Working with Cross-Functional Teams

Cross-Functional Team

Cross-functional teams include people from various organizational departments—such as project management, product development, Testing teams, and UX designers—who work together to achieve a common goal. Oftentimes, cross-functional teams are organized to complete a specific project, but they can also be created with a more ongoing purpose. The cross-functional teams are very effective when one knows how to handle them.

ADVANTAGES of a Cross-Functional Team

Cross-functional teams can see the bigger picture as people from all domains are involved and they can coordinate with each other to understand the requirements better and analyze the inputs and the outputs. By working with members who have varying viewpoints, expertise, and backgrounds, the collective team can more efficiently tackle problems and achieve the goals of a project. They can also anticipate hurdles earlier in the process because each department has input throughout the process, The project here does not move from department to department. Instead, the cross-functional team put their heads together to solve the problems and understand the requirements

Cross-functional Teams Promote the Goals of the Organization

When everyone works in their own vertical, it is difficult to see the bigger picture as everyone is focused and invested in their own goals. For instance, the Development team may be concerned about giving a perfect technical architecture but they lose sight of the user experience issues involved with the approaches. The project team might be so focused on getting the project on track but might not know the technical issues the team is facing if it is not cross-functioning. And the marketing team might be so eager to launch a new brand or product that they aren’t focused on product development challenges.

By putting together people with seemingly competing day-to-day goals, you can ensure that the goals of the organization are advanced throughout the entire project.

Ways To Create an Effective Cross-Functional Team

Ensure Diversity Within the Team

Diversity is a cornerstone of cross-functional teams, but this isn’t confined to diversity of expertise. The more diverse the group is, the more effective and productive it will be at meeting its goals. This means diversity of age, status, background, viewpoint, gender, race, and tenure with the organization.

Establish Clear Roles and Responsibilities

Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each team member to avoid confusion.
Ensure that everyone understands how their work contributes to the overall success of the project.

Set Clear Goals for the Cross-Functional Team

If the project is too huge or lacks clear goals, the team may encounter many issues. However, if you establish clear goals with specific deadlines or milestones, you can increase the likelihood that the team will meet the project’s objectives.

Enforce Team’s Spirit

For the team to be productive and efficient, the members need to be respected within the organization. It is important to establish their authority regarding the project and to reinforce their goals throughout the work.

Similarly, organizational leadership also needs to discourage a hierarchical approach within the group. Because diversity is a key feature of a cross-functional team, members who have less experience than other members need to feel safe to share their viewpoints.

Final Words

Cross-functional teams pave a better way to achieve organizational goals and give a better and more informed output but handling a cross-functional team is a skill and one should be aware of the methods to handle the team and increase its effectiveness