Interview Question: Tell me about a time you had to work with another team to deliver a project.
Modern software development requires collaboration across teams. Interviewers want to see you can navigate organizational complexity, communicate effectively with different stakeholders, and drive results even when you don't have direct authority.
What Interviewers Are Looking For
- Communication: Can you work with people who have different contexts?
- Influence Without Authority: Can you drive results across team boundaries?
- Coordination: Can you manage dependencies and timelines?
- Empathy: Do you understand other teams' priorities?
STAR Framework
S - Situation
What project required cross-team collaboration? What were the dependencies?
A - Action
- Establish clear communication channels
- Align on shared goals and success metrics
- Create shared documentation and timelines
- Regular sync meetings with clear agendas
R - Result
Successful delivery and improved cross-team relationship.
✓ Strong Answer
"Our feature required APIs from the platform team. I set up weekly syncs, created a shared Notion doc for requirements, and built a mock API so we could develop in parallel. When their timeline slipped, I proactively identified workarounds. We launched on time despite the dependency."