Tuckman Ladder Question

Hi All,

 

Below questions was attempted by me in the PMStudy exam. Somehow I am not convinced with the correct answer displayed by PMstudy. I had selected Norming as the right ansmwer and PMstudy is saying Performing as the right answer. Can anyone help me in understanding it.

 

  You are a project manager in a pharmaceutical company and manage a team of 50 resources in a virtual project team across multiple time zones. There were concerns that team members would not be able to work well in this virtual team structure. However, you are mid-way into the project and team members have successfully figured out efficient ways to work together effectively. The team is in which stage of group development?
 
 
  Choice 1 Performing
 
  Choice 2 Forming
 
  Choice 3 Smoothing
 
  Choice 4 Norming
 
 
  Correct Choice : 1
 
  Justification :
  Tuckman described five stages of team development. Teams usually go through the stages in order, but it is possible for teams to skip a stage or get stuck in, or revert to a previous stage.
  1. Forming – Team meets, learns their roles and responsibilities and agree on goals; individuality is at its highest during this phase
    • Storming – Team starts working on the project; competition may result from different individual ideas; “I am right” mentality
      • Norming – Team members adjust their behavior to work as a team; learn to trust each other; “We can work together” mentality
        • Performing – Teams are able to function as an organized and interdependent unit as they find ways to get the job done smoothly and effectively
          • Adjourning – Completing the task and moving on from the project as staff are released during project or phase closure

 

admin's picture

Is there any basis for you to select Norming at the right answer ?

I also thought Norming. But after reading the answer and analyzing it, i think that 'Performing' is the best choice. 

In Norming, the team is figuring out or trying to adjust their behaviors while doing the work. 

In Performing, they have already adjusted their behaviors and doing the work.

The language of the question says - " team members have successfully figured out efficient ways to work together "

The language used shows that 'figuring out each other' has been done. So, they can not be in 'Norming' phase.

PMP Fighter's picture

There is no smoothing, it is make up terms.

Norming - because

mid-way into the project and team members have successfully figured out efficient ways to work together effectively

@ PMP Fighter,

Could you please explain the reason for showing 'mid-way' in bold ?

Let me ask a question - 

The project team has finished working on the project. The team is in which stage of group development? 

1) Performing

2) Adjourning 

I think the key is to pay attention to the - "tense of the story before the question" and "tense of the question". 

Thanks

 

 

 

Very begining common fightings.

If question mention only this ..There were concerns that team members would not be able to work well in this virtual team structure.  Then Storming.

Then mention Howerver means the Storming phase has been crossed.

.... you are mid-way into the project and team members have successfully figured out efficient ways to work together effectively... that means in performing stage.

..has finished .. means ready to enter Adjouning. The PM yet to disburs the Team.  Still the team is ready to face last minute approved changes.   So, the team in still in performing Stage.

@ Sunku

Your comment on 'adjourning' makes it sound like adjourning does not have a time period. Adjourning stage is a 'time-stamp' and not a 'time-period' type phase.

Please correct me if i am wrong...

Hi Philstinnet

I agree your point.  But, the PM has to dissolve the team officially(time-stamp), unless the team is in the project.

In this question i think the right answer is Performing.   I may wrong.  I need to study further on web in this regard.

 

Thanks,

Staff is not yet released according to the question.  I stick with Performing Stage.

  • Adjourning – Completing the task and moving on from the project as staff are released during project or phase closure

@ Sunku

I have looked 5 different online articles on Tuckman's ladder. 

This is what i got after reading those - 

The adjourning phase can start when project is near completion. Team members will start to 'look back'. They will start to talk how far they have come.

In the adjourning phase, people become emotional or sad with the thoughts that things are ending. Some team member may feel excited. An experienced team member is less likely to be sad comapred to the young team member.

The efficiency of the team does not change from the Performaing stage. However, conflicts can arise because of the thought of seperating from each other and because of not everyone being on the same emotional plane.

In the Performing stage, team members are most likely to solve the problems by themselves. But, in the Adjourning stage, they may need the help from the Project Manager or Team Leader.

So, it looks like the time length of the Adjourning phase is resting on few factors - 

1) Experience of the team members (how many adjournign phases have they seen in their lives?).

2) Emotional nature of the team members.

So, if the question-statement says - The team has finished working on the project. The team is in which stage of group development ?

It is really hard to answer this. The information given is not enough. If one can add one more line like - "And the team has started to look back." Then it means, team is definitely in the adjourning phase. Otherwise, it can be in either Performing or Adjourning. 

Thanks

 

 

 

They just began working together effectively. They will now move into performing.