Karl Sorochinski

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The Rise of Feature Teams (and the Fall of Accountability)

Summary

In May 2015, enterprises continued their shift to Agile feature teams — but often misunderstood what ownership really meant. While velocity increased, accountability fractured. This post explored how slicing teams by feature, rather than by problem ownership, led to poor UX, conflicting priorities, and low accountability.

18-Month Update

By 2016, some companies restructured into true product teams with full-stack ownership and autonomy. Others stuck with delivery-focused features teams and struggled with alignment.

2025 Insight

By 2025, most leading companies operate through durable product teams that own outcomes, not just stories. Feature teams, where they remain, are typically legacy patterns being phased out.

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