3 Key Lessons from Scaling Our Development Team
by Prabakaran A S, CTO
1. Measuring Productivity the Right Way
As our team expanded, we realized that measuring productivity isn’t just about tracking hours or the number of commits. The true measure of efficiency comes from evaluating the impact of work delivered.
We initially relied on traditional KPIs like sprint velocity and lines of code written, but soon realized these weren’t enough. Instead, we started focusing on outcome-driven metrics—like feature adoption and system reliability—to gauge real effectiveness.
Top tip
Encourage engineers to document their decisions. A well-written decision log helps prevent redundant discussions and speeds up future iterations.
2. Hiring for Growth Potential
As we scaled, we faced the challenge of balancing experience with adaptability. While hiring senior engineers was tempting, we found that a mix of experienced developers and fast-learning juniors brought the best results.
We built a mentorship program that helped junior developers ramp up quickly while allowing senior engineers to stay engaged in solving complex problems. This not only improved retention but also ensured long-term sustainability for our engineering team.
3. Scaling Without Breaking Culture
Growing a team quickly can strain company culture. We made an effort to maintain the close-knit environment we had when we were smaller by prioritizing transparency, regular feedback loops, and structured career development.
Additionally, we found that small, meaningful perks—like flexible work hours, personal learning budgets, and recognition programs—had a bigger impact than expensive office perks. Keeping a focus on employee well-being helped us maintain a strong, motivated team.
