Engineering Guilds: Fostering Expertise and Community in Tech organisations

17 Jul 2024 • Wayne Thompson

Developing engineering culture in an organisation is not a simple task. Organisations can be too focused on feature development and project delivery, which can lead to a lack of focus on the professional development and collaboration of their engineering teams.

One approach that has gained popularity in recent years is the concept of engineering guilds. In this post, we’ll explore what engineering guilds are, their benefits, and how to implement them effectively.

What are Engineering Guilds?

Engineering guilds are cross-functional groups within an organisation that bring together professionals with similar skills or interests, regardless of their team or project assignments. Inspired by medieval craft guilds, these modern counterparts aim to create communities of practice within larger organisations.

Key Benefits of Engineering Guilds

Knowledge Sharing: Guilds provide a platform for engineers to share experiences, discuss challenges, and exchange solutions across different teams and projects.
Skill Development: Through regular meetings, workshops, and presentations, guild members can enhance their skills and stay updated on the latest technologies and best practices.
Standardization: Guilds can help establish and maintain coding standards, best practices, and common tools across the organisation.
Innovation: By bringing together diverse perspectives, guilds can foster innovation and creative problem-solving.
Career Growth: Participation in guilds can offer leadership opportunities and increase visibility within the organisation.
Breaking Silos: Guilds help prevent the formation of knowledge silos by encouraging cross-team collaboration.

Implementing Engineering Guilds

Identify Areas of Focus: Start by identifying key areas of expertise or technology stacks that are crucial to your organisation (e.g., Front-end Development, DevOps, Data Science).
Establish Leadership: Each guild should have a lead or a small group of leaders who can organize meetings, set agendas, and guide discussions.
Set Clear Objectives: Define what the guild aims to achieve, whether it’s standardizing practices, solving specific problems, or advancing skills in a particular area.
Regular Meetings: Schedule consistent meetings, but be flexible to accommodate different time zones and work schedules.
Encourage Participation: Make guild participation voluntary but encouraged. Recognize and reward active contributors.
Create Communication Channels: Establish dedicated Slack channels, forums, or other platforms for ongoing discussions and resource sharing.
Cross-pollination: Encourage guild members to share insights from guild meetings with their respective teams.
Measure Impact: Regularly assess the effectiveness of guilds through surveys, tracking participation, and monitoring the implementation of guild-driven initiatives.

Challenges and Considerations

Time Management: Ensure guild activities don’t interfere with primary project work.
Inclusivity: Make efforts to include remote team members and those from different time zones.
Relevance: Keep guild topics and activities aligned with organisational goals and member interests.
Support from Management: Secure buy-in from leadership to allocate time and resources for guild activities.

Real-world Example

Spotify, known for its innovative engineering culture, has popularized the use of guilds alongside its squad and tribe structure. Their guilds focus on areas like web development, machine learning, and agile coaching, allowing engineers to connect with peers across the organisation who share similar interests and challenges.

The bottom line

Engineering guilds offer a powerful way to cultivate expertise, foster community, and drive innovation within tech organisations. By providing a structure for cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing, guilds can help companies maintain a competitive edge in the fast-paced world of technology. Whether you’re a startup or a large enterprise, consider how engineering guilds might benefit your organisation’s culture and technical capabilities.