Business applications, IT and network infrastructures, and business unit requirements must dovetail to deliver reliable, high-quality IT services to the business units. At the same time, enterprises are forced to move faster than ever when it comes to developing and deploying high-performance applications. This case study reviews Company Z’s experience with a cross-functional network infrastructure/application team and discusses the following areas:

• Why IT managers and senior executives did not buy-in to the CIO’s cross-functional team plan.
• Mistakes that initially derailed the team’s progress.
• Demonstrable benefits that resulted from the team’s efforts.

Cross-functional teams that are properly staffed and managed are an invaluable problem-solving resource for IT. However, it takes time and effort for the benefits to be realized.