The software development world is always changing, and if you've been in the same IT company for almost two years like I have, there's a good chance you've seen some shifts in organizational structure and work approaches.
I was one of those employees who asked a lot of questions about everything (and who doesn't love that, right?). To write for the web, create content, and handle SEO, I wanted a solid understanding of our projects and the technologies we were using. But, when I joined the company, the marketing team was focused on employer branding, which, at the time, didn't require that much cross-functional team work, considering we were focused on the visual identity.
Eventually, my wish came true. We started working differently, not as separate, siloed departments, but in collaboration with software engineers, business analysts, product people, sales teams, and more. In other words, the product development team and non-tech team started to collaborate more.
This new way of working gave me fresh perspectives and completely changed my approach, helping me develop new skills and do my job even better.
The opportunity for change: Cross-functional collaboration
To create content for software development, you first need to understand software development. Is that how the saying goes?
One of the best benefits of working in a cross-functional team is learning from people with different experiences and job titles. While focus is often good, it can sometimes be limiting because it restricts you to your own perspective.
Last year, I had the opportunity to work with a diverse group of people on content for a conference HLTH. This experience gave me multiple perspectives, sparking ideas and thoughts I wouldn't have considered if I hadn't collaborated closely with more experienced colleagues.
Then, at the beginning of this year, I started working on an internal project: reworking our company website. I was part of a fantastic team, including the designer and Product Owner of our website, Tisa Bastijanić, the Tech Lead on this project, Marko Meić Sidić, and great engineers Luka Cerovac, Mario Frlić, Krešimir Stropnik, Head of Engineering Matej Dragun and our Sandro Bujan.
My task was to create fresh content, craft new messages for each page, and figure out what makes us unique. What sets us apart? Of course, the final step was optimizing the key pages for SEO, but first, it was story time.
I gained invaluable insights from Sandro Bujan, our Head of AI research. I decided to interview him, wrote down questions regarding our unique selling point and unique value proposition, and set a meeting with him to go through every question. His experience working with clients provided a great deal of information.
Over time, while working on cross functional projects, I also had many conversations with our Tech Lead, Rino Kovačević, who shared insights about the various projects we've completed. These discussions gradually helped me craft brand-new content for the website. This specific project opened my eyes to the value of cross-functional teams and the incredible benefits of having diverse perspectives and the right people around you.
Benefits you get when working in a cross-functional team
1. I grasped my work better when I considered it from other people's perspectives
Often, when you're deeply focused on your own work, you can develop tunnel vision. If you're surrounded only by people from your own department, it's easy to miss out on how other aspects of the process are unfolding.
A cross-functional team should work in a way that every person brings different perspectives and expertise to the table.
For instance, my role involves creating new content for our website and optimizing it for the best results. But how would I know what to write about if I don't understand the work of a software developer? That's where the beauty of a cross-functional team comes in. By collaborating on various projects, each team member brought unique insights and problem-solving approaches, enriching our collective understanding.
Each of us naturally focuses on different aspects based on our backgrounds and expertise. While I was deep into keyword research and crafting compelling stories for SEO, my colleague, Sandro Bujan, who has extensive experience working with clients, often offered a different perspective. He would point out that despite high search volumes, some topics might not be worth discussing if they don't align with what our clients are interested in.
Moreover, while I might prioritize keywords, domain ratings, and other SEO metrics, I could easily overlook niche but potentially valuable topics. For example, someone more familiar with specialized areas like TypeScript might highlight why discussing a seemingly low-volume topic regarding that theme could be important. They might see early trends and recognize that while the search volume is currently low, the topic could become popular soon.
That's why I always include engineers when creating content. What are they currently learning? Have they been to any good conferences? What are people in their community talking about? Because of this collaboration and communication, we've developed some great, interesting blogs together.
This diversity of thought not only led to more innovative solutions but also broadened my understanding of how different functional areas contribute to a project's success. Considering one key aspect of my work in SEO is user experience, I learned a lot from my colleague, UX/UI designer and Product Owner of the Devōt website Tisa Bastijanić. I love writing, and I always have, but writing for a book, magazine, or website is an entirely different area. Writing for a book involves longer texts with a structured introduction and gradual buildup, while writing for a website requires brevity and clarity, delivering the message quickly to the end-user or client.
Thanks to Tisa's expertise in user experience, I learned how to convey my written content more effectively on the web. Her insights helped me understand the importance of being concise and immediately communicating the key message to the audience.
In my career I realized that different projects require different approaches to content, and it's essential to adapt to these needs to succeed.
