How We Run Projects
Arillus uses a matrix model: functions are your permanent home; project teams are temporary, assembled per project and dissolved after.
Project Team Structure
Section titled “Project Team Structure”Core team (dedicated to the project)
Section titled “Core team (dedicated to the project)”| Role | Function / Level | Duty |
|---|---|---|
| Product Lead | Product, L3+ | Owns the what — backlog priority, day-to-day trade-offs, external SPOC for client and Engagement Owner |
| Tech Lead | Engineering, L3+ | Owns the how — technical decisions, code review, unblocking, codes the harder parts |
| Developers | Engineering, L1–L3 | Build, test and deliver |
| QA | L1–L2 | Executes test plans, verifies releases, reports defects |
| Designer | Design phase | Produces screens and assets, then rolls off |
Fractional ring
Section titled “Fractional ring”| Role | Level | Duty |
|---|---|---|
| Architect / Tech Reviewer | L4–L5 | Approves technical approach at kickoff, reviews at milestones |
| Senior QA | L3+ | Reviews test plans upfront, spot-checks coverage |
| Senior Designer | L3+ | Sets UX direction early, reviews at checkpoints |
| DevOps | shared | Infrastructure, CI/CD, deployments |
This is where your group plugs into real project work. Your core team is permanent for the project scope and owns all the tasks — but people from your group can step in here as fractional contributors. A senior engineer from your group reviewing architecture, a senior QA spot-checking coverage, a senior designer validating direction — this is not a weekend club activity. It’s how group members stay connected to real delivery, how Group Leads see their people in action, and how that input feeds directly into your appraisal. Contributing to a project through the fractional ring counts. It’s visible, it matters, and it’s how the group creates impact beyond just the people permanently assigned to a project.
Staffing Rules
Section titled “Staffing Rules”- Role definitions are fixed; the minimum level scales with project size and risk. A small, low-stakes project can run with a junior Product Lead and Tech Lead. A large or complex engagement needs L3+ minimum in both.
- Fractional contributors come from your group. The fractional ring is not a separate hire — it’s where group members engage with the project. The Engagement Owner stays separate from the delivery team — someone slightly outside must hold the commercial relationship.
- Dedicated doesn’t mean one project. A Product Lead or Tech Lead can work across multiple projects depending on the nature of the project and their capacity. “Dedicated” means primary assignment, not exclusivity.
- Juniors grow as deputies. On larger projects, an L1–L2 shadows the senior in the same role — runs the standup while the senior observes, drafts documents the senior reviews.
- Continuous-context roles are dedicated; checkpoint roles are fractional. If the work is interrupt-driven and daily (Tech Lead, Product Lead), dedicate it. If it’s review-driven and periodic (Architect, Senior QA), fractionalize it.
How the Project Team Operates
Section titled “How the Project Team Operates”There is no boss inside a project team. The team is self-running — anyone can facilitate standups, raise blockers, or drive a decision. The Product Lead and Tech Lead own their respective domains (what vs. how), but that’s about clarity of ownership, not hierarchy.
The Product Lead is the single point of contact with the Engagement Owner for external communication, escalations, and scope questions. Internally, they have no authority over other team members.
The project line directs work. It does not do appraisals, and it dissolves when the project ends.
Reporting in Your Function (career)
Section titled “Reporting in Your Function (career)”Your real manager is your Group Lead. They own your appraisal, growth and promotion — informed by written feedback from every project you touched.
At project end (or quarterly on long projects), the Engagement Owner and project leads submit short written feedback on each team member. Group Leads aggregate this across projects, calibrate together, and finalise ratings.