How Quora Structures and Organizes Its Design and Development Teams

At Quora, the team is composed of generalists, where individuals move freely among various aspects of design and development. This fluid approach ensures that each member can contribute across multiple areas based on their interests, skills, and the evolving needs of the product.

Generalist Culture and Roles

Quora's designers wear many hats. They weave together product goals, interface designs, and front-end code to create coherent and engaging user experiences. Similarly, engineers at Quora tackle a wide array of tasks, from crafting application code for new products to maintaining the site's stability and infrastructure. This generalist mindset promotes versatility and adaptability, crucial for maintaining a dynamic and high-performing product.

Launching New Products

The process of bringing a new product idea to life at Quora is streamlined and efficient. Anyone with an idea can pitch it, and then the idea undergoes a series of evaluations. If it aligns with larger product goals and is prioritized against other ongoing projects, a multi-disciplinary product team forms. This team typically comprises an engineer, designer, and product manager, all brought together to hammer out project details and direction.

Product Decision-Making

A key criterion in launching a new product is its alignment with broader product goals and the enthusiasm of the team behind it. When the project meets these criteria, the conversation is led by Adam or Charlie (referring to Adam D'Angelo and Charlie Cheah, the co-founders and leadership team). The team then delves into the specifics, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and understands the vision for the product.

Maintaining a Holistic View

The diverse responsibilities within Quora foster a holistic understanding of the product among its members. Over time, individuals work on various aspects of different projects, keeping their skills sharp and their perspective broad. For instance, a designer might work on the homepage one week and the topic pages the next, providing a comprehensive insight into how these components interact. This exposure encourages collective thinking and innovation.

Embracing Different Perspectives

The fluidity of roles also means that team members work with different people, challenging their assumptions and keeping their thinking dynamic. There are some exceptions, such as the Feed product, which requires a constant core team due to its complexity and unique engineering demands. Similarly, the Credits and mobile teams have dedicated elements, but even here, turnover and specialization are kept to a minimum.

Reinvigorating Team Dynamics

One unique aspect of the Quora team is the dedicated PM in the Growth team, who ensures that the roadmap includes engaging and impactful projects. This team operates under the same dynamic, ensuring that passionate engineers and designers work on exciting and relevant projects, often moving on to new and exciting challenges.

Conclusion

In essence, Quora's structure and organization are designed to foster an environment where generalists can thrive and contribute to the success of the product. By maintaining a culture of flexibility, passion, and holistic thinking, Quora ensures that its product remains innovative and engaging for its users.

Related Keywords

product development Quora team structure agile development

References

1. Rebekah Cox's answer on how Quora makes product decisions

2. David Cole's answer on the role of a product designer at Quora