03 - Engineering Teams (1)

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2014

Engineering & Society:Engineering Teams

Dr. Gershon Weltman

Engineering 183EW, UCLA SEAS

Lecture 3


In Memoriam: Dr. Joe Miller (1937-2007)

Dr. Joe Miller, shown at the right with former SEAS Dean Dr. Steve Jacobsen, contributed much of the original material for the Teams and Projects lectures.

Dr. Joe Miller, shown at the right with former SEAS Dean Dr. Steve Jacobsen, contributed much of the original material for the Teams and Projects lectures.


The Moon Landing Mission


Lunar Descent Engine

,

600 People - Teams of Teams

Teams for Design, Development, Manufacturing, Assembly, Test Head End Assembly Thrust Chamber Assembly Full Engine Assembly

Teams for Design, Development, Manufacturing, Assembly, Test Head End Assembly Thrust Chamber Assembly Full Engine Assembly

Teams for Facilities: Reactant Storage and Delivery Thrust Stands, Vacuum Chambers Controls, Instrumentation, Data Test Operations, Site Services

Teams for Facilities: Reactant Storage and Delivery Thrust Stands, Vacuum Chambers Controls, Instrumentation, Data Test Operations, Site Services

Teams for Project Management:Systems Engineering, Tasking, Scheduling, Monitoring, Control, Reporting, Contracts, Subcontracts, Special Problems

Teams for Project Management:Systems Engineering, Tasking, Scheduling, Monitoring, Control, Reporting, Contracts, Subcontracts, Special Problems

Capistrano Test Site

Head Assembly600 People, A Team of Teams


High Energy Laser

Teams for Design, Development & Fabrication Cavity Injector, Flow Isolation Optical Components Laser Diagnostics and Controls Laser Controls

Teams for Facilities Reactant Storage and Delivery Test Stands Controls and Instrumentation Data Retrieval and Storage Test Operations

Teams for Project Management Project Tasking, Monitoring, Reporting Contract, Subcontracts, Finance Marketing, Congressional Relations Systems Engineering

Again, a total Team of hundreds of people


The Point: Engineering = Projects = Teams

Engineering projects are complex Conflicting requirements and motivations of users, customers,

corporations, employees, suppliers, finance, legal... etc. Limitations of technology and physics Data that are incomplete and contradictory, or non-existent

Large number of interrelated tasks Many different disciplines

Technical Non-technical

High performing teams are a necessity Selecting and organizing good teams is difficult Making teams work efficiently and effectively is really difficult “Social Skills” are a key element of team performance!


Engineering as a Team Sport Team Skills

Technical capabilities (aka “Taskwork”) Personnel synchronicity (aka “Teamwork”)

Teams Compete Acquisition of contracts Internal resources – funding and personnel Product marketplace

Teams are Rewarded and Penalized Some teams win, some lose Rewards and penalties are real and substantial

Employment and salary Career path and contributions

Winning and losing depends on Team skills: Social as well as technical Team spirit: A variety of social factors


Engineering is Fundamentally Social

In Many Relationships with Society Business Welfare Public Works Infrastructure Information Communication Entertainment Art

In its People-Centered Approaches Internally in the social dimensions of

engineering team processes Externally in its response to critical

societal needs and constraints


Top Executives Depend on Social Skills

Competencies needed by Top Level Executives at 300 high technology organizations

Source:

Bennett, F. Lawrence, “The Management of Engineering: Human, Quality, Organizational, Legal, and Ethical Aspects of Professional Practice: New York, John Wiley & Sons, 1996

Communication - 84%

Organizational - 75%

Team Building - 72%

Leadership - 68%

Coping - 59%

Technological - 46%

Essential Skills


Project Managers Also Need Social Skills

Competency requirements for Management Positions at several levels of engineering projects

Source:

Shtub, Avraham et al, “Project Management: Engineering, Technology and Implementation,” Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall, 1994

