How to Appraise a Project Team

The project manager is responsible for assessing team performance.

Projects are deemed to be a success when specific goals are achieved. Monitoring and appraising a team working on a given project is a key contributor to achieving these objectives. Teams are evaluated using criteria that measure the effectiveness of the group as a whole. The project manager in particular has the responsibility of appraising team performance, giving recognition where it is due and rewarding exemplary behavior.

Instructions

1. Observe the team's dynamics. As the team develops and proceeds through the stages of forming, storming, norming and performing -- the four stages a group goes through in order to complete a task -- take note of the dynamics of co-location -- the placing of multiple people in the same location -- public disagreement and the emergence of daily routines and work habits.

2. Document performance achievements and leadership skills. Successes indicate areas of strength and skill mastery. Challenges will reveal the opportunity for further training. Observation will also allow for a better understanding of the group's ability to handle conflict under stressful conditions and the general maturation level of the collective.

3. Track demonstrations of the group's negotiation and communication skills. A cohesive team, for example, supports and protects individual team members. A unified public face demonstrates a commitment and allegiance amongst team members and reveals the willingness of individuals to sacrifice for the common good.

4. Read the issue and change logs of the project. Requests for project-related modifications and the formal recording of problems, for example, can reveal potential areas of neglect.

References

• "A Guide To The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)"; PMI; 2008
• "ITSM"; Metrics for IT Service Management; ITSM; 2008