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The Evolution of Team Collaboration




In my point of view, if a team has a good collaboration, team members will achieve the following:
  • To be more effective
  • To make work more enjoyable
I have been working for a company for nearly four years as an software developer. Working on various projects from maintaining existing systems to developing a substantial product resulted in me moving to new teams three times. Actually, my most stable team lasted only around three years. 

Every time I've moved to a new team, I have a chance to work with new members and a new team culture again. Indeed, I realize that there is a process of developing the team collaboration which gets better time by time. I think it is an evolution!

Phase 1: Poorly collaborate

For example, that is when the team members have the following issues:
  • Only work on his/her area of expertise
  • Don't communicate to others
  • Be not confident to take on new challages
  • Don't listen to other members.

Subsequently, the team has some Failed Sprints and the knowledge gap between the members is increased.

Phase 2: Cover each other

As a result, the team would have a lesson learned! In Scrum, we have the Restropective Meeting where the team members can figure out what are the issues. 


Now, the team members have to learn how to collaborate. Each member becomes willing to support the others when being asked. Moreover, each member actively "takes care" of the others even he/she is not asked. 

For example, there are two members working on a User Story. If a member find a missing requirement or a potential bug of the other partner, he/she will proactively contact to the partner and then solve these issues together

Phase 3: Be self-organized

The team has already collaborated well is good but not enough. How about if their Scrum Master/PO is off? How about if tallented and strong members leave the team? And, so on. That is when the team should be self-organized. Each member should achieve the following attributes:
  • Be able to work as a leader.
  • Be knowledgeable, courageous and autonomous.
  • Have team goal rather than personal goal in mindset.
  • Trust each other blindly and respect is in the DNA of each team member. [1]

What I mean when I did highlight these words: trust and respect is that we should try avoid the conflicts among a lot of strong members. Am I right?

In the end

Hope you enjoyed the videos! :)

I think we should consider to include one criteria "team collaboration" when setting up the team goal in order to build up our stable dream team.

Do you have a self-organizing team? What I am thinking about is a Scrum Master can even lead more than two teams but I am not sure if it is real. 

Post YOUR opinions down below!

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Reference:
[1]. https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/evolution-development-team

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