An Introduction to Engineering Teams

1. An Introduction to Engineering Teams

2. Referencing • Some of the material used in this lecture has been obtained from the websites listed. • You should thus refer to the website for more details and to review the context in which the materials was presented. • Quotation marks indicated that the material has been extracted from the website.

3. “Team” Definition What is meant by the terms “team” or “engineering team”? Take 2 minutes, working with the person alongside you, to define what is meant by the term “engineering team”.

4. Typical Definitions • A team could be defined as “a group of people working towards achieving a common goal”. • An “engineering team” could be defined as “a group of engineers with complementary skills – typically multi-disciplinary - committed to a common purpose and who are mutually accountable for the outcomes”.

5. Reasons to Have Teams Engineers work mostly in teams – so teams must be good. Your turn again - take 5 minutes, working with the person on your other side this time, to make a list of at least 5 reasons why engineering teams are “good”.

6. A Typical List of Good Points • Provision of Leadership. • Sharing of responsibility. • Increased skills base. • Sharing of work load. • Direction of skills to need area. • Synergisms. • A shared purpose. • Well considered decisions

7. Reasons Not to Have Teams Some very poor engineering designs have been attributed to teams. So engineering teams cannot always be good. Your turn again - take 5 minutes, working with however you want, to make a list of at least 5 reasons why teams are “not always good”.

8. A Typical “Not Good” List • Social loafing. • Mismanagement. • Ineffectiveness. • Lack of talent. • Lack of purpose - ill defined roles. • Credit poaching. • Conflict. • Longer time for decisions.

9. Team Selection – A warning “A team of students had four members called Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done. Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done”. (Gibbs, 1995) - from http://www.samford.edu/pbl/

10. Is energetic Is skilled at resolving conflict Is well organized Has experience as a group leader Is respected by group members Is reliable Is charismatic Is intelligent Is creative Possesses a sense of humor Is effective in achieving results Works for consensus on decisions Understands what’s going on in the group Does not engage in win/lose activities, use a win-win approach. Shares openly and authentically with others. Involves others in decision process Trusts, supports other team members “Owns” problems rather than blaming others in the team. Listens, attempts to hear and interpret communication from other’s view Influences others by involving them. Encourages the development of other team members Respects and is tolerant of individual differences Acknowledges and works through conflict openly Considers and uses new ideas and suggestions from others Encourages feedback on own behavior Understands the team role - committed to team objectives Characteristics of Effective Team Membershttp://www.nsbe.org/region1/crm/admin/effectiveteams.doc

11. Team Development and Performancehttp://lowery.tamu.edu/Teaming/Morgan1/sld015.htm As you move through a project your team may follow the team development curve shown here. Many engineering teams do not go past, or even reach, the “real team” stage.