A newly formed, colocated team is participating in daily standups, but is otherwise working largely as individual contributors. This has resulted in misalignment of activities. Planned velocity is being met. What should the agile practitioner do?

The scenario describes a "group" of individuals, not a cohesive "team." Although they are meeting planned velocity, the misalignment indicates a lack of collaboration, which is a core tenet of agile development. The agile practitioner's role is to coach the team toward becoming a self-organizing, collaborative unit. Proactively planning activities that necessitate collaboration (e.g., pair programming, mobbing, collaborative design sessions) is a direct and effective coaching technique. This helps the team experience the benefits of working together, improves communication, and fosters a shared sense of ownership, addressing the root cause of the misalignment.

B. Imposing individual metrics for collaboration is contrary to agile principles of team ownership and self-organization and can foster resentment rather than genuine teamwork.
C. Replacing team members is a drastic, last-resort action. The issue is likely with the team's dynamics and processes, which should be addressed through coaching first.
D. Ignoring the problem because one metric (velocity) is being met is shortsighted. The misalignment is a significant impediment that will likely lead to integration issues, defects, and reduced value delivery.

1. Project Management Institute. (2017). Agile Practice Guide. Section 4.2.2, p. 70. "High-performing teams have a shared vision and a strong sense of community... They foster collaboration and communication among team members."

2. Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (1993). The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-Performance Organization. This foundational work distinguishes between a working group and a team, emphasizing that teams require both individual and mutual accountability, which is fostered through collaborative work.

3. Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384–399. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0022100. The practitioner's role is to help the team move from the "forming" stage to "norming" and "performing," which requires establishing collaborative norms.