Assessing the impact of team dynamics on the design process: a work in progress

Industry has long known that team dynamics play a large role in the success of any design project. Those dynamics begin with the composition, attitudes, and skills of the team members. But composition is not enough, since it is the interpersonal interactions between team members that encourage, or conversely stymie, the successful creation and implementation of any design strategy. So in early 2000, the Design EPICS (Engineering Practices Introductory Course Sequence) Program at the Colorado School of Mines began a pilot study to determine if the same holds true for engineering teams in the educational environment. The primary research question sought to determine how product quality was affected by team composition and roles chosen by team members. After two years of study, we have determined that male students more closely align themselves with task functions, while female students perform both task and team functions necessary for a successful effort. In other words, females provide greater flexibility in their contributions to a team effort.