How to Leverage Team Topologies in Platform Engineering

Global tech leaders are striving to understand how they can deliver software efficiently while empowering their development teams to innovate, without being constrained by operational complexities.  

The answer to this challenge lies in a concept called platform engineering, which helps create more intuitive workflows and team structures that can streamline development processes by building an Internal Developer Platform (IDP) to assist developers in their day-to-day tasks.  

An IDP encompasses a variety of tools that enhance the software development process within an organization. This enables businesses to transform the structure of their software development teams and to think differently about how they support each other.  

Platform engineering has become such an important focus for the tech industry that Gartner estimates that 80% of large software engineering organizations will have established platform engineering teams by 2026.

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Why platform engineering?

The main advantage of platform engineering for organizations is its ability to transform software development team structures and inter-team collaboration. Platform engineering offers businesses the potential to:

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• Improve efficiency

Platform engineering standardizes tools and processes, helping to increase developer productivity by ensuring that they spend less time on operational tasks and more on programming/coding.

• Enhance decision-making

Technical team leaders can make more informed decisions based on data and insights from standardized tools. This contributes to more strategic planning and better alignment with business goals.

• Improve cost management

By centralizing the approach to managing tools and resources, organizations can reduce overhead costs and meet corporate security and compliance standards.

• Increase scalability

By providing reusable components and services, organizations can quickly and flexibly adapt to changing business needs without the high cost of permanent hiring.  

Team Topologies is central to platform engineering, helping to configure and align teams for maximum efficiency in software delivery. For technical team leaders, this approach is not just about efficiency — it's about revolutionizing how development teams are structured to meet the demands of modern software delivery.

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What is the Team Topologies framework?

Team Topologies is a structured approach to organizing software development teams, aiming to create bespoke teams with the skills that are required to meet an organization’s individual business goals and operational efficiency.  

By implementing Team Topologies, you can significantly streamline how your technical teams operate, enhancing clarity, interaction, and workload management.

The Team Topologies approach provides a pattern language and a thinking model, which allows you to identify the team design most appropriate for your business. There are four fundamental topologies organizations should consider:

1. Stream-aligned teams

Stream-aligned teams are the foundation of software development, supported by all the other technical teams in the organization. They’re focused on a specific business area, responsible for delivering value directly to their business’s end-users. They manage projects working closely together, from initial concept through to implementation, always aligning with the business's primary goals. Tool procurement and configuration should not get in their way.

2. Enabling teams

Enabling teams help stream-aligned teams to focus on their most important tasks. When a stream-aligned team requires a developer collaboration process or a specialized knowledge base, the enabling team steps in to make it happen. These teams support multiple stream-aligned teams by not only providing essential platform tools but also educating the stream-aligned teams on how to use them effectively via specialized coaching. They help to eliminate blockers, ensuring that stream-aligned teams can perform at peak efficiency. Enabling teams drive operational excellence and innovation by equipping stream-aligned teams with the resources and knowledge they need to succeed.

3. Complicated subsystem teams

Complicated subsystem teams are dedicated to supporting the stream-aligned team by tackling all complex and specialized subsystems, such as algorithm optimization, or developing custom media codecs. Focusing on efficiency and innovation, the complicated subsystem team ensures that all specialized needs are met, driving business goals forward.

4. Platform teams

Platform teams build and maintain internal services that other teams can leverage. They are responsible for developing reusable components that streamline workflows and ensure consistency. Platform teams also play an important governance role, establishing and upholding standard coding practices and architectural guidelines across the organization. By providing a solid and scalable foundation, the platform team ensures that all projects adhere to best practice guidelines.

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The impact of Team Topologies on platform engineering

Platform engineering is about creating a self-service infrastructure that streamlines development processes. By incorporating the Team Topologies framework, platform engineering ensures that development teams are not just efficient but also empowered.  

1. Simplifies tooling and workflows

One of the primary challenges in software development is tool sprawl, which affects 27.7% of developers. Platform engineering addresses this challenge by providing a curated set of tools and processes that developers can easily access via self-service portals. This reduces the time spent configuring tools and enhances productivity.

2. Improves collaboration

Clear team boundaries and responsibilities help to eliminate confusion and encourage better collaboration. Stream-aligned teams focus on delivering value, while platform teams provide the necessary internal services, enabling a more cohesive workflow.

3. Optimizes talent utilization

Platform engineering allows companies to source talent more efficiently. For example, at Andela, we use Team Topologies to structure our platform engineering initiatives. This approach ensures that the right talent is placed in roles that maximize their skills and contribute significantly to the organization’s objectives.

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Organizations face increased pressure to source high-quality digital talent to build the right software engineering teams at the right time, for the right cost. The Team Topologies framework allows them to define the precise skills required, ensuring they source and place talent strategically within the organization for maximum impact, only hiring the people they truly need. By implementing the Team Topologies framework, organizations can streamline their operations and create a more productive and innovative working environment.

Want to find out more about Team Topologies and platform engineering?

Download our latest white paper to discover actionable insights and strategies to rethink your development team's structure, foster a supportive environment, and position your organization at the forefront of software development efficiency.

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