Rennebo

The “Spotify Model” is an agile framework that gained popularity after a presentation by Henrik Kniberg and Anders Ivarsson from Spotify in 2012. The presentation described how Spotify organized its engineering and product development teams to promote a culture of agility, collaboration, and innovation.

It’s important to note that the term “Spotify Model” is not an officially recognized agile framework like Scrum or SAFe. Instead, it is a set of agile practices and principles that were successful within the context of Spotify at that time. Other organizations have also adopted and adapted some of these practices to fit their specific needs.

Key characteristics of the Spotify Model include:

1. Tribes and Squads: The organization is divided into “Tribes,” which are large groups aligned around a specific product or business area. Each Tribe consists of multiple “Squads,” which are smaller cross-functional teams responsible for specific features or components.
2. Autonomy and Empowerment: Squads are given a high level of autonomy, allowing them to make decisions about how they work, what they work on, and how they deliver value to customers.
3. Chapter and Guilds: Employees are organized into “Chapters,” which are communities of practice with similar skills or roles. “Guilds” are informal communities that span across different Tribes, allowing employees to share knowledge, best practices, and learn from each other.
4. Spotify’s Agile Framework: The Squads typically use agile practices like Scrum or Kanban to manage their work, with regular iterations and continuous improvement.
5. Focus on Culture: The Spotify Model places significant emphasis on creating a culture of learning, collaboration, and continuous improvement. It values experimentation and learning from failures.
6. Product and User-Centric: The focus of development is on delivering value to users and customers, with a strong product-oriented approach.

It’s worth noting that the Spotify Model has evolved over time, and Spotify itself has made changes to its organizational structure and ways of working. Moreover, while the model gained popularity and was seen as an inspiring example of agile implementation, it might not be suitable for every organization’s specific needs and context.

As with any agile framework or set of practices, it is essential to adapt and tailor the approach to fit the unique requirements and culture of the organization. Organizations should continuously inspect and adapt their agile practices to optimize their effectiveness and align with their goals and values.