“ Ten T’s” of Managing Virtual International Project Teams Michael C. Pepelea Principal Radix Project Management Group

“ Ten T’s” of Virtual/International Project Teams Currently managing a virtual/international team? Anticipating the management of an international project team? My “Ten T’s” of Virtual/International Project Teams may be just what you’re looking for After several years of successfully managing virtual and international project teams, I have formulated ten fundamental components for project team success. If you would like to discuss any items further, please contact me via email: www.radixpmgroup.com .

“Ten T’s” Time Tradition (Culture) Touch Point(s) Tools Tasks Templates Techniques Temporal Events Translations Team Work Activities

Time

Tradition (Culture)

Touch Point(s)

Tools

Tasks

Templates

Techniques

Temporal Events

Translations

Team Work Activities

Time Time zones need to be considered and factored into all team functions Make sure all team members know and respect the time zone differences when contacting team members in other geographic areas When scheduling meetings and team work sessions, make sure the same team members of one time zone are not always relegated to the less desirable time slots Anticipate and expect lags and delays in team member responses to questions and issues due to large differences in time zones

Time zones need to be considered and factored into all team functions

Make sure all team members know and respect the time zone differences when contacting team members in other geographic areas

When scheduling meetings and team work sessions, make sure the same team members of one time zone are not always relegated to the less desirable time slots

Anticipate and expect lags and delays in team member responses to questions and issues due to large differences in time zones

Tradition (Culture) Factor-in cultural differences when managing team members The common practice of unilaterally setting a “target date” may be interpreted in some cultures as “aggressive management” In some cultures, individuals must always confer with superiors before committing to an action In other cultures, giving a direct “no answer” is considered inappropriate behavior Educate all team members about the culture of other team members. There are several websites that provide general information on the culture of each country

Factor-in cultural differences when managing team members

The common practice of unilaterally setting a “target date” may be interpreted in some cultures as “aggressive management”

In some cultures, individuals must always confer with superiors before committing to an action

In other cultures, giving a direct “no answer” is considered inappropriate behavior

Educate all team members about the culture of other team members. There are several websites that provide general information on the culture of each country

Touch Point (s) Make sure team members are contacted frequently—daily emails and weekly phone calls are a must Recognize a team member’s special events— a birthday, a wedding, achieving a certification, or the arrival of a baby—via e-cards or team emails Conduct “virtual” team meetings—at a minimum, weekly—for all team members to interact with each other Occasionally contact remote team members, via telephone or IM software, just to see “how things are going”

Make sure team members are contacted frequently—daily emails and weekly phone calls are a must

Recognize a team member’s special events— a birthday, a wedding, achieving a certification, or the arrival of a baby—via e-cards or team emails

Conduct “virtual” team meetings—at a minimum, weekly—for all team members to interact with each other

Occasionally contact remote team members, via telephone or IM software, just to see “how things are going”

Tools Collaboration tools such as NetMeeting need to be made available to all team members so that each team member can “see” the same information International 24/7 conference call numbers need to be made available. The larger the team, the more numbers that will be needed For IT projects, insure all team members have access to standard/common computer-based software and are fully trained Insure that common communication tools (email, word processing, spreadsheets, etc.) are available to all team members. Some geographic locations may have telecom issues to overcome

Collaboration tools such as NetMeeting need to be made available to all team members so that each team member can “see” the same information

International 24/7 conference call numbers need to be made available. The larger the team, the more numbers that will be needed

For IT projects, insure all team members have access to standard/common computer-based software and are fully trained

Insure that common communication tools (email, word processing, spreadsheets, etc.) are available to all team members. Some geographic locations may have telecom issues to overcome

Tasks Communicate weekly/daily tasks for each team member in writing Take into account that for some team members English is a second language Describe tasks in simple and concise terms No slang or colloquial terms Use “formal” English In task-description, insure that deliverables and time expectations are fully described

Communicate weekly/daily tasks for each team member in writing

Take into account that for some team members English is a second language

Describe tasks in simple and concise terms

No slang or colloquial terms

Use “formal” English

In task-description, insure that deliverables and time expectations are fully described

Templates Common project documents, such as status reports, issues logs, defect reports, MUST be standard templates Key project deliverables, such as requirements definitions, testing plans, and technical specifications MUST be standard templates The above practices are important to any project, but for virtual/international projects – they are a MUST

Common project documents, such as status reports, issues logs, defect reports, MUST be standard templates

Key project deliverables, such as requirements definitions, testing plans, and technical specifications MUST be standard templates

The above practices are important to any project, but for virtual/international projects – they are a MUST

Techniques Make sure common practices and techniques are standardized, understood, and used by all team members Standardized techniques and practices need to be fully documented, version controlled, and reside in a common access point Insure a process is in place to add new or change existing standardized techniques

Make sure common practices and techniques are standardized, understood, and used by all team members

Standardized techniques and practices need to be fully documented, version controlled, and reside in a common access point

Insure a process is in place to add new or change existing standardized techniques

Temporal Events Set a very strict schedule of key project events, such as status report due dates, team meetings, issues review and escalation meetings, and time reporting Do not change the time or day of week of these events Keep dates constant Set up an open time (daily or weekly) that any project team members who need help, have issues, etc., can “meet” virtually with the project manager and other team members

Set a very strict schedule of key project events, such as status report due dates, team meetings, issues review and escalation meetings, and time reporting

Do not change the time or day of week of these events

Keep dates constant

Set up an open time (daily or weekly) that any project team members who need help, have issues, etc., can “meet” virtually with the project manager and other team members

Translations Do not use slang or colloquial terms Some words do not translate well from one language to another—beware of communication dealing with the timing of events or issues/problems that might be emotional or personal in nature Cultivate team habits of “listening” and “observing,” rather than merely hearing or seeing (sometimes difficult in a virtual environment)

Do not use slang or colloquial terms

Some words do not translate well from one language to another—beware of communication dealing with the timing of events or issues/problems that might be emotional or personal in nature

Cultivate team habits of “listening” and “observing,” rather than merely hearing or seeing (sometimes difficult in a virtual environment)

Team Work Activities Establish work assignments that foster individual team members to work together Conduct quality reviews where one team member from one location reviews work of a team member in another location At team meetings, make sure a team interaction activity takes place that requires all team members to participate and interact

Establish work assignments that foster individual team members to work together

Conduct quality reviews where one team member from one location reviews work of a team member in another location

At team meetings, make sure a team interaction activity takes place that requires all team members to participate and interact

Summary Many factors are involved in the establishment and ongoing management of virtual/international teams. By following these “Ten T’s,” the probability of a successful and flourishing project team will increase. The complexity of coordinating these “Ten T’s” greatly increases as the size of the team increases and the geographic distance of team members increase. Many of these components are common to any project regardless of geographic structure. However, for virtual/international projects, these ten components MUST be rigorously applied to achieve a truly successful project.

Many factors are involved in the establishment and ongoing management of virtual/international teams. By following these “Ten T’s,” the probability of a successful and flourishing project team will increase.

The complexity of coordinating these “Ten T’s” greatly increases as the size of the team increases and the geographic distance of team members increase.

Many of these components are common to any project regardless of geographic structure. However, for virtual/international projects, these ten components MUST be rigorously applied to achieve a truly successful project.