This document discusses different classifications of teams within an organization. It describes primary functions as the core work units that deliver the primary purpose of the organization. Support functions provide non-critical services to primary functions. Connective functions connect and integrate primary and support functions across the organization by establishing frameworks, standards and procedures. The document provides examples of different types of functions and debates how certain roles like maintenance could fit under primary or support functions.

1. 117/03/2015 Classification of Teams
Classification of
Teams

2. The Body
as a System
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3. Classes Of Functions
Within An Organisation
• Primary functions
• Secondary functions
• Support functions
• Connective functions
Let’s look at these in turn……
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4. Primary Functions
The network of whole work units that directly
deliver the primary purpose of the organisation.
– In a factory this would be the design, manufacturing and
sales departments.
– In a hospital this would be the patient serving wards
and medical departments.
– In a service organisation this would be the departments
that design, deliver and promote the service to the
public.
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5. Primary Whole Work Units
R
P
SPP
RPPS
S
R
Whole Work Unit
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6. Primary Whole
Work Units
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7. Facility
Whole Work Units
Primary flow 1 Plan Deliver Learn
Primary flow 2 Plan Deliver Learn
Primary flow 3 Plan Deliver Learn
Primary flow 4 Plan Deliver Learn
Primary flow 5 Plan Deliver Learn
Primary flow 6 Plan Deliver Learn
Primary flow 7 Plan Deliver Learn
Primary flow 8 Plan Deliver Learn
Plan
LearnDeliver
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8. Support Functions
Support functions provide local, non-critical services to a cluster of
primary functions.
Primary
Functions
Support
Functions
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9. Support Functions
• Primary Whole Work Teams must own the critical resources to achieve
their whole work unit if they are to be responsible for their whole work
cycle
• For practical reasons it may not be sensible for each primary whole work
unit to own all of the non-critical resources and facilities required.
• Primary functions may choose to share such non-critical services. These
can be set up in closely aligned support functions, often reporting in at a
higher level of management
• There should be a low Tricord score between a primary function and its
support functions.
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10. Some Examples
Of Support Functions
Plan
LearnDeliver
Primary FunctionsConsumables Store
Equipment Maintenance
Laboratory Facilities
Good Receiving Deck Office Cleaning
SecurityCatering Facilities
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11. An Example Of The Debate
Over A Support Function
Equipment Maintenance – In or Out Of The Primary Teams?
• What is the level of capability and robustness of the equipment to be maintained?
• Does the equipment need constant adjustment and repair so that its maintenance is a
central part of successfully delivering the significant event? If so keep it in the primary
function.
• Is the equipment almost always available and solidly capable and reliable? If so its
maintenance may be best ‘outsourced’ to a shared support function.
An equivalent debate applies to all support functions…try it!
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12. Connective Systems
Blood Supply System The Nervous System
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13. Connective Functions
Examples:
–HR
–Finance
–Information Systems/IT
–Technical/medical Systems
–Quality Systems
–Environmental Systems
–Health and Safety Systems
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14. Connective Functions
• Connective functions connect, integrate, supply and assess the
primary and support whole work units across the whole
organisation.
• They steward ‘assets’, and the integrating systems that manages
them, across the whole organisation.
• They thus provide the framework, systems, standards, protocols
and procedures for the primary and support functions to work
with and through.
• They should be careful not to take ownership of those tasks
associated with the use of these ‘assets’ which are rightfully
delegated to the primary and support functions as part of their
whole work cycles.
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15. Connective Functions
Function ‘Asset’ Systems and
Procedures
HR People, Experience, Skills Many and various personnel
procedures and systems
Finance Money Financial accounting system.
Management accounting system
IS/IT Information and
Knowledge. IT know-
how.
Many and various computer systems
and communication systems.
Information and knowledge
management.
Technical/medical
Systems
Technical/medical
know-how and
professionalism
Technical standards, procedures
and knowledge management. IP
management.
Quality systems Capable, reliable
processes
Quality standards, procedures.
Quality audit process
Environmental systems Environmentally
sustainable processes
Environmental standards,
procedures. Environmental audit
process
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16. ‘Quality’ - An Example
Connective Function
‘Quality’ Within
Primary Functions
• Those aspects of ‘quality’ that
are an inherent part of the
work cycle of the primary
whole work team.
• The evaluation of the unit of
whole work.
‘Quality’ Within The
Connective Functions
• Those aspects of ‘quality’ that
are to do with maintenance of
the quality system throughout
the organisation.
• The evaluation of the quality
system throughout the
organisation.
An equivalent debate applies for all connective functions…try it!
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17. 17/03/2015 Classification of Teams 17
Related to
Mintzberg’s Five Parts
Powerful top-down
strategic functions
Board / Parent
Middle
Management
Primary Teams / Facility Teams
/Business units
Less powerful support /
influencing functions
Board / Executive
Operating core /
Primary functions

18. Classification of Work
Teams in a Simple Hierarchy
• Primary teams are the network of work teams that directly deliver
the primary purposes and ‘significant events’ of the organisation.
• Facility teams maintain substantive, critical facilities or resources
in readiness for use by those managing the primary.
• Support services provide local, non-critical support services to a
cluster of primary or secondary teams. They aim to do this cost-
effectively and responsively.
• Connective teams own the governance of critical resources on
behalf of the corporation (human, financial, knowledge and
information). They provide the framework, systems, standards,
protocols and procedures for all other units to work with and
through (e.g. HR, IT, Finance, etc.).
• Board / Parent caries out the high-level corporate governance,
policy and coordination on behalf of external stakeholders
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19. Cross-cutting units
forming more complex structured
networks
• Overlay Units are used to develop specialist skills and
perspectives to influence the activities of the primary
teams for serving target product/market segments defined
by different dimensions than they are built around.
• Project Teams are set up to achieve benefits from focusing
on specific tasks or projects that cut across other units.
They are normally temporary.
• Resource pools focus on stewarding critical resources key
to competitive advantage. They develop these resources
into a source of advantage and allocate them to other units
in accordance with strategic priorities.
Acknowledgement to contribution from Michael Goold and Andrew Campbell’ Designing Effective
Organisations, Jossey-Bass 2002.
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20. 17/03/2015 Classification of Teams
20
Structured Network
Board
/
Parent
Support
unit
Connective
Primary
team
Primary
team
Facility Team
Connective
Support
unit
Project team
Overlay unit
Project team
Primary
team
Resource
Pool
Classification of Teams