Cross-Functional Expert Teams—How Mixed Ad-Hoc Teams Master Projects and Product Development in the Digital Work Environment

Hierarchies and departmental structures based on them evolved in companies and other organizations under the economic production conditions and needs of the past centuries. In the working world of the Digital Economy, the requirements for structures and processes of organizations are radically changing. Traditional forms of collaboration between different specialist departments in projects and product development are neither time-effective nor contemporary in a fast, networked working world. The future therefore belongs to cross-functional expert teams that are formed ad-hoc to solve complex challenges. These teams need flexible support structures and their members, in addition to technical expertise, additional skills to work successfully and effectively together. Companies that adapt to this today will have a tremendous competitive advantage in an ever faster changing working world.