Beyond the code: How developers can drive cross-functional success
Delivering a successful web project isn’t just about writing clean code or deploying on time, much to the disappointment of our team. It’s about how well your development team collaborates with marketing, sales, operations, and even clients. As a CTO, I’ve seen first-hand how cross-functional alignment can make or break a project, especially when working with complex integrations or eCommerce requirements.
The problem with silos
Too often, teams operate in silos with different priorities. Marketing wants agility and quick turnarounds. Developers want stability and maintainability. Sales want features yesterday. Operations want reliability. These competing priorities can lead to miscommunication, missed expectations, and ultimately, missed opportunities.
What developers can do differently
Cross-functional collaboration isn’t just a management issue, it’s a developer’s responsibility too. We need to engage with all teams, understand their priorities and attempt to give them equal weighting during the delivery. Here’s how we lead from within:
Set expectations: We communicate clearly through different project stages, defining deliverables, roles and responsibilities.
Speak their language: Instead of explaining why a feature is “technically complex,” we talk about in project terms, how it impacts timelines, user experience, or business goals.
Ask better questions: Our Understand. Simplify. Wow. methodologymeans that we don’t just ask what a stakeholder wants, we ask why. Understanding the underlying goal often leads to better, simpler solutions.
Document for humans: Documentation is so important throughout a project, but information is consumed differently by different people. We try to tailor our documentation to those using it most, from writing user stories, full specification documents, and visualisation of processes that every stake can understand. Clear communication reduces back-and-forth and builds trust.
Be visible: It’s easier to build empathy when you’re in the room (or on the call) and too often developers are not included in the early discussions. We join planning meetings, demos, or retros with other teams at every opportunity and feedback on internal process ensuring everything promised can be delivered.
Tools and rituals that work
Collaboration at this level doesn’t happen by accident, it needs structure. Over the years we have developed a few practices that have worked well for our team:
Shared project boards: Tools like Jira help keep everyone aligned on priorities, responsibilities and progress.
Frequent project check-ins: A short, regular sync between stakeholders can surface blockers before they become problems.
Tech demos: Giving non-technical stakeholders a walkthrough of what’s being built helps manage expectations and invites valuable feedback. Tying those in with documented user journeys enhances trust in the product being delivered too.
Visual aids: Diagrams, wireframes, and prototypes go a long way in bridging the gap between technical and non-technical minds in particularly complex features.
The payoff
When developers engage beyond their codebase, the benefits are tangible:
Fewer misunderstandings and reworks
Faster delivery of features that actually meet business needs
Stronger relationships between client and agency
A more empowered and motivated development team
Collaboration is a strategic advantage
Cross-functional collaboration isn’t a soft skill, it’s a strategic advantage. As developers and technical leaders, we have the power to shape not just the product, but the process. By stepping out of our day-to-day work and into the broader conversation, we build better solutions, faster and with far less friction.