![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/software-factory-6.jpg.jpg\")
Errico said he\u2019s looking for people who \u201chave emotional intelligence and empathy \u2014 critical skills to operate differently than everybody else, to operate in a rank-agnostic environment \u2014 and can thrive in a team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The work is different than any Boyle has experienced since he joined the service. In the new culture, leaders higher in the chain of command don\u2019t view the soldiers as low-ranked grunts, but as collaborators with valued ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey sit down [and] listen to what I have to say, and they value what I have to say,\u201d Boyle said. \u201cIt was a little bit of a culture shock and a little bit of a change, but I think it is something for us to be agile and do everything that we need successfully.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Steele, as an officer, had a similar experience and says the culture has created an organization that is more open to innovative ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was interesting at first, especially when you\u2019re calling majors by their first names \u2014 that was definitely a little bit weird,\u201d Steele said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut I think it\u2019s been really great for the organization as a whole because it really puts everyone on a level playing field, where anyone\u2019s idea can be the best idea, and then you can take that and you can run with it and come up with a solution that you wouldn\u2019t have come up with normally, just because they\u2019re a junior enlisted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second cohort of soldiers is expected to move to the factory in July. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, 60 percent of instruction has been virtual. First cohort soldiers would like more in-person instruction, as soon as that\u2019s possible, Errico said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For now, the software factory is focused on proving that its hypothesis is true: that the Army can upskill recreational software developers in its ranks. The organization wants to show that soldiers can work for commanders in product teams outside the factory, while seeking a dedicated program line in the fiscal 2023 budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs we prove it to be successful that soldiers can operate independently as product teams, with the right tools and skill sets, you\u2019ll see us begin to partner with larger commands in the field and grow their own organic capabilities, with the right commanders at the right bases under the right conditions methodically,\u201d Errico said. \u201cI think one of the biggest sins we can commit is trying to grow too fast.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The U.S. Army doesn\u2019t care about rank at its new software factory. The service just needs skilled coders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":62449,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-post-featured-layout","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":14,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[160,14,36,164],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3340],"class_list":["post-28573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-land","category-newsletters","category-training-simulation-report"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"2US4FLRL7RDIPCXVPYTFRMTOWE","arc_canonical_url":"\/battlefield-tech\/it-networks\/2021\/04\/14\/army-software-factory-experiments-with-a-new-culture-to-unleash-coders-in-its-ranks\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"featured-layout","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"\n