Why Single-Threaded Leadership is the Future of Software Development for Payment Platforms
Joe Hoe
Single Threaded Leadership is an organisational structure, made popular by Amazon, which gives a leader sole responsibility and accountability for a project and less inhibited access to the resources needed to achieve the desired outcomes. Having one dedicated leader who is responsible for the success of one key initiative from start to finish with increased powers to make decisions without needing approval from other stakeholders reduces bureaucracy, maximises focus and accelerates results. This is an approach that we have now fully embraced here at Thredd.
In traditional software development approaches like the waterfall approach, deliverables are passed from one department to another in a linear fashion. Whilst this may be appropriate for simpler projects, it can cause issues such as decreased speed of development/iteration, lack of agility and lack of cross-functional collaboration.
When one leader is assigned to oversee an initiative from beginning to end, it promotes accountability and continuous alignment across all facets of software development, from gathering requirements to deployment. With single-threaded leadership, the leader maintains ownership of the vision and ensures that teams including engineering, design, compliance and QA collaborate seamlessly throughout the project.
Due to the complexity involved with payment platforms, this focused approach is essential.
A single-threaded leader can prioritise tasks and feature development without waiting for feedback to filter through various departments.
Single Threaded Leaders have visibility across an entire project which allows issues to be identified and resolved early on, rather than after months of development.
The outcome of the STL approach is responsive software development that can adapt to evolving needs
Instead of rigid, sequential processes, single-threaded leadership nurtures innovation and accelerates delivery, ensuring that payment platforms are not only scalable but also resilient and user-friendly.
In the payment processing industry where speed and adaptability are crucial, it’s crucial to embrace single-threaded leadership.
Here are three tips to effectively implement Single Threaded Leaders into the software development process;
The right STL requires a mix of technical ability and soft skills. They must be able to communicate with impact and influence, make decisions with incomplete information and be adept at bridging the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders/leadership.
An STL needs the authority to make decisions and the resources to back them up. Empower them to act as the single point of accountability for the project, removing the need to navigate bottlenecks. This means giving them access to cross-functional teams, tools, and executive support to drive the project forward efficiently. It is also important to communicate and make it clear who the STL is and the extent of their role to prevent misalignment between STLs and other project managers.
To be successful, STLs need to break down silos and collaborate cross-functionally. Ensure appropriate tools and rituals are in place to enable this collaboration such as daily stand-ups, project review and retro sessions and specific Slack channels to enable efficient communication and updates.
Single-threaded leadership has transformed how we develop our payment processing platform at Thredd, driving greater efficiency, accountability, and innovation. By empowering dedicated leaders with full ownership and the resources they need, we have streamlined development, enhanced collaboration, and improved responsiveness in a fast-moving industry.
If you're looking to optimise your payment solutions with a more agile and scalable approach, get in touch with Thredd today.
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