Study Methodology and Data Collection

The research was conducted in three phases. Data was collected in the three phases of the study by:

1. Structured interviews of individuals that were taped and transcribed

2. Structured interviews of groups that were taped and transcribed

3. Survey of project members and leaders (using the Project Team Development Survey [PTDS] or a later modification, the NASA Project Team Development Survey [NPTDS])

4. Assessment of project team performance based on customer perceptions and independent analysis

5. Structured observation of project meetings.

Protocols for conducting the structured interviews and for conducting the structured observation of meetings are found in the Handbook for Study Field Representatives (available by contacting the authors). Data collection resulted from conducting 129 interviews and surveying 397 members of eleven projects (188 NASA and 209 contractor members) in six NASA centers (Langley Research Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Kennedy Space Center, Ames Research Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, and the Jet Propulsion Lab).

Protocols were developed for the content analysis of the interviews from the combined studies. The study researchers independently abstracted all statements from interviewees that denoted the characteristic of a best or superior project team. A working list of team characteristics was developed. All statements were next placed on cards and sent to two independent experts on project management and team development. These researchers were asked to place the cards in logical categories. The research team resolved the few differences that resulted from the sorts. The data was analyzed using statistical methods based on analysis of variance, multiple regression analysis, correlation analysis, discriminant analysis, and factor analysis.

The first phase consisted of the pilot study. The intent of the pilot phase was to determine the viability of the original research hypothesis and to establish an initial set of characteristics associated with superior project team performance. During this phase the primary data collection consisted of interviews with the key management personnel of six projects located at three NASA field centers. Using information from the interviews, literature review, and from a factor analysis of 2,012 respondents to the Superior Team Development Inventory (Kinlaw 1998), the PTDS was designed and used to survey members of the project teams. This stage of the research included fifty-four interviews and fifty-three project member responses to the PTDS.

The second phase of the research study was modified somewhat and data collection was expanded to an additional five projects, located at three additional NASA field centers. The interview protocol was modified to test the validity of the characteristics of the best performing project teams and to obtain more concrete information about the characteristics of the most valued project team leaders and leadership functions developed in the pilot study. Based on the findings from the pilot phase, the team survey instrument was modified and renamed the NASA Project Team Development Survey (NPTDS). This second phase of the research included seventy-five interviews, 278 project member responses to the PTDS, and a further 119 project member responses to the NPTDS. Phase II findings were fully congruent with the findings from Phase I and added additional support to these findings.

By introducing the use of the NPTDS into a four-hour session in NASA's Advanced Project Management Program, and by making the survey tool widely available to NASA projects over the web (http://www.appl.nasa.gov; Leadership Place; TeamMates Tool), the collection of data has become a continuing process.