitions is a critical capability for a growing contractor and for individuals. Transitions include promotions, joining a new company, joining a new project team, or same job role but at a different stage of growth.
Org Structure Planning (Current State)
Taking an objective look at your current-state organizational structure and the people in each role forms the foundation for your recruiting, development, and business planning.