TL;DR
The only constant in the software development world is change.
New tools, techniques, development language practices, integrations, approaches, and best practices mean that standing still in your role gets you left behind.
This is why emphasizing skill growth for lean software development teams is a critical area for Focused Labs. The Focused Labs team uses a systematic approach to skills enablement, ensuring that our team members are constantly learning new technology, refining their skills, and experimenting with techniques to ensure our customers are benefiting from the latest best practices.
How can your organization do the same?
Element 1: Build a Foundation for Growth
Focused Labs begins by benchmarking the existing skill sets within each team, documenting strength areas, learning goals, and development opportunities. From this process, teams form collective growth goals and objectives. Managers then use team goals to identify development targets tailored to each individual.
Focused Labs has also found that weaving an emphasis on skills development and growth into our performance management process demonstrates our commitment to continuous improvement. Our organization gives employees the resources, time, and support teams and individuals need to make learning a priority.
We even try to make learning and knowledge-sharing a key part of our bi-annual company on-sites, encouraging employees of all levels and backgrounds to lead peer learning presentations on a key lesson learned in the last year.
Element 2: Use Metrics and Teamwork to Encourage Growth
Building on the first element, Focused Labs recommends the use of metrics to help quantify and measure our collective growth. We work closely with our teams to identify the metrics and share progress toward them. This openness not only reinforces our culture of continuous learning but also allows teams to share best practices with one another, further boosting the impact of our investment.
Your metrics could include some of the following:
- Certifications and qualifications: Keep track of certifications, courses, and qualifications attained by team members to assess their commitment to skill development.
- Peer reviews: Encourage peer reviews to evaluate skill development. Colleagues can provide valuable insights into the growth of their teammates.
- Feedback and self-assessment: Gather feedback from team members themselves regarding their perceived growth in skills. Self-assessment can provide valuable insights into personal development goals.
- Completion of learning goals: Track the achievement of specific learning goals and milestones set by individuals or teams.
- Retention rates: Improved skill development can contribute to higher employee satisfaction and retention. Monitor turnover rates to see if skill development efforts positively impact employee retention.
Element 3: Connect Skills Development to Successful Software Delivery Enablement
Our third key element is working to create a direct link between our skills development initiatives and our successful customer experiences, from both a technical and project management perspective.
We achieve this through several strategic initiatives:
Aligning Project Roles with Development Areas
We take a journeyman approach, where team members' assignments are thoughtfully aligned with their identified growth and development areas. This approach ensures that team members have opportunities to apply and strengthen their newly acquired skills in practical, real-world situations where they can be supported by experienced practitioners. By integrating skill development into project roles, we foster a continuous learning environment and ensure that learning goes beyond theory to hands-on application.
Documenting and Sharing Case Studies
We understand the power of storytelling in showcasing improved individual and team performance. To this end, we focus on documenting and sharing case studies that highlight how skill development initiatives have positively impacted project outcomes. These real-world examples serve as inspiration for others and illustrate the direct link between skill enhancement and project success.
Bring Out the Best of Your Team with Focused Labs
By establishing a strong foundation based on continuous personal growth, providing teams with the resources they need, and promoting sharing in a fun and concrete way, organizations can foster sustained skill growth even in the dynamic world of software development.
This systematic approach has given the Focused Labs team the adaptability and depth of expertise that our customers need to maximize their technology investments and stay ahead in today’s ever-evolving digital landscape.
Want to see first-hand what the Focused Labs team can do to enhance your organization’s technology ecosystem? Then contact our team now and we’ll set up a personalized conversation:
Back to Explore Focused Lab