By Ugorji Eze, CTO Vaedoc LTD| Software Developer | Consultant

I’ve worn many hats in tech; developer, CTO, consultant. And across every project, whether it was a startup MVP or a feature-heavy app, I kept running into the same wall:

The team starts strong, but a few weeks in…
Progress slows.
Features linger in “almost done.”
You’re chasing updates, and launch starts to feel like a moving target.

Because I don’t have the luxury of hiring full-time staffs for every project. Most of my teams are either contracted devs or startup collaborators, great people! but often working part-time, or balancing multiple gigs.

So I needed a structure that kept things moving without burning them out or requiring them to be “on call” all day.

Here’s the system that’s worked wonders.

1. The 3/2-Day Check-In Rhythm

(a.k.a. Gentle Pressure That Works)

I introduced a very simple rule;
We meet every 2 to 3 working days, but never on non working days unless absolutely necessary.

These short, consistent check-ins act as healthy pressure. Not overwhelming, but enough to keep momentum.

Here’s why it works:

• People always have the next meeting in mind.
• There’s not enough time to completely drift, but enough time to get real work done.
• The rhythm keeps the project top of mind, even if the dev isn’t working full time.

We schedule these meetings for evenings, after work hours, but not too late.
This is when people are:

• More relaxed
• More likely to speak openly
• Still alert enough to contribute meaningfully

And yes, there are exceptions. If we’re about to ship a major feature and want to quickly pivot to another one, we might meet on a weekend. But that’s rare, and always communicated in advance.

2. Small Chunks, Shared Testing

One of the best moves I made was forcing us to break every feature down into bite-sized, testable parts.

No vague, massive user stories.
Just small, focused tasks tied to clear milestones.

And once a chunk is marked “done”?
The whole team tests it. Even the devs who didn’t build it.

Why?

• Fresh eyes catch more bugs.
• Everyone stays familiar with the whole app, not just their sections.
• It encourages more collaboration and shared responsibility.

Yes, it takes a little more time.
But we’ve caught so many issues early this way, it’s absolutely worth it.

3. Make Developers Own Features

I stopped assigning “tickets.” Instead, I started assigning ownership.

If a developer builds a feature, they:

• Own it end-to-end
• Answer questions about it
• Fix bugs tied to it
• And most importantly, defend their decisions

When people feel true ownership, they:

• Take more pride in their work
• Plan more carefully
• Anticipate future problems

It turns them from “task doers” into actual product builders.

Why This System Matters (Especially for Startups)

Look, if you’re running a funded startup or have a full-time engineering team, you have more room to build out fancy processes and hire project managers.

But if you’re like me:

• Running lean,
• Working with contracted devs,
• Or just getting your product off the ground,

You need something lightweight, human-centered, and effective.

This system, short check-ins, clear milestones, and feature ownership gets you there. It doesn’t cost more. It doesn’t demand more hours. It just creates better habits.

Final Thought: Don’t Micromanage, Just Create Rhythm

You don’t need to be over their shoulder. You just need to give the team structure.

Every 2–3 days, talk.
Break the work into real pieces.
Make people own what they build.
Respect weekends, but know when it’s crunch time.

Simple. Honest. Repeatable.

This isn’t theory, it’s what I use today.
And it’s helped me ship products faster, with fewer bugs, and a team that doesn’t hate me at the end.

If you’re struggling with part-time devs or an early-stage team, give it a try.
You might just find your project finally moving forward the way you always hoped it would.

If you’re working on something exciting and need help building or launching it, feel free to reach out, I’m always open to meaningful collaborations. Or just drop me a message on WhatsApp.