/team-structure Command

Design team topology for an organization using Team Topologies principles.

Usage

/team-structure "e-commerce platform"
/team-structure "data platform" teams=5
/team-structure "current org" mode=analyze
/team-structure "microservices migration" mode=evolve

Arguments

Argument	Required	Description
context	Yes	Organization, product, or system to design teams for
teams	No	Target number of teams (helps constrain design)
mode	No	design (default), analyze, or evolve

Modes

Design Mode (Default)

Create a new team structure from scratch:

1. Analyze architecture/bounded contexts
2. Identify team types needed
3. Map contexts to teams
4. Define interaction patterns
5. Assess cognitive load
6. Produce structure recommendation

Analyze Mode

Evaluate an existing team structure:

1. Map current teams and responsibilities
2. Classify team types
3. Identify anti-patterns
4. Assess cognitive load
5. Score interaction health
6. Recommend improvements

Evolve Mode

Plan evolution from current to target state:

1. Document current structure
2. Define target structure
3. Identify gaps
4. Plan transition phases
5. Define success criteria
6. Create roadmap

Workflow

Step 1: Load Skills

Load required skills for team design guidance:

Skills to load:
- team-topologies (team type definitions)
- inverse-conway (architecture alignment)
- cognitive-load-assessment (load analysis)
- interaction-patterns (interaction modes)
- team-api-design (team interfaces)

Step 2: Gather Context

Based on mode, gather relevant information:

For Design Mode:

• Architecture documentation
• Bounded context map
• Business value streams
• Technical complexity areas
• Organizational constraints

For Analyze Mode:

• Current team list and composition
• Team responsibilities
• Current pain points
• Delivery metrics (if available)
• Known friction areas

For Evolve Mode:

• Current state (teams, interactions)
• Target architecture
• Business drivers for change
• Timeline constraints
• Risk tolerance

Step 3: Spawn Team Architect Agent

Delegate to the team-architect agent for comprehensive analysis:

Task: Design team structure for {context}
Mode: {mode}
Constraints: {teams if specified}

Provide:
- Team type recommendations
- Bounded context mapping
- Interaction patterns
- Cognitive load assessment
- Evolution roadmap (if evolve mode)

Step 4: Present Results

Present the team structure design with:

1. Executive Summary - One paragraph overview
2. Team Structure Diagram - Visual representation
3. Team Details - Each team's type, mission, ownership
4. Interaction Map - How teams work together
5. Cognitive Load Summary - Load per team
6. Recommendations - Prioritized action items
7. Risks - Potential issues and mitigations

Output Format

# Team Structure: {context}

## Summary
{One paragraph overview of recommended structure}

## Team Structure Diagram
```text
{ASCII diagram showing teams and relationships}

Teams ({N} total)

Stream-Aligned Teams ({N})

Team	Mission	Bounded Context
{Name}	{Mission}	{Context}

Platform Teams ({N})

Team	Mission	Capabilities
{Name}	{Mission}	{What they provide}

Enabling Teams ({N})

Team	Focus	Current Engagements
{Name}	{Focus}	{Who they're helping}

Complicated-Subsystem Teams ({N})

Team	Specialist Area	Interface
{Name}	{Specialization}	{How others consume}

Interaction Patterns

{ASCII diagram showing interaction modes}

From	To	Mode	Notes
{Team}	{Team}	{Mode}	{Details}

Cognitive Load Summary

Team	Load Score	Status
{Team}	{X/75}	{🟢🟡🔴}

Recommendations

Immediate

1. {Action}
2. {Action}

Short-term

1. {Action}
2. {Action}

Long-term

1. {Action}
2. {Action}

Risks

Risk	Impact	Mitigation
{Risk}	{Impact}	{Strategy}

Examples

Example 1: E-commerce Platform

/team-structure "e-commerce platform"

Output highlights:

• 6 stream-aligned teams (Catalog, Cart, Checkout, Payments, Fulfillment, Customer)
• 1 platform team (Developer Platform)
• 1 enabling team (DevOps Enablement)
• 1 complicated-subsystem team (Search/Recommendations)

Example 2: Analyze Existing Structure

/team-structure "current org" mode=analyze

Output highlights:

• 12 teams analyzed
• 3 anti-patterns identified (layer-oriented teams, shared service bottleneck)
• Cognitive load issues in 2 teams
• Recommendations for restructuring

Example 3: Plan Evolution

/team-structure "monolith to microservices" mode=evolve

Output highlights:

• Current: 2 large teams
• Target: 5 stream-aligned teams + platform
• 3-phase transition plan
• Risk mitigations for each phase

Related Commands

• /cognitive-load - Deep dive on cognitive load for a team
• /wardley-map - Strategic analysis for team positioning

Related Skills

• team-topologies - Team type definitions and patterns
• inverse-conway - Architecture-team alignment
• cognitive-load-assessment - Load measurement methodology
• interaction-patterns - Interaction mode guidance

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Last Updated: 2025-12-26