How is the Scrum Team Cross-Functional?

One example could be how a Scrum Team is responsible for product discovery. Let's assume it needs to be done, but it's not prescribed how and by whom.

If there are UX skills within the Development Team, perhaps they will perform user interviews, designs and experiments to determine large parts of the future product direction; but I've also worked in teams where such skills sat primarily with the Product Owner, and so the PO took on that responsibility.

Does this mean each of the roles can assume another role if needed? 

Not necessarily. That might indicate whoever filled the role was cross functional, but in Scrum, the expectation is that cross functionality ought to be demonstrated by a team.

but in Scrum, the expectation is that cross functionality ought to be demonstrated by a team.

@Ian Mitchell, Perhaps my question ought to have been how does a Scrum Team exhibit cross functionality.

As I mentioned earlier, a cross functional Development Team has all the skills needed to create a potentially releasable Done Increment, in the same manner, a cross functional Scrum Team does what?

Perhaps my question ought to have been how does a Scrum Team exhibit cross functionality.

The Development team exhibits this by being able to create a potentially releasable Done increment without outside help (without the need for anyone outside the team). 

This applies to the Development team, not the Scrum team.

If you want to apply this to the Scrum team, how would you look at impediments? These are usually solved outside the team (hence, it is an impediment, the team is unable to solve it themselves). The Scrum team could therefore be deemed not cross functional?

How would you look at the Business perspective? The PO needs input from Business and stakeholders to be able to "let the rights things be created". This is knowledge outside the team. The Scrum team could therefore be deemed not cross functional?

So, what would you expect form cross functional Scrum teams?

is that cross functionality ought to be demonstrated by a team.

 I think this is a strong indication of where to move towards. Of course the dev team should have all the skills needed to create a "Done" Increment. In doing so, also consider what would happen if one of those members would be absent for a longer period of time, i.e. are there single points of failure in the team and how would you mitigate those risks?

Perhaps my question ought to have been how does a Scrum Team exhibit cross functionality.

I don't think it would exhibit cross functionality any more than the Development Team would, given that this is the role which does the work and creates a Done increment. That's where the proof of being sufficiently cross-functional lies.

Nevertheless, a Scrum Team ought to be accountable for the evidencing of adequate cross-functionality. In other words, if cross functionality is lacking, none of the roles can ignore the situation and each will have a call to action.

I agree with everyone above in that cross-functionality is most important in the Development Team because of the nature of the work that they do. It is also why that role is the only one described as a team.  

But if you want to know how a Scrum Master can show cross functionality, I think it is shown in their ability to work with different discplines in order to understand how their interactions best enable the Scrum Team to deliver value.  For example, working with Sales and Marketing to help them understand how the information they have can benefit the Product Owner in the determination of the work that will maximize the value of the work done by the Development Team. In order to do that a Scrum Master will have to know enough about the work that Sales and Marketing does so that they can convey the appropriate messages.  While this is not cross functional on a technical level, it is very cross functional at a business intelligence level. 

Scrum Teams are self-organizing and cross-functional

The above is a line from the Scrum Guide.

I agree with everyone above in that cross-functionality is most important in the Development Team because of the nature of the work that they do. It is also why that role is the only one described as a team. 

@Daniel Wilhite, I was just curious to understand the cross-functional nature of the Scrum Team, similar to that of the Development Team.

After some thought what I think, and is purely my opinion and understanding is that, the cross functionality of the Scrum Team as a whole can be summarized as all the skills needed to maximize the value of the product (PO), deliver a potentially releasable Increment of "Done" product at the end of each Sprint (DT) and servant-leadership that promotes scrum and maximizes the value created by the Scrum Team (SM).