# Checkpoint 4: Team Structure Report

## Team Structure for Iterative Media Processing Development

### 1. Phase-Based Team Evolution

#### Phase 1 (Weeks 1-2): Minimal Team
```
Just 2 people:
├── Backend Python Developer (You or Lead)
│   └── Build v1 basic transcription
└── DevOps/Infrastructure Support (Part-time)
    └── PostgreSQL, uv setup, testing
```

#### Phase 2 (Week 3): Add Enhancement
```
+1 person:
└── AI Integration Developer
    └── DeepSeek enhancement integration
```

#### Phase 3 (Weeks 4-5): Add Multi-pass
```
+1 person:
└── ML Engineer/Researcher
    └── Multi-pass strategies, confidence scoring
```

#### Phase 4 (Week 6+): Add Diarization
```
+1 person:
└── Audio/Speech Specialist
    └── Speaker diarization, voice embeddings
```

### 2. Core Roles Detailed

#### Backend Python Developer (Lead)
- **When**: From Day 1
- **Focus**: Architecture, protocols, iteration management
- **Responsibilities**:
  - Design protocol-based architecture
  - Build v1 basic pipeline
  - Manage version transitions
  - Ensure backward compatibility
  - Code review all iterations
  - Implement batch processing system
- **Skills**: Deep Python, PostgreSQL, clean architecture, Whisper/ML experience

#### AI Integration Developer
- **When**: Phase 2 (Week 3)
- **Focus**: AI enhancement layer
- **Responsibilities**:
  - Integrate DeepSeek/other AI services
  - Design enhancement prompts
  - Handle structured outputs
  - Manage AI costs/quotas
  - Implement retry logic
- **Skills**: API integration, prompt engineering, JSON schemas

#### ML Engineer/Researcher
- **When**: Phase 3 (Week 4)
- **Focus**: Accuracy improvements
- **Responsibilities**:
  - Design multi-pass strategies
  - Implement confidence scoring
  - Research optimal parameters
  - Benchmark accuracy improvements
  - Optimize model performance
- **Skills**: Whisper models, statistics, Python, ML optimization

#### Audio/Speech Specialist
- **When**: Phase 4 (Week 6)
- **Focus**: Speaker separation
- **Responsibilities**:
  - Implement diarization algorithms
  - Voice embedding systems
  - Speaker clustering
  - Audio preprocessing for diarization
- **Skills**: pyannote, speech processing, audio analysis

### 3. Support Roles (As Needed)

#### DevOps/Infrastructure (Part-time from Day 1)
- PostgreSQL optimization
- CI/CD pipeline setup
- Monitoring and logging
- Backup strategies
- Performance monitoring

#### QA/Test Engineer (Part-time from Phase 2)
- Test data preparation
- Accuracy benchmarking
- Regression testing
- Performance testing
- Real file test management

#### Technical Writer (Part-time from Phase 3)
- API documentation
- Rule files maintenance
- User guides
- Architecture documentation
- Change logs

### 4. Communication Structure for Iterations

```
Phase 1: Direct communication (2 people)
Phase 2: Daily standup starts (3 people)
Phase 3: Weekly architecture review (4 people)
Phase 4: Formal sprint planning (5+ people)
```

#### Decision Making by Phase

| Phase | Decision Owner | Review Required | Communication |
|-------|---------------|-----------------|---------------|
| 1 | Backend Lead | You | Direct |
| 2 | Backend Lead | You + AI Dev | Daily sync |
| 3 | Backend Lead | Team consensus | Weekly review |
| 4 | You | Architecture team | Sprint planning |

### 5. Work Distribution Strategy

#### Phase 1 Sprint (Weeks 1-2)
```
Backend Lead:
- Database schema design
- Basic Whisper integration
- Batch processing system
- JSON/TXT export
- CLI implementation

DevOps:
- PostgreSQL setup
- Test environment
- CI/CD basics
```

#### Phase 2 Sprint (Week 3)
```
Backend Lead:
- Version management system
- Pipeline orchestrator
- Backward compatibility

AI Developer:
- DeepSeek integration
- Enhancement templates
- Error handling
- Prompt optimization
```

#### Phase 3 Sprint (Weeks 4-5)
```
Backend Lead:
- Refactoring for multi-pass
- Version compatibility
- Performance optimization

AI Developer:
- Enhance prompt optimization
- Cost management

ML Engineer:
- Multi-pass implementation
- Confidence algorithms
- Segment merging
- Parameter tuning
```

#### Phase 4 Sprint (Week 6+)
```
All roles contributing:
- Backend: Integration
- AI: Speaker prompts
- ML: Voice embeddings
- Audio: Diarization
```

### 6. Skill Requirements by Phase

#### Phase 1 (Must Have)
- Python 3.11+
- PostgreSQL + SQLAlchemy
- Basic Whisper knowledge
- pytest + real file testing
- Async Python

#### Phase 2 (Add)
- API integration
- Prompt engineering
- Async error handling
- JSON schema validation

#### Phase 3 (Add)
- ML/statistics
- Model optimization
- Performance profiling
- Confidence scoring

#### Phase 4 (Add)
- Speech processing
- Audio analysis
- Clustering algorithms
- Voice biometrics

### 7. Team Scaling Triggers

#### When to Add Next Person
- Phase 1 → 2: When v1 is stable and tested
- Phase 2 → 3: When enhancement is working reliably
- Phase 3 → 4: When multi-pass shows value
- Scale beyond: When batch processing needs optimization

#### Scaling Indicators
- Processing backlog > 100 files
- Response time > SLA
- Feature requests accumulating
- Technical debt growing

### 8. Risk Mitigation

#### Single Points of Failure
- **Backend Lead in Phase 1-2**: Document everything, pair programming
- **AI API keys**: Multiple service support, fallback options
- **PostgreSQL**: Regular backups, replication setup
- **Domain knowledge**: Cross-training between phases

#### Knowledge Transfer
- Pair programming during transitions
- Comprehensive documentation
- Code reviews for learning
- Recorded architecture decisions
- Weekly knowledge sharing sessions

### 9. Remote vs Co-located Considerations

#### Remote Team Benefits
- Access to global talent
- Async work enables 24/7 progress
- Lower costs
- Written communication creates documentation

#### Remote Team Challenges
- Communication delays
- Time zone coordination
- Pair programming harder
- Onboarding complexity

#### Recommended Approach
- Core team co-located or same timezone
- Support roles can be remote
- Clear async communication protocols
- Regular video architecture reviews

### 10. Performance Metrics by Role

#### Backend Developer
- Code coverage > 80%
- PR review time < 24h
- Bug rate < 5%
- Documentation completeness

#### AI Integration Developer
- API error rate < 1%
- Enhancement accuracy > 99%
- Cost per transcript < $0.01
- Prompt iteration speed

#### ML Engineer
- Model accuracy improvements
- Processing time reduction
- Confidence score reliability
- Research output quality

#### Audio Specialist
- Speaker identification accuracy > 90%
- Diarization error rate < 10%
- Processing speed targets
- Voice quality metrics

### Summary

The team structure emphasizes:
1. **Gradual growth** aligned with iterative development
2. **Clear role boundaries** with defined responsibilities
3. **Phase-based scaling** to avoid premature complexity
4. **Knowledge transfer** built into the process
5. **Metrics-driven** performance evaluation

This approach ensures the team grows with the product, maintaining efficiency while adding capabilities.

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*Generated: 2024*  
*Status: COMPLETE*  
*Next: Technical Migration Report*