Building a Product Organisation at 42: How We Stay Agile and Innovate
At 42, we’ve always believed in pushing the boundaries — whether it’s in how we approach education, the tools we build, or the teams that power our innovation. Over the years, 42 has evolved from a single, revolutionary school to a global network that champions free, inclusive, and peer-led learning. But with that growth comes a responsibility to ensure our structures and processes evolve in tandem, hence a shift toward a product organisation.
Let’s quickly explore some key theory about team organization and see how they’ve shaped the way we work at 42.
I. The Theory: Team Topologies and Why They Matter
Creating an effective product organization starts with understanding the structure of your teams.
There are many theories and frameworks, here is one of the most widely known: Team Topologies, by Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais, outlines four fundamental team types that help modern organizations design systems for better collaboration, speed, and scalability.
1. Stream-Aligned Teams
Stream-aligned teams are focused on a specific flow of work, whether it’s a product, a set of features, or a user journey. These teams are designed to operate independently, meaning they can design, build, and release features without relying heavily on other teams.
In many ways, stream-aligned teams are the lifeblood of agile organizations, delivering value quickly and safely to users.
2. Platform Teams
Platform teams provide the internal services and infrastructure needed by stream-aligned teams to move quickly. They support other teams by offering tools, infrastructure, and environments that can be used on demand, minimizing dependencies. In an ideal setup, platform teams and stream-aligned teams interact minimally, with platform teams offering services that are self-serve and scalable.
3. Complicated Subsystem Teams
For certain technical challenges that require specialized knowledge, a complicated subsystem team is formed. These teams are experts in specific areas that a typical stream-aligned team may not have the depth to handle — such as complex algorithms, AI models, or high-performance computing. Their role is to ensure that these complicated pieces function seamlessly within the broader product.
4. Enabling Teams
Finally, enabling teams exist to bridge knowledge gaps for stream-aligned teams. Whether it’s introducing new technologies, sharing best practices, or guiding teams on specific challenges, enabling teams act as temporary mentors, helping their counterparts to upskill and adopt new tools or methodologies.
II. How We’ve Organized Ourselves at 42
At 42, we’ve applied the principles of team topologies to create a structure that allows us to stay agile, deliver value, and focus on user-centricity. Our squads are multidisciplinary, combining the expertise of product managers, UX designers, and developers, all working together to solve real problems and innovate. Each squad operates with autonomy, but their work is supported by a solid infrastructure that enables them to move fast.
1. Feature Squads: Our Stream-Aligned Teams
Our product organization is centered around stream-aligned feature squads. These squads are cross-functional and multidisciplinary, meaning they have everything they need to deliver value from start to finish.
- LX (Learning Experience) Squad: This squad focuses on the core learning journey, ensuring that students have a seamless, personalized experience as they progress through 42’s unique educational model. They manage everything from project libraries to evaluations, working on features that directly impact student outcomes.
- NLX (Non-Learning Experience) Squad: The NLX squad handles all non-pedagogical aspects of the platform — everything from the application process to administrative document management. Their goal is to streamline the behind-the-scenes operations, ensuring that both students and staff can focus on what matters most.
2. Platform Team
Our Platform Squad recently merged with the Infra Team to create a single, powerful support function. This team provides the backbone services, infrastructure, and tooling that enable the feature squads to focus on delivering value without being bogged down by technical hurdles. From managing CRMs to automating marketing processes, this support team ensures that the platform remains scalable and secure.
Together, these teams form the foundational support system that keeps our operations smooth and reliable. They offer services through an “X-as-a-service” model, minimizing the need for direct collaboration, which helps the feature squads maintain their speed and independence.
3. Complex subsystem team: v2v3
The v2v3 Squad has a broad knowledge and is the expert of the current system that has helped 42 thrive for the past 10 years.
They help key features that might not be in the target in the short term for neither LX nor NLX, move forward faster.
Once we reach a more stabilised scenario, this team will reintegrate the other stream aligned or platform teams.
4. Data and Pedagogy Teams: Specialized Expertise
Alongside our core feature and support teams, we have specialized teams focused on data and pedagogy:
- Data Team: This team provides crucial insights that inform product decisions across all squads. By managing our data warehouse and ensuring best practices in data analysis, they allow us to take a data-driven approach to product development, ensuring that we’re always making informed choices.
- Pedagogy Team: Responsible for ensuring that our educational content aligns with the latest pedagogical theories and market needs, the Pedagogy Team works closely with feature squads to redesign the learning journey and adapt our curriculum to future demands.
III. The Value Added
Why does this organizational structure work so well for us at 42? It’s because this approach is the only way to truly build a Product organization that thrives.
Have you heard about Conway’s law? The organisation and the system they support are tightly linked. If you want to do Product, your organisation must reflect it (hence my belief that Matrix organisation will always struggle to do Product, here are some article I wrote in the past: Agile Management VS Matrix Organisations and Decoupling organisations: the only way a product culture can thrive).
The value we bring revolves around three key pillars:
- Agility: Autonomy is at the core of our agile practice. Our squads can iterate rapidly, making decisions independently and adding value in complex, ever-changing environments. Using frameworks like the Cynefin model, we understand that not all problems have straightforward solutions, which is why we focus on iterative learning and adaptation particularly in a context like 42. This allows us to manage uncertainty and complexity effectively.
- UX: A design-thinking approach is crucial to how we explore both problem and solution spaces. Our multidisciplinary squads constantly interact with users to uncover pain points, validate ideas, and craft solutions that genuinely enhance the user experience. By emphasizing empathy and iteration in our process, we ensure that our product evolves in line with real-world needs.
- Data: Data lies at the heart of our decision-making process. We track meaningful metrics, leveraging data to inform every major decision. This ensures we aren’t just guessing what might work — we’re continuously learning from our users and refining our product based on hard evidence. The ability to track, measure, and analyze helps us focus on delivering maximum value both to the user and the business.
Together, these pillars — agility, UX, and data — create an organization that is not only adaptable and user-focused but one that continually delivers tangible value to our students, staff, and stakeholders.
By structuring ourselves in this way, we can stay ahead of the curve and ensure that 42 remains a leader in the ever-evolving landscape of education and technology.
