Guessing is not a strategy: How to build decision velocity with AI and real-time data
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Going Small
There are some advantages to larger project teams. For example, large teams may include members with more diverse skills and experience. Large teams are not as much at risk to the loss of a key person as smaller. They may also provide more opportunities for individuals to specialize in a technology or a subset of the application.
On the other hand, there are even more advantages to small teams, according to Mike Cohn, author of Succeeding with Agile: Software Development Using Scrum. These include:
1. There is less social loafing, which is the tendency for people to exert less effort when they believe there are others who will pick up the slack.
2. Constructive interaction is more likely to occur. Stephen Robbins, author of Essentials of Organizational Behavior, has concluded that teams of more than 10 to 12 people have a difficult time establishing feelings of trust, mutual accountability, and cohesiveness.
3. Less time is spent coordinating the effort of team members. As a simple example, we all know that the effort just to plan a meeting for a large team can be overwhelming.
4. No one can fade into the background. With large teams, there is lower participation in group activities and discussions.
5. Small teams are more satisfying to their members because contributions are more visible and meaningful.
6. Harmful over-specialization is less likely to …
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