TechLead-Story: Mattias Rauter, CTO at Denovo GmbH

TechLeadStory

Mattias Rauter

Role in Ongoing Development Projects

As CTO, my role involves making architectural decisions for our projects. Team collaboration is crucial, and I've transitioned into a mentor role, empowering the team and gathering valuable input. I'm also responsible for shaping the quality assurance framework and involved in resource planning for short, medium, and long-term perspectives.

Size and Organization of the Dev Team

The development team comprises 13 developers, 5 product owners, a designer, a tester, and a SCRUM master. Hybrid positions allow individuals to take on cross-functional roles based on their skill sets. The team, consisting of web/backend, iOS, and Android developers, is well-organized with a meaningful structure in place.

Team Organization and Advantages

The team operates using the SCRUM method in two-week sprints. SCRUM implementation began as the team expanded and was adjusted to fit existing structures. The strength lies in both predictability and adaptability to changes. Open communication across all team members on all topics is a fundamental SCRUM principle.

Team Specialties

The team takes pride in its cohesion and willingness to help. Each member finds joy in solving problems together, fostering high motivation. Team members bring enthusiasm for new technologies and regularly gather after work to stream events, gaining inspiration.

Recruiting Process and Integration of New Team Members

The recruiting process involves multiple stages, with the final interview including all team members. Team decisions contribute to an organic structure. The buddy system supports the integration of new developers from day one. Tools like the "Welcome-Map" and digital guides facilitate a smooth onboarding process.

Requirements for Developers

The team seeks team players who take responsibility and are open to criticism. The ability to question requirements and present alternative solutions is crucial.

Technological Challenges

Challenges include the constant evolution of technologies and the shift to Microservices and Serverless architectures. In the mobile app domain, regular OS updates pose additional challenges.

Technologies Used

In the backend, technologies such as Node.JS, Java Spring/Play, and Firebase Cloud Functions are utilized. Web development involves React, and databases include MongoDB, PostgreSQL, TimescaleDB, and MySQL.