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Scrum Team cross-functionality

Last post 01:16 pm April 13, 2015 by Nikhil Sinha
3 replies
04:54 pm April 12, 2015

Can you please help me with this question.

Which of the following is the MOST accurate statement about cross-functionality?

a. The development team is a virtual team with members matrixed from separate groups around the organization such as busniess analysts, architects, developers and testers.

b. The development team is a single team with assigned members that includes not only developers but also busnies analysts, architects and testers.

c. All development team members are "cross-skilled" individuals who are able to do what is required to deliver a product increment.

d. The development team is a group of developers who work closely with business analysts, architects and testers who are not actual members of the development team.


My answer was (b) but it was incorrect. Correct answer was (c). Is this right? Can you please explain me how?


06:42 pm April 12, 2015

(B) gets into specifying titles on the Scrum Team. Scrum intentionally strips away titles and keeps everyone as a member of the Development Team. Also consider hat some teams may have those having no architecture skills -- perhaps not needed. Or, needing UX skills -- Scrum doesn't specify.

(C) is indeed the better, correct choice. They work as a unit to either fail or succeed together.


12:02 pm April 13, 2015

(B) is a poorer choice than (C) because it increases the likelihood of bottlenecks developing around the constituent titles and their perceived responsibilties. Cross-functional team members, in comparison, should "go to where the work is".


01:16 pm April 13, 2015

Thanks Ian and Nitin.


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