methodatlas
Team Design

Team Topologies Interaction Modes

Moves team boundaries, interfaces, and collaboration toward a concrete result through "prepare the team list", "explain the three modes with examples", and "document agreements per pair".

Core question
Which interaction mode fits per team pair, and how do we agree modes bindingly to reduce interface friction?
MediumWorkshopHalf day
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Purpose

Helps clarify team boundaries, interfaces, and collaboration in concrete terms. It clarifies responsibility, interaction, and load between teams. The result is captured as an interaction heat map and pairwise agreements.

How it works

The team follows the steps "prepare the team list", "explain the three modes with examples", "discuss and choose a mode for each team pair", "visualize the heat map", and "document agreements per pair". Each step is made visible. At the end, an interaction heat map and pairwise agreements are available so decisions, tests, or actions can continue directly.

Visual orientation

Method sketch for a quick mental model.

Team Topologies Interaction Modes · Choose Collaboration DeliberatelyMap team pairs by Collaboration, X-as-a-Service, and Facilitating so interaction does not emerge by accident
Team Topologies Interaction ModesThe visual shows a heat map of team pairs and the three interaction modes: Collaboration, X-as-a-Service, and Facilitating.Design interaction between teams deliberatelyTeam Topologies distinguishes three modes so collaboration matches intent instead of habit.Interaction heat mapStream AStream APlatformPlatformEnablingEnablingDataDataXaaSFacil.CollabFacil.XaaSCollabCollaborationintense, temporary, shared discoveryX-as-a-Serviceclear API, stable service boundariesFacilitatingenabling team builds capabilitychoose exactly one mode per team pairtranslate mode intoagreement

Flow

  1. 1Prepare the team list
  2. 2Explain the three modes with examples
  3. 3Discuss and choose a mode for each team pair
  4. 4Visualize the heat map
  5. 5Document agreements per pair

The runsheet guides execution with 4 phases, timeboxes, 5 pitfalls, and clear stop criteria.

Open runsheet

Ideal for

  • Org design
  • Platform rollout
  • Scaling engineering orgs

Not good for

  • Very small organizations

Deep dive

In detail

The Interaction Modes concept from Team Topologies distinguishes three clearly defined ways of working together. Collaboration is intense and temporary, X-as-a-Service is a clearly defined ongoing service, and Facilitating is coaching by an enabling team. The mapping is often used alongside Team API and visualized as a heat map.

Facilitation

Explain the three modes with examples. Avoid mixed forms per pair; choose explicitly. Keep the mapping readable as a heat map.

Output artifacts
Interaction-Heat-MapVereinbarungen pro Paar
Tags
teamalignmentcollaborationorganization

Sources

Team Topologies - Organizing for fast flow of valueteamtopologies.comWelcome to Steamstore.steampowered.com
Artifact templates
Team Topologies Interaction Modes Working TemplateCompact working template for Team Topologies Interaction Modes with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.
canvas

team-topologies-interaction-modes-working-template.md

Compact working template for Team Topologies Interaction Modes with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.

Team Topologies Interaction Modes Canvas

Context

What is this method used for?

Core question

Which question should be answered at the end?

Input

Which data, observations, or materials are available?

Working area

  • Area 1:
  • Area 2:
  • Area 3:
  • Relationships / patterns:

Output artifacts

  • Interaction heat map:
  • Agreements by pair:

Open questions

  • ...

Next step

Owner, date, success signal.

When to choose differently

Short decision aid for existing alternatives.

Team API

Statt Team Topologies Interaction Modes, wenn ihr den Modus der Zusammenarbeit eines Teams klar dokumentieren wollt.

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Statt Team Topologies Interaction Modes, wenn ihr den Modus der Zusammenarbeit eines Teams klar dokumentieren wollt.

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