Field notes
Conway's Law says the system will mirror the communication structures of the organisation that builds it. That means the team structure is part of the architecture, not an HR matter solved in parallel. Deliberately choosing team topology, responsibilities and interaction patterns is therefore an important architecture decision which, like architecture in general, needs to evolve with conditions and needs.
Use Team Topologies: Stream-aligned, Enabling, Complicated Subsystem and Platform. Keep the teams long-lived and aligned to a flow of change.
If the initiative is of a delivery type, we will warn when choices are made about Ways of working that deviate from our recommendation for achieving long-term changeability. Deviations are marked in orange, together with an explanation.
As usual we recommend thinking minimally about team structure too. Do not start on day one with a large number of teams, or with big teams. A single team of 2–3 people usually goes a very long way. You can always grow later, but do it as late as possible.
We suggest what we call the gardening model as the style of engagement. It means that a certain pace is set for the team, and that it continues until the initiative is wound down. (The pace can of course be shifted up and down over time.) New functionality is added as the need arises, in between weeds are cleared continuously, operations are tended and adjusted, new problems that crop up are solved, and so on.
The opposite is that a team is brought in for new development, and once the initiative is "done" it is handed over to a maintenance organisation.
We usually recommend a demo once a week. After the demo the intent-owner decides what is most important next. That becomes input to the following week's work.