Common Development Team Roles and Responsibilities

Last Updated on 2024-10-11

A highly skilled and efficient software development team is your ticket to success. It’s the core driver of any software development project. If you’re new to the industry, here are things you ought to know as you build a software team.

Organizing a robust development team doesn’t happen overnight. It is the product of looking for the right talent and making wise hiring decisions. Putting a team of professionals together may sound challenging at first. 

You may even have questions about how to do it. How do you start? Who should be in it? How many people do you need? Consider these things even before you take the first step in hiring your team.

But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are some things you should know about creating a development team and the roles that need to be filled.

Software Development Team Roles: An Overview

By definition, a software development team is a group of professionals working together to achieve a common goal. Through collaboration and an efficient process, they need to develop software geared towards a target market. 

The team is composed of in-house employees, a group of freelancers, or a combination of both. As long as they work in sync with defined requirements and conditions, they can meet the business goals.

Based on the company’s decision, the team can follow different software development life cycle models. It can be the waterfall model, V model, or the Agile methodology, among others.

3 Types of Software Development Teams

There are three kinds of teams that you can choose to build. But it should be based on your needs, resources, and requirements. Remember that creating a clear structure is the foundation of your project’s success.

1. Specialist Team

The team members are specialists in their fields.  For instance, you may only prefer to hire professionals that are highly skilled in Java or C++. Since the team has knowledge and expertise, they can efficiently work on your project without a hitch. However, since all of them possess the same knowledge, it can be challenging to resolve issues outside their expertise.

2. Generalist Team

A generalist team is composed of professionals with a wide range of skills and expertise. Because they are jacks of all trades, they can effectively manage end-to-end solutions to various problems that may arise. On the downside, it is troublesome for them to handle a project that requires low-level expertise. 

3. Hybrid Team

If you’re undecided between the two, why don’t you combine them? You can mix specialists and generalists together to get the best of both worlds. In doing so, the generalists can handle solutions in areas that they are good at. On the other hand, the specialists can focus on functional areas within their expertise.

Related Video: Building a Successful Software Team

Software Development Team: What Is the Ideal Size?

There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to the ideal number of people in a development team. Remember, a small team may be easier to manage. But since every team member plays a vital role in the project, losing one of them spells trouble. 

On the other hand, a bigger team can accomplish many tasks in a timeframe. The potential issue lies in how to effectively communicate and collaborate with many people. Nonetheless, you can use these key factors to determine the size of your team.

First, think about the complexity of your project. Consider what you need to accomplish and estimate the number of people that can work on it. Second, look into your finances—how many people can your budget accommodate? 

Moreover, you should also check into your available resources. Make sure it suits the team size you have in mind. And lastly, think about your timeline for market availability. If you’re short on time, it’s advisable to have as many people work on your project.

Related Video: Leadership Skills for Remote Teams

Software Development Team Roles: Who Does What and Other Specifics

Team dynamics vary from one company to another. But it doesn’t mean they don’t share the same elements. Here are the most common roles and responsibilities of each professional in a development team.

Product Owner

In the case of an in-house team, the product owner is the company. But if you’re an organization offering development services, like Full Scale, the product owner is your client. 

The product owner sets the vision of what the software should do and how it looks. It is also the person responsible for determining the needs of the end users. Most importantly, the client is also the one to set the standards and other project specifications.

Project Manager

The person who will communicate mainly with the product owner is the project manager. Aside from assisting the client, this person is also responsible for managing the team on a daily basis. 

The role also entails identifying the team goals and metrics for success. Most importantly, the project manager makes sure that processes are efficient and everyone is working within the set standard and timeline. If there are other requirements, the project manager also leads the team to accomplish them.

Software Architect

The software architect is a highly skilled software developer who designs the technical standards of the whole development lifecycle. Part of the job description is to choose the right tech stack, tools, and platforms.

The software architect may also be involved in the architectural design of the hardware environment. Or the job can be mainly on the design methodology of the code. 

Developer

Developers are also known as product engineers. Software developers make use of their programming skills in software development.

They carry out the functionalities required by the product owner. Aside from it, they also develop upgrades and updates for existing systems. And they are also involved in creating proper software documentation for future references.

UX Designer

The user experience designers ensure that end users have a positive experience using the software. They check the functionalities if it’s user-friendly and easy to navigate. At times, they assist the product owner in conducting user interviews and market research.

QA Analyst

The main duty of the QA analyst or tester is to make sure that quality assurance requirements are met. This professional also ensures that the software is ready to use before market deployment. This person’s tasks involve looking for bugs and other system flaws to avoid any software issues.

Your Development Team is the Building Block of Project Success

Without a doubt, your software development team is the driver of your project’s success. And with these notes, you’re more than ready to organize your team. The only thing to do now is to make sure that your hiring decisions fit your goals and business objectives. 

Do you need help with your software development project?

Full Scale offers offshore development services at a competitive fee. Our highly skilled and experienced developers can customize solutions based on your needs. All you need to do is discuss them with us.

What are you waiting for? Let’s work towards a successful software development project now. Partner with Full Scale now!