By Kris Fajardo (ERNI Philippines)
Managing a development team with diverse technologies presents both challenges and opportunities. From skill gaps and integration issues to aligning expertise with project needs, effective leadership is key to ensuring productivity and innovation. Kris shares insights on overcoming these challenges, fostering cross-technology learning, and leveraging automation tools to streamline collaboration.
What are the main challenges you face when managing a team working with diverse technologies?
One of the biggest challenges is skill gaps, which impact communication and integration. A developer skilled in one technology may struggle to fully understand the work of a colleague using a different tech stack. These gaps can slow collaboration and create inefficiencies.
Another factor is the varying maturity levels of different technologies. Some are naturally faster in terms of delivery, while others require more time due to complexity or limitations. If these differences aren’t well understood, they can lead to issues mid-project.
To visualise this challenge, imagine a system of interconnected gears. If the gears don’t match in size and rotation speed, one will wear out faster, causing the entire system to fail. Similarly, without careful management, mismatched skill levels and technology speeds can disrupt a project’s flow.
How do you ensure skill diversity aligns with project needs and enhances team productivity?
Every project has a core objective, and understanding that objective is the first step in aligning skills effectively. For instance, if a project requires a highly scalable backend, we prioritise assigning developers with strong backend expertise.
Collaboration is also key. We work closely with customers to understand project requirements, then consult with technology subject-matter experts to match the right skill sets with project needs. This ensures that we assemble a team equipped to deliver the best possible outcome.
What strategies do you use to promote cross-technology learning and avoid knowledge silos?
One of the most effective ways is through proof-of-concept projects that combine multiple technologies. These projects highlight the benefits of integrating different tech stacks and encourage developers to expand their knowledge.
Additionally, working on different projects across various domains provides opportunities to experiment with new technologies. By exposing team members to diverse challenges, we help them develop a broader technical skill set and foster a culture of continuous learning.
How do automation and integration tools help streamline collaboration across different tech stacks?
Automation plays a crucial role in maintaining quality and efficiency across diverse technologies. Features like automated quality gates ensure that code integration meets required standards without additional manual effort. These gates not only validate performance but also enhance security, reducing the risk of integration failures.
By implementing automated pipelines and integration tools, we eliminate unnecessary friction between different tech stacks, allowing teams to focus on delivering high-quality solutions with greater confidence.
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