Business leaders pursuing custom software development are generally busy people. They don’t always have the bandwidth to examine every tiny detail and make each microdecision throughout the product journey.

That’s where delivery leads come in. At their core, delivery leads are dynamic professionals who facilitate effective communication, foster teamwork, and ensure the successful execution of custom software development.

Michigan Software Labs’ people-first approach

This is one of a four-part series about Michigan Software Labs’ people-first approach to custom software development.

When you choose us as your digital product partners, you’ll partner with a close-knit project team consisting of:

• A delivery lead

• A UX designer

• Developer(s)

• A principal consultant

Our flat company structure (and localized office) means these groups work directly with the client product owner to create custom software. So, we believe it’s worth the time to thoughtfully share what you can expect from an engagement with us!

3 ways delivery leads provide value

At Michigan Software Labs, our delivery leads bring unique professional experience to their roles. They invest deeply into their clients’ vision—caring for the users’ experience at every touchpoint. Further, we often pair delivery leads on projects where they have existing personal or professional experience, like pairing a former teacher on an education project.

It quickly becomes clear that delivery leads are the glue that holds each project team together, even if they humbly defer the credit. And they provide value in at least three specific ways.

1. Delivery leads build and support great teams:

Our delivery leads are some of the kindest and most humble people you’ll meet. They consider themselves servant-hearted, as they strive to bring out the best of the designers and developers around them.

Once a project team is formed, they find the right working styles for that unique combination of individuals. They identify when to push one another, and when to pull back. Through coaching, group brainstorming, pulse checks, and retro meetings, they ensure the psychological safety of each team member.

2. Delivery leads provide exceptional craftsmanship to our clients:

By bringing out the best of each MichiganLabs team member, delivery leads provide exceptional custom software solutions that help clients achieve their business goals.

With this commitment to quality, delivery leads combine elements of project managers, Scrum Masters, and internal product owners into one role.

In partnership with our principals, they facilitate workshops, gather requirements, and detail the product roadmap. They lead daily standups. And they oversee the execution of user stories and epics through sprint planning, backlog management, prioritization guidance, and sprint retrospectives—all to ensure the creation of a minimum viable product (MVP) for quick feedback.

Throughout this process, they summarize key information and provide succinct outlines and demos to the busy client. This way, the client is appropriately informed, while avoiding decision fatigue.

3. Delivery leads facilitate organizational growth:

Beyond project-specific tasks, delivery leads contribute to the broader MichiganLabs growth by serving as mentors and teachers. They provide insights, share experiences, and educate us about Scrum and other Agile project management frameworks.

By empowering teams to grow, determining the best courses of action, and removing impediments when needed, delivery leads play a crucial role in elevating our capabilities and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Delivering excellent custom software with a servant mindset

While wearing the many hats of facilitator, coach, mentor, and teacher, delivery leads ultimately embrace our core values:

• They adopt a growth mindset by seeking feedback and leading conversations with questions

• They build trusting, respectful relationships by elevating one another above themselves

• They provide exceptional craftsmanship to our clients

Curious what it would look like to work with the rest of a MichiganLabs project team? Explore the other articles in this series:

• Product strategy

• UX design

• Development

Ready to discuss your custom software idea? Let’s schedule a discovery conversation!