Management does not come naturally to everyone. But you can still oversee software development effectively and successfully, even if you're not a developer.
Management is not easy for many people. This is especially true if you're leading a team with a skill set that doesn't fall within your area of expertise. When you are overseeing a software development team that includes professionals with highly specialized qualifications, it can seem daunting, especially when you don't have the same knowledge and experience.
Even if you have development experience — say, if you're the chief technology officer (CTO) and have spent time in the software trenches — you'll find that management is a whole different ballgame.
That's not to say you can't manage a software development team. You absolutely can. See how.
1. Set goals and expectations
In software development, gathering requirements is typically the first step in the project . Requirements refer to the minimum specifications that a product must meet to be declared complete and successful.
Requirements are important factors in determining the overall project objectives. You will probably have other goals as well. The essential thing is to define specific expectations and objectives so that the software development team can meet them. In addition to the objectives, it is also important to define how to achieve them, whether the team will be focused on quick or quality results.
2. Divide the tasks
You know that there are different roles in a software development team, including UX designers and quality assurance (QA) specialists, along with the developers themselves. But even within these departments and teams, there are diverse responsibilities and specialties.
As a manager, you need to understand the responsibilities within individual categories and divide tasks accordingly. For example, among software developers, understand the distinctions between full-stack, back-end, and front-end developers so you can assign roles appropriately and ensure everyone knows who should do what.
3. Conduct regular one-on-one meetings
When you're responsible for an entire project, you often focus on the big picture rather than the individual pieces. But it's important to understand the smaller components that contribute to product development.
Having regular one-on-one meetings with team members will not only keep you informed about project progress, but also give your employees space to share any thoughts or concerns they may have. This is also a way to better understand and get to know the diverse personalities on your team and conceptualize how they can work better together.
4. Provide autonomy to your team members
Nobody likes being micromanaged. And managers who micromanage often introduce more problems than they prevent or solve. Recognize that whether or not you hired your team members , they were hired for a reason, and that reason is that they are talented.
Does this mean that all team members, at all levels, should have the same level of responsibility and autonomy? No. But, as far as possible, empower your employees to act independently. Some may even have difficulty not obeying you. If you find this to be the case, find ways to encourage them. For example, let them know when they can make a specific decision on their own.
5. Prioritize
Part of managing a project and team effectively is knowing which issues require urgent attention and which can be set aside for now, along with what takes precedence at any given time. In other words, you will need to prioritize tasks.
You will also need to prioritize on behalf of the team. If you can handle tasks that aren't your expertise, try taking them off your plates – perhaps even working on them yourself.
6. Establish communication channels and methods
Remote and in-person teams need channels to communicate smoothly and efficiently. Establish multiple forms of contact, such as Slack, Zoom, email, and so on.
In addition to determining how you will communicate, share these expectations with your team. Decide which methods should be used at various times. If, for example, someone has a question that requires urgent attention, you can ask them to use Slack. Meanwhile, if you need to discuss a topic in depth, a face-to-face Zoom meeting could be the answer.
7. Use collaboration and project management tools
Collaboration is essential to bring a project to fruition. How can you improve this important quality in your team? Project management tools are often at least part of the answer. Platforms like Trello, Wrike, Asana, and many others will allow you and others to visualize progress and see how the pieces fit together. Plus, you can assign individual tasks and due dates to one or multiple task owners, so everyone knows how they fit into the bigger picture.
8. Build a chain of command
Make it clear from the beginning how your team will operate. If something goes wrong, who should they inform first? This could be you, but lower-level team members may have an intermediary to whom they should escalate the issue.
This applies to you too. Problems may arise that are outside your knowledge or area of expertise. Know who to notify and ask if you find yourself in this situation.
9. Be consistent
Unpredictability is difficult for everyone. And when it's a quality of a manager, it can be exhausting and impossible to cope with. That's why it's important to be as consistent as possible in terms of expectations, policies and practices.
A part of this is remembering that everyone on the project contributes to its ultimate success. Don't defend software developers and dismiss other team members' opinions because of their different skill sets. You need to understand that these professionals work together to achieve solid results.
10. Ask questions
Whether or not you're tech-savvy, you won't have all the answers all the time. And that’s okay – no one expects you to know everything. If you have any questions, just ask.
Maybe a team member uses a technical term you don't understand, or maybe you're curious about how a specific task affects the final product. Ultimately, it's much better to ask than to pretend you know the answer. If you do the latter, you will be in trouble now or later. But if you address the topic when it arises, you can proceed with the necessary knowledge.
Management is rarely a simple process. Some people are natural leaders, but that doesn't mean the skill can't be learned. No matter what your knowledge or experience, you can lead a team to success — and this process can help.
