Description: A ‘Squad’ is a small multifunctional team responsible for delivering a specific product or service within an agile framework. This concept is based on the idea that a small group of people, with diverse skills and competencies, can collaborate more effectively and quickly to achieve common goals. ‘Squads’ are typically composed of members representing different disciplines, such as development, design, testing, and project management, allowing them to tackle challenges from multiple perspectives. Autonomy is a key characteristic of ‘Squads’, as they have the freedom to make decisions about how to carry out their work, fostering innovation and accountability. Additionally, ‘Squads’ operate in short development cycles, known as sprints, enabling them to receive continuous feedback and quickly adapt to changes in customer or market requirements. This approach not only improves efficiency but also increases customer satisfaction by allowing for more frequent and higher-quality deliveries. In summary, a ‘Squad’ is an agile unit that combines diverse skills and autonomy to effectively and adaptively deliver products.
History: The concept of ‘Squad’ became popular in the agile software development field, especially with the adoption of methodologies like Scrum and Kanban in the 2000s. However, it was in 2011 that Spotify, the music streaming platform, formally introduced the term ‘Squad’ as part of its organizational model. This model was designed to promote autonomy and collaboration among teams, allowing Spotify to effectively scale its product development. Since then, the term has been adopted by many other tech companies and organizations seeking to implement agile practices.
Uses: Squads are primarily used in software development, where quick and effective collaboration is required to deliver high-quality products. This approach is applied in companies adopting agile methodologies, allowing teams to work independently on different features or modules of a product. Additionally, Squads can be used in other contexts, such as project management, marketing, and product development, where adaptability and rapid response to changes are crucial.
Examples: An example of a Squad is a mobile app development team that includes developers, user interface designers, and testers, all working together to launch new features in short cycles. Another case is an e-commerce company that forms Squads to manage different product categories, allowing each team to focus on improving the customer experience in their specific area.
