Challenges and Success Factors ETM5110MSIS5600 Managing Virtual Project Teams

1
Challenges and Success Factors ETM5110/MSIS5600
Managing Virtual Project Teams

• Nicholas C. Romano, Jr., Ph.D.
• Nicholas-Romano_at_mstm.okstate.eduPaul E.
  Rossler, Ph.D., P.E.
• prossle_at_okstate.edu

2
Overview

• What challenges do managers face in the use of
  teams?
• Which of these challenges becomes even more
  challenging in a virtual team environment?
• Does virtual teaming add any new challenges?
• What are the critical success factors in the use
  of virtual teams?

3
What intervening factors lie on the path to
effective teamwork?
Goal Clarity and Acceptance
Members Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
Ability and Willingness to Attend
Access to Information and Other Resources
Form Team
Teamwork
Team Leadership
Trust
Group Process and Facilitation
External Cost or Schedule Pressures
4
Intervening factors create challenges for
management

• Creating buy-in to and ownership of team goals
• Ensuring the right training, the right tools
• Fostering a climate of trust, sense of team
• Buffering team members from organizational
  politics or undue pressure
• Rewarding team performance
• Dealing with different personalities

5
(Source Burnie Gilmore)
6
Virtual teams come with some additional challenges

• Making isolated team members feel as if they are
  part of a team
• Dealing with what are often significant
  differences in time zones, culture, networks,
  computer literacy
• Evaluating team and team member performance
• Selecting and providing access to the right
  collaborative technology
• Ensuring members have skill in, and comfort with,
  that collaborative technology

7
A key challenge involves increasing intellectual
bandwidth

• The ability of an organization to bring
  intellectual capital to bear when addressing a
  particular issue.
• A function of the success with which an
  organization deploys and uses Knowledge
  Management Systems and Collaborative Technology

8
Data, Information Knowledge and Wisdom
Sources (Intellectual Capital)
Collaborative Systems and Technologies (Customized
Repeatable Processes)
Source Jay F. Nunamaker, J., Nicholas C. Romano,
J., Briggs, R. O. 2001. Increasing intellectual
bandwidth An integrated framework of KMST and
CST. Plenary talk presented at the Group Decision
and Negotiation Conference, La Rochelle, France.
9
Intellectual Bandwidth
Organizational Members
Access
U S E D E P L O Y M E N T
Intellectual Capital
Source Nunamaker et al., 2001
10
Intellectual Capital
Understanding
Organizational Members
Wisdom (Principles) Knowledge
(Patterns) Information (Relationships) Data
(Symbols)
Collaborative Capability
Concerted
Coordinated
Connected
Source Nunamaker et al., 2001
Collected
11
Concerted
Interactive Communication Level
High
Coordinated
Connected
Collected
Low
Individual
Low
High
Process and Task Structure
Source Nunamaker et al., 2001
12
Technology, while important, is only one of many
success factors

• Human resource policies and practices that
  support and reward virtual teamwork
• Access to training and development resources and
  mechanisms for sharing lessons learned
• Use of standard organizational processes for both
  technical and social issues

Duarte, D. L., Snyder, N. T. 2001. Mastering
Virtual Teams (2nd Ed.). San Francisco
Jossey-Bass.
13

• Resources for and access to the appropriate
  collaboration technology
• A culture or climate that fosters trust and
  teamwork and values diversity
• Leaders who set high expectations, model good
  behavior, and provide the needed resources and
  support

14

• Team leaders and members who have experience
  working in virtual environments

15
Lessons from Sabre, Inc.

• Trust based on performance consistency rather
  than social bonds
• Rapid response
• Establish communication norms
• Reinforce timeliness and consistency

Source Kirkman, B. L., et al. 2002. Five
challenges to virtual team success Lessons from
Sabre, Inc. Academy of Management Executive,
16(3) 67-79.
16

• Training in virtual teamwork helps overcome
  process losses
• Focus on leadership, conflict management, meeting
  management
• Make use of decision-making and problem-solving
  software specifically designed for virtual
  teamwork

17

• Create an environment of inclusiveness and
  involvement
• Consider individual preferences for working
  virtually
• Give members a realistic preview of the potential
  for feeling detached
• Maintain continuous contact with members
• Provide face-to-face opportunities

18

• Identify members who have a healthy balance of
  technical and social skills
• Use interviewing techniques and simulations that
  consider social skills
• Use panels of current team members to recruit and
  select new members

19

• Establish metrics and develop creative approaches
  for feedback and coaching
• Use a balanced scorecard approach
• Monitor communications
• Use peer reviews
• Use richer communication media
• Identify on-line training and development
  resources

20
Summary

• A number of intervening factors create challenges
  for management in both face-to-face and virtual
  settings
• Virtual teamwork comes with some additional
  challenges
• The knowledge to date suggests a number of
  practices that increase the likelihood of success