This
chapter is a "how-to" demonstration of many practical way virtual
teams can develop and use their "group intelligence".
On the whole
a virtual team must be smarter than a conventional collocated team—just
to survive. This means the team needs to share its ideas freely and creatively.
Hardcopy Hand-books,
long the companions of face-to-face teams, are giving way to online virtual
team Web-books.
For the first
time in history, virtual teams can work efficiently and elegantly at a distance,
thanks to the Internet. Here we take you through three phase of planning for
virtual teams.
To work smarter,
virtual teams need to build explicit models with common categories
and the right relationships.
Virtual
Team Phases of Planning and Development:
- Phase
1:
Develop a clear statement of purpose and expected results and give the
team a name. Develop the list of key players, team size, location, and contact
information. Then set up delivery dates and create a chart showing where
members are located.
- Phase
2:
Plan for action by creating a purpose "flow chart," and agree
on tasks. Then clarify responsibility within the group and identify leaders
for the tasks. Create a plan for what kind of technology you will be using
within and without the group. Collect all this information into your virtual
team handbook which covers the purpose and plan of the project, the
team directory, and calendar and communications resources.
- Phase
3:
Review the process of the team in a theory-based framework which breaks
out the three basic team elements into nine principles outlined in our book.
Here you will also create a model by which you can review and judge your
tasks, your technological tools, and your organizational system.
Create
a Virtual Team Web Book, using the World Wide Web as a resource and a means
of communication.