So as we wrap up this series on building a successful development team you will see that there is one major underlying factor that runs through each topic that we discussed. Communication is the current that keeps the team alive, and functioning, it is the lifeblood of each development team.

If you were to look at different situations that the team faced and how whether it failed or passed with flying colors, it was due to communication. Any problems that arise can be overcome if the team is communicating, and at times they can even be avoided.

When we discussed writing our code in a way that would help our teammates easily be able to pick it up, and perform their duties one of the key elements was commenting in our code so that those reading it could browse through it easily and get to where they needed to go quickly. By using commenting we let them know where to find things in the page that are most important to them.

We can even communicate by the way our code is written, for example I may be very adept at writing my css in single line shorthand, but an engineering for whom css isn’t in their primary set of skills may need things spelled out and written on multiple lines so they can read it easier. In so doing this I am communicating on their level, which isn’t less than mine… just different. Does this mean that I write bad css because it isn’t single line, and in shorthand… no it means that even though I can do that (and should when allowed) I do what is best for the team, and the project.

Outside of the way we write our code, the way we interact with others in the team was covered in the next two parts of the series.

In watching the games currently happening in the NCAA basketball tournament I am amazed at the fast past and often hectic environment of the games. It is amazing to see teams dominate their opponents, and to see other overcome insurmountable odds to achieve their victories. The one thing that is common, no matter a teams skill level, is that the teams that win.. communicate. When there is a stop in the action they huddle up, regroup and assess what they need to do to either continue in winning or what they need to do to catch up, and overtake the other team. The most important aspect of this is that they don’t just do it one time, but over and over again throughout the course of the game, challenging, supporting, and putting their heads together to find out ways to achieve their goals.

There is no doubt that we will face challenges at our jobs, and within the teams that we are apart of. The key is to keep the lines of communication open. The key to development team success doesn’t lie in having the most skilled people, or using the latest technology, but it lies in a group of team members that are willing to keep a few principles at the forefront of their minds.

1. Teams succeed when we help make the people around us more successful.
2. Communication is key, if I keep quiet, I can’t expect to see results.
3. The people on the team shouldn’t be seen as agendas (though they may have them) but instead they should be seen as people who represent project/product needs that are crucial to success.
4. Don’t take yourself to seriously, be passionate about what you do love it, and it will help in creating a positive atmosphere for the team.

These have been just a few principles that I have learned working in a development team environment. By no means am I the authority on the matter, we are all in different scenarios, and will have to experience failures and successes, but hopefully this series will help us to contribute to the success of the teams we are apart of.