Starting Teams Right

Assume sponsors have given approval for a project to start.

• What things have you experienced or tried that helped to start teams right?

• What things would you like to try?

Group Answers –

• Visualizing where we want to go

• Clear metrics

• Anticipate conflict areas

• Roles/skills assessment

• Charter the team

• Identify tensions

• Evolution & messiness of project (easier to deal with when team is small)

• Scope

• Kick-off meeting: Everyone says why they think they’re there, survey of the work/overview, Lead assignment

• Communication agreements to reinforce joint accountability (email alias)

• Process for new members (inclusion, change in membership)

• Work space/environment (CI)

• Clarify relationship between project team members/roles

• Education about method, training for roles, coaching and other people resources

• Making sure the work is ready e.g. product backlog

Project Chartering Discussion

Vision, Mission and Management Tests come from sponsors as a draft to be worked on with the team to clarify.

Question – could this be considered the same as project Purpose?

Project Vision

• Aspirational

• May be bigger than this project (project may be part of a program)

• Comes from customer/person that pays for the project

Project Mission

• How we approach the Vision

• Unique contribution of the team

Management Tests (success criteria, objectives, goals)

• Binary – can be answered Yes or No if met

• Are measurable and have a due date – externally measurable effect

• Internally or externally facing