Management & Technical Career Growth Tracks (v2)

Click on the diagram above to view it as a zooming presentation.

This second version of the diagram illustrating technical career tracks reflects the following updates since version one:

• A product management track is now included. (Future updates may include other tracks like design, editorial and marketing.)
• There is no longer a contributor-level position on the people-management track. This is because most organizations do not have an entry-level position whose main job is to manage people yet is below the manager level.
• The number of levels is still 5, but the two contributor levels below manager have been merged into one. The C-level (as in CEO, CTO, CFO, …) band has been added above the VP levels.
• The director-level position in the technology track is now called principal architect or simply principal.
• In the people management track, it is suggested that a manager directly supervise at least 3 contributors and that a director supervise at least 3 managers. Exceptions can be made to this guideline when it is well-justified, but these are suggested as the default requirement to hold these titles.