Team Dynamics as a Predictor of Software Quality

Software quality issues are often blamed solely on technical factors. However, this paper argues that team dynamics - collaboration, communication, and psychological safety - significantly influence software quality, impacting defects and maintainability. Drawing on 40 years of industry experience, I reflect on how team dysfunctions affected software outcomes and the decisions made (and not made) regarding team structure and communication. I introduce Jim and Michele McCarthy's Core Protocols as a method to measure and improve team dynamics.

This paper details practical implementation of these protocols within software teams, sharing both successes and challenges encountered. By candidly recounting these experiences, this work aims to provide practitioners with actionable insights into using team dynamics as a key driver for consistently higher quality software.

Paper | Presentation

Fazeel Gareeboo

I am a software development director at EA, managing a team that provides automated builds and smoke-tests for the game teams. I grew up on the island of Mauritius and worked in Europe before settling in the United States.