1. Developing trust 2. Four stages of team development 3. Characteristics of an effective team member

Building Teams

Developing a successful Web project requires participants with different strengths, talents and backgrounds. If your Web project includes participants from other schools, there is also a good chance you will be part of a new type of team, a "virtual team" that is linked only by technology and a common goal.

"The most creative people I know always expose themselves to a wide range of perspectives- cultural, organizational, and personal." Dorothy Leonard, Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School

If your project team is "virtual" (i.e., includes team members from other schools... in other states or other countries) you won't have the advantage of shared past experiences or a common background. Your success will depend on intangibles like commitment, communication, and a willingness to follow through. That's why students should take extra care in getting to know their fellow students during the early phases of development.

But, the benefits of working with people from different backgrounds can far outweigh the disadvantages. Exposing a student to a wide range of perspectives, cultural, intellectual and philosophical can often lead to new creative insights that in turn fuels the creative process in project development.

Section: Introduction to Building Teams
page 1: Developing trust 
page 2: Four stages of team development
page 3: Characteristics of an effective team member