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This step treats organizational design as a testable hypothesis. A limited slice is trialed, compared with baseline measures, and adapted or stopped based on observed effects.
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Test autonomy experimentally is a time-boxed organizational experiment that measures a new team design against delivery capability, decision paths, and dependencies.
The approach comes from organizational design treated as a testable hypothesis and from the Spotify Model culture. Rather than treating team structures as a fixed blueprint, a limited slice is tried, compared with baseline measures, and adapted or stopped according to observed effects. Spotify Engineering Culture (Part 1), published in 2014, describes this as ongoing work in progress with variation across squads.
Think of it as a field trial for organizations: first define what should change if autonomy increases. Then change only a clearly bounded area so the effect stays readable. Baseline, observation, and comparison show whether decisions become faster, delivery improves, or new coordination problems appear. The experiment is not about belief in a model; it is about testing its effect in a specific context.
A context-specific frame for autonomous, cross-functional teams; the experiment tests one concrete form of it.
The team design is framed as an assumption that observation can support or falsify.
Only a limited slice changes so that effects and risk remain understandable.
Starting values provide the comparison point for delivery, decisions, and dependencies.
Predefined limits determine whether the experiment should be adjusted, expanded, or ended.
This approach is useful before a wider rollout, when interfaces are unclear, or when decision rights need to be redistributed. It helps test autonomy through observable effects instead of slogans. Limits: a short trial shows only tendencies; team maturity, parallel changes, and context shifts can distort results. Without a clear baseline and stop criteria, the experiment can easily turn into a permanent change.
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