How to Assemble a High-Performing Project Team

It’s easy to think that success in digital transformation is all about technical expertise. However, more often than not it’s the human element, not the technical element, that puts the transformation in the ditch. People are just as critical – if not more – as other key pillars of the project such as processes or tools. Therefore, it is absolutely crucial to have the right people in the right seats leading and supporting your digital transformation initiative.

Think of building your project team like assembling a football team. Each player should be placed in the correct position based on their skillsets and strengths on and off the field. Your quarterback will be the person executing the plays and driving the methodology.

Other players will have niche specialties, like a placekicker who may only be on the field for a limited time but is crucial when it comes to scoring that winning field goal. From a project manager (PM) to the software developers, you want experts who are able to execute tasks effectively and efficiently while collaborating as a team in such a way that the team is greater than the sum of its individual parts.

Building a dream team for your project requires no small amount of assessment, management, and possibly even some persuasion. This is why Victoria Fide’s Process for Transformational Change allocates time and resources in our methodology to thoroughly assess and assign project team members for your transformational initiative.

In this article, we will outline the key considerations we believe will best equip you to clearly assess and accurately assign project roles to the right people on your self-directed digital transformation. These considerations will go beyond simply finding the right titles or credentials, but will take into account traits that will make them powerful change evangelists. Ultimately, this step will establish the environment for your digital transformation, significantly influencing its success – or its failure.

The Foundation of Transformation: Why the Right Project Team Matters

In the project charter, you identified the key project leaders and stakeholders and detailed their roles. The Human Resources Management Plan, part of the Project Management Plan (PMP), described the project teams—design, testing, training, and management—and their respective management structures. (Further details on management structure can be found here.) These preliminary, high-level planning activities laid the groundwork for the more detailed step of team building which is what we will look at today.

Building on your previous efforts, assessing and assigning project team members will thoroughly define every team member and their roles and responsibilities on the project. This includes everyone from your project manager to your business analysts, ensuring each team member has the necessary skills, traits, and bandwidth to be successful in their role. This detailed planning fosters clear communication and accountability for every task and decision on the project. It effectively prevents oversights and ensures that nothing is overlooked or forgotten.

To assemble your ideal project team, there are three essential steps you need to take:

1. Define Your Needs
2. Assess Your People
3. Assign the Roles

Let’s get to it.

Step One: Define Your Needs

The A-Team Framework: Outline Project Roles and Responsibilities

The initial step involves gathering your requirements by outlining the roles and responsibilities within the project. At this stage, it’s not about assigning team members to these roles; however, project sponsors often have an insight into who might be well-suited for each position. For the moment, focus on creating a comprehensive list of all the crucial roles that need to be filled in your project, keeping in mind that a single person may fill multiple roles.

Common roles to include are:

• Steering Committee Member
• Project Manager (PM)
• Solution Architect
• Enterprise Architect
• Business Process Owner
• Subject Matter Expert
• Business Analyst
• Software Developer
• Trainers

Aligning Teams with RACI: Clear Roles, Clear Minds

In our article, “The Essential Guide to Crafting a Project Charter“, we briefly introduced the RACI matrix. Now, we’ll dive into completing it.

To construct a RACI matrix, start by delineating each role across the top and every project activity down the left side. Then, assign whether each role is responsible, accountable, consulted, or informed for each activity. A comprehensive exploration of what a RACI matrix is and how to effectively construct one can be found in the article “RACI Chart: Definitions, Uses And Examples For Project Managers.“

A RACI matrix helps project teams clarify roles and responsibilities, ensuring that everyone knows what they are expected to do and who is accountable for each task. This will also help identify any overlapping tasks or potential gaps in responsibility. By clearly defining responsibilities, this matrix can prevent confusion and conflicts within the team.

Tailoring Roles to Project Needs: The Role of Detailed Job Duties

With each role listed and sorted on the RACI chart, the final step is to clearly define the job duties for each project role. Be as specific as you can here. Take the time to thoroughly understand the scope of the project role and the expectations for that team member. This approach will not only help each team member grasp their specific responsibilities but also enable them to recognize the limits of their colleagues’ roles and identify opportunities for collaboration.

In defining each role’s job duties, consider including things like:

• Specific tasks that the role is expected to perform
• Any major inputs or outputs expected from this role
• An estimated time commitment necessary for performing these tasks and activities
• The scope of authority that comes with this role
• Any special skills or experience required for this role

Listing job duties offers a clearer understanding of the qualifications and skills required for each position. For assistance or ideas regarding what to include, online articles or job descriptions may provide a decent starting point. This specificity is invaluable when evaluating potential team members and determining their roles.

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Transformation is not easy, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. Take control of your project’s success today and schedule a free 30-minute consultation to find out how Victoria Fide can equip you for transformational success.

