Episode Summary
Are 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 Learn
The Real Definition of Feature Factory – It's not about org structure; it's about how decisions get made and what gets measured
Five Capabilities That Define True Cross-Functionality:
- End-to-end ownership of customer value streams
- Real decision authority in their domain
- Direct customer access and learning loops
- Complete skill set without external dependencies
- Clear outcomes (not just a backlog)
Eight Red Flags You're Still Running a Feature Factory:
- Your roadmap is a Gantt chart
- Teams are measured on velocity
- Product managers act like project managers
- Engineering estimates drive prioritization
- "Alignment meetings" happen weekly
- Features ship but metrics don't move
- Teams can't say no to stakeholders
- "We can't because..." is a common phrase
Three Frameworks to Measure Cross-Functionality:
- Team Autonomy Audit
- Dependency Debt Score
- Outcome Ownership Matrix
Six Transformation Strategies That Actually Work:
- Start with outcomes, not structure
- Do a dependency purge
- Change what you measure
- Train PMs to be outcome owners
- Create strategic buffers
- Fix 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
