Front of a vocabulary card for the term Whole Team

Definition of Whole Team

Whole Team is a team-based approach where every member shares equal responsibility for project quality and success.

Back of a vocabulary card for the term Whole Team

Pronunciation Spelling

hohl teem

Example Sentence

Adopting a whole-team approach ensures shared accountability and enhances project outcomes.

Significance

Agile practitioners should be familiar with the term “Whole Team” to emphasize the collaborative nature of agile development. It signifies the involvement of all necessary team members, including developers, testers, analysts, designers, and others, in the entire development process. Understanding this term promotes a culture of collective responsibility and shared ownership within the team, fostering better communication, collaboration, and a sense of unity. It encourages diverse perspectives, increases accountability, and ensures that all team members contribute their expertise to deliver high-quality results.

Works Consulted

In addition to the sources cited above, the following works informed my thinking:(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)

1.
Kent Beck. Agile Manifesto Values [Internet]. 2001 [cited 2025 Aug 23]. Available from: https://agilemanifesto.org/
2.
West D. Scrum Guide 2020 Update - Self Mgt replaces Self Organization [Internet]. scrum.org; 2020 [cited 2024 Feb 24]. Available from: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/scrum-guide-2020-update-self-mgt-replaces-self-organization
3.
Crispin L. The Whole Team Approach in Practice [Internet]. 2011 [cited 2023 Oct 4]. Available from: https://lisacrispin.com/2011/04/26/the-whole-team-approach-in-practice/
4.
Wise T. Time To Up The Accountability Of Your Agile Teams [Internet]. [cited 2023 Oct 4]. Available from: https://www.liminalarc.co/2014/12/time-accountability-agile-teams/
5.
Carlton G. Avoiding the Blame Game in Scrum [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2023 Oct 4]. Available from: https://www.caktusgroup.com/blog/2018/05/14/avoiding-blame-game-scrum/
6.
Diana Larsen TB. Lead Without Blame: Building Resilient Learning Teams [Internet]. Berrett-Koehler Publishers; 2022. Available from: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60461579-lead-without-blame