Whether a simple refactoring, replacing an existing API, or redesigning a service or even an entire system, migration projects are an inevitable staple in an engineer’s diet. As Team Leads, migration projects present distinct challenges, most notably that existing users, who may be outside our immediate sphere of influence, must be migrated to the new solution. This can take time.

In this short talk, Lawrence will reflect on his experience leading teams through multi-year migration projects. He will discuss a general approach to this before shining a spotlight on the unique challenges that a prolonged migration project has on team dynamics. For example, how do we cope with fatigue and complacency? What can leaders do to motivate the team and help them maintain their focus? Finally, the speaker will examine some techniques to address these questions and how the resulting lessons can be applied more generally within the Team Lead role.