Working Cross-Functionally

Engineering work often involves working closely with people who are not engineers. Cross-functional teams, where contributors from several different departments or skillsets collaborate on a shared effort, have become the primary configuration for software development work. These teams are arranged to have the right expertise to complete meaningful and impactful work together.

Engineers may work on cross-functional teams with a wide range of members. Contributors might include those from other engineering disciplines or those from design, data, operations, analytics, product management, project management, or business backgrounds. Many others may be a part of your cross-functional teams, each with their own skillsets, priorities, and perspectives.

Companies take different approaches to cross-functional teams. They may set up a functionally aligned reporting structure with matrixed cross-functional teams or they might have cross-functional roles report...