When it comes to long-term projects, fluid teamwork is a must. All members of the team must know their role, understand the goals of the project, and be able to communicate effectively with one another. This is especially true for information systems projects, which can last years.
Given the amount of data that information systems must process to help businesses run as smoothly as possible, communication is key among the teams that develop them.
The Importance of Communication
Communication is the cornerstone of effective teamwork. Chron contributor Anne Kinsey writes, “When each team player knows his or her role in serving clients or meeting a deadline, all are free to focus on only their own tasks, without worrying about what everyone else is doing.”
When communication goes awry, it slows down the project and creates conflict. That’s why creating an environment where team members are open with one another is paramount. Kinsey writes, “When it is safe to express thoughts clearly, honestly and tactfully, it is easier to move forward with a solution that has everyone’s best interest at heart.” During a long-term project, occasional miscommunication or misunderstandings are inevitable; being able to resolve these issues in a respectful and timely manner will keep the project running smoothly.
Making sure the goals of the project are clearly and concisely defined is another important piece of effective group communication. This makes it much simpler to portion out the tasks in a way that makes sense for the team. Kinsey writes, “The team leader communicates project expectations to all the players, and work is divided fairly based on each person’s unique strengths and qualifications.”
Building an Effective Team
When building the foundation for effective teamwork, it’s important to ensure that all members are familiar with their peers before getting to work. Zenkit contributor Dinnie Muslihat writes, “If the project team consists of people from different departments, or individuals who were newly recruited and placed together, set aside a time before the project starts for everyone to get to know each other.” This creates an atmosphere of familiarity and comfort, which makes it much easier for team members to ask one another for help.
It’s also equally important that all team members understand the value they add to the team. When working on long-term projects, it can be easy to lose sight of the importance of a single person. Muslihat writes, “… ensuring that every team member is aware of how important their job, and everyone else’s, is to the project can strengthen commitment towards the team and the project’s objectives.”
It can be easy to overlook the basics of teamwork when a deadline is looming, and costly, long-term projects can turn into a pressure cooker. If the proper steps are taken, however, a team can come together and function like a well-oiled machine.
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Sources:
Chron: Importance of Team Communication Skills
Zenkit: Why You Need Good Teamwork for Project Management Success
Inc.: Management Information Systems (MIS)
