Supercharge Your Software Teams

Software development teams are the engine behind every tech leader’s vision. But what happens when inefficiencies, siloed communication, and technical debt slow progress to a crawl?

At the recent Good Tech Fest webinar, Calvin Hendryx-Parker, CTO of Six Feet Up and AWS Hero, unveiled actionable strategies to overcome these challenges with BEST™ — a framework designed to streamline your Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).

Strategies to Elevate Your Software Teams‍

Pinpoint Bottlenecks‍

Calvin introduced the BEST™ Framework, which uses surveys, heat maps, and radar charts to uncover inefficiencies. These tools visualize team dynamics and uncover hidden pain points like technical debt, skill gaps, and communication breakdowns.

• Pro Tip: Don’t limit feedback to your most vocal team members. Conduct surveys that engage every team member to capture diverse perspectives and identify systemic issues.‍

Strengthen Your Foundation‍

Successful teams build on a solid foundation. Calvin highlighted critical areas such as culture, access management, and onboarding, which must be optimized before tackling advanced practices like automation or security.

• Action Step: Review your onboarding process. If new developers aren’t contributing code on their first day, your process needs streamlining.
  

Break Down Silos with Cross-Team Guilds‍

Cross-team collaboration emerged as a game-changer. By creating regular forums for teams (e.g., DevOps, front-end, and delivery) to share best practices, organizations can amplify productivity without hiring new staff.

• Quick Win: Launch monthly “guild” meetings to foster cross-functional knowledge sharing and innovation.‍

Embrace Data-Driven Decisions‍

Through his case study of six teams across 30 subsidiaries, Calvin demonstrated the importance of data in driving decisions. Tools like heat maps help identify where one team excels and another struggles, opening up opportunities for mentorship and collaboration.

• Ask Yourself: Are your decisions based on gut feelings or concrete data? Start collecting metrics to evaluate team performance objectively.‍

Equip Teams with the Right Tools‍

Teams can’t deliver their best work without the right tools and training. Calvin emphasized the value of modern practices like CI/CD pipelines and automated testing to boost efficiency and reduce errors.

• Next Step: Invest in training programs to bridge skill gaps and ensure your teams are equipped for modern development challenges.
  

Open the Door for Honest Feedback‍

Unaddressed process issues often fester in silence. Calvin stressed the importance of creating safe spaces for teams to discuss bottlenecks openly. He also recommended adding an "I don't know" option to surveys to highlight areas of uncertainty or gaps in understanding.

• Leadership Move: Foster a feedback culture by regularly soliciting anonymous input. Create an environment where identifying problems is as celebrated as solving them.‍

The BEST™ Framework is more than a set of tools — it’s a mindset shift. By focusing on foundational practices, embracing collaboration, and leveraging data, tech leaders can unlock their teams’ full potential. Learn how BEST™ can transform your teams by booking a demo today.

Watch the Webinar

Missed the live session? Don’t worry — you can catch the full recording here.