Team Norms
Team norms are a set of agreed-upon rules, expectations, and behaviors that guide how a team collaborates and operates effectively. They establish shared standards for communication, decision-making, conflict resolution, and work processes to foster a productive and respectful team environment. By defining these norms, teams can reduce misunderstandings, improve efficiency, and enhance overall cohesion.
Developers should learn and use team norms when working in collaborative environments, such as agile software development teams, to ensure consistent practices and minimize friction. They are crucial for onboarding new members, maintaining code quality through agreed-upon standards, and facilitating effective meetings and retrospectives. In distributed or remote teams, norms help bridge communication gaps and align expectations across different time zones and cultures.