(2016-10-06) Dont Copy The Spotify Model

Don't Copy the Spotify Model. You shouldn’t copy it in your own organization. It changes all the time as people at Spotify learn and discover new things. There is no one way in which software is developed at Spotify.

Spotify uses a concept that they call Data Insights Beliefs Bets (DIBBs).

Spotify maintains a board with company bets; the things that they have to do right now. This board with bets is open to everyone in the company. (Thinking in Bets)

Floryan mentioned the organizational culture model by Edgar Schein, which indicates that you can only see a small part of the culture.

One of the basic assumptions of Spotify is autonomy. Squads are based on this assumption. They are small, empowered cross functional teams who have full life cycle ownership. (Whole Team)

Autonomy is futile without alignment, said Floryan. To achieve autonomy is very hard- there are lots of challenges. For example, trust is important in making autonomy work.

Being trusted without being given the right information leads you down the wrong path, said Floryan.

People at Spotify found out that the way of thinking and how things are done aligns with the ideas from Daniel Pink on autonomy, mastery and purpose, so they decide to try out other things from Pink’s book Drive.

A squad usually has three people who are the leaders and work together: someone who represents a product (a product owner), a technical lead or chapter lead who represents technology, and an agile coach who represents the process

The Spotify model changes all the time as people at Spotify learn and discover new things. We look at what we do, we examine the problems, and solve them, said Floryan. He quoted Taiichi Ohno stating, "you have to think for yourself and face your difficulties instead of trying to borrow wisdom".