From 20-Squad Chaos to 60% Faster Handoffs
Reclaiming focus by fixing org topology debt
Frustration
Commander Arcturon
Head of Engineering
My Role
Team Topologies Strategy & Delivery Optimization
⚠️ The Problem
What began as a lean, high-speed org model with elite "Energon Pods" had scaled to over 20 squads—each with its own protocols, tech stacks, and mission objectives. Every warrior was doing inter-team diplomacy just to get a feature out the door. Leaders unknowingly shifted the burden of coordination down the chain. Suddenly, every Mech-unit had to liaise with half the galaxy just to complete basic functions. Context switching spiraled out of control. The unseen cost of exposing each individual bot to every other division caused paralysis, confusion, and delivery delays with no clear villain. What worked with 3 pods now broke with 20.
💥 The Impact
Morale dropped. Timelines stretched. And the real kicker? Leadership couldn't even point to what was wrong. Responsibility blurred. Feature costs exploded. And what was once Cybertron's most efficient engineering fleet had become its slowest moving juggernaut.
Fix
Framework
Team Topologies-based strategy, forged for planetary-scale orgs. Mission: untangle the chaos, realign command, and refocus delivery energy.
⚡ Actions Taken
Mapped inter-squad energy flows to expose topology debt and friction zones
Pulled coordination responsibility back into command, freeing up frontline Mechs
Introduced "Chunk Switching Cost" diagnostics to quantify how much focus was being lost
Built clear protocols and sync relays between squads to reduce random cross-talk
🎯 Outcomes
Cross-squad handoffs dropped by over 60%
Feature delivery accelerated by 35% on average
Engineers reclaimed their focus—and their fire
Commander Arcturon finally had a tactical map of what was dragging velocity into the void
Future
💡 Key Lesson
More squads ≠ more speed. Without structure and clear command boundaries, you don't scale—you stall.
📋 Prescriptions
Reclaim coordination at the command level. Don't offload org complexity onto your units
Use Team Topologies to optimize for flow, not just org charts
Track Chunk Switching Cost—if your team's syncing more than shipping, you've got a problem
Facing similar challenges?
Let's talk. I'll help you decode the gap, align your team, and weaponize AI for speed, not chaos.
Schedule a Tactical Briefing