Startup Context Patterns

Patterns optimized for small teams (<10 developers) with high agility and low process overhead.

Your Environment

  • 🚀 Rapid iteration needed
  • 💰 Cost-sensitive decisions
  • 👥 Small, versatile team
  • 🔄 Frequent pivots expected
  • ⚡ Speed over perfection

Quick Wins (Start Here)

  1. System Prompts and Model Settings

    • Immediate productivity boost
    • No infrastructure required
    • Individual developer adoption

  2. Framework Selection Guide

    • Choose minimal viable tools
    • Avoid over-engineering
    • Focus on time-to-market

  3. Parallel Tool Execution

    • Speed up development cycles
    • Reduce waiting time
    • Improve developer experience

Building Foundations

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

❌ Over-architecting: Don't implement enterprise patterns prematurely ❌ Heavy process: Skip formal approval chains ❌ Premature optimization: Focus on working code first ❌ Complex tooling: Use what you know

Startup Priorities

Phase 1: Individual Productivity (Weeks 1-2)

  • Get AI tools working for each developer
  • Focus on code generation and debugging
  • Measure time saved

Phase 2: Team Alignment (Weeks 3-4)

  • Standardize prompts and workflows
  • Share successful patterns
  • Document what works

Phase 3: Process Integration (Month 2)

  • Integrate with existing tools
  • Automate repetitive tasks
  • Track metrics

Cost Optimization

Free/Low-Cost Options

  • Start with free tiers of AI services
  • Use open-source alternatives where possible
  • Share API keys responsibly (with limits)

When to Invest

  • After proving value with metrics
  • When hitting scaling limits
  • For critical productivity tools

Scaling Considerations

Signs You're Outgrowing Startup Patterns

  • Team > 10 developers
  • Multiple products/services
  • Customer data handling
  • Compliance requirements
  • Need for formal processes

Next Steps

→ Move to Mid-Market Patterns when:

  • Team doubles in size
  • Processes become bottlenecks
  • Quality concerns arise
  • Customers demand more rigor

Success Metrics

Track these from day one:

  • ⏱️ Development velocity increase
  • 🐛 Bug reduction rate
  • 😊 Developer satisfaction
  • 💵 Cost per feature
  • 🚀 Time to deployment

Common Mistakes

  1. Trying to do everything at once

    • Solution: Pick one pattern, prove it works, then expand

  2. Ignoring security basics

    • Solution: Use permission systems even in MVP

  3. Not measuring impact

    • Solution: Simple metrics from day one

  4. Solo implementation

    • Solution: Get buy-in from at least one teammate

Resources

Essential Reading

Quick Start Checklist

  • Choose an AI tool (Claude, GPT-4, etc.)
  • Set up basic prompts
  • Implement one pattern fully
  • Measure results for one week
  • Share learnings with team
  • Iterate and expand

Remember: Perfect is the enemy of shipped. Start small, prove value, then scale.