This is how cross-functional teams improve Agile working

What is agile working?

Agile working is a style of working that focuses on flexibility and adaptability. To give a concrete example: With agile working, you work in short sprints. Each sprint lasts two to four weeks, for example, and at the end of each sprint, working software is delivered. Based on feedback from the customer, at the end of each sprint, the developers adjust the software. This way, the software is quickly tested in practice, adding value to customers.

Why is agile working effective?

It works faster, unlike traditional working methods that often follow set plans or processes. Agile working actually encourages teams to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions to problems. This way of thinking allows companies to work more efficiently while still achieving high-quality results.

What is a cross-functional team?

A cross-functional team is a group of people from different departments or disciplines who come together to work on a project. These can be people from marketing, engineering, product design, finance, customer service, sales and more. These people all have different skills that can be used to contribute to the project in their own unique way.

Read tip! DevOps teams to test and implement software faster

What is the connection to TMap?

The e-learning TMap® Quality for cross-functional teams is all about high-performance IT delivery. This is an approach that enables software testers to use cross-functional continuously to improve the products, processes and people needed to deliver value to end users. Such a cross functional and multifunctional team is full of skilled and motivated mense. This is an incredibly effective way to create, maintain and test IT systems.

What requirements should a cross functional team within TMap meet?

As you can imagine, you haven't put such a team together 1, 2, 3. For example, it is important that these cross functional teams have all the knowledge and skills. And more importantly, that a team can always function. Even when one of its members is temporarily unavailable. You achieve this by ensuring that everyone on the team has some knowledge and skills in each of the team's tasks. It is impossible for everyone to be equally good at every task. But it is therefore important to ensure that no one member has a monopoly on one specific skill.

Read tip! Boundary value analysis: what, how and why?

Benefits of cross-functional teams

Cross-functional teams offer many advantages for companies looking to go agile:

• You bring together different perspectives that lead to innovative solutions. Which might not have been possible had you relied solely on one department or area of expertise. Thus, it can help address complex challenges faster and more efficiently than ever before;
• Moreover, with cross-functional teams, you empower companies to better manage their resources. In fact, cross functional teams allow you to spread the workload across departments. Instead of having one department bear all the responsibility for a project or task;
• Also, when everyone comes together as part of one team, there is less chance of miscommunication between departments or conflicting priorities between individuals - which means tasks get done faster and more efficiently;
• Also, with cross-functional teams, you give employees a chance to learn from each other to develop new skills.

How do you get started with cross-functional teams?

Getting started with cross-functional teams is not difficult, but it does require some planning and preparation.

1. Start by identifying the departments that are going to be involved in your cross functional team. Consider whether you want to involve marketing and sales or IT and customer service;
2. Then select individuals with experience in the chosen areas and individuals who can lead well;
3. Next, create clear objectives for your team. So that everyone knows what is expected and when tasks need to be done;
4. Finally, provide adequate training and support. Then your team can get started right away when they start working together.

Cross functional teams to effectively and efficiently create and maintain IT systems

So with cross-functional teams, you are able to continuously improve products, processes and people needed to deliver value to software end users. Such a cross functional and multifunctional team is an incredibly effective way to create and maintain IT systems. Want to know exactly how to apply it? Then our e-learning TMap® Quality for cross-functional teams is for you!

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