At Skywalk Innovations, we know that effective team dynamics and collaboration are essential for the success of any software development project. We asked one of our Intermediate Developers, to share his views on this and here`s what he had to say:
As a developer here, I’ve seen firsthand how working well as a team not only influences the quality of our final product but also plays a significant role in managing client expectations, keeping team morale high, and overcoming the complexities that come with building intricate software solutions.
Managing Client Expectations
Managing client expectations can be tricky. It’s a delicate balance that I’ve learned through experience. Here are two mistakes I’ve made and how I’ve learned to avoid them:
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Over-promising: In my earlier days, I would promise completion without fully assessing all the work involved. This often led to stressful, overtime-packed weeks. Worse, clients based their timelines on my unrealistic estimations, leading to tension when deadlines weren’t met. Now, I’ve learned the value of setting realistic expectations from the start. Clear communication is key to preventing misunderstandings and maintaining trust.
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Being a yes-man: Clients often come up with ideas mid-project that they feel could take their business to the next level. While it’s tempting to agree, this often leads to scope creep, which can double your workload without extending the deadline. I’ve learned that it’s essential to respectfully say no to out-of-scope work or, at the very least, clearly define the impact on the timeline and deliverables. Maintaining boundaries ensures you meet your original commitments without burnout.
A note to fellow developers: You will encounter a range of personalities within the clients that you deal with. Some will be soft and gentle, and others will be overbearing and harsh. So, be confident enough to not be taken advantage of, because if you allow the client to push you around during the project, the initial deadline won’t be met, and this will cause all eyes to be on you as you answer to management.
Remember that the client pays a lot of money for your expertise, and at the end of day they’ll still have the expectation that you complete their project in the agreed upon time frame, regardless of whether they gave you more work during that time. So, above everything else, make sure that you stick to the scope of your project.
Maintaining Good Team Morale
Have you ever been on a project where you felt everything was going well and according to plan, but then suddenly Murphy’s Law kicks in and everything goes wrong all at once? Moments like these have sent our team into overdrive, pushing us to pull out all the stops to overcome the challenges we’re faced with. I can confidently tell you that in situations like these, good team morale plays a big role in how the situation is handled; if you have a well-motivated and disciplined team, you can take on the world.
Here are some of the things that I’ve found have worked well when it comes to maintaining good team morale:
Encouraging Team Value and Voice: Create an environment where everyone feels valued and heard. Each of your team members has a lot to offer, and you may not get the most out of them if they feel that they can’t speak up and share their opinions. Creating a safe environment for them to do so will make everyone feel like they’re actively contributing towards the good of the project and team.
Open communication: I’ve been on projects where management has only given me the bare minimum of what I’m going to build, why I’m going to build it, and how this is going to affect the lives of my clients and their customers. And I can certainly tell you that the less I know about the motivation behind the project, the less I’m invested in it, and the more easily I’ll get bored with it.
I’m sure a lot of us would feel the same, as most of us are emotionally driven individuals, and so if we know exactly what we’re working towards, it will intensify the rewarding feeling that we get at the end of the project, which in turn creates a greater sense of pride in the work that we do. Therefore, it’s important to foster a high standard of open communication and transparency, because it encourages a stronger sense of ownership among team members; the more you understand the project and the business behind it, the more invested you’ll be in delivering quality work.
Open communication shouldn’t just be practiced by management, it should be a standard that is practiced by the entire team. Here are a couple examples of what I deem important
- Speak up when you’re struggling: When I was an up-and-coming dev, I realized that it was counterproductive of me to sit too long with a piece of work, so put your pride aside and ask for help. Utilize the amazing team that you have at your disposal by asking for their help.
- Communicate personal-life blockers:
Life isn’t always straightforward and fair, and sometimes things happen in your personal life that hinder your work. If personal issues are preventing you from contributing, talk to your team leader. You don’t have to go into gross detail, but at least make mention of what’s going on instead of keeping it to yourself and falling behind in work.
A simple example of this happened to a friend of mine. Loadshedding hit his area more frequently than most, causing him to fall behind in his work. He was an intern, so he was new to the company and afraid to mention that he wasn’t able to put in the hours that he needed to. On his end, he thought he was doing okay and getting by, but the rest of the team noticed a significant drop in his performance and started to think that he just wasn’t up for the job. If he had continued this way, he probably wouldn’t have been around at the company today.
- Trust: When you and your team trust each other to deliver, it reduces the need for micromanagement, allowing everyone to focus on their tasks and take initiative when necessary. Mutual trust and respect create a more efficient and engaged team. These are a few simple, but effective principles to embrace when trying to build a good foundation of trust in your team:
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- Take accountability: If you do something wrong or make a mistake, don’t play the blame game. Own up to your mistakes and face the repercussions. Speaking from experience, your team will appreciate your honesty and eagerness to right your wrongs a lot more than if you try to hide behind a mirage of excuses.
- Support each other: Stand in solidarity as a team, don’t embarrass or single each other out in a public setting. When someone falls short within my team, we don’t put that person down or make them feel worse. We assess how we all can do better as a collective to prevent future incidents. If we have an issue with someone, we’ll set up a private meeting where we’d provide constructive criticism. That way we create a healthy environment, trusting that if we make a mistake, we can rely on our team to handle it in a professional manner.
- Deliver on your promises: When you say you’re going to do something, then do it. When you’re asked to do something, and you agree to it, then do it. When you’re not able to do something, then speak up. And, as mentioned before, don’t over-promise. There’s nothing more frustrating than when your team member constantly agrees to do something, but never delivers. Don’t be that person in your team.
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Navigating the complexities of building intricate software
There’s so much that I can say on this topic, but for the sake of not making this blog post too long, I will share with you some of the things that I feel should always be top of mind.
- Diverse Perspectives: At our company, diversity is like a superpower. Our teams always include individuals who have uniquely different backgrounds, because we know that teams composed of members with varied backgrounds and expertise bring a wide range of perspectives to the table, which then fuels creativity and innovation.
- Maximizing Strengths: The most successful projects that I’ve been on are those where we’ve leveraged the individual strengths that our team has to offer; this has caused us to work more efficiently and produce higher-quality results. However, there needs to be a balance. It’s important not only to capitalize on what each person does best but also to support one another in areas where there is room for growth. In doing this, you create a safe space for everyone on the team to improve and become better at their craft, which in turn helps drive the success of all current and future projects. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the growth opportunities that my company and colleagues have provided me.
Conclusion
When you and your team embrace humility, remain open to learning and teaching, and plan meticulously, you set the stage for not just meeting expectations, but exceeding them. The real magic happens when every team member sees their role not just as completing tasks, but as contributing to a shared vision. Good collaboration is about working together in a way that amplifies each team member’s contributions, leading to outstanding results and long-term success.
Chadlin Maalgraaff
Intermediate Software Engineer at Skywalk Innovations
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