Tribe
In the context of the Spotify Model, a Tribe is a collection of squads that share a similar business domain or area of expertise within an organization. It is a large organizational unit that brings together multiple cross-functional teams (squads) working on related products, services, or components.
Key characteristics of a Tribe in the Spotify Model include:
- Common Purpose: Tribes are formed around a common mission, purpose, or business domain. They typically focus on delivering value to a specific set of customers or users.
- Autonomy: Each Tribe is granted a degree of autonomy in how they organize, plan, and deliver their work. They have the freedom to adopt practices that best suit their context and goals.
- Alignment: Despite their autonomy, Tribes align with the overall strategic objectives of the organization. They work together to ensure that their efforts are contributing to the company’s larger mission.
- Chapter and Guilds: Within a Tribe, individuals with similar roles or skills form Chapters. Chapters create a support network for skill development and knowledge sharing. Guilds, on the other hand, are cross-Tribe communities of interest where employees share knowledge and collaborate on specific topics.
- Tribe Lead: Each Tribe has a designated Tribe Lead, who serves as a leader and advocate for the Tribe. The Tribe Lead is responsible for creating a collaborative and high-performing environment.
- Scaling: As an organization grows, the number of Tribes may increase to accommodate new business areas or domains.
The Spotify Model, or the Agile Scaling Model used by Spotify, is a framework for scaling agile practices in large organizations. It emphasizes a decentralized, cross-functional, and collaborative approach to product development and aims to foster innovation, autonomy, and alignment.
It’s worth noting that the term “Tribe” is specific to the Spotify Model and may not be used in the same way in other scaling frameworks or agile methodologies. Different organizations may have their own terminology and structures for scaling agile practices based on their unique needs and context.