Cross-Functional Teams vs. Feature Factories: What's Actually Different?

Episode SummaryAre your "cross-functional" teams actually just a feature factory in disguise? In this solo deep-dive, I break down the real differences between truly empowered teams and organizations that just reorganized the boxes on an org chart. You'll learn how to measure true cross-functionality, spot the warning signs you're still running a feature factory, and get concrete strategies to transform your teams.What You'll LearnThe Real Definition of Feature Factory – It's not about org structure; it's about how decisions get made and what gets measuredFive Capabilities That Define True Cross-Functionality:End-to-end ownership of customer value streamsReal decision authority in their domainDirect customer access and learning loopsComplete skill set without external dependenciesClear outcomes (not just a backlog)Eight Red Flags You're Still Running a Feature Factory:Your roadmap is a Gantt chartTeams are measured on velocityProduct managers act like project managersEngineering estimates drive prioritization"Alignment meetings" happen weeklyFeatures ship but metrics don't moveTeams can't say no to stakeholders"We can't because..." is a common phraseThree Frameworks to Measure Cross-Functionality:Team Autonomy AuditDependency Debt ScoreOutcome Ownership MatrixSix Transformation Strategies That Actually Work:Start with outcomes, not structureDo a dependency purgeChange what you measureTrain PMs to be outcome ownersCreate strategic buffersFix your incentives(00:00) - Intro (00:54) - Title (01:36) - Understanding Cross-Functional Teams vs Feature Factories (05:54) - Key Characteristics of True Cross-Functional Teams (13:26) - Identifying Red Flags of Feature Factories (20:01) - Measuring Cross-Functionality in Teams (27:09) - Empowering Teams for Success

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