1. Leadership

2. Interpersonal Skills

3. Communication

4. Decision Making

5. Negotiation and Conflict Resolution


The Desert Survival Game: An Exercise in Teamwork

The Situation – Plane down in the desert with all passengers OK

The Task – Agree on goals and a collective method of achieving them

The Output – Ranked importance of available objects

The Score – Summed difference in rank from experts’ judgment

Analysis of Score by: Individuals Teams Populations


Typical Team ScoresSection 1A Privacy 1 – 78 Privacy 2 - 46 Water – 66 Tablets – 58 Section 1B Water – 50 Tablets – 74 Prosthetics - 62 Section 1C Prosthetics – 74 E-Waste – 58 Water – 42 Privacy - 66 Section 1D Prosthetics – 70 E-Waste – 80 Water - 56

Section 1E Privacy – 50 Tablets – 46 Water – 58 Strategic Materials - 86 Section 1F Tablet Rights – 70 Privacy – 87 Strategic Materials – 40 Water – 54 Section 1G Privacy – 70 Tablets – 26 Water – 71 Prosthetics - 60 Section 1H Water – 40 Privacy – 54 Tablets – 60 E-Waste - 60


Team Score Summary

Spring 2012

Fall 2012

Winter 2013

Range 10 - 90 34 - 84 26 - 87

Median 60.0 63.0 60.0

Mean 58.8 59.8 60.4


Team Score Comparisons

Average Average Historical Engr 183EW

Populations College Students 60 58 – 64.5 Junior High School Students 50 Senior Executives 50 Males versus Females ?

Individuals vs. Teams: Which is best? What does it mean?

What Leads to Team Success? Technical Skills – Knowledge of the domain Social Skills – Interpersonal factors at the team level Methodological Skills -- Working together as a team


Many Social Factors Affect Team Performance…. Ability

Achievement

Achievement Motivation

Aggregated individual characteristics

Attitude Similarity

Cognitive Ability

Creativity

Dependability

Familiarity

Flexibility

Goal striving

Heterogeneity (Diversity)

rewards)

History of rewards (i.e., competitive vs. cooperative

Homogeneity

Interpersonal KSA's

Knowledge Distribution

Membership change/ membership stability/ team familiarity

Openness to Experience

Perception of coworker task compensation

Preference for group work

Prior experience

Prior performance

Self-efficacy

Self-Management KSA's

Status

Team Size

Source: Eduardo Salas and Marvin Cohen, Perceptronics Solutions, 2007


….but There Are 8 Key Factors

1. Communication

2. Interpersonal Skills

3. Team Orientation

4. Adaptability

5. Motivation

6. Trust

7. Feedback

8. Leadership

Source: Eduardo Salas and Marvin Cohen, Perceptronics Solutions, 2007


Team Communication Skills Exchanging

Presenting - effective use of language, ability to speak presentably, writing skills, skills of persuasion.

Listening - paying attention, inquiring, clarifying,, summarizing, reflecting, not thinking about something else, not interrupting,

Supporting Assuming others’ opinions are useful, pointing out positive aspects,

creating opportunities for others to speak, building on others ideas, Being open, friendly, empathetic, motivating, not controlling, not

criticizing, not using negative body language. Differing

Dealing with intra-team conflicts. Arguing constructively. Not retreating or changing positions just to avoid confrontation.

Participating Standing firm, not withdrawing or deferring to more aggressive members Involving others, giving all an equal chance, not letting one or two

dominate


Good Leadership Facilitates Success

Good Leaders Enable Other to: Realize their Potential Make their Contribution Achieve Satisfaction from their Work

Leaders Perform Many Roles: Act as Servant to Team Understand Factors at Work Execute Covenants vs. Contracts Provide Intimacy, not Superficiality

Define Reality

Source: Max DePree “Leadership is an Art”, Bantam Doubleday Dell, New York, 1989


The Leader as Lens

*Reuven Gal, Ph.D. and Franklin Jones, M.D, (1995). A Psychological Model of Combat Stress. In War Psychiatry, US Office of the Surgeon General, Washington, DC


Leadership Requires ‘Emotional Intelligence’

