Task: A framework for supporting team development

You work for a German company specialised in software development for cash registers. The company has subsidiaries in Austria, Switzerland, France, Russia, China and Mexico. For one year, the project ‘new universal software architecture’ has been in place but did not advance very well. This is why a new team of five has been put together with the task to overcome the issue of having two different software structures for Asian and European/American cash registers.

You are a member of this diverse virtual team and because of your experience in virtual team work are supposed to support the team. As a team you have three months to develop a proposal for a new software architecture. You are sitting in your office and reflect the Tuckman model of team development as well as the knowledge you have considering critical dimensions for developing into a mature team. With this in mind, you are sketching out a framework which should help you to quickly develop into a team. You have a budget for one personal meeting and the proposal is that you have weekly conference calls.

For drafting this framework you may use the graphic below, which you will also find in your learning journal.