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Shared-specialist engagement

How the pooled specialists — AI, Security, DevOps, Data, Design, Agile Coach — serve squads as enabling teams, building capability rather than becoming permanent dependencies.

The four modes​

A squad engages a specialist in one of four ways:

  1. Embedded for a phase — the specialist joins the squad for a defined stretch (e.g. Security through Design).
  2. Office hours — regular slots for questions and quick reviews.
  3. Gate reviewer — the specialist signs a specific gate (e.g. Security at Design Review).
  4. Incident on-call — pulled in when something breaks.

The rule that keeps it healthy​

Specialists build capability in squads, not dependence. An enabling team that does the work forever becomes a bottleneck and a single point of failure. The goal is that the squad can do more itself next time — the specialist teaches the pattern, then steps back. Routing and request norms are defined so squads know how to ask.

Standards referenced: Team Topologies (enabling teams).