Self-Awareness

Self-Regulation

Motivation

Empathy

Socialization

Definitions

Ability to recognize own moods, emotions and drives, and one’s effect on others

Control of impulses and emotions, think before act

Passion beyond money or status; energy, persistence

Understanding others’ emotional makeup, skill in treating others accordingly

Managing relationships, building networks, finding common ground/rapport

Hallmarks

Self-confidence, realistic self-assessment, self-deprecating sense of humor

Trustworthiness, OK with ambiguity, open to change

Strong drive, optimism, organizational commitment

Building and retaining talent, cross-cultural sensitivity, service to customers

Persuasiveness, team building, ability to lead change and to lead teams

Source: D. Goleman, What Makes a Leader, Harvard Business Review, Nov-Dec, 1998


The Importance of Emotional Intelligence

“Our research shows an incontrovertible link between an executive’s emotional maturity and his or her (business) performance. Simply put, the research showed that “good guys” – that is, emotionally intelligent men and women – finish first.”

“High levels of emotional intelligence create climates in which information sharing, trust, risk-taking and learning flourish. Low levels of emotional intelligence create climate rife with fear and anxiety.”

*Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatizis and Annie McKee, Harvard Business Review, Dec 2001


Importance of the Leader’s Emotions

“We found that of all the elements affecting (business) performance, the importance of the leader’s mood and its attendant behaviors are most surprising.”

“To be more specific, the leader’s mood is quite literally contagious, spreading quickly and inexorably throughout the (organization).

“A leader needs to make sure that not only is she regularly in an optimistic, authentic, high-energy mood, but also that through her chosen actions, her followers feel and act that way, too”

*Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatizis and Annie McKee, Harvard Business Review, Dec 2001


Example Emotional Intelligence Course

Such courses are not the whole answer, but they may help understanding Such courses are not the whole answer, but they may help understanding


Team Methodological Skills Establishing a Process

Sequence and logic. Deciding on the methodology. Differentiating facts and assumptions. Recognizing unknowns and acting to address them.

Defining objectives, final product, time available, time distribution Objectives. Goals, issues, requirements, prioritization, tasks

Developing Alternative Courses of Action Taking time to identify, discussing and analyze relative merits, considering both

benefits and costs or adverse consequences Not focusing early on one strategy or dismissing alternatives prematurely

Performing In-Depth Analysis Keeping fact and assumptions separate, assessing uncertainties, not allowing

opinions to pass as facts Not pursuing actions prior to discussing constraints and resources

Making the Decision Criteria, logic, analysis, form of decision Minimum vs best outcomes; least adverse consequences


Objectives, Goals Major Issues, identify, analyze, resolve conflicts, set requirements, prioritize

Dehydration - Fatal in hours or days Starvation - Fatal in weeks Movement – Negative effect on dehydration & chance of rescue

Available options, analyze re issues, revise objectives.Select course of action &determine supporting tasks

Remain at site vs walk out at night! Build shelter, hunt, eat cactus, light fires, drink urine, etc...

Utility of salvaged items for selected COA and tasks

First discuss and agree on the process for addressing the problem

All survive, stay healthy, get rescued, reach civilization, etc...

Desert Survival – A Methodological Approach

(Not the first step!)


Stages of Team Development Collection

Cautious, testing, playing it safe, uncommitted, polite, small talk, differences hidden or played down

Group Individual performers, not-supportive, unresolved conflicts, protecting turf, differences recognized but avoided

Developing Team Sorting out roles and skills, setting goals and procedures, asking for and giving assistance, differences recognized and acceptable

High Performing Team High productivity, sense of belonging, visible support and coverage during absences, clear and direct communication, lots of conflict - quickly resolved, differences are highly valued

Teams can go from “Collection” to “Developing” in weeks; moving to “High Performing” can take years.

Teams can go from “Collection” to “Developing” in weeks; moving to “High Performing” can take years.


