Teams Create Digital Products People Don’t

Successful T-Shaped Teams

In my previous blog post, I emphasized the importance of dedication, funding, and autonomy for a team’s success. Today, let’s delve deeper into the intricacies of what truly makes a successful team and a digital product, exploring the methods to create them.

Early in my leadership journey, I harboured the belief that assembling a team of individuals mirroring my skills and mindset would accelerate the realisation of my ideas. However, with time, I came to recognize this as a widespread challenge faced by many managers. It’s a manifestation of our inherent self-delusion, perpetuated within the echo chambers of social networks. This issue is further compounded by the compartmentalised nature of traditional businesses, where hierarchical structures foster isolated pockets of knowledge, hindering effective information exchange between departments. Often, these departments scale independently without due consideration for the entire value chain they contribute to.

I believe that a cross-functional teams are akin to a diverse group of superheroes, proves to be a more potent approach. This team structure, often referred to as a T-shaped team, comprises individuals with varied characters, personalities, and behaviors, each possessing expertise in design, product development, and engineering. Despite their specialisation in distinct areas, these team members collaborate seamlessly towards a shared goals.

The ‘T’ in a T-shaped team represents the breadth and depth of individual expertise. The horizontal bar symbolizes the breadth of knowledge acquired from the “university of life” — the amalgamation of personal experiences, environments, cultures, and interpersonal dynamics. On the other hand, the vertical trunk represents the depth of expertise cultivated over years of dedicated learning, practice, and commitment to their craft, skills, and knowledge. In essence, interdisciplinary teams thrive by leveraging the diverse skills of each member to achieve a collective objective. Moving away from the limitations of siloed thinking and hierarchical structures, these teams embrace a collaborative ethos that considers the holistic value chain, fostering innovation and efficiency.

Collaboration and open communication within teams at KELLERWATT spark ideas leading to groundbreaking solutions.

Scaling from One Person

In the realm of cross-functional teams, let’s reintroduce Sue. In our previous blog, Sue showcased her adeptness in crafting indispensable tools for the business. However, as the scope of requirements expanded, Sue found herself grappling with the need for additional expertise. With a visionary gaze fixed on the future, she aspired to transform her innovative ideas into a fully-fledged software product.

Launching a new digital product, Sue recognized the necessity for a broader skill set and increased bandwidth. Yet, the challenge lay in defining her role within this evolving team. Uncertain about where to commence or what specific role to assume, the complexity of the situation deepened for Sue. The prospect of forming a new team to bring her vision to life left her at a crossroads, pondering the intricate puzzle of skill allocation and team dynamics.

In contemplating the formation of her cross-functional team, Sue recognized the need to establish foundational principles that would shape the team’s behaviour. These guidelines would afford her the clarity to contemplate the necessary roles within the team.

Team Design and Behaviours

Sue emphasized the importance of a customer-centric approach, urging her team to grasp the “why” behind their work. Understanding the customers’ problems, needs, pains, and gains was paramount, aligning seamlessly with the envisioned product. She envisioned an iterative methodology to systematically diminish uncertainty and risk, allowing for pragmatic team growth.

Mindful of her own biases, Sue aimed for a data-driven mindset, prioritizing facts over opinions to propel progress. Acknowledging the longevity of her involvement in the project, Sue sought a team that would challenge assumptions, bravely testing and disrupting business ideas.

Recognizing the criticality of alignment, Sue instated joint objectives, commitments, and risks to foster cohesion and understanding among team members. To maintain a constant connection with the customer.

Sue had identified her first role, she the need for someone with expertise in user experience (UX) within the team, ensuring ongoing customer engagement and satisfaction.

Designing a Business

As one of my old bosses said “When you start a business you need to know what you intend to you. If you intend to go Global, then go Global!”.

The Business Model Canvas is a powerful tool that offers a visual framework for businesses, and teams to articulate, design, and evaluate their business models. One key benefit of the Business Model Canvas is its ability to condense complex business concepts into a clear and concise one-page diagram. This visual representation allows people like Sue to quickly understand the key components of a business, fostering better communication for her business plan.

The Business Model Canvas promotes a joined up view, encouraging Sue to consider and integrate various elements that contribute to their overall strategy. By addressing key areas such as customer segments, value propositions, channels, and revenue streams, the canvas prompts a comprehensive evaluation of the business model, fostering a more strategic and informed decision-making process. For Sue this helped her to understand what her key resources are and when she would need to employ them.

Designing business models at KELLERWATT sparks ideas leading to spinning out new businesses.

Designing a Digital Product

Too often businesses try to push their technology into the market thinking they are solving their customers’ problems, rather than understanding their customers and seeing how well their solution fits with them. It is easy to be lured into this way of thinking. Confirmation bias states that individuals favour information in a way that confirms or supports their preexisting beliefs. Recognising confirmation bias is important because it can hinder critical thinking, and distort perceptions. This is especially true when it comes to defining your value proposition. 

To steer clear of this cognitive trap, Sue, for instance, has adopted a customer-centric approach. She employs empathy mapping, a technique that delves into customer personas, understanding their roles and responsibilities. By scrutinizing whether these align with the functions and features of a product, Sue ensures a more objective evaluation. Additionally, she explores customer pains and gains, strategically considering which features should be incorporated into a future roadmap. This method helps Sue avoid the pitfalls of confirmation bias and ensures that her value proposition is genuinely rooted in the needs and preferences of her target audience..

Creating Value Propositions with KELLERWATT keeps a business honest.

Creating a Culture and a Business

KELLERWATT assumes a pivotal role in guiding businesses through the startup and scale-up phases. Our expertise lies in assisting businesses to organise their thoughts into cohesive models that can be effectively shared and communicated with stakeholders and colleagues.

Conclusion

We pride ourselves on maintaining integrity throughout the process, ensuring that biases and groupthink do not compromise the authenticity of your Design Thinking journey. With KELLERWATT , businesses can navigate their growth trajectories with clarity and precision, fostering an environment where strategic thinking is paramount. By understanding and embracing these motivational forces, KELLERWATT can cultivate an environment where innovation flourishes, creating a brighter and more dynamic future.

As KELLERWATT embarks on this exploration of innovation, let’s delve deeper into the design thinking process propelling us toward creating a better tomorrow.