We don’t have to tell you that things move fast these days, especially in the tech world. With that in mind, when undertaking something like app development, it is crucial that everyone involved is on their toes and striving for efficiency. While larger teams may seem like the obvious choice to accomplish this, it is often the small, tight-knit groups that shine brightest in delivering apps quickly and effectively.
We’ve spoken before about our success with teams of three. In our experience, working with these small teams ensures that decision-making is swift, communication is simplified and contained, and everyone knows what part they are expected to play. It also allows each member to showcase their expertise in a way that truly matters.
Of course, we bring in additional skill sets when required, when an extra helping hand is needed. But at its core, Mondo is a big believer in sticking to those small teams – and this ideology has resulted in a lot of successful projects (425+ and counting…). Many of those projects are related to app development, where we think the small teams really shine. Here are five reasons why small teams are best for rapid app development (and tech dev in general):
Streamlined Communication
Open and effective communication is an integral part of any successful project. Things will soon become messy if you can’t clearly communicate the result you are all working toward and what the project needs to reach that point.
Small teams are at an advantage when it comes to streamlining communication channels. With fewer layers of hierarchy and bureaucracy, ideas can flow freely, decisions are made quickly, and feedback loops are contained within the small group.
The result of this seamless communication? Issues are resolved in no time at all, meaning that the development process can remain on track and stay responsive to any changing requirements. And at the end of the day, small teams are better equipped to adapt, iterate and innovate at a pace that keeps them ahead of the curve.
Staying Flexible
We’ve already mentioned being adaptable, but it bears further attention. In today’s busy and ever-changing tech world, the ability to adapt and pivot is essential for success.
This is where small teams excel. For one thing, there are fewer people to worry about – so less time is spent discussing which potential new direction to take. This ensures that they are better equipped to remain flexible.
Whether shifting priorities, embracing emerging tech, or responding to user feedback during testing, small teams can swiftly pivot without being bogged down by slow and inconvenient processes. This enables them to rapidly iterate, refine their approach, and deliver updates to the app in record time, ensuring that it remains relevant and competitive – and works as it should! – in a busy and evolving market.
Specialised Expertise
At Mondo, every team member has something unique they bring to the table. We’re sure this is also the case in your business. In larger teams, however, sometimes the skill of one person or more can be overlooked or lost in the fray with so many hands on deck. As a result, not only can that make people feel undervalued, but it also can lead to an important skill set – one that perhaps is especially useful for the project – not being utilised when it should be.
Small teams take care of this issue. Each member can apply their specialised expertise and contribute their knowledge to the project, ensuring success (or showing gaps that can be fixed by an extra set of hands being brought in.) Whether it be design, coding, testing or otherwise, team members excel in their respective domains, allowing for a high degree of efficiency and proficiency in every aspect of app development.
This focused skill set ensures that every task is handled with precision and expertise, minimising errors and maximising productivity… a result that every tech team strives to achieve. With each team member playing a crucial role in the development process, small teams can deliver high-quality apps in a fraction of the time it would take larger, less specialised teams.
Minimal Overhead, Maximum Productivity
Smaller teams equal less time and expenses wasted. At least, we hope that’s the case in your business; otherwise, something is not working as it should.
At Mondo, our teams of three operate with minimal overhead, allowing them to focus their time and resources on actual development work rather than frustrating and tedious administrative tasks. Decision-making is also decentralised, unnecessary paperwork is kept to a minimum, and collaboration is seamless.
As you can imagine, this lean and efficient approach translates to maximum productivity, as team members can devote their energy to tasks that directly contribute to the app’s development and success – exactly how it should be for any project.
Cohesive Teams, Strong Motivation
If you’ve ever been part of a large friend group, you know friendship is generally not evenly spread throughout the entire gang. Often, you’ll end up with some who are closer, others who wouldn’t hang out with the rest if not for that one person, a few who go off and do their own thing from time to time, and so on.
Large tech teams are similar – while there is a sense of camaraderie, it’s nowhere near as strong as it might be if you shrunk the group down to three or so members.
With smaller teams, there is often a more profound sense of cohesion and solidarity among its members. Their shared vision and common goal motivate them to collaborate closely, support one another, and go the extra mile to succeed.
We have found that smaller teams also foster a more positive work environment, where creativity thrives, morale stays high, and everyone is inspired to deliver their best work – at an accelerated pace.
Are Small Teams for Everyone?
Maybe not. Every business has its own way of working, and we’re sure plenty thrive on having as many hands on deck as possible. And we’re not suggesting that you change things up if what your team does works brilliantly and delivers serious outcomes.
We’re just pointing out what works for us – when it comes to app development or other projects. Perhaps you operate similarly, or you’re open to something new. If you’d like to know more about how things work behind the scenes at Mondo or are looking for a small team to take on your new app idea, then drop us a line.
