Cross-Functional Teams
Teams composed of members with different functional expertise working toward shared goals.
Also known as: Multidisciplinary teams, Integrated teams, Product teams
Category: Concepts
Tags: collaboration, teams, organizations, agile, product-development
Explanation
Cross-functional teams bring together members from different functional areas (engineering, design, marketing, etc.) to work on shared objectives. This contrasts with functional teams where all members share a specialty. Benefits include: reduced handoffs and delays, faster decision-making (all expertise at table), broader perspective on problems, improved communication across functions, and end-to-end ownership. Challenges include: conflicting priorities with functional homes, varying work styles and vocabularies, and potential for conflict from different perspectives. Successful cross-functional teams require: clear shared goals, sufficient authority to execute, psychological safety for diverse views, and management support across functions. They're particularly effective for: product development, process improvement, strategic initiatives, and customer-focused work. For knowledge workers, cross-functional experience develops: broader perspective, collaboration skills, and appreciation for different disciplines.
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