The Four Team Topologies

Engineering Organization and Team Leadership · 5:33

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Lyrics

[Verse 1]
When you're building software teams that really work
Four types of structure help you get unstuck
Stream-aligned teams own the product end to end
They deliver value that customers depend
Platform teams build the roads that others drive
Enabling teams teach skills to keep teams alive
Complicated subsystem needs specialist care
Let's learn when and how to use each one with flair

[Chorus]
Stream Platform Enable Complex
Four team types that architects select
Stream flows fast Platform supports
Enable teaches Complex reports
Remember S-P-E-C when you design
Four team topologies working in line

[Verse 2]
Stream-aligned teams are autonomous and quick
They own features from database to the click
Cross-functional skills within a single crew
Marketing to deployment they see it through
Fast feedback loops and minimal dependencies
They ship to users with consistent frequencies
One product stream with cognitive load that's light
They innovate and iterate both day and night

[Chorus]
Stream Platform Enable Complex
Four team types that architects select
Stream flows fast Platform supports
Enable teaches Complex reports
Remember S-P-E-C when you design
Four team topologies working in line

[Verse 3]
Platform teams create the foundation strong
Internal services that help other teams along
Self-service APIs and tooling they provide
So stream teams focus on the customer side
Think cloud infrastructure or shared databases
Authentication systems and deployment spaces
They reduce the load on product-focused crews
Platform as a service with internal users

[Bridge]
Enabling teams are coaches on the side
They spread good practices far and wide
Complex subsystem teams are specialists rare
For algorithms that need extraordinary care

[Verse 4]
Enabling teams don't build products themselves
They're consultants improving everyone else
Security experts or testing gurus too
They teach and mentor then fade from view
Complicated subsystem teams are few
Mathematical models or machine learning too
Specialized knowledge that's hard to find
They serve other teams with their expert mind

[Chorus]
Stream Platform Enable Complex
Four team types that architects select
Stream flows fast Platform supports
Enable teaches Complex reports
Remember S-P-E-C when you design
Four team topologies working in line

[Outro]
Choose your topology based on what you need
Stream for products Platform for speed
Enable for learning Complex for expertise
Four team types bring organizational peace

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