2. Better interdepartmental communication, and the rest was history
One of the most significant benefits of working in a cross-functional team is the enhancement of communication across different departments.
In my previous experience working exclusively within the marketing team, I often felt isolated from other functional areas. I mean, my job is to create and develop content for the website from scratch, but how am I supposed to do that if I have no idea what's going on in the company? It's like trying to bake a cake without knowing the ingredients! Little by little, I started sending questions to a lot of people in the company to be more clued in on everything—from the technologies we're using to the projects we're tackling and how we operate.
When I joined the cross-functional team for the HLTH conference project, a lot of things changed. I had the opportunity to collaborate with a product owner, designer, and other team members, which opened new channels of communication. This collaboration was a game-changer, as it allowed us to address issues in real time and streamline decision-making processes.
It was about having the right conversations with the right people.
Through this experience, it became clear that effective communication is crucial. It helps align the entire team with the project's goals and ensures that everyone is on the same page. When team members from different departments work together, they bring diverse perspectives that enrich the project and help avoid misunderstandings. This alignment is key to moving forward efficiently and effectively.
3. The best feedback you can get - The one in real-time
Cross-functional collaboration facilitates real-time feedback, enabling iterative improvements. During the web rework project, our team included members from various departments, such as design, product, and development.
For example, while I was learning technical SEO on the side and applying that knowledge to the Devōt website, the setup for our website rework project provided a unique advantage: immediate feedback from the engineers working on the site. If I suggested an SEO strategy or a particular feature, they could instantly tell me why it would or wouldn't work from a technical standpoint. Also, if I pointed out the need for something specific to boost our SEO, we could collaborate to find the best solution together.
This continuous exchange of ideas and suggestions was invaluable. It helped us refine our approach and significantly improve the overall quality of our output. The iterative process, enriched by the diverse perspectives of team members, allowed us to quickly adapt and enhance our actions, leading to more effective and cohesive results.
What could be better than getting feedback on the spot?
4. No room for miscommunication
Aside from making iterative improvements, in a cross-functional team, there is no losing time in thinking you're right or someone else misunderstanding your requirements and moving forward with conflicting ideas.
The immediate feedback loop ensures that any suggestions or strategies are promptly assessed and addressed. If I had an idea or a new approach, I could quickly present it to the engineers, designer, or other team members and receive honest feedback.
This direct line of communication eliminates guesswork and prevents the development of solutions that might clash with other components of the project.
It fosters a transparent environment where constructive criticism is welcomed, allowing the team to refine ideas on the spot and move forward with a unified vision.
5. Thanks to team collaboration, I got so much skill development
Being part of a cross-functional team significantly contributed to my personal growth and skill development.
Initially, my role was confined to content creation from zero and SEO. However, as I interacted with team members from various departments, I gained a deeper understanding of other disciplines. I learned about the intricacies of web design, the importance of user experience, and the technical aspects of website development.
This knowledge not only improved my ability to create more effective content but also enhanced my overall appreciation of the software development lifecycle.
6. We all delivered better results on a project
The ultimate benefit of cross-functional teams is the delivery of superior project outcomes. The HLTH conference and web rework projects were testaments to this.
The combination of marketing insights, design expertise, and technical knowledge allowed us to better understand each other and the target audience. This isn't just the benefit for people working in cross-functional teams, but for stakeholders as well.
By leveraging each team member's strengths and fostering a culture of open communication, we produced results that would have been challenging to achieve within a traditional team structure.
What makes a strong cross functional team? Leave egos at the door
The result of an effective cross-functional team should be that each team member learns the right approach to team collaboration and develops a collaborative culture that acknowledges that every team member, whether from the engineering group, design, sales, marketing, or other groups, brings their own diverse skill sets to the table.
A crucial aspect of cross-functional teams is building a foundation of mutual respect and trust. It's about trusting that every team member has their own strengths and expertise that others can learn from. This trust fosters an environment where members feel valued and are more willing to share their insights.
The true strength of cross-functional teams lies in their diversity. By bringing together individuals from different departments or areas of expertise, the team can tackle challenges from multiple angles. This approach not only enhances creativity and problem-solving but also ensures that the team considers all aspects of a project.
In my experience, to achieve the best outcomes when you create a cross-functional team, it's important to cultivate open and effective communication within the team. Leave egos at the door and focus on the shared goals. When a cross-functional team has a clear understanding of its objectives and works together with respect and open dialogue, it can achieve remarkable results.
