Challenges and Success Factors

ETM5361/MSIS5600
Managing Virtual Project Teams
Nicholas C. Romano, Jr., Ph.D.
Nicholas-Romano@mstm.okstate.edu
Paul E. Rossler, Ph.D., P.E.
prossle@okstate.edu
1

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?

What intervening factors lie on

the path to effective teamwork?
Goal
Clarity and
Acceptance

Members
Knowledge,
Skills,
Abilities

Access to
Ability and
Information Willingness to
and Other
Attend
Resources

Form
Team

Teamwork
Team
Leadership

Group
Process and
Facilitation

Trust

External
Cost or
Schedule
Pressures
3

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
4

Ken W.
Harry A.

Ken W. Harry A. Erich

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Erich

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Dee

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Dee
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Patrice Vicky Dave Harry B. Taymor Augustina Ken M. Mark Janet Stacy Bob Vidya
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Patrice

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Vicky
Dave
Harry B.
Taymor
Augustina
Ken M.
Mark
Janet

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Stacy
Bob

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Vidya

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Atul
Burnie

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Burnie
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Note 1: Erich & Stacy are going to be married in Sept

Note 2: Dee & Patrice are sisters
Note 3: Vidya & Atul are married

(Source: Burnie Gilmore)

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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
6

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

Data, Information
Knowledge and
Wisdom Sources
(Intellectual Capital)
Knowledge
Management
Systems and
Technologies

Collaborative Systems
and Technologies
(Customized Repeatable Processes)

Intellectual
Bandwidth
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 8
Decision and Negotiation Conference, La Rochelle, France.

Intellectual Bandwidth
Organizational
Members

Access

U
S
E
&
D
E
P
L
O
Y
M
E
N
T

Source: Nunamaker
et al., 2001

Intellectual
Capital

Intellectual Capital
Organizational
Members

Understanding
Wisdom
(Principles)
Knowledge (Patterns)
Information (Relationships)
Data
(Symbols)

Collaborative Capability
Concerted

Coordinated
Connected
Source:
Nunamaker et
al., 2001

Collected

10

Concerted

Interactive
Communication
Level
High

Coordinated

Connected
Collected
Low
Individual

Low

Source: Nunamaker et al., 2001

Process and Task Structure

High

Some paradoxes of virtual team

collaboration
Collaborative technologies in virtual
environments enable better face-to-face
meetings
Cultural differences increase the resolve to
connect in virtual collaborations
Simple and adaptable technologies enable
more complex virtual collaboration
Source: Quereshi, S. and I. Zigurs, Paradoxes and Prerogatives in Global Virtual
Collaboration. Communications of the ACM, 2001, 44 (12 December): p. 85-88

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.

1. 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

2. Training in virtual teamwork helps

overcome process losses

Focus on leadership, conflict management,

meeting management
Make use of decision-making and problemsolving software specifically designed for
virtual teamwork

17

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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
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Other lessons learned

Management motivation has a direct effect
on virtual collaboration.
Collaborative roles emerge, but must be
made more explicit.
Tasks that benefit most from virtual
collaboration are those requiring knowledge
sharing, structure, and detailed teamwork.
Source: Quereshi, S. and I. Zigurs, Paradoxes and Prerogatives in Global Virtual
Collaboration. Communications of the ACM, 2001, 44 (12 December): p. 85-88

21

 Cultural diversity can enhance the value of

virtual collaboration.
Training is important for successful virtual
collaboration.
Successful training programs put work
practices at the forefront.

Technology is a device, not a driver, of

virtual collaboration.
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Summary
A number of intervening factors create
challenges for management in both face-toface 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
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