What
makes a strong programming team?
Beate Hientzsch
Accovion GmbH, Eschborn, Germany
PhUSE, Brighton, 12-October-2011
Apparent business success factors
Adherence to project goals
• Quality
• Timelines
• Budget
Reputation
Continuous business
State-of-the-art standards and processes
 all dependent on people
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
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A typical statistical programming group
- diversity of individuals
Educational background
Experience
Technical skills
Soft skills
Preferences / Interests
Personal development / Career path
Personal situation
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
Chance
or
problem?
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Staffing of projects / assignment of resources
Submission
Project
Analysis of
oncology study
Development of
reporting macros
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
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What’s a team?
A group of people
• working together toward a common goal
“There should be no I in team”
• with complementary skills required
to complete a task, job, or project
• maximize individual strength, minimize individual weakness
• create environment to go beyond individual limitations
Team knowledge > ∑ knowledge of single team members
Source: wikipedia.org/wiki/team and „Systemische Personal-, Organisations- und Kulturentwicklung“ (Schmid/Messmer)
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
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Team work - Critical success factors
Working
environment
Team spirit
Motivation
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
Education /
Personal
development
Communication
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Working environment
Technical environment
Processes / Standards
Working time
(Home)Office / Desk
Salary
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
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Team work - Critical success factors
Working
environment
Team spirit
Motivation
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
Education /
Personal
development
Communication
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Education / Personal development
- by formal training
Training
course
Conference
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
Webinar
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Education / Personal development
- by training on the job
Diversity of projects
• Indications
Assignment of tasks
and roles
• Technical
requirements
Group meetings
• Processes and
standards
Contribution to
internal innovation
activities
• Client requirements
• Interfaces to other
departments or project
teams
Participation in global
working groups
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Team work - Critical success factors
Working
environment
Team spirit
Motivation
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
Education /
Personal
development
Communication
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Communication – business related
Group meetings
Project team meetings
1:1 meetings
+ Ad hoc
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
↑ Continuously
↑ Well prepared
↑ Open
↓ Tabus
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Communication – personal
Time for
• „Good Morning“
• Private conversation
• Having lunch together
• Congratulations to birthday, marriage, childbirth, …
Joint activities after work (voluntarily)
Interest in personal situation of colleagues
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
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Team work - Critical success factors
Working
environment
Team spirit
Motivation
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
Education /
Personal
development
Communication
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Motivation
Intrinsic
•
•
•
•
•
from inside
interest
curiosity
challenge
enjoyment
Extrensic
• from outside
• rewards, like
money or
grades
• competition
Intrinsic motivation enables extrensic
motivation and sustainability
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
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Factors increasing motivation
Challenge
and
Success
Acknowledgement
Trust
Respect for
Team spirit
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
Motivation
• Individual
strength
• Interests
• Personal
situation
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Team work - Critical success factors
Working
environment
Team spirit
Motivation
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
Education /
Personal
development
Communication
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Team leading
Provide information
Listen carefully
Transparency of decisions
Step into daily work as needed
Trust
Respect individual interests
Delegate / share responsibility
360° feedback
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
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Team members
Common and known goals
Commitment
Respect and attention for each other
Flexibility
Informal and adhoc support for each other
Emotional ties
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
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Keep attention on possible disturbances
Moving targets (projects and organization)
Conflicts
Stress as a product of
• continuous overload
• unequal assignment of working activities
Management decisions
Job insecurity
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
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A winning team
Enjoys work even under pressure
Is solution oriented, not blaming
Is a learning organization
Has low turn-over
Is attractive for new team members
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
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Questions?
Beate Hientzsch
Beate Hientzsch
Director, Statiscal
Programming
Director, Statistical
Programming
Accovion GmbH
Helfmann-Park 10
D-65760 Eschborn, Germany
Tel. +49 6196 7709-406
Mob. +49 173 6522741
beate.hientzsch@accovion.com
www.accovion.com
With thanks to Nicola Tambascia (Accovion)
| PhUSE October 2011 | Beate Hientzsch
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