Vertical Vs Horizontal Team Structures For Dependent Projects
Software development projects often involve multiple teams working in concert to deliver complex solutions. This interdependency introduces coordination challenges that impact delivery timelines and software quality. Two predominant approaches for structuring teams on dependent efforts are vertical team structures organized by layers of the technology stack, and horizontal structures that group cross-functional members across components of a product or system.
This article contrasts vertical and horizontal team models for managing dependencies in multi-team projects. We first examine the core problems of interdependency that motivate the need for intentional team structuring. Next, vertical and horizontal arrangements are defined with their respective advantages and downsides. Finally, specific techniques that can bolster dependency management for each structure are discussed along with example code visualizations.
The Core Problem of Interdependency in Projects
Software solutions typically comprise multiple interconnected components and services that have inherent dependencies. For instance, frontend user interfaces rely on application logic that in turn depends on database and infrastructure platforms to function. These downstream and upstream relationships between system elements must be continuously synchronized to deliver a working product.
In multi-team software projects, these technical dependencies manifest as coordination needs between groups. The frontend team may be blocked waiting on backend APIs to be built, while backend developers need UI specifications to guide their work. Without structures to align efforts, issues fall through the cracks leading to timeline delays, duplicated work, and disjointed user experiences.
Defining Vertical and Horizontal Team Structures
Two predominant approaches to coordinate multi-team software projects are vertical team structures centered on technology layers, and horizontal arrangements focused on product features and system components.
Vertical Teams Enable Specialization
With vertical team structures, groups are organized by the tiers of the technical stack such as user interface, business logic, and data layers. For example, an online e-commerce system might have distinct teams for the browser and mobile application frontends, server-side application logic, and database persistence.
The benefit of the vertical alignment is it enables in-depth specialization within a technology domain. Frontend developers can focus entirely on crafting exceptional user experiences without distraction. The database team can optimize complex query performance and scaling. Specialization can promote productivity and quality but also introduces interdependency challenges.
Horizontal Teams Promote Collaboration
Alternatively, horizontal team structures cut across technology layers and organize groups around product features and system services. Taking the e-commerce example, there may be an account management team, online catalog team, and order processing team. Each group comprises specialists spanning frontend, backend, and data roles working in concert towards delivering their component.
While vertical grouping encouraged specialization, horizontal teams promote collaboration between disciplines. Bringing together diverse skills to focus on a unified business capability can accelerate integration and system coherence. However, horizontal groups depend deeply on the output and progress of peer groups developing related components.
Managing Dependencies is Key
Regardless of the chosen structure, multi-team software initiatives hinge on actively managing dependencies between groups. Without purposeful coordination, projects fracture as disconnected pieces fail to come together into unified wholes. Priority conflicts emerge leading groups to pursue misaligned goals.
Vertical structures tend to introduce downhill dependencies flowing from higher level frontend systems down to underlying backend services. Horizontal arrangements yield more peer-to-peer dependencies between teams building related components. In both cases, careful orchestration of hand-offs and collaboration rhythms is needed to align productivity across the value stream.
The following sections highlight techniques specific to each structure for mastering team alignments.
Techniques for Vertical Team Dependency Management
Vertical team structures organized by technology tiers require purposeful coordination flowing downhill across layers of the stack. Upstream groups produce critical inputs downstream teams depend upon to make progress. Downhill synchronization is vital.
Daily Standups Across Teams
A straightforward tactic is conducting cross-team standups to surface blockers and identify dependency delays early on. Each group meeting should conclude by covering any impediments, action items or requests for peer groups in the value stream. Hearing horizontally helps align activity.
Designating Team Dependency Managers
Appointing designated dependency managers on each vertical team provides a single point of contact and accountability for resolving cross-team impediments. These key members represent their team’s dependency needs in downstream coordination meetings and funnel requests upward.
Documentation and API Contracts
Explicit documentation of dependencies through architecture diagrams, API specifications, and team charters can help formally align downstream work. When upstream foundations shift, documentation makes updates highly visible prompting adaptation.
Techniques for Horizontal Team Dependency Management
In horizontal team topologies centered on product capabilities, peer-to-peer collaboration between groups developing interconnected components takes center stage. Techniques that promote healthy team-to-team partnership are crucial.
Increased Collaboration Through Pair Programming
Horizontal teams organized around aligned product outcomes are well-positioned for elevated levels of pair programming across groups. Partnering engineers across teams to implement collaboratively dependent features directly embeds cross-team coordination.
Cross-Team Code Reviews
Code reviews spanning integral components developed by separate teams help maintain architectural alignment. Feedback shared cross-team could prompt interface improvements and exposes disjointed assumptions early on.
Collective Ownership Models
Collective code ownership spreads accountability for product coherence across horizontal teams. By regarding components developed by peer groups as equally owned, teams are motivated to collaborate proactively on integration needs.
Example Code Snippets for Visualizing Team Structures
Simple code samples help illustrate vertical versus horizontal team alignments.
Vertical Team Structure Example
/* Frontend Team */
class UserProfilePage {
getUserData() {
/* Call backend API */
}
displayUser(user) {
/* Render UI */
}
}
/* Backend Team */
class UserManager {
getUser(userId) {
/* Query database */
}
}
/* Database Team */
class UserDatabase {
lookupUser(userId) {
/* Execute read */
}
}
The nested downstream dependency flow from frontend, to backend, to database teams reflects a vertical orientation organized around technology tiers.
Horizontal Team Structure Example
/* Catalog Team */
class ProductListPage {
getProducts() {
/* Call Inventory API */
}
displayProducts(products) {
/* Render UI */
}
}
/* Inventory Team */
class InventoryManager {
getProductQuantity(productId) {
/* Lookup database */
}
}
/* Search Team */
class SearchService {
searchProducts(criteria) {
/* Execute search*/
}
}
Here the Catalog, Inventory and Search teams represent horizontal alignment focused on product capabilities. Peer collaboration on interfacing components is emphasized vs downstream flow.
Key Takeaways and Recommendations
Structuring teams intentionally based on vertical specialties or horizontal product alignment is an important technique for managing coordination in multi-team software projects. Vertical structures promote downstream speed and quality but require diligent dependency management uphill and down. Horizontal arrangements can accelerate integration but depend deeply on cross-group collaboration.
In all cases, active coordination between interdependent teams is vital for success. No one structure universally suits all projects. Teams should carefully consider technical and business needs when deciding alignment approaches. Vertical structures support simple speedy systems while complex solutions may benefit more from heightened horizontal teaming.
Regardless of direction chosen, dedicating resources to dependency management – whether through designated liaisons, collective code ownership or active specification documentation – pays untold dividends reducing risks of downstream disruption. By closely attending to alignment, business leaders can confidently unlock productivity gains inherent in multi-team structures without sacrificing output quality or speed.
