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Being a Tech Lead

Each multi-disciplinary team within DPSP should have one person acting as the Tech Lead for that team.

Role, not rank

The Tech Lead is a role within a team, not a job title or level of seniority.

Being the Tech Lead does not mean being the “most senior” or “most expert” person in the room. Teams often have individuals with deeper experience or specialised knowledge who do not take on this role. Instead, the Tech Lead focuses on facilitation, decision-making, and keeping the team aligned.

A Tech Lead is responsible for guiding the team’s technical direction. This includes:

  • Facilitating technical discussions and helping the team make sound decisions.

  • Acting as a point of coordination on technical matters, both within the team and with other teams.

  • Working closely with the other “Amigos” (Product, Delivery, Design) to ensure the team has a clearly defined and prioritised backlog of work

The role can shift depending on the context. Different people may take on the Tech Lead role in different teams, or at different times, depending on skills, project needs, and team composition.

Not the boss

The Tech Lead of a team is not the boss in two key ways:

  • They are not necessarily the line manager of their team members. They may provide feedback and work with line managers, and may contribute to but are not responsible for performance reviews, pay decisions, or career progression.

  • They are facilitator, not dictator. While the Tech Lead can be the deciding vote when agreement is not possible within a team, they should always be trying to create agreement and understanding on technical decisions.

Responsibilities

  • Technical alignment: guiding the team towards consistent approaches, patterns, and practices. Working with other teams to help inform and shape those approaches, patterns, and practices.

  • Decision facilitation: helping the team weigh options and reach timely decisions.

  • Communication: being a main contact for other teams and stakeholders on technical matters. Be the “developer that can be interrupted”.

  • Mentorship: supporting the growth of team members through sharing knowledge, reviewing code, and encouraging learning.

  • Balancing delivery and quality: helping the team navigate trade-offs between speed, maintainability, and technical debt.

  • Technology awareness: staying aware of emerging technologies, tools, and practices, and helping the team assess and adopt them proportionately where they offer clear value.