Startups can benefit from a fractional CTO who can make all the technical decisions without facing much pushback, offering exposure to diverse domains and the opportunity to learn something new every day.
Avoiding resume-oriented development and prioritizing practicality can help startups achieve better outcomes by focusing on building products as simply and efficiently as possible, rather than blindly following the trends or acolytes of certain technologies.
Deep dives
The Role of a Fractional CTO in Startups
The role of a fractional CTO in startups is less challenging in terms of dealing with politics and paperwork compared to a full-time CTO in a large company. Startups can benefit from a fractional CTO who can make all the technical decisions without facing much pushback. Additionally, working as a fractional CTO offers exposure to diverse domains and the opportunity to learn something new every day. Startups can gain the expertise of an experienced technical leader at an affordable price, while also receiving guidance in creating product specifications, technical architecture, and project plans.
The Challenges of Rushing into New Technologies
One of the challenges observed in the engineering world is the tendency to rush into new technologies without adequate analysis. This pattern often leads to unnecessary complexity and challenges in maintaining the developed systems. Startups, in particular, need to focus on building products as simply and efficiently as possible, rather than blindly following the trends or acolytes of certain technologies. Avoiding resume-oriented development and prioritizing practicality can help startups achieve better outcomes.
Ensuring Efficiency and Effective Management in Development Teams
To ensure efficiency in development teams, a fractional CTO adopts traditional methods such as using JIRA boards, sprint planning, and project management tools. Close communication with the developers and review of the code can help detect any inefficiencies or discrepancies in time tracking. Furthermore, a fractional CTO can promote a healthy engineering culture by choosing dev shops that prioritize continuous learning and provide support for developers. This close involvement helps maintain project timelines, monitor progress, and ensure the development team is aligned with the startup's goals.
Join Marc Adler, Fractional CTO & Chief Architect for startups at CTO-as-a-Service.
In this episode, Marc shares the challenges he's faced as a Fractional CTO & specifies the differences between a Fractional & a full-time CTO role. Moreover, he defines his strategies while working with dev teams, and explains how startups can benefit from a Fractional CTO. He also emphasizes creating clear documentation & the intricacies of working with development shops to set up high-efficiency teams with positive work culture.
Lastly, he discusses the role of ChatGPT & GitHub Copilot in shaping modern coding practices.
Beyond the Code is an exclusive series of podcasts with tech leaders across the globe, sharing learnings about dev processes, growth, culture, and well-being.