Team Structure

[Nausing]

My COO has asked me to suggest some new team structures. I have some ideas in mind but wondered what you guys have in place?

 

We have a managed IT service provider but hoping to get rid of them to use that money for senior IT staff budgets.

 

He has suggested we have a flat structure with peoples names to services so it is clear who is responsible for what and those services can be cared for by a single person who has those skill sets.

 

Please advise on your thoughts.

[Sylv3r]

Personally, I am not sure this sort of structure works, what happens with regards to staff absence. I much prefer everybody is trained up with as much as possible. Then anybody can resolve an issue it helps with work load etc also, rather than possibly one person being lumped with everything.

 

I guess it depends on the size of the team, job shadowing may work if you go with your model and at least two people are aware of each service responsible. You therefore have a main person, and at least 1 other person in the event of absence etc.

[forkies]

We have someone who is labelled as IT Suite Support whose primary role is to support the IT Suites and general classroom tickets.

Then a senior technician who primarily deals with the staff laptops. This is the main split but then they help each other out when one is busier than the other.

I sit above as manager and deal with all server side, development and projects along with the other hats I have.

 

The senior tech is being trained up on all systems so if I am absent he can cover. The junior tech is being trained up fully on the day to day jobs of the senior tech so he can cover in his absence.

 

Ie, the person below the person is trained and covers the absence of the person above.

 

If the bottom person is absent then every one above knows everything about persons jobs below. If that makes sense?

[forkies]

Should also say. We did have a structure before where each member of the team was assigned a set of departments or systems to support as told to my the head. However his worked really badly, one person was always under a huge pile of work and the other twiddle thumbs. When one was absent it was a nightmare too. I then setup the structure as per previous post and it works quite well, just need another member of staff.

[elsiegee40]

I agree with Sylv3r

 

A flat structure sounds wonderful until someone is on holiday or off sick... or you get a new something and you are trying to work put who’s job it is to support it. Few teams are big enough to support that type of structure in any case.

[TechMonkey]

In my experience structures should always have some overlap, both horizontally and vertically. So in our structure I am training the deputy to cover the basic jobs of my role and I make sure I know, or have documented, the key processes and software he maintains. He then does the same with the Tech. I also have learnt key concepts for other areas I know I will be asked to cover or support in the advent of an issue. Documentation is key and collaboration, you have to think what would happen in case of long term illness, sudden loss (that damned big red bus again) or even someone leaving and them not being able to replaced straight away.

 

As for Structure, currently we are very simple, me, Deputy Manager and Tech. I am hoping to add a Data Manager and there is talk of a Repro Tech who may also do Social Media and marketing design. Less likely is the desire to have a web tech.

[Rob_D]

We've got 3 techs (2 IT and 1 repro), an assistant manager and network manager. The repro guy is kind of separate from the rest of us. The IT techs and the ANM all overlap knowledge with the ANM officially in charge of day to day support. The NWM does all line management for the team and strategic planning.

[gaz350b]

He has suggested we have a flat structure with peoples names to services so it is clear who is responsible for what and those services can be cared for by a single person who has those skill sets.

Please advise on your thoughts.

 

Most of our services have someone who is responsible for maintaining that service (Panning changes, ensuring documentation is up to date etc) then another person in the team will have that role as a sub responsibility reporting to that person. This obviously all depends on your team size and skill set and changes over time.

Edited February 23, 2018 by gaz350b