Team Ethics

1. Respect your teammates’ knowledge and expertise

2. Listen to and seriously consider teammates’ opinions

3. Share your knowledge and ideas

4. Help others to achieve their potential

5. Acknowledge others’ accomplishments

6. Emphasize ‘We’ instead of ‘You’ or ‘I’

7. Defend (reasonably) the team effort when challenged

8. Treat your teammates as you would wish to be treated; do not treat them as you would not want to be treated.


Computer Assisted Team Formation Critical Problem:

Superior unit performance depends on optimally formed teams Optimal teams need best mix of personnel for specific missions Virtually impossible to allocate optimally covering all factors

Route to a Solution: Automatic team composition provides a viable answer Automation can incorporate psychological research results plus modern

modeling and computational techniques Automation can augment human capabilities

Make use of all available data Explore a very large number of team combinations

Technical Approach: PC-Based for widespread applications Model-Based Framework for incorporating critical factors Multiagent System algorithms to calculate locally optimum teams Human Factored user interface to minimize training time


Automated Team Composition Assumptions Qualified Personnel: Team roles should be filled by personnel with

appropriate professional positions and relevant experience and/or knowledge for the mission at hand

Teamwork Attitudes and Skills: Team members should have attitudes and skills that support effective cooperation and coordination

Social Connections: Good members are centrally connected to other personnel and good teams have high inter-connectivity

Relative Importance: Proper relative importance must be assigned to the various team formation factors – for each team role and for the team as a whole.

Team Constraints: Real-world requirements and preferences that will influence both role assignments and overall team formation must be recognized in the team formation process

Automating the formation of optimal teams is itself a teamwork taskinvolving the computer and the human users who program it.

Automating the formation of optimal teams is itself a teamwork taskinvolving the computer and the human users who program it.

© 2009, Perceptronics Solutions, Inc.


Automated Team Composition System (ATCS)

Multi Agent System• Interaction Protocols• DCOP using MASC• Optimal Team• Team Improvement

Multi Agent System• Interaction Protocols• DCOP using MASC• Optimal Team• Team Improvement

Program Manager and Principal InvestigatorDr. A. Freedy

Program Manager and Principal InvestigatorDr. A. Freedy

Auto Facilitation

E. FreedyDr. M. Aiken

Auto Facilitation

E. FreedyDr. M. Aiken

CommercializationJ. McDonoughDr. G. Weltman

CommercializationJ. McDonoughDr. G. Weltman

Scientific Support Dr. G. Weltman

Scientific Support Dr. G. Weltman

Applications Scenario& User Interface

J. McDonough

Applications Scenario& User Interface

J. McDonough

Cognitive DecisionModels &

AlgorithmsDr M. CohenDr. A. Freedy

Cognitive DecisionModels &

AlgorithmsDr M. CohenDr. A. Freedy

•Auto Facilitation Functional Spec

•Modified Petri-Net Formalism

•Facilitator Design

• Demonstration Scenarios

• Tactical Operation Simulation

• Validation and Evaluation

•User Interface Design

SystemInfrastructure

T. Padgett E. Freedy

SystemInfrastructure

T. Padgett E. Freedy

• Data Agents

• Groove Integration

• Software Architecture

• Representational formalisms

• Required tools

• Algorithms

Optimal TeamsOptimal Teams

Mission& Tasks

Operational Environment

OrganizationOptimization Criteria

Team Formation

Constraints

Intell WMD SC Arabic SocialTerrorist Southern Shipping Arabic Data

No. Last Name Agency Rank M Group C Group Ops WMD Calif & Rail Language Process1. FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)

1 SMITH ANDREW 1 1, 5 3 1 2 1 1 12 JOHNSON ANTHONY 1 5 2 1 2 1 2 13 WONG BRIAN 1 3 3 1 2 1 2 24 JONES MARGARET 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 15 BROWN CHRISTOPHER 1 5 3 2 1 2 1 16 DAVIS NANCY 1 4, 5 2 2 1 2 3 1

