Say it like this
- We have a cross-team sync scheduled for Tuesday
- This is a cross-team initiative led by product
- We need to resolve cross-team dependencies before launch
Use it at work
Planning
- This is a cross-team project, so let's agree on owners early.
- Cross-team dependencies are our biggest risk.
Asking for help
- I need a cross-team review from the platform team.
- Can we set up a cross-team sync?
Retro
- Cross-team communication was slow this time.
- Let's create a shared channel for cross-team questions.
Don't say this
Cross-team is an adjective describing the nature of work, not a verb meaning to coordinate
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| cross-team | Several teams working together | Teams in one company | Shared projects |
| cross-functional | Different roles working together | Mixed teams | Projects needing many skills |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. Your manager asks you to describe a project involving frontend, backend, and design teams. Which sounds most natural?
2. We should schedule a _______ meeting to discuss the database migration with both the infrastructure and applications teams.
3. Which sentence uses cross-team incorrectly?
4. Rewrite this using cross-team: 'We need to have a meeting with people from different teams to talk about how our work affects each other.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"We have a cross-team sync scheduled for Tuesday"
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More about cross-team
Real examples(3)
- in a standup
"We discovered a cross-team issue with the API contract that affects both mobile and backend services."
- in a code review
"This change requires cross-team approval because it impacts the shared authentication library."
- in a team meeting
"We should schedule a cross-team workshop to align on the new microservices architecture."
More mistakes(2)
Handle with care. Do not use cross-team as a verb. It is an adjective or modifier. Say 'coordinate across teams' or 'work cross-team' rather than 'we cross-teamed it.'
- ✕The frontend team will cross-team with backend next week.✓The frontend team will have cross-team meetings with backend next week.
Use cross-team as a modifier for nouns like 'meetings' or 'collaboration,' not as a standalone verb
- ✕This is a single-team project, not cross-team.✓This project only involves one team, not multiple teams.
While grammatically possible, it is more natural to say 'involves one team' rather than 'is single-team'
Other forms(2)
- cross-team adjective
"The cross-team roadmap was finalized in the planning meeting."
- cross-team noun modifier
"We scheduled three cross-team syncs this quarter."
Often used with(6)
- cross-team meeting · A meeting involving representatives from multiple teams
- cross-team collaboration · Working together across team boundaries
- cross-team dependencies · Work or tasks that depend on other teams completing their work first
- cross-team initiative · A project or goal that requires multiple teams to participate
- cross-team effort · A collective undertaking involving several teams
- cross-team sync · A synchronization meeting between teams to share updates and align
Similar words(3)
- interdepartmental · More formal; typically refers to departments rather than teams
- multi-team · Slightly less common; emphasizes involvement of many teams
- inter-team · Less common in tech; conveys similar meaning but less frequently used
Opposites(3)
- single-team
- siloed
- isolated
Questions(5)
- What does cross-team mean in software engineering?
- Cross-team means involving or requiring collaboration between multiple teams. In tech companies, cross-team work happens when engineers from different squads or departments need to coordinate on a shared project. For example, a mobile app redesign might be a cross-team effort involving mobile engineers, backend engineers, and designers.
- How do you use cross-team in a sentence at work?
- Use cross-team as an adjective before a noun. Examples: 'We have a cross-team standup tomorrow,' 'This feature has cross-team dependencies,' or 'The cross-team initiative was completed on schedule.' Never use it as a verb, like 'we cross-teamed it.'
- Is cross-team formal or informal?
- Cross-team is neutral in formality. It is used in both casual conversations and formal documents. You can use it in standup meetings, Slack messages, emails, and presentations without worrying about tone.
- What is the difference between cross-team and interdepartmental?
- Cross-team and interdepartmental are similar, but cross-team is more common in tech companies and typically refers to teams within the same organization. Interdepartmental is more formal and is used more broadly in general business contexts.
- Can cross-team be used as a verb?
- No, cross-team is only an adjective in standard tech English. Do not say 'we cross-teamed the project.' Instead, say 'this is a cross-team project' or 'we worked across teams to complete this.'
