Team Topologies: Organizing Business and Technology Teams for Fast Flow

by Matthew Skelton

Stream-aligned teams are the primary team form. These are teams that are optimized for flow, with all they need to effect continuous delivery of value and be fully responsive to the associated feedback cycles. This means that system design seeks not just loose coupling but a decomposition that supports flow and lowers dependencies and coordination needs between stream-aligned teams. Complicated-subsystem and platform teams reduce load for stream-aligned teams, where the latter are internal customers of the former’s subsystem or platform capabilities (supporting all phases of development, delivery, and operations for multiple stream teams). Enabling teams likewise serve other teams, but they are service providers, helping stream-aligned teams learn new techniques, investigate new technologies, and so forth, allowing stream-aligned teams to retain focus while growing effectiveness.