The Untameable Mindset
2. Cross-Functional Collaboration

Written by: Edgar Ravenhorst, 24 mei 2024
Foster collaboration among all roles by encouraging open communication and teamwork. This approach leverages diverse expertise and perspectives to solve problems and innovate effectively.
Cross-functional collaboration involves integrating team members from different roles, such as developers, product owners, designers, and other stakeholders. This approach encourages open communication and teamwork, leading to more innovative and effective problem-solving.
Key Principles
Form integrated teams that include members from all relevant roles to ensure diverse perspectives and expertise. Use collaborative tools like Slack, Jira, Confluence, and Trello to facilitate communication and coordination. Conduct joint workshops and brainstorming sessions to generate ideas and solve problems together.
Benefits
Cross-functional collaboration enhances innovation and problem-solving by leveraging diverse perspectives. It reduces silos, improves workflow efficiency, and fosters a more cohesive team environment. This approach leads to higher-quality outcomes and a more agile and responsive development process.
Implementation Strategies
Create integrated teams with representatives from all relevant roles. Implement collaborative tools to facilitate communication and coordination. Schedule regular joint workshops and brainstorming sessions to tackle challenges and generate ideas together.
Examples
A project team uses Slack for daily communication, Jira for task management, and Confluence for documentation. They hold weekly brainstorming sessions where developers, designers, and product owners collaborate to solve problems and plan upcoming features. This approach ensures that all perspectives are considered, leading to more innovative solutions and efficient workflows.
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Read about other Aspects of the Untameable Mindset:
This page is part of a series on The Untameable Mindset. Explore the other aspects to learn more about the principles that guide our development practices and behaviors.
1: Unified Vision and Goals
Ensure everyone understands the project's vision and goals. This shared understanding guides decisions and actions across the team.
Learn more2: Cross-Functional Collaboration
Foster collaboration among all roles by encouraging open communication and teamwork. This approach leverages diverse expertise and perspectives to solve problems and innovate effectively.
Learn more3: MVP Driven: Start Small, Grow Big
Begin with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and scale up through iterative development. This approach allows for rapid deployment and user feedback while ensuring the product evolves robustly and sustainably.
Learn more4: Release or Disable Features Through Configuration
Use feature toggles and configurations to release or disable features quickly. This approach allows for flexible adjustments without extensive code changes, enabling controlled rollouts and quick responses to feedback.
Learn more5: Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD)
Integrate and deliver code changes frequently with automated testing and deployment to ensure code quality and functionality. This approach promotes collaboration, reduces integration issues, and maintains a stable, deployable codebase.
Learn more6: Pragmatic Testing of Code
Focus on tests that provide real value and insight. Identify critical paths and concentrate testing efforts on the most important areas to ensure high code quality and performance, avoiding over-testing.
Learn more7: Automate Repetitive and Complex Tasks
Automate complex or repetitive tasks across the organization and for end-users to improve efficiency and free up time for more valuable work. This enhances productivity and ensures consistent execution.
Learn more8: Prioritize Needs of the End-User and (Future) Developer
Prioritize both the end-user experience and future developer needs to ensure the product is user-friendly and maintainable. Involve users in design, maintain clear documentation, and follow best practices for code maintainability.
Learn more9: Concise and Accessible Documentation
Maintain concise and accessible documentation to provide an overview of the software, its components, and critical business logic. This supports effective use and development without consuming excessive time.
Learn more10: Continuous Feedback and Improvement
Foster a culture of continuous feedback and improvement. Regularly collect feedback from all stakeholders to refine processes and products, ensuring the development process is always evolving and adapting.
Learn more
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