Symptom: Product developers are substructured by client-group (rather than by product).
Priorities must be set by the customer, not the provider. One way to give clients control of priorities is to dedicate a group of people to each group of clients. While clients may initially be pleased with this structure, in the long run it does not serve their interests or the organization's.
Product-delivery groups become independent generalists who must satisfy all of the diverse needs of their clients. Without specialization, this "stovepipe" organization may as well be decentralized.
This structure also gets in the way of teamwork. If one client group "owns" a specialist that you need, you'll have to beg their permission to utilize him or her. Of course, clients generally see their own projects as higher in priority. As a result, they don't let the specialist join your project team.
A better approach is to give clients "chips" (or real money) that represents spending power, and then allow them to buy whatever specialists the organization has to offer.
Root cause:Internal economy, budgeting copyright 2024 N. Dean Meyer and Associates Inc. All rights reserved.
