Career and Succession Management for Information Technology and Software
Named backups for the roles that cannot be vacant.
What this looks like in information technology and software
The parts of career and succession management that are specific to this sector, rather than general.
Technical and Management Tracks
Progression that does not force good engineers into management.
What this coversHide
Technical and Management Tracks
Progression that does not force good engineers into management.
What this coversHideThe default software career ladder converts strong engineers into weak managers, loses the engineering capability and creates a manager who did not want the job.
Technical track
- Engineer to senior to staff and principal
- Scope defined by technical influence, not headcount
- Parity of pay and status with the management track
- Criteria stated in observable terms
Management track
- Team lead to engineering manager to head of engineering
- Capability built before the first team
- People responsibility treated as a distinct skill
- Route back to the technical track kept open
The route back matters. Engineers try management more willingly when returning is not treated as failure, and businesses that allow it lose fewer people to the experiment.
The general method — what career and succession management covers, the questions it answers and what an engagement produces — is the same whatever the sector, and is set out on the succession and leadership development page. What is above is the part that differs for information technology and software.
Other HR topics for information technology and software
Where to start
Most engagements begin with a review of how this runs in your business today, then a written process and the sequence to implement it.
See all HR topics for information technology and software, or another industry.