What are the best practices for identifying the right people to include in a program team?

Selecting the right individuals for a program team involves aligning their skills and experiences with the specific requirements of the program. Seek out candidates with not just the needed technical capabilities but also a history of successful collaboration and flexibility in prior projects. Their capacity to adapt and work well in a team setting is key in a program's evolving landscape. Evaluate prospective team members on their ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and share the program's core values and culture. Embracing diversity in skills, experiences, and viewpoints can foster innovation and problem-solving. Involving stakeholders in the selection process helps ensure the team is well-equipped and supported.

Selecting the optimal members for a program team involves identifying individuals with relevant expertise, diverse perspectives, and strong interpersonal skills. Consider factors such as experience, qualifications, and compatibility with team dynamics. Engage in thorough vetting processes, including interviews and assessments, to ensure alignment with project goals and foster effective collaboration towards successful outcomes.

Understand the goals, objectives, and scope of the program. Identify the skills, expertise, and experience needed to achieve these goals. Consider the size and complexity of the program to determine the size and composition of the team.

You can also do a user journey of the program's output to understand the sections that will interface with it. This way, the stakeholders from the sections are identified and brought onboard.

Assessing program requirements is vital, but ongoing, dynamic management is the real key to success. This is what does works to me: Living Requirements: Replace static docs with real-time collaborative tools actifacts to stay aligned with evolving needs. Skills Forecasting: Use predictive analysis and past experiences to anticipate future skill needs Requirement Champions: Assign team members to own and advocate for specific needs. Empower them! Constraint-Driven Innovation: Use limitations to spark creativity And my favorite one, Reverse Mentoring: Pair senior and junior members to challenge assumptions and bring fresh insights It’s not just about getting the requirements right at the start, it’s about staying right as the program evolves

Assessing program requirements is paramount to defining the team's roles and responsibilities. Documenting objectives, deliverables, risks, and resources via tools like a program charter and RACI matrix ensures clarity and alignment. For example, a RACI matrix can clearly delineate who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, or Informed for each task, avoiding confusion and duplicated efforts. Defining the necessary skills and experience upfront allows you to identify gaps and plan for training or hiring. Considering availability ensures the team can dedicate sufficient time to the program's success. The key is to invest time upfront to reap the rewards of a well-structured, efficient, and effective program team.

As always one needs to balance the constraints in resourcing with the program objectives. I've found that it is vital to choose the core team, such as project managers, architects, business analysts etc. It is important to spend as much time as needed on this critical activity. Once this is done, it is possible to build the team around these individuals. One of the best practices I follow is to then trust these leaders by default. Ensure you have their back at all times, and they know it. In most cases, it leads to miracles.

Select core team members who have the necessary skills and expertise to lead and execute the program. Include individuals with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to bring different ideas and approaches to the team. Ensure that core team members are committed to the program and have the time and resources to dedicate to it.

Identifying core team members is pivotal for program success. Each role, from program managers to technical leads, contributes unique expertise and perspectives that drive the project forward. For instance, involving a program sponsor early on can ensure alignment with organizational goals, while a skilled project manager can enhance team collaboration and efficiency. Selecting individuals based on their commitment and ability to influence outcomes fosters a culture of accountability and shared vision. This strategic approach not only enhances program execution but also empowers the team to innovate and adapt, ultimately leading to exceptional results. Engaging the right people at the outset sets the stage for transformative success.

Identify supporting team members who can provide additional expertise or resources as needed. Include stakeholders from relevant departments or organizations to ensure their buy-in and support for the program. Communicate the roles and responsibilities of supporting team members clearly to avoid confusion and ensure accountability.

Engaging supporting team members is not just a procedural step; it's a catalyst for innovation and success. By actively involving end-users, customers, and subject matter experts, the program can harness diverse insights that enhance value and effectiveness. For instance, a software development team that regularly consults with end-users can refine features based on real-world feedback, leading to a product that truly meets user needs. This collaborative approach fosters a sense of ownership and accountability among all stakeholders, transforming them from passive observers into active contributors. Such engagement not only enriches the program but also cultivates a culture of trust and shared purpose.

Aim for a balance between team size and diversity to ensure that the team has the right mix of skills, expertise, and perspectives. Avoid overstaffing the team, which can lead to inefficiency and coordination challenges. Embrace diversity in terms of background, experience, and thinking styles to encourage innovation and creativity.

Balancing team size and diversity is a pivotal practice in program management for several reasons. A program team with an optimal team size grants you both efficiency and greater coverage. A program team that is diverse grants you both innovation, problem-solving ability, and greater representation. In summary, a balanced and diverse program team is more likely to be agile, effective, and innovative, making it crucial for the success of any program.

Regularly review the team composition to ensure that it remains aligned with the program requirements. Identify any gaps or redundancies in the team and take steps to address them. Be open to making changes to the team composition as the program evolves and new requirements emerge.

When we have to deal with big programs with multiple and large teams involved, to implement a "Dynamic Team Health Dashboard" for real-time optimization would be very helpful. This data-driven tool combines: Skills heat map + Periodical engagement pulse + Performance metrics + Collaboration network analysis + Future skills forecast. In practice, this approach transformed a struggling program I led. We identified a critical skills gap in cloud architecture, prompting targeted training. The collaboration analysis revealed isolated QA testers, leading to a restructured workflow. We noticed significant improvements from the very fist month. This method ensures continuous, objective optimization while maintaining teams engaged and motivated.

Consider the cultural fit and interpersonal dynamics of team members to ensure effective collaboration. Provide training and development opportunities for team members to enhance their skills and capabilities. Foster a positive and inclusive team culture that values diversity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

I got one practice that might sound a little bit odd but... what about Micro-team rotations? I once led a complex digital transformation program where we implemented 6-week rotations across functional areas. The results were eye-opening. A UX designer, after rotating through the data analytics team, proposed a brilliant data-driven interface that we hadn't considered. Similarly, a backend developer brought valuable optimization insights to the customer support workflow. This approach not only bred innovation but also dramatically improved team resilience. It's challenging initially, and just fits at some specific kind of programs, but the long-term benefits in team adaptability and solution quality are immense.

Interpersonal relations impact the team behaviour and performance in a big way. This aspect should be factored in during various stages of team building. Regular feedback from the team members, enables the Program owner to identify the areas of conflict, which more often than not are predominant if the team is built around individual stars. The root cause of the conflicts should be eliminated even if it involves reorganising or realigning the team. Collective ownership and responsibility should be emphasised upon for a project or program to succeed