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Step Two: Assess Your People

The goal of this assessment is to take an objective inventory of current skillset, character traits, availability, and resources. The assessment – generally performed by project leaders, stakeholders, or sponsors – will aid in identifying gaps and determining how to fill them through external consultants, staff augmentation, or outsourcing.

Harnessing the Right Talent: Strategies for an Effective Inventory

The first thing to do is to take inventory of your current team members. The key here is to remain objective and to reject assumptions. Just because somebody is a manager does not mean they are automatically qualified to lead a project. Additionally, just because somebody has been in the company for a long time does not mean they have the most knowledge of the processes. To avoid the pitfall of subjectivity, utilize tools such as interviews, assessments or questionnaires to gain an accurate and comprehensive view into your current team.

It’s not enough to just find people with the right titles or credentials. To truly build a dream team for your project, you need to seek out individuals with qualities that enable them to be powerful change agents for your organization. Such traits include tenacity, curiosity, adaptability in ambiguous environments, willingness to change, and team collaboration skills among others. These soft skills are no less important than the hard skills such as technological proficiency, knowledge of business processes, or project management experience.

Here are some sample questions that you should seek to answer:

• Do they have the requisite knowledge? If not, what support around them is needed to help them grow into the role?
• Can they be an effective change agent?
• Are they an expert in the process(es)?
• Are they proficient in key technologies or tools?
• Do they have the availability for the role?
• Do they have the necessary collaborative personality/skillset?

This evaluation will not only reveal the current condition of your internal team, but also offer strategies for positioning them for success.

Gap Analysis: Finding Opportunities for Growth and Improvement

This assessment process is crucial for identifying gaps that could pose risks or create issues in the project if not addressed early on. It’s important to recognize that these gaps might not always relate to skills. For instance, a critical team member might be away on vacation during a pivotal project phase, or they may simply lack the necessary bandwidth or resources to juggle their regular duties alongside project responsibilities.

Identifying Strategic Partnerships for Project Excellence

Based on the results from your assessment, you may determine that external assistance is required in order to address specific skill gaps, support your daily operations team, or outsource pivotal project tasks like software development or testing.

Several strategies may be considered, such as hiring an independent contractor or a vendor, like Victoria Fide, who can provide the necessary expertise and skillset to drive transformational success. You may also want to consider employing a staff augmentation firm to expand your project team or bolster your daily operations.

Once you’ve identified the necessary external human resources, it’s crucial to adopt a comprehensive approach in evaluating your choices. This ensures that these external resources are properly vetted and align well with your organization’s vision, requirements, and culture.

Selecting the right vendor is a pivotal step in your project’s success. In our upcoming article, we will address our comprehensive methodology for assessing, scrutinizing, and choosing software solutions and vendors poised to propel your project to success. If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe to stay up to date on our Digital Transformation Roadmap series.

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Step Three: Assign the Roles

Following the evaluation, project leaders and sponsors must reach a consensus on the assignment of roles within the project. It’s essential to then convey the proposed roles to the team members effectively to ensure their agreement and buy-in.

Achieving Team Buy-in for Role Assignment

Securing agreement on the project roster may require several discussions with project leaders and sponsors. Allocate sufficient time and space for thorough discussion of all options, ensuring every voice is heard before making a decision.

The success of your transformation hinges on your project team; investing time now to align the right individuals with the appropriate roles is crucial. Making adjustments later will be challenging, so prioritize this foundational step.

Communicating Project Roles for Increased Buy-In

Now that project roles have been assigned, it’s essential to communicate effectively with each team member. For internal team members, a blend of personal one-on-one meetings and a comprehensive project team review should be conducted to discuss the team roster. This approach highlights the importance of teamwork, as the team’s success hinges on its ability to collaborate effectively and deliver results.

Resistance is inevitable. Some individuals might yearn for greater responsibility, while others might balk at the demands placed upon them. A lack of willingness to collaborate as a team or disagreements over the project’s goals may surface. Engaging managers, sponsors, and key stakeholders will be essential in addressing these concerns. Additionally, refining job roles to better align with each team member’s strengths and weaknesses may be necessary to ensure a smoother path forward.

Bear in mind that such discussions may serve as pivotal opportunities for career development, allowing team members to stretch their capabilities or achieve objectives outlined in their growth plans.

Key Takeaways for Building a Transformational Team

Building a high-performing project team is an essential step to achieving successful transformation within an organization. By taking inventory of your current team, identifying any critical gaps in skillset or availability, and determining necessary external resources, you can create a strong and effective team that will drive success. Clearly defined and communicated roles is also essential to address any pushback or concerns that may arise, ensuring a cohesive and collaborative team dynamic.

Don’t underestimate the importance of building the right team for your project – it will make all the difference in achieving your goals and creating lasting change within your organization. Take the time now to assess, identify, and assign roles for your project team, and watch as they bring your transformational vision to life.

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