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Multidisciplinary teams

A multidisciplinary team is a team of digital specialists. It allows you to build services quickly and iteratively.

Why we use multidisciplinary teams

Building services in a multidisciplinary team gives users and stakeholders a voice from the start of the process.

Benefits of multidisciplinary teams are:

• people that used to come in at the end (and often too late to do their best work) have input from the beginning
• people with complementary capabilities work together at the same time on the same part of the service
• the team is always responsible for delivery.

A multidisciplinary team uses in-depth user research. This helps the team decide what to build and how to deliver it. This means services are:

• built using user-centred design – developed in iterations and closely with users
• guided by data and testing – they reflect the actual user journey
• focused on the end-to-end experience – they are simpler, clearer and faster.

Multidisciplinary teams are typically multi-skilled and can work across disciplines.

Meeting the Digital Service Standard

You must work as a multidisciplinary team to meet Criteria 2: Have a multidisciplinary team of the Digital Service Standard.

The Digital Service Standard guides teams to build services that are user friendly, inclusive, adaptable, and measurable.

Multidisciplinary teams make it easier to build services

Traditionally government forms teams around agency structures. This usually works in a linear way. Many teams are responsible for different parts of the service. Specialists often don't get the chance to work together on creative solutions.

Multidisciplinary teams change this by forming around a problem or service. The team starts with all the right skills to deliver value in increments to meet the user need.

A multidisciplinary team has the capability and skills to deliver the service and the authority to make decisions. The team works independently and minimises dependencies that delay delivery. It is usually small (fewer than 10 members). They are empowered to make decisions, and are often located together.

Finding the right capabilities 

You will need to have specific roles and capabilities in your multidisciplinary team before you start Discovery.  

Core roles 

There are 10 core roles to consider when building a multidisciplinary team. The core roles in a multidisciplinary team are consistent from discovery through to Live. 

The same core roles should be in the team for all 4 stages of the service design and delivery process. Find out more about the function and purpose of these core roles in a multidisciplinary team. 

Core roles allow you to: 

• design and deliver a service that is simple, clear and fast 
• make sure your team has the right capabilities, skills, knowledge and attributes throughout the life of the service. 

Extended roles 

An extended role refers to when you may need specialist expertise to join the team for a time. For example, you may need the role of content strategist at the start of designing a service, but not for the whole service. 

How to structure your team 

Start with a user-centred approach. Think about what you need to design and deliver to meet user needs. Different types of products and services will determine which of the core roles you need. 

Put users first 

Seek to understand user needs. Build your multidisciplinary team around a problem or service. 

Understand the roles 

Understand what the different core roles are and what they do. You can then decide which roles you need in your multidisciplinary team to develop the product or service your agency needs. 

Decide when you need the roles

Decide when you need the roles. This will depend on the type of service you’re designing and delivering. Once you decide which core roles you need, they will stay in place for the life of the service. For example, if you are designing and building a service, you will likely need all 10 core roles. If you are designing policy or legislation, you may not need a developer or a technology lead. 

Roles you'll always need 

You will always need the core roles of product manager and user researcher, as these are foundational to any service. Try to make sure that your core team is also empowered to make decisions. This will help them move through the service design and delivery process as smoothly as possible. 

With a clear understanding of digital roles, you can better decide what you need, when you need them.

Building core roles in a team

Learn more about the importance of building core roles in a multidisciplinary team. This guidance explains why you need core roles, what a core role is, their value, purpose and how to find them.

Why you need core roles in a team

Core roles allow you to:

• design and deliver a service that is simple, clear and fast
• ensure your team has the right capabilities (skills, knowledge, attributes) throughout the life of the service.

Setting up a multidisciplinary team helps you comply with Criteria 2 of the Digital Service Standard. The team designs, builds, operates and improves the service.

Core roles in a multidisciplinary team

The core roles in a multidisciplinary team are consistent from discovery through to Live. Team members can be Australian Public Service staff or a combination of staff, contractors and secondees.

What the core roles are

There are 10 core roles to consider when building a multidisciplinary team. A team member may perform more than one of these roles. For example, a content designer may also do user research.

