Team Work: Self-Organization Is Key to Productive Software Development

Have you ever heard of cane toads? They are gluttonous eaters and can grow up to 9 disgusting inches long. Also, their thick, leathery skin is covered in warts, and they have a gland that secretes a toxin that can burn a human’s eyes and skin. Needless to say, they are not cute.

Way back in 1935, cane toads were brought from South America to Australia in an attempt to control native beetles that were destroying the leaves and roots of Australia’s sugar cane crops. The plan was for the ravenous toads to eat all of the beetles, but of course the same thing happened that always happens with these cautionary tales. The toads did nothing to solve the beetle problem (the toads couldn’t jump high enough to reach the beetles), and instead they’ve been devastating other native species for decades and multiplying out of control. All across Queensland, the cane toads have irreparably altered the environmental equilibrium.

I’m sure that right about now you’re wondering why I’m talking about oversized toads on our company blog. I have a point, I promise! Bear with me.

The story of the cane toads, as well as so many other case studies of human-introduced invasive species, is a great metaphor for why I try to stay hands off when it comes to managing our Dev Teams. I’ve found that in the custom software world, like in nature, it is best to allow the animals* to self-organize.

There are a lot of companies out there that impose artificial workflow structures on their employees. Rather than working at their own best potential, the employees are forced to adapt to arbitrary systems, and they spend their energy adhering to extraneous rules instead of focusing on continuous learning and self-improvement.

At first glance, Scrum might look like just another artificial workflow structure. But the beauty of Scrum is that it allows our developers to self-organize. At each step of the software development process, our developers are involved in assessing workload and creating realistic expectations. Scrum helps to create a “nutrient-rich” environment for maximum productivity. As the Praxent ScrumMaster, I help our Dev Teams solve problems and roadblocks from the inside out, but I never impose artificial solutions.

The Australian sugar cane farmers hoped the cane toads would be a quick fix in a complex ecosystem. But in the long run, the toads just caused more problems. At Praxent, we’ve found that self-organization fixes most problems before they even begin.

Have you found a balance between imposed structures and self-organization? Share your experiences with us in the comments section!

*A joke!