Final answer:
The role of a Lead Developer is crucial in the success of product development projects, providing technical expertise, leadership, and ensuring team coordination to meet critical deadlines and secure stakeholder buy-in.
Step-by-step explanation:
The argument that a Development Team should have a Lead Developer is centered around the importance of strong technical skills and leadership to ensure the work is properly executed.
A Lead Developer brings value with a self-motivated, success-oriented attitude and the capacity to deliver against goals. Moreover, the skills such as strong team interaction ability are crucial in coordinating efforts amongst team members who may have differing skills and responsibilities. This is especially true in Product Development, where the development of a detailed design is a phase that significantly impacts the success of the project. Without proper guidance, a project could suffer from missed deadlines or fail to achieve buy-in from key stakeholders, risking project delays or cancellation.