According to ChainCatcher citing Dachang Ribao, Ctrip announced at an all-hands meeting last week that it would roll out a product-and-engineering integration system companywide, centered on the Directly Responsible Individual (DRI) model. The system brings product, operations, frontend, backend, algorithm and testing staff together in project-based teams, crossing traditional functional boundaries.
DRIs may come from product, operations or technology leadership. Team members will collaborate across functions, and the DRI will make final decisions. Some teams in Ctrip’s travel, air ticketing and content divisions have begun adopting the model, with implementation varying by team and no companywide mandate for a uniform rollout.
The report says the move reflects AI-era blurring of job boundaries and aims to shorten delivery cycles and speed decisions. It also notes that the model requires DRIs with both technical understanding and business insight, and that qualified leaders are scarce.