All companies aim to become experts in their field, but some take an approach that stifles innovation by only focusing on one thing. Additionally, a lack of understanding between teams with different specialties lengthens the time it takes to get products on shelves and causes mistakes.
Cross-functional teams address these challenges by bringing together professionals from various disciplines and aligning their efforts toward a common goal. This approach not only enhances creativity but also streamlines processes, leading to more efficient and successful product development.
Who Do You Need on a Product Development Team?
A successful cross-functional product development team should include engineers, designers, supply chain, quality control, manufacturing teams, and leaders who understand the needs of their customers and direct the team. These roles all have their expertise, but as members of the same team, they can quickly and effectively communicate with each other.
Managers:
Account managers are the first point of contact for customers. They initiate the relationship, learn about the customer’s needs, and oversee business operations. Account managers must understand their customers’ businesses to create an effective strategy.
Once the account manager has initial information about the customer’s idea for the project, a meeting is arranged with a project manager to develop a plan. Project managers also communicate with customers, but after the account manager has vetted the business opportunity. Project managers act as the engineering team’s leader. They create schedules, give assignments, and establish goals. Project managers must have engineering or product design expertise to effectively lead their team.
Engineers:
Successful products are often the result of collaborations between different types of engineers. In cross-functional teams, engineers have a more open line of communication; being on the same team increases familiarity. Software engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, and hardware engineers are all important members of product development teams.
Software engineers design and code software systems. Their contributions include developing operating systems and apps that connect to their physical products. Software engineers should know international standards and do thorough testing before releasing a product outside of the beta environment.
Mechanical engineers develop products for a wide range of industries. They commonly design engines and machines, but their expertise can be applied to many products. Mechanical engineers use tools such as CAD modeling to design and redesign products to the customer’s satisfaction.
Electrical engineers and electronics engineers are both valuable members of cross-functional teams. Though similar, electrical engineers focus on designing large electrical systems, and electronics engineers work on smaller complex electrical components. Hardware engineers develop and maintain computer hardware, like control systems.
All of the engineers mentioned contribute to different parts of a product’s functionality. However, innovation and functionality alone do not guarantee a product’s success. When making purchasing decisions, consumers see how a product looks before learning about all of its capabilities. Industrial designers are essential to any cross-functional team, as they design for aesthetics and functionality.
Supply Chain Experts:
Supply chain teams source parts and track pricing and availability to ensure all product components stay on schedule to eliminate the risk of production delays. A global supply chain team sources worldwide, providing customers with greater reliability and cost-effectiveness.
Having a strong supply chain is critical to cross-functional teams. In 2014, Coolest Cooler raised millions on Kickstarter to build their cooler brand, which advertised a “portable party.” However, by the time the product was manufactured and shipped, the cost of producing each cooler exceeded the minimum pledge amount required to receive a cooler by $70. An investigation and a flurry of angry customers, who were still waiting for their coolers 2 years after supporting the campaign, led to the brand’s failure. If Coolest Cooler had implemented cross-functional teams, supply chain experts would have been involved during the planning process, and the company would have known how much their coolers would actually cost to manufacture and planned accordingly.
Regulation and Production
Before going to market, a product must pass regulatory and quality control standards. Quality control teams oversee quality control systems and ensure that items comply with regulatory standards, such as the ones set by the ISO, and government requirements, like CE markings.
Production and manufacturing teams manage sites where the product gets made. They plan and schedule production runs and can provide feedback to engineers to help with design for manufacturing (DFM). In their day-to-day management of production lines, manufacturing teams will also be the first to recognize if something in production is not working as it should.
Assembling the Team
Depending on your specific product needs, you may not need to utilize all areas of a cross-functional team. Once the project manager has met with the customer, they will determine the best team composition, considering the needed skills and the potential synergy between teams.
Effective collaboration across disciplines is crucial, as each team member brings a unique perspective and skill set that contributes to the overall success of the product. Ensuring that these diverse areas of expertise work together seamlessly not only enhances the product’s development process but also fosters innovation and helps in addressing challenges from multiple angles. This collaborative approach leads to more well-rounded products that better meet customer needs and market demands.
Working with a Partner
If your company has not implemented cross-functional teams, partnering with a company with experienced teams in place is the quickest path to success. Existing cross-functional teams have established a strong team dynamic that can instantly be applied to developing your product. Additionally, a learning curve exists when entering new industries that seasoned teams have already passed, leading to a quicker time-to-market.
For companies looking for a product development partner, the key benefit of choosing a partner with cross-functional teams in place is that all areas of your project can be handled by the same provider instead of multiple companies, which can lead to a lack of communication and pricing differences between firms. The streamlined processes provided by cross-functional teams build a foundation for success.
Having engineers from different disciplines on one team fosters a smoother development process. At Pivot International, our teams work with our partners to design, develop, and manufacture their product ideas, starting from any point in the process. Our experience developing products for various industries gives us the skills and expertise to help with your next product solution. To learn more, contact us today.
