What is an "Enabling Team"?

"Enabling Team" is a term that is going to be increasingly used, much like "agile" was a few years ago... it's a new development methodology that accelerates the development of any product. In this post, we will explore what it's all about.

An "enabling team" or "facilitating team" is a group of highly skilled professionals who provide support and resources to software development teams (stream-aligned squads or teams working on a single product line or backlog) to help them work more efficiently and effectively. These teams typically consist of experts in areas such as infrastructure, security, and operations, working together to ensure that the software development process is optimized from start to finish.

The main goal is to provide Squads (agile software development teams) with the tools, resources, and infrastructure they need to deliver high-quality software products on time and within budget. This can range from setting up development environments to guidance on best coding practices, as well as managing infrastructure and ensuring the software runs smoothly in production.

One of the primary advantages of an enabling team is that it allows Squads to focus on what they do best: creating software. By providing support and resources, facilitating teams enable developers to spend less time worrying about infrastructure and more time working on code.

Enabling teams can also help organizations scale their software development efforts more effectively. As software development teams grow and become more complex, enabling teams can provide the necessary support and resources to ensure the process remains efficient and effective.

Some specific roles that may be included in an enabling team are:

 1. DevOps Engineers, responsible for managing the infrastructure that supports software development, including servers, databases, and networks.

 2. Security Experts, who help ensure that software is built with security in mind and rigorously tested for vulnerabilities.

 3. Quality Assurance (QA) Engineers, who test software to ensure it meets the required quality standards and is free of defects and errors.

 4. Senior Developers with expertise in less common areas, who advise the Squad on how to overcome technical impediments and may even develop Proof of Concepts (PoCs) to validate the feasibility of specific product requirements.

 5. Technical Writers, who create documentation and other resources to help developers work more efficiently and effectively.

Enabling Teams can also help foster collaboration and communication between teams. By creating and maintaining shared tools and resources, they enable teams to work together more smoothly, share information, and collaborate on projects more effectively. They can also provide training and support to teams, helping them learn new skills and adopt new technologies that can enhance their work.

In general, a software development support team plays a critical role in helping organizations:

 1. Deliver high-quality software products more efficiently and effectively: by providing external support and resources to development teams for a limited time, enabling teams help organizations expand their software development efforts and achieve their goals more efficiently and at a lower cost.

 2. By creating and maintaining the tools and processes that support development, they can help teams focus on what they do best: creating high-quality software that meets the organization's and its users' needs.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss how to implement this strategy in your organization, please do not hesitate to contact me at @Rafael Alcalde Cazorla or at Squadmakers; we would be delighted to assist you.