1. Structuring Project Teams and Building Cohesiveness
Presentation by
Gwen A. Little
CEP /3/99

2. Characteristics of Project Teams
Definition: a team is a collection of individuals who work together to attain a goal.
Project team members
often borrowed - brief exposure to project effort
work on piece of project - when done move on to other projects
may not recognize they are part of a team -

3. Characteristics cont’d.
Therefore incapable of developing team spirit - project commitment

4. Team Efficiency vs. Inefficiency
Team Efficiency is defined as team performance that is actually achieved.
Ex: Team accomplishing a small portion of what it could - efficiency low
Team achieving as much as possible efficiency is high

5. What causes team inefficiency?
Matrix Based Frictions
projects dependent on temporarily borrowed staff
lack of staff continuity
project manager’s lack of direct control over project staff and material resources

6. Inefficiency cont’d.
Poor communication - large amount of time spent sending and receiving messages
Information atherosclerosis - communication channels so clogged that important information has difficulty making it through
Garbled messages - messages passed along from one person to another get changed

7. Team Structure ISOMORPHIC TEAM STRUCTURE
Iso= equal or same Morph= form or shape
Two things share the same structural appearance
Advantages
organization simple - accountability clear
parallel implementation of tasks

8. Structure Cont’d. SPECIALTY TEAM STRUCTURE
Team members asked to apply their special expertise across a wide array of tasks
high levels of responsibility lack corresponding levels of authority
Deficiencies - figure 3.3 p. 94
accountability diffuse
unequal distribution of work
work alone work may not be well integrated

9. Structure Cont’d. Advantages EGOLESS TEAM STRUCTURE
high degree of self management
expertise applied where appropriate
EGOLESS TEAM STRUCTURE
should be difficult to determine who produced what portion of the product
no obvious leader
decisions achieved through consensus

10. Structure Cont’d. Project tasks reflect input of all team members
Encourages high levels of interactivity and communication among project members
Criticisms
doesn’t work because people have egos
those with talent want to make their contribution stand out

11. Structure cont’d. How can this work? SURGICAL TEAM STRUCTURE
Lack of leadership - team starts to drift
How can this work?
Team size must be small
Must work together continuously
SURGICAL TEAM STRUCTURE
All attention focuses on a single individual and his or her abilities

12. Structure cont’d. Disadvantage
requires superlatively capable individual to play role of the surgeon
Surgical team approach most effective on design projects that entail large amounts of writing

13. Creating Team Identity
Make the team tangible
effective use of meetings
team members see they are not working alone
colocation of team members
members work together in a common space
War rooms - contain the most significant project documentation
create a team name

14. Building a Reward System
Letters of commendation
Public recognition for good work
Job assignments
Flexible work time
New equipment goes to best workers
Recommendation for cash awards and bonuses

15. Personal Touch Be supportive (physical, psychological) Be clear
Learn something about team members
Celebrate special occasions
Be accessible
enlist an open door policy