An introduction to the Spotify matrix model including recent updates we've made as we have continued to grow. I presented this talk at the Spark the Change Conference in London, UK on July 1, 2015.

1. The Spotify
Tribe
Kevin Goldsmith
Vice President, Engineering
ConsumerAlliance Lead

2. Why was this model created?

3. Why was this model created?
Velocity

4. Why was this model created?
Velocity
Minimize decision-making bottlenecks

5. Why was this model created?
Velocity
Minimize decision-making bottlenecks
Reduce synchronization bottlenecks

6. Why was this model created?
Velocity
Minimize decision-making bottlenecks
Reduce synchronization bottlenecks
Reduce process to a minimum

7. Why was this model created?
Velocity
Minimize decision-making bottlenecks
Reduce synchronization bottlenecks
Reduce process to a minimum
Address short-term challenges

8. Why was this model created?
Velocity
Happiness

9. Why was this model created?
Velocity
Happiness
Increase sense of ownership

10. Why was this model created?
Velocity
Happiness
Increase sense of ownership
Individual stability while fostering dynamic
organization

11. Why was this model created?
Velocity
Happiness
Increase sense of ownership
Individual stability while fostering dynamic
organization
Encourage personal and professional growth

12. Why was this model created?
Velocity
Happiness
Scale

13. Why was this model created?
Velocity
Happiness
Scale
Support organizational growth while maintaining
culture

14. Why was this model created?
Velocity
Happiness
Scale
Adaptability

15. Full-Stack Autonomous Teams (Squads)
PO
UX
iOS
Android
K&M
QA
Backend
Agile Coach

16. Full-Stack Autonomous Teams (Squads)
PO
UX
iOS
Android
K&M
QA
Backend
Agile Coach
Autonomous
adjective
au·ton·o·mous - ȯ-ˈtä-nə-məs
(of a country or region) having the freedom to govern itself or control its own affairs.
"the federation included sixteen autonomous republics"
having the freedom to act independently.
"school governors are legally autonomous"
synonyms: self-governing, independent, sovereign, free, self-ruling, self-determining, autarchic; self-sufficient
"an autonomous republic"

17. Full-Stack Autonomous Teams
PO
UX
iOS
Android
K&M
QA
Backend
Agile Coach
Ideal Size: 6-12 people

18. Full-Stack Autonomous Teams
PO
UX
iOS
Android
K&M
QA
Backend
Agile Coach
Fully empowered to fulfill their mission

19. Full-Stack Autonomous Teams
PO
UX
iOS
Android
K&M
QA
Backend
Agile Coach
Dependencies on other teams are minimized

20. Full-Stack Autonomous Teams
PO
UX
iOS
Android
K&M
QA
Backend
Agile Coach
Collective Responsibility

21. Full-Stack Autonomous Teams
PO
UX
iOS
Android
K&M
QA
Backend
Agile Coach
Individual Accountability

22. Full-Stack Autonomous Teams
PO
UX
iOS
Android
K&M
QA
Backend
Agile Coach
Innovation throughput over innovation velocity

23. Full-Stack Autonomous Teams
PO
UX
iOS
Android
K&M
QA
Backend
Agile Coach
No Manager?

24. Chapter Lead

25. Chapter Lead

26. Chapter Lead

28. Product Owner
Agile Coach
Chapter Lead
Chapter Lead
POCLAC

29. Squads

30. Squads
Chapter Leads

31. Squads
Chapters

32. Tribe Lead
Squads
Chapters

33. Tribe
Squads
Chapters
Ideal size: 40-150 people

34. Tribe
Squads
Chapters
Product Owner

35. Tribe
Squads
Chapters
Product Owner
User Experience

36. Product Area Leads

37. Design Leads

38. Trio TrioTrio

39. Guild

40. Alliance

41. Alliance

42. Changeis
constant

43. It looks like
chaos

44. It looks like
chaos
but it works for us.

45. It looks like
chaos
but it works for us. Mostly.

46. “Heisenberg Squads”

47. It is better to solve the problems
created by fluidity rather than
imposing more structure.

48. It is better to solve the problems
created by fluidity rather than
imposing more structure.
Minimum Viable
Bureaucracy

49. It requires
trust.

50. Whatdoesn’t
workwell?

51. Big Projects
‣ Autonomousteamsmakescoordination
difficult
‣ Nofull-timeprojectmanagersin
technologyorganization
‣ Veryunevenexecutionrecord
‣ Gotintosomebadanti-patterns

52. Growing Senior Leaders
‣ Tribeleadshavepeoplemanagement,
strategyanddeliveryresponsibility
‣ ChapterLeadshavepeople
managementresponsibilityandoperate
inhighlyconsensus-driventeams

53. Resource Efficiency
‣ Autonomousteamsareresourcehungry
becausetheyneedtobeself-sufficient
‣ Teamscangetfocusedonimproving
thingswithintheirsphereofcontrol,
ignoringlargerissues

54. Questions
twitter: @kevingoldsmith