Creating org charts, or organigramas (sounds much better in Spanish!), presents challenges for startup founders. In initial startup stages, team members take on multiple roles. Later on, the team grows quickly, but somehow has to increase output per person.
Making an organigrama will help to clarify responsibilities and match goals with roles. It will also help you set up a replicable model (perhaps by country), as you scale and enter new markets.
Tips for startup organigramas:
Start with roles, then add names. This allows you to think together with co-founders or key team members to find an optimal structure. Then you can add names and put some people in multiple boxes.
Be flexible, then update. Startups move fast. Don’t be afraid to try one structure one month and shift the next. If you are using scrum as a framework for process management, your team will be accustomed to moving around.
First today’s, then tomorrow’s. Make an org chart for how your team is organized today, then another for how it should be organized in the future. This will help identify key hires and signal to your board or potential investors how you plan to grown.
If you are interested in reading more about Org charts, check out this article: 10 Org Chart Styles We Admire (And the One We Use at Buffer)
Watch out with hierarchical/corporate “org charts” … in my opinion, the org evolves as a startup grows. It should be flat at the beginning with all cofounders on equal level.
Take a look at the “Spotify Model” of Squads, Chapters, Guilds and Tribes for inspiration:
https://medium.com/the-ready/how-to-build-your-own-spotify-model-dce98025d32f
This model lets you have an agile culture, even though you are bigger. Amazon and others have a similar org (2-pizza teams).
Eddy.