7 MILLER DAVID 2 1 3 3 1 1 1 18 WILSON DONALD 2 5 2 3 1 1 1 29 COHEN CHARLES 2 3 3 1 3 1 1 1

10 CARTER LISA 2 1 2 1 3 2 1 211 MITCHELL DAVID 2 5 3 2 2 3 1 112 PEREZ KAREN 2 1 2 1 1 1 3 113 ROBERTS FRANK 2 1, 5 3 1 2 1 2 1

14 TURNER HELEN 3 1 3 2 2 1 1 115 MOORE EDWARD 3 5 1 3 2 1 1 316 TAYLOR ERIC 3 1 2 1 3 2 1 117 ANDERSON BETTY 3 5 2 1 3 2 1 218 THOMAS GARY 3 5 1 2 3 1 1 119 JACKSON GEORGE 3 1 1 2 3 1 1 2

20 LIU GREGORY 4 1 2 2 2 3 1 221 HARRIS JAMES 4 3 2 1 2 2 122 MARTIN JASON 4 2 3 3 2 1 123 THOMPSON JEFFREY 4 2 1 3 1 2 224 GARCIA JOHN 4 2 1 2 1 1 125 WANG SANDRA 4 4 1 2 1 3 3 126 CAMPBELL DONNA 4 2 1 2 3 1 1

Communications Groups

First Name

2. LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department)

3. LACSD (Los Angeles County Sheriff' Department)

4. USDHS (US Department of Homeland Security)

Candidate Roster Performance Models • Agency/Rank• Taskwork Factors• Teamwork Factors• Total Team Factors• Social Networks

Performance Models • Agency/Rank• Taskwork Factors• Teamwork Factors• Total Team Factors• Social Networks

Team Position & Performance Requirements

S e curity F o rceE ffe ctive nes s is

[Lo w, No rma l,H igh]

A ggre ga tedV a lue

Do [no t] M a inta inS e cre cy

Do [no t] M in imizeC o llate ra l D a mage

Do [no t] E xtractHuma n A ss e t

E xtract H um an A s se t[be fore /during/afte r]

the co nfe re nce

S e curity F o rce S iz eis [norma l,h igher,

h ighes t]

S e curity A tte ntionis [low ,no rm al,

h igh ]

MISSIONENEMY-TIME

ENEMY-TIME

ENEMY-TiME MISSION

DECISION POINTOPTIONS

Mission Model

Variables & MASC

S e curity F o rceE ffe ctive nes s is

[Lo w, No rma l,H igh]

A ggre ga tedV a lue

Do [no t] M a inta inS e cre cy

Do [no t] M in imizeC o llate ra l D a mage

Do [no t] E xtractHuma n A ss e t

E xtract H um an A s se t[be fore /during/afte r]

the co nfe re nce

S e curity F o rce S iz eis [norma l,h igher,

h ighes t]

S e curity A tte ntionis [low ,no rm al,

h igh ]

MISSIONENEMY-TIME

ENEMY-TIME

ENEMY-TiME MISSION

DECISION POINTOPTIONS

Mission Model

Variables & MASC

QuestionnairePersonnel RecordCommunications

Measures

Relative Weighting Of Performance Model

VariablesTeam Composition &

Performance Feedback Used to Adjust System

Parameters

Perceptronics Solutions’ Automated Team Composition System (ATCS) Perceptronics Solutions’ Automated Team Composition System (ATCS)


Forming Optimal Teams

Select Run Time Select Run Time

Observe Progress Observe Progress

Review Teams Review Teams


Experimental Test of ATCS Task: “Tinsel Town” Game, 3-Person teams with specific roles chose movies for 3

production years; teams are scored on movie profits based on algorithms provided by game developers

Participants: University of Central Florida psychology students Method. ATCS: Selects 11 teams for good performance of the total group, taking

into account the availability schedules of the members

Results: ATCS teams show lower variability in scores than convenience teams ATCS teams show greater ability to improve than convenience teams ATCS works and is helpful in a difficult practical situation


In Summary

Engineering is basically a team-based social activity Complex problems - Technical, organizational Social issues – Societal, teamwork