Frameworks for Transitioning from Technology-Siloed to Cross-Functional Engineering Teams in Modern Software Organizations

Citation: Michael Rainesh, "Frameworks for Transitioning from Technology-Siloed to Cross-Functional Engineering Teams in Modern Software Organizations", Universal Library of Innovative Research and Studies, Volume 03, Issue 03.

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Software organizations often keep frontend, backend, mobile, infrastructure, and quality-assurance engineers in separate units long after product delivery has begun to depend on joint ownership across these domains. The separation protects specialist knowledge, yet it creates delays when one feature moves through several queues before release. This review examines phased transition patterns from technology-siloed structures toward cross-functional engineering teams. It draws on recent software engineering literature on agile teamwork, DevOps structures, continuous delivery, platform teams, scaled autonomy, communities of practice, and human factors in agile projects. The method combines comparative source analysis, conceptual synthesis, typological classification, and analytical generalization. The review identifies structural limits of silo-based delivery, compares transition mechanisms, and develops a practical interpretation of staged ownership transfer. The proposed approach links cross-functional restructuring with federated governance, enabling teams, quality practices embedded in development, and monitoring indicators covering flow, reliability, collaboration, capability, and sustainability.

Keywords: Cross-Functional Teams, Software Engineering, Agile Transformation, DevOps, Platform Teams, Federated Governance, Team Autonomy, Continuous Delivery, Engineering Management, SDLC.

https://doi.org/10.70315/uloap.ulirs.2026.0303001