How to Build a High‑Impact Tech Team in a Content Company from Scratch

For the past three years I have built only one product – the DeDao App – and assembled a battle‑ready product‑tech team that now numbers 187 people.

On May 26, 2019, the app’s third anniversary, I gave an 18‑minute presentation titled “How to Build a Tech Team from Zero in a Content Company.” Below is the full transcript.

I introduced myself as KuaiDao QingYi. By now the DeDao product‑tech team has 187 members, and I wanted to share how we built a strong tech organization in a content‑centric company.

The journey started from zero – I was the first technical person in a tiny office of seven, fixing doors, water dispensers, computers, fans, and routers. When the founders invited me to join, I simply thought, “Why not? They clearly needed me.”

Recruiting programmers felt like dating: you have to chase them across cities, wait for them, and endure rejection. Yet, contrary to the myth that famous companies attract developers effortlessly, we often struggled to find talent.

Over time we realized that building a tech team in a content company boils down to one core question: How can engineers feel they belong?

My answer is built around three keywords: Transparency , Self‑drive , and Collaboration .

Transparency means everyone can see the company’s data in real time – from operational metrics to daily revenue and active users. We started by sharing daily figures in a WeChat group, then built a data dashboard, and later held weekly live meetings where the three founders presented updates. Transparency is really about respect: treating engineers as equals, giving them full visibility, and involving them in strategic decisions.

We also respect engineers’ opinions on emerging technologies. For example, the “random‑read” feature for e‑books originated from a tech lead who suggested it to the product manager, turning an idea into a shipped feature.

We treat the tech team as the company’s engine, sharing the thinking behind decisions rather than merely issuing orders.

In July 2017 we booked an entire hotel floor for a “closed‑door” sprint, finishing a two‑and‑a‑half‑month project in just one month. When we realized a critical flaw, we halted the launch, explained the reasoning to the whole team, and avoided any resignations.

Transparency alone isn’t enough; we need mechanisms to create an efficient team.

Self‑drive is the team’s engine. We never enforce strict office hours or KPI quotas. Instead, we encourage engineers to define their own tasks, schedule, and push problems forward. For instance, we lacked a recommendation system because we only had 80 courses. After hiring a recommendation expert from Taobao, he expanded the pool to over 20,000 items within two and a half months, enabling personalized suggestions.

We also emphasize hiring “adults” – people who can work autonomously without constant supervision.

Collaboration is not a buzzword but the natural outcome of transparency and self‑drive. When engineers feel valued, they naturally form cross‑functional “battle groups” to tackle specific challenges. Our most prized award, the “Chest‑Out Award,” recognizes those who step up to solve problems.

One internal metric we created is the “period‑rate,” a tool built by a front‑end engineer to measure oral‑style content delivery, illustrating how collaboration can produce useful utilities.

When it comes to hiring top talent, I often have to wait. I once pursued a front‑end lead from Tencent, faced multiple rejections, kept in touch, and finally convinced him to join after a strategic conversation about cultural differences between Alibaba and Tencent.

We also rely heavily on internal referrals; once a friend’s startup failed, its former team contributed a CTO, COO, and several senior engineers to DeDao.

The key lesson: never wait until you need to hire – continuously nurture relationships and keep an eye on potential candidates.

In summary, building a tech team in a content company requires clear transparency, a self‑driven culture, and organic collaboration, ensuring engineers have a genuine sense of belonging and impact.