Product Management from high velocity to stable organisation

Product Management: Going from a high velocity tech-team during the 1st year to a stable organisation during the 2nd year.

Part 1 “The overarching idea of how to navigate the first two years”

Intro

In this article we will go through the basics on a very macro level of how at Pyratzlabs we quickly build a tech-team to bring the idea of our start-up founders to market and test our product very quickly during the first year until we gain enough traction to raise more funds and organise/grow the tech-team and prepare them for the second year. In this part 1 of a series of articles we will discuss the overarching idea of how we build and manage a start-up’s tech-team during the first 2 years. In future articles we will dig deeper inside how we built, grew, managed the tech-team at our fastest growing start-up “DOGAMÍ” on a micro level (and we’ll make sure to share some hilarious anecdotes along the way ;) )

As fast-growing web3 startups experience tremendous acceleration in their first year at Pyratzlabs, their tech team must quickly adapt to the changing needs of the organisation. The team’s structure and organisation must change as it grows larger and more structured to accommodate the new demands of the business. The second year of the startup is critical, as it will determine the company’s long-term success.

The 1st Year

The first year of our startups is often characterised by a small team working around the clock to bring an innovative product to market. During this phase, the team is flexible and adaptable, often working on different areas of the project as needed. However, as the startup grows and more resources are needed, the team must become more structured to support the company's growth. This means bringing in new team members and creating clear roles and responsibilities.

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The first step in this process is to identify the new roles and responsibilities that are needed. This can involve creating new positions, such as a product manager or a software architect. These positions help to ensure that the product is being developed in a way that is consistent with the company's vision and goals. They can also help to streamline the development process, reduce inefficiencies, and improve communication within the team. It is all about going from a truly hectic speed to a smooth and efficient cruising speed for our boats.

As the team grows, it's essential to establish clear communication channels. This can be achieved through regular team meetings (as long as they are well framed and last less than 10 minutes), project management tools, and clear lines of communication between team members. It's also important to establish a culture of transparency and accountability, where team members are encouraged to speak up and share their ideas and concerns.

The 2nd Year

As the startup enters its second year, it's important to evaluate the team's progress and identify areas for improvement. This can be done through regular performance reviews, feedback from customers, and data analysis. By measuring the team's performance, the startup can identify areas where improvements can be made, and make the necessary changes to ensure that the team is working at its best.

Another important factor to consider is the development process itself. As the startup grows, the development process may need to become more structured to ensure that code is written to a consistent standard and that changes are properly tested and integrated into the product. This can be achieved through the use of software development methodologies such as Agile or Scrum. Our personal advice is not to blindly follow a written framework but make a personal combination of multiple frameworks to better handle all the contraints that you team may have (which are different for every teams).

Finally, it's essential to provide the team with the resources they need to succeed. This can include investing in training and development programs, providing access to the latest tools and technologies, and offering competitive salaries and benefits. By investing in the team, the startup can ensure that it attracts and retains the best talent, and that the team is motivated and engaged.

In Conclusion

A fast-growing web3 startup must be prepared to adapt and evolve its tech team as it grows. This can involve creating new roles and responsibilities, establishing clear communication channels, evaluating performance, improving the development process, and providing the team with the resources they need to succeed. By making these changes, the startup can ensure that its tech team is able to support the company's growth and help it achieve long-term success.

In part 2 of this series of articles entitled “Product Management: Going from high velocity to a stable organisation” we will go deep inside the rabbit hole of Dogamí’s tech-team. We will look at every single person in the Tech-Team and how each one of them handled the first year at Dogami and made the necessary changes to get themselves ready for the changes brought by the second year in order to be just as successful.