What are some clear signs that a software team needs an organizational redesign? And how would you convince the C-suite that those changes are necessary?

Clear Signs a Redesign Is Needed
• Features slow down due to handoffs & dependencies.
• Teams are misaligned with product goals (functional silos vs. value streams).
• Delivery speed drops, tech debt piles up.
• Ownership gaps cause finger-pointing.
• Morale falls, attrition rises.
• Scaling fails (more people ≠ more output).
• Execs ask “why is everything so slow?” without clear answers.

How to Convince the C-Suite
• Translate pain into business impact: “Features take 3x longer; we risk losing revenue.”
• Use metrics: lead time, deployment frequency, attrition, cross-team dependencies.
• Show customer impact: delays = lost market share.
• Point to benchmarks: Team Topologies, value-stream orgs at high-performing firms.
• Pilot before big bang: prove success with one cross-functional squad.
• Frame as risk: not changing = slower time-to-market, higher churn.

The goal isn’t to fix the org chart — it’s to show that structure is blocking revenue, agility, and talent retention.

Some clear indicators that a software engineering team may require an organizational redesign include:
- Excessively large teams that hinder agile performance
- Unclear or overlapping responsibilities across roles
- Misalignment of job titles with actual responsibilities
- Insufficient leadership for Centers of Excellence or Practice
- A proliferation of siloed teams and fragmented practices

To convince the C-suite, start by defining the specific organizational and performance issues currently limiting the team. Emphasize how these structural gaps impact performance, culture, and business outcomes. Support this case with a detailed plan that includes a career ladder aligned to defined job families, roles, reporting structures, and growth paths. Highlight the cultural benefits of the redesign, demonstrating how it would enhance both collaboration and team coherence across the department.