Spin it up, shut it down

When starting a new team/project, pause before diving into code - take time to align on strategy, principles and goals first

Keep teams small and focused initially - start with 2-3 key engineers who bring complementary skills rather than overloading early

Define clear ownership boundaries and decision-making authority for the new team to enable autonomous, fast-paced execution

Build feedback loops early through design partners, regular customer input, and transparent internal communication

Resist adding all existing processes/ceremonies immediately - let the team establish their own rhythm and add structure gradually

Stay org-aware and maintain perspective on broader company priorities - don’t get tunnel vision on just the new project

Create opportunities to celebrate and amplify early wins to build momentum and visibility

Monitor signals that indicate when it’s time to sunset a team: diminishing impact, forced roadmap, niche feature requests

Plan thoughtful handovers and transitions when winding down teams - ensure knowledge transfer and clear new ownership

Build with the assumption that teams may be temporary - make technical and process decisions that enable graceful transitions later