Alternative to Form Second Team out of Only Layer-Team Members

Motivation

After applying Form Cross-Functional Team out of Layer-Team Members, a first cross-functional team has been ramped up. To form the next teams, basically two different approaches can be taken: Either we will take someone out of the first new team to be part of the second new team, or we leave the first team as it is and fill the new team with layer team members.

The advantage of sending a first member to the second team is that the experience of doing the change the first time can thus be transported to the second team.

The disadvantage is that we have rip apart the relatively newly formed first team and send it again into a storming-forming-norming-performing cycle.

Mechanics

  • Choose (at least) one person from the first cross-functional team.
  • You’ll want the “teachers” here—the people that like to pass on knowledge to peers.
  • Fill up the second cross-functional team with members from the layer teams.
    • Check that all the required knowledge is present in the team. So if no UI expert has come from the first team, send someone from the old UI layer team.
    • Form a new team of less than ca. nine people.
  • Let the new team take responsibility for a new bounded context.
  • Let the rest of the teams organized as they are. They should already be shrinking in a significant way.

Example(s)