TBM 376: Why Are We Organized Like This?

Overview
This Substack article explores the reasons behind the way companies structure their teams and processes, helping technical leaders uncover hidden assumptions and align organization design with strategic goals.

Key Takeaways

• Organizational structures are often legacy decisions that persist beyond their usefulness.
• Understanding the rationale behind current design helps identify opportunities for improvement.
• Aligning structure with product and market strategy drives better outcomes.
• Simple frameworks can guide redesign decisions.

Who Would Benefit

• Engineering managers looking to optimize team layouts.
• Technical leaders seeking to influence company structure.
• Product leaders interested in cross-functional collaboration.
• CEOs and founders evaluating organizational effectiveness.

Frameworks and Methodologies

• Organizational design principles.
• Conway's Law considerations.
• Team topologies concepts.