Summary: Quick Reference Card

Summary: Quick Reference Card

Typical Timeline: 24 Weeks

Role Descriptions

Product Manager (PM)

Accountable for: Product vision, roadmap, requirements, stakeholder alignment Primary Phases: All (leadership throughout)

Key Responsibilities: - Define what to build and why - Prioritize features and changes - Manage stakeholder expectations - Own product success metrics - Make go/no-go decisions - Lead retrospectives and planning

Project Manager / Scrum Master

Accountable for: Timeline, budget, team coordination, process execution Primary Phases: Initiation, Planning, Development

Key Responsibilities: - Create and manage project schedules - Facilitate ceremonies (standups, planning, retrospectives) - Track budget and resources - Remove team blockers - Manage dependencies between teams

Technical Lead / Solutions Architect

Accountable for: Architecture, technical decisions, code quality standards Primary Phases: Design, Development, Testing

Key Responsibilities: - Design system architecture - Make technology decisions - Ensure scalability and performance - Conduct code/architecture reviews - Mentor junior developers - Lead troubleshooting for complex issues

Development Lead

Accountable for: Code quality, development process, team productivity Primary Phases: Development, Testing

Key Responsibilities: - Write and review code - Enforce coding standards - Lead sprint execution - Estimate effort for features - Manage technical debt - Mentor junior developers

Backend Developer

Responsible for: API development, database, server-side logic Primary Deliverables: - API endpoints (code + tests) - Database integration - Business logic implementation - Integration with 3rd party services - Performance optimization

Frontend Developer

Responsible for: UI implementation, client-side logic, responsive design Primary Deliverables: - User interface components - Client-side state management - HTTP client integration - User experience implementation - Cross-browser/device compatibility

QA Lead / Test Manager

Accountable for: Testing strategy, quality assurance, defect management Primary Phases: Testing, some involvement in Design & Development

Key Responsibilities: - Plan testing approach - Design test cases and scenarios - Manage test execution - Track and triage defects - Coordinate UAT - Ensure quality gates

DevOps Engineer / Infrastructure Engineer

Accountable for: Infrastructure, deployment, monitoring, reliability Primary Phases: Deployment, Operations

Key Responsibilities: - Design and provision infrastructure - Set up CI/CD pipelines - Manage deployments - Configure monitoring and alerting - Manage databases and backups - Scale systems for growth - Incident response for infrastructure issues

UX/UI Designer

Accountable for: User experience, visual design, design system Primary Phases: Design, some input to Development

Key Responsibilities: - Conduct UX research - Create wireframes and mockups - Design user interfaces - Build design system - Conduct usability testing - Ensure accessibility standards

Business Analyst

Accountable for: Requirements analysis, stakeholder coordination, business logic Primary Phases: Discovery, Planning

Key Responsibilities: - Conduct user and stakeholder interviews - Document business requirements - Create user personas - Analyze competitive landscape - Support requirements prioritization - Validate business assumptions

Security Engineer / Officer

Consulted on: Security architecture, vulnerability testing, compliance Primary Phases: Design, Testing, Deployment

Key Responsibilities: - Design security architecture - Conduct security reviews - Perform security testing - Verify compliance (PCI-DSS, GDPR, etc.) - Manage security incidents

Customer Support Lead

Accountable for: Post-launch customer support, support processes Primary Phases: Operations

Key Responsibilities: - Coordinate customer support team - Create support documentation - Manage support tickets - Gather customer feedback - Train support team on features

Executive Sponsor

Accountable for: Business approval, budget, overall project success Primary Phases: All (oversight)

Key Responsibilities: - Approve charter and business case - Provide budget and resources - Remove organizational blockers - Make strategic decisions - Monitor project progress - Approve go/no-go decisions

Example: Payment Feature Development

Feature: “Process Payment with Stripe”

Quick Decision Guide: “Who Should I Ask?”

“Should we add this feature?”

→ Ask Product Manager (product strategy)

“How long will this take?”

→ Ask Development Lead (effort estimation)

“Is this architecturally sound?”

→ Ask Technical Lead (architecture review)

“Will this work on mobile?”

→ Ask Frontend Developer or Designer (device compatibility)

“Is this secure?”

→ Ask Security Engineer or Tech Lead (security implications)

“Can we deploy today?”

→ Ask DevOps Engineer (deployment readiness)

“What should we test?”

→ Ask QA Lead (test strategy)

“When will this be done?”

→ Ask Project Manager or Scrum Master (timeline tracking)

“Who’s responsible if this breaks?”

→ Look at RACI Matrix (who is Accountable)

Tips for Effective Responsibility Assignments

1. One Accountable Person : Each activity should have exactly ONE person accountable. This prevents finger-pointing when things go wrong.

2. Keep Responsible Small : Limit “Responsible” to 1-3 people. Too many cooks in the kitchen creates confusion.

3. Consult Broadly : It’s okay to have many people Consulted—this ensures good decisions.

4. Update Regularly : RACI matrices should be reviewed quarterly as team composition changes.

5. Make it Visible : Post the RACI matrix in Confluence so everyone knows who does what.

6. Use in Discussions : When starting a task, reference the RACI to clarify who’s leading.

7. Escalate Ambiguity : If someone asks “Who should handle this?” and the RACI is unclear, clarify immediately.

Key Principles:

1. Clear documentation at every phase

2. Comprehensive testing before launch

3. Risk management throughout

4. Regular stakeholder communication

5. Team collaboration over silos

6. Data-driven decision making

7. Continuous improvement (retrospectives)

Document Approval Sign-Offs

For key documents at each phase, use this approval template:

Document: [Document Name] Version: [Version Number] Date: [Date Completed]

Approved By:

☐ PM: [Name] - Date: _____ Signature: _____

• ☐ Tech Lead: [Name] - Date: _____ Signature: _____

• ☐ Sponsor: [Name] - Date: _____ Signature: _____

Approval Means:

• PM: Requirements are clear and prioritized correctly

• Tech Lead: Architecture is technically sound and feasible

• Sponsor: Business case is approved and resourced

Status: ✓ APPROVED Effective Date: [Date] Next Review: [Date]