Agile fundamentals for teams

In this video, we're going to compare functional and cross-functional teams. We'll introduce each structure and explore how each works.

So, what's the difference between these 2 models?

Many public sector organisations often look something like this. Teams are often organised by function: people grouped together, based on their expertise. You might have a team of Quality Assurance specialists. The Business Analysis team. Another made up of UI Designers. Finally, the team of Developers. Each of these functional teams will then report to their own manager.

Functional teams have been the traditional model in public sector organisations for years. And there are some benefits. It enables team members to develop their expertise and learn from one another.

But there are also challenges. One of the main consequences is these teams work in silos. This means collaboration between different teams can be difficult and slow. Imagine building a new product. People from each of these teams may all work on the product, but each would often work in isolation. This can make the process feel disconnected. Also, handovers between teams can result in delays and even misunderstandings.

So, what's the alternative?

Another approach is a cross-functional teams’ model. Instead of grouping by function, they bring different roles together into one team. As shown, teams include a mix of different roles depending on their needs and context.

The main advantage of this model is that it breaks down the silos. Teams can collaborate with greater ease. They can also share their expertise and focus together on a shared goal. This can improve the speed of delivery and quality of services. This is through faster feedback loops and eliminating the need for handovers.

But cross-functional teams come with challenges too. Bringing together people of different skill sets isn’t always straightforward. It often requires large scale change. Teams will also take time to adopt to new ways of working.

This quote from Public Digital captures the essence of Agile teamwork: "Build a team, not an app".

This means that the real value lies in building a strong, cohesive team that works to solve problems. We don't focus on the product first, then assemble a team, as has often been the case. 

Cross-functional teams embody this idea. They aren't working to complete the project. Instead, they are about creating a long-term, effective, and adaptable way of working. Having a lasting team enables them to evolve and improve over time.

It enables you to be more responsive, flexible, and better equipped to meet the needs of users.