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Building the Team

Updated Jun 07, 2020 ·

The Goal​

Identifying and aligning the necessary skills to deliver your project outcomes is essential. You must also ensure that team members possess the behaviors and characteristics that thrive in an agile environment.

The Right People For Your Team​

Matching the right skills to the appropriate parts of the project is crucial. When sourcing team members, consider the following traits:

  • Commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.
  • High level of emotional intelligence.
  • Comfort with ambiguity and support for an agile approach.
  • Pride and accountability for their work.
  • Flexibility to pivot as new information arises.

Co-Location​

Keeping team members in the same workspace can simplify management, accelerate communication, streamline development, and promote trust and mutual respect. For remote teams, utilize video conferencing and collaborative tools like Miro to maintain effective communication and brainstorming.

Get Yourself A Coordinator​

An experienced Scrum Master or Disciplined Agile Team Lead can serve as the coordinator and facilitator for your project. Ensure they have an even and approachable temperament and can educate your team about agile methodologies.

Key Questions​

Questions to ask yourself:

  • Is your Scrum Master experienced?
  • Do team members have the right behaviors for agile success?

Questions to ask your team:

  • Do your sponsor and team members understand and support agile working?

The Talent And Skills Spreadsheet​

Creating a talent and skills spreadsheet is essential to list the skills needed and identify talent by name, qualifications, and experience level. This helps ensure the team covers all required skill sets for the project.

  • List necessary skills such as Developer, Subject Matter Expert, etc.
  • Document each person’s qualifications, experience, proficiency, and location.
  • Collaborate with functional managers to decide on team member availability.

Consider the geographical distribution of the team members.

Building a team is an ongoing process that requires a mix of different skill sets and abilities. Ensure that the team collectively represents all the necessary skills for the project's success.