Tuckmans model for Team Development

Revision as of 11:01, 21 February 2021

In every project the executing team plays an important role. In 1965, the American psychologist Bruce Tuckman introduced his model for group development. This model consists of 4 stages: Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. Tuckman suggested that teams will need to go through all of those stages within a project to grow together and be successful. ^[1]. With his ideas, Tuckman set the basis for the research on group development and the related activities and processes. ^[2]

According to the inventor, every phase is defined by certain characteristics and a set of activities that should be performed in order to move on. ^[3] This translates directly to the role of the project manager, who is responsible for guidance, group development and eventually the success of the project itself ^[4].

The Forming phase is characterised by orientation. The group members get to know each other, set goals, a timeline, and a structure. In the Storming stage first problems appear and frustration levels increase. The Norming phase then overlaps with the previous Storming stage. Within this phase, group members become aware of their peers’ strengths and start to value them. Productivity levels typically rise during Norming. Performing is the last of the 4 initial stages. It is about facing the challenges of the project and performing the actual tasks. ^[1]

Even though Tuckman’s model of group development certainly has evolved over time, it is still relevant today ^[3]. However, it has been subject to various changes and additions over the last decades. This article will focus especially on those adaptations and evolution and explain the differences, as well as application possibilities.

Importance of Team Development

Team development plays an important role in the context of project management. The group development process is an interdisciplinary topic that, next to project management, involves psychology and other behavioural sciences. In 2015 Decuyper et. al described a clear relationship between team development and group learning. According to them, a team that evovles through the first stages can unlock synergies and has a better learning curve. Especially in the later phases of the development process, group can expect better results. ^[5] This means that successful team development can be a major factor for the actual performance of the group. Project managers have a special role within the project team. They are responsible for their team and for the project and"need to take a holistic view of their team’s products in order to plan, coordinate, and complete them."

Tuckman's basic Model

Bruce W. Tuckman introduced his model for group development in his article "Developmental Sequence in Small Groups" published in the Psychological Bulletin in 1965. The model consists of four stages that newly created groups tipically go through. The stages are called Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing. All of those have certain characteristics, challenges and tasks. How well a group can manage these challenges can determine the success and the efficiency of the project. One of the main tasks of the project manager is to perform integration and manage complexity. Therefore, the project manager plays a vital role in this environment by guiding and leading the team throughout the stages. ^[4]

[[File:TuckmanStages.PNG|900px|thumb|center| Tuckman's 4 stages model Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag

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