We run a tech-enabled services business and are struggling to map our software product development team on the Accountability Chart. Does Product live under Operations, or does it deserve to be one of the major seats reporting directly to the Integrator alongside Sales, Operations, and Finance?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

In a tech-enabled services business, deciding where the Product or R&D seat sits depends on your primary business model. If your software product is the actual service you deliver to customers, then Product is a core part of your delivery engine and should sit directly under the Operations department. This keeps your software developers aligned with the operational teams who support and service the clients.

However, if your software product is a distinct, proprietary platform that drives your competitive advantage and requires its own continuous development cycle, it may deserve to be a major seat reporting directly to the Integrator. This is especially true if the product development cycle is complex enough to require its own specialized leadership, separate from daily service delivery.

Do not make this decision based on the ego of your lead developer. Look at how decisions flow. If having Product as a standalone seat complicates your weekly Level 10 Meetings or creates a silo between the tech team and the service delivery team, keep it under Operations. The key is to ensure that wherever the seat sits on the Accountability Chart, the roles are clearly defined so there is zero confusion about who owns product strategy versus operational delivery.