You may need some or all of the following core roles, depending on the type of service you are designing:

• product manager
• content designer
• user researcher
• service designer
• delivery manager
• interaction designer
• developer
• technology lead
• performance analyst       
• tester

The same core roles should be in the team for all 4 stages of the service design and delivery process. Find out more about the function and purpose of these core roles in a multidisciplinary team.

Extended roles

An extended role refers to when you may need specialist expertise to join the team for a time. For example, you may need the role of content strategist at the start of designing a service, but not for the whole service.

How to structure your team and decide on core roles

Start with a user-centred approach. Think about what you need to design and deliver to meet user needs. Different types of products and services will determine which of the core roles you need.

Put users first

Seek to understand user needs. Build your multidisciplinary team around a problem or service.

Understand the roles

Understand what the different core roles are and what they do. You can then decide which roles you need in your multidisciplinary team to develop the product or service your agency needs.

Decide when you need them

Decide when you need the roles. This will depend on the type of service you’re designing and delivering. Once you decide which core roles you need, they will stay in place for the life of the service.

For example, if you are designing and building a service, you will likely need all 10 core roles. If you are designing policy or legislation, you may not need a developer or a technology lead.

You will always need the core roles of product manager and user researcher, as these are foundational to any service.

Try to make sure that your core team is also empowered to make decisions. This will help them move through the service design and delivery process as smoothly as possible.

With a clear understanding of digital roles, you can better decide what you need, when you need them.

How to upskill a team

You may need to build individual capability to get the most out of your multidisciplinary team.

Capability is the combination of skills, knowledge and attributes needed for a role.

In a multidisciplinary team you need people in specific roles to build a service. Ideally, the core team will stay the same through the service design and delivery process. Other roles may change depending on which stage of the process you’re in.

Find strengths and weaknesses

When you set up your multidisciplinary team, you’ll need to assess:

• what capabilities your team members already have
• where they may need to upskill.

You can use the Australian Public Service Commission’s digital learning standards to help decide which capabilities you need to build in your team. Once you are familiar with these, you can recognise existing and transferable skills.

Upskill

For example, you may have a team member who is working as a content designer. They also have some experience in user research. You can find out if that team member:

• is willing to build on their user research skills
• can upskill on the job
• needs training, mentoring or coaching.

Build on previous experience

Your team members may have come from other roles. They may have existing capabilities they can use in their new roles. Spend time with your team to find out what these capabilities are.

Consider the use of the Australian Public Service Commission’s APS Career Pathfinder Tool to explore digital career options across government. 

For example, you may discover that a team member has written policy in plain English in a previous role. They can transfer this capability without needing to upskill.

Ways to upskill

By now you should have a clearer idea of where your team needs to upskill. There are a number of ways you can upskill your team.

On-the-job learning

People prefer to learn digital by doing digital. Team members can learn on the job from other people in your team or agency. Arrange for them to shadow those with existing capabilities so they can learn new skills.

You can also use secondments or temporary transfers to and from other agencies. This is a great way to:

• fill temporary gaps in your team
• upskill your own team members.

You can also bring in a specialist contractor on a short-term basis with the capabilities the team needs to work on your service. Make it clear that they will need to upskill team members as part of their work. Ensure they are aware of this from the start, so you get the right person for the job. This way, the capabilities stay in your agency.

You can also encourage your team members to join a cross-government community of practice on the Digital Profession.

Coaching and mentoring

Coaching and mentoring provide opportunities to learn and develop. Be clear on which one of these you need for your team.

Coaching is usually done with a peer of similar experience. A coach:

• helps work out goals and a plan to achieve them
• helps to identify obstacles
• works with people to solve problems
• checks in regularly until the goals are achieved.

Peer-to-peer coaching

Brainstorming ideas and working on solutions with a colleague is a form of peer-to-peer coaching. Mentoring is done by someone with greater expertise and knowledge in an area of learning. A mentor:

• upskills the other person by passing on knowledge
• knows how to ask the right questions
• empowers the mentee to achieve their objectives
• helps develop the mentee for current or future roles.

Find out what coaching or mentoring opportunities your own agency offers or explore opportunities outside your agency. You can then decide on the best option for your team. Your decision may also depend on costs and business objectives.

Training

Decide what training your team needs and consider how it will be delivered. This training can be:

• delivered in-house at your agency
• procured through a training provider
• completed through an existing course
• on the job learning.