Cross-skilling
Cross-skilling refers to the development of new competencies and skills beyond the team members' basic area of expertise. In a scrum team, being cross-skilled means that team members can work on various tasks across different functional areas. This increases the adaptability of the team allowing more flexibility in dealing with bottlenecks, decreasing delivery time and improving the ability to cope with unpredicted changes.
Guide on Cross-skilling in Scrum Teams
Cross-skilling is the process of developing an individual's skills and capabilities in areas beyond their specialised role within a team. It's particularly important in Scrum and Agile methodologies, where teams are encouraged to be self-organising and each member has a wide-ranging understanding of project goals and challenges.
Why is cross-skilling important?
Cross-skilling increases team flexibility and efficiency as members can cover for each other, and it encourages team collaboration and interaction. Cross-skilling also minimises project delay risks associated with team member unavailability.
How does cross-skilling work?
In cross-skilling, team members are trained or mentor each other in specific areas beyond their core skills. For example, a software developer might learn about user interface design, or a tester might learn about requirements analysis.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Cross-skilling
- Understand the concept and its benefits. Memorize key terms and concepts related to cross-skilling.
- Provide concrete examples of cross-skilling in a Scrum or Agile context.
- Understand the challenges of cross-skilling and how they can be mitigated.
- Demonstrate the impact of cross-skilling on team performance, project delivery and risk management.
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