9.3.1 Inputs to Team Development

.1 Project staff. Project staffing is described in Section 9.2.3.1. The staff assignments implicitly define the individual competencies and team competencies available upon which to build.

.2 Project plan. The project plan is described in Section 4.1.3.1. The project plan describes the technical context within which the team operates.

.3 Staffing management plan. The staffing management plan is described in Section 9.1.3.2.

.4 Performance reports. Performance reports (described in Section 10.3.3.1) provide feedback to the project team about performance against the project plan.

.5 External feedback. The project team must periodically measure itself against the performance expectations of those outside the project.

9.3.2 Tools and Techniques for Team Development

.1 Team-building activities. Team-building activities include management and individual actions taken specifically and primarily to improve team performance. Many actions—such as involving nonmanagement-level team members in the planning process, or establishing ground rules for surfacing and dealing with conflict—may enhance team performance as a secondary effect. Team-building activities can vary from a five-minute agenda item in a regular status review meeting to an extended, off-site, professionally facilitated experience designed to improve interpersonal relationships among key stakeholders.
  There is a substantial body of literature on team building. The project management team should be generally familiar with a variety of team-building activities.

.2 General management skills. General management skills (discussed in Section 2.4) are of particular importance to team development.

.3 Reward and recognition systems. Reward and recognition systems are formal management actions that promote or reinforce desired behavior. To be effective, such systems must make the link between project performance and reward clear, explicit, and achievable. For example, a project manager who is to be rewarded for meeting the project’s cost objective should have an appropriate level of control over staffing and procurement decisions.
  Projects must often have their own reward and recognition systems since the systems of the performing organization may not be appropriate. For example, the willingness to work overtime to meet an aggressive schedule objective should be rewarded or recognized; needing to work overtime as the result of poor planning should not be.
  Reward and recognition systems must also consider cultural differences. For example, developing an appropriate team reward mechanism in a culture that prizes individualism may be very difficult.

.4 Collocation. Collocation involves placing all, or almost all, of the most active project team members in the same physical location to enhance their ability to perform as a team. Collocation is widely used on larger projects and can also be effective for smaller projects (e.g., with a “war room” where the team congregates and post schedules, updates, etc.). On some projects, collocation may not be an option; where it is not viable, an alternative may be scheduling frequent face-to-face meetings to encourage interaction.

.5 Training. Training includes all activities designed to enhance the competencies of the project team. Some authors distinguish among training, education, and development, but the distinctions are neither consistent nor widely accepted. Training may be formal (e.g., classroom training, computer-based training) or informal (e.g., feedback from other team members). There is a substantial body of literature on how to provide training to adults.
  If the project team members lack necessary management or technical skills, such skills must be developed as part of the project, or steps must be taken to restaff the project appropriately. Direct and indirect costs for training are generally paid by the performing organization.

9.3.3 Outputs from Team Development

.1 Performance improvements. Team performance improvements can come from many sources and can affect many areas of project performance, for example:

   Improvements in individual skills may allow a specific person to perform assigned activities more effectively.

   Improvements in team behaviors (e.g., surfacing and dealing with conflict) may allow project team members to devote a greater percentage of their effort to technical activities.

   Improvements in either individual or team competencies may facilitate identifying and developing better ways of doing project work.

.2 Input to performance appraisals. Project staff should generally provide input to the appraisals of any project staff members with whom they in a significant way.