Technical Project Management #8: What Is a Team?
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Video Description
Just because people are grouped together on an org chart doesn't make them a team. A team is something specific, and your Definition of Done reveals whether you actually have one. This video shows you how to diagnose team composition problems and what to do about them.
What you'll learn:
• The real definition of a team: a group that can deliver value without waiting on anyone else • The DoD Test: every Definition of Done item needs someone on the team who does it • Why team boundaries equal dependency boundaries • Cross-functional vs. component teams: organized by delivery, not specialty • The vertical slice question: can your team deliver end-to-end? • Signs your "team" isn't actually a team • What to do when you can't change the org chart
Key insights:
• If QA is a separate team, every single requirement waits in a queue for testing. That's not occasional; it's structural. • Dependencies are where projects go to die. And team structure creates dependencies. • "All the backend devs" is a component team, not a cross-functional team. No single team can deliver end-to-end. • When blame flows to "the other team," your boundaries are wrong. • Cross-functional doesn't mean everyone does everything. It means the team collectively has all the skills needed. • You might not be able to change the org chart, but you can track the cost of dependencies and make the business case.
Previous Video: "This Can't Be Split Any Further" Next Video: Vertical Slicing: End-to-End Delivery ► Full Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGxFXI4dC2shCJwhTY-P2726zts26_AKF
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#ProjectManagement #TechnicalPM #Agile #Scrum #Kanban #TeamComposition #CrossFunctional #Dependencies #ProductManagement #SoftwareDevelopment #Tutorial #TechLead #EngineeringManager #DevOps
0:00 What Is a Team? 0:25 A Team Defined 1:17 The DoD Test 1:43 Walking Through the DoD Test 2:20 The Dependency Tax 3:13 Cross-Functional vs. Component Teams 4:27 The Vertical Slice Question 4:47 Signs Your 'Team' Isn't a Team 5:27 What to Do About It 6:11 When You Can't Change the Team 7:15 The Team Composition Checklist 7:43 Common Objections 8:20 Key Takeaways
Video Info
- Duration: 9:32
- Published: December 10, 2025
