Understanding Team Design Characteristics

You have previously learned about interdependent teams, but this resource explores those ideas further. The text also examines self-managed teams and pooled interdependence. You will learn about team roles and how they are based on the five primary task roles and the five primary social roles. Additionally, some roles connect the team to the greater organization, which are boundary-spanning roles.

Designing Effective Teams

Designing an effective team means making decisions about team composition (who should be on the team), team size (the optimal number of people on the team), and team diversity (should team members be of similar background, such as all engineers, or of different backgrounds). Answering these questions will depend, to a large extent, on the type of task that the team will be performing. Teams can be charged with a variety of tasks, from problem solving to generating creative and innovative ideas to managing the daily operations of a manufacturing plant.