Home > Articles > Software Development & Management > Agile

This chapter is from the book

5.10 The Matrix: Solve It or Dissolve It

  • Half the world is so used to matrix management as to take the scheme for granted. The other half just thinks it’s bizarre.
  • —Tom DeMarco in Slack,23 p. 15

A matrix structure is one whose members have two bosses—typically a project manager for day-to-day work and a longer-term function lead for performance appraisals and training. In case of IT-B, the project managers work with product owners who either come from the business or liaise with people from the business. Function leads in IT-B have titles like head/VP/director of architecture, development, UX, database, testing, or release management. Function leads own “resources” (e.g., developers, testers) who get assigned to projects as needed. Given that IT is itself a “function,” an IT-matrix represents a functional organization within a functional organization—a near guarantee of pain. From business’s point of view, they are the verticals (lines of business) in the matrix and the different IT functions are horizontals. From IT-B’s point of view, the functions are verticals and the different projects are horizontals. As shown in Figure 5-7, we use the latter frame for our discussion. The verticals in an IT-B matrix are activity oriented whereas the horizontals (projects) are outcome oriented. As work moves through the software delivery value stream, it is handed over from one vertical to the other in the IT-B matrix. As explained in Section 5.2.1, these handoffs present a structural impediment for short cycle times.

Figure 5-7

Figure 5-7 Typical IT-B matrix

Matrix structures are probably okay where the verticals don’t have to engage with each other in a fast-moving value stream; for example, a sales organization may be set up as a matrix with verticals for different product lines and horizontals for different regions. However, a matrix is inappropriate for an IT-B organization that aims for continuous delivery. Continuous delivery requires continuous collaboration—a lot of it unscripted. It is something with which the verticals in a matrix simply can’t cope.

While no matrix structure is suitable for continuous delivery, some are worse than others. In the following section, we’ll explore different types of matrices and contrast them with cross-functional teams.

A handoff between two verticals in a matrix can be represented as a queue; for example, development does its work and puts it in the queue of the testing team. A vertical may have a single queue for all incoming work or one queue per project. In the latter case, specific people may be assigned to handle a given project’s queue or it might just be a capacity allocation without fixed people assignment. The relative merits of various configurations are illustrated in Figure 5-8 and discussed below. Modern business by necessity trades cost-efficiency for responsiveness because business agility is a critical success factor.

Figure 5-8

Figure 5-8 Performance characteristics of various team designs

5.10.1 Matrix of Shared Services

A matrix of shared services allocates both capacity and people just in time i.e. all projects share a single queue for a given function. There is no certainty of available capacity for projects. Wait times are indefinite but resource utilization is maximal. This is the worst possible matrix configuration for continuous delivery.

5.10.2 Matrix with Dedicated Capacity and Fungible People

In this case, every project gets its own queue and a certain number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) to service the queue, but the actual people who make up the FTEs aren’t fixed. Although this makes for flexible work assignment, there is drastic loss of context as people switch tasks.

5.10.3 Matrix with Dedicated Capacity and People

Here, we assign a fixed set of people to a product for an agreed-upon period of time. Product owners still have a tough time getting their work done through the different layers from left to right. Occasional power struggles break out between outcome owners and function leads. It is still bad in the sense that there are too many handoffs. There is a tendency for batch size to go up. It does not encourage continuous collaboration, and hence, we see a lot of meetings taking place.

In my experience, a matrix organization can achieve monthly releases at best. But release interval is not the same as cycle time. Monthly releases imply a minimum cycle time of a month, very likely much higher; for example, it might take six months for a new feature to move through all the verticals of a matrix before it is released.

5.10.4 Monolithic Cross-functional Product Team

Figure 5-9 shows self-sufficient cross-functional product teams. The product team is fully accountable for the success of the product. It is almost like a different business unit except that they still depend on external shared verticals such as finance, admin, legal, and HR. Each product team has one person in charge as the outcome owner.

Figure 5-9

Figure 5-9 Monolithic cross-functional product teams

5.10.5 Cross-functional Setup with Activity-oriented Subteams

A single monolithic team may be unworkable after a certain size. At that point, the outcome owner may choose to assign an additional manager to the largest groups of specialists, for example, a manager for the developers or the inside salespeople.

5.10.6 Cross-functional Setup with Outcome-oriented Subteams

It is better to scale big product teams by creating teams that own suboutcomes rather than activities. Apart from the advantage of responsiveness, this also promotes modular software architecture. Conway’s law24 states that the design of a system is likely to reflect the communication structure of its team. Accordingly, monolithic teams tend toward monolithic architectures, layered teams (separate teams for front end, business logic, persistence, etc.) tend toward layered architectures, and teams that own different product modules will tend toward a modular architecture. The ThoughtWorks Technology Radar called it the “Inverse Conway Maneuver.”25

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020