Dynamic

Lateral Move vs Vertical Move

Developers should consider a lateral move when seeking to diversify their skill set, explore new areas like switching from backend to frontend development, or escape a stagnant role without the pressure of a promotion meets developers should use vertical move when working on projects that require rapid delivery of usable features, such as in agile or lean development environments, to minimize integration issues and validate assumptions early. Here's our take.

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Lateral Move

Developers should consider a lateral move when seeking to diversify their skill set, explore new areas like switching from backend to frontend development, or escape a stagnant role without the pressure of a promotion

Lateral Move

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Developers should consider a lateral move when seeking to diversify their skill set, explore new areas like switching from backend to frontend development, or escape a stagnant role without the pressure of a promotion

Pros

  • +It's particularly useful in large organizations where internal mobility can prevent burnout and foster innovation by exposing employees to different teams and projects
  • +Related to: career-development, skill-diversification

Cons

  • -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Vertical Move

Developers should use Vertical Move when working on projects that require rapid delivery of usable features, such as in Agile or Lean development environments, to minimize integration issues and validate assumptions early

Pros

  • +It is particularly beneficial for startups, MVPs (Minimum Viable Products), and teams adopting continuous delivery, as it helps ensure that each release is fully functional and can be tested in production-like scenarios
  • +Related to: agile-methodology, test-driven-development

Cons

  • -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use Lateral Move if: You want it's particularly useful in large organizations where internal mobility can prevent burnout and foster innovation by exposing employees to different teams and projects and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Vertical Move if: You prioritize it is particularly beneficial for startups, mvps (minimum viable products), and teams adopting continuous delivery, as it helps ensure that each release is fully functional and can be tested in production-like scenarios over what Lateral Move offers.

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The Bottom Line
Lateral Move wins

Developers should consider a lateral move when seeking to diversify their skill set, explore new areas like switching from backend to frontend development, or escape a stagnant role without the pressure of a promotion

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