Why Do Large Companies Maintain a Large Software Engineering Team When Not Building Many New Features?

Large companies often maintain a significant number of software engineers for various reasons, even when they aren’t actively building new code. This article explores the rationale behind this practice and discusses the different reasons why engineering teams remain heavily engaged, regardless of the development trajectory.

Maintenance and Support

One of the primary reasons large companies keep a robust software engineering team is to ensure the ongoing maintenance of existing software. This includes bug fixing, patching security vulnerabilities, and ensuring compatibility with new operating systems and technologies. Such tasks can be substantial, even in the absence of new projects. According to a study, around 90% of software development man hours are spent on maintenance. This illustrates the critical nature of a well-maintained software system in today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Feature Enhancements

While companies may not be launching new products, they often need to enhance existing features based on user feedback and competitive pressures. Such enhancements require the involvement of engineering resources to refine and improve the user experience, keeping the product relevant and competitive. As a personal experience, leading a team of five software engineers for four years before they were all laid off as the sole maintainer of a massive codebase with 2 MLOC (Million Lines of Code) in C and 1 MLOC in SQL, this task proved to be extensive and demanding.

Technical Debt Management

Over time, software can accumulate technical debt, which refers to the costs incurred to add new features quickly without fully addressing underlying issues. Managing this debt involves refactoring code, improving documentation, and resolving legacy bugs. This ongoing process ensures that the software remains maintainable and scalable, even as the system evolves over time.

Infrastructure and Operations

Many companies invest in DevOps and Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) teams to ensure their services run smoothly. This includes monitoring, scaling, and optimizing existing systems. The role of these teams is critical in ensuring reliability and performance, which can significantly impact user experience and business operations.

Research and Development

Besides maintaining and enhancing existing products, software engineers often work on research and development (RD) projects that may not be immediately visible to the public. These projects can be exploratory in nature, aimed at innovate or improve future products. Companies allocate resources to these projects to stay ahead in terms of technology and innovation.

Internal Tools and Automation

Engineers at large companies also work on internal tools that improve efficiency and automate processes within the organization. While these tools might not be customer-facing, they are essential for operational workflows. These internal tools help streamline processes, reduce redundancy, and enhance productivity across departments.

Team Readiness and Cross-Functional Collaboration

Finally, maintaining a large and robust engineering team allows companies to be agile and responsive to market changes or emerging opportunities. Engineers on hand can quickly pivot to new projects when necessary, ensuring the company remains competitive. Additionally, software engineers often collaborate with other departments, such as product management, marketing, and sales to align on strategy, which requires additional engineering resources to support this collaboration effectively.

Overall, a strong software engineering workforce is crucial for maintaining competitiveness, ensuring high-quality products, and being prepared for future developments. As the technology landscape continues to evolve, the importance of these functions remains pressing for businesses of all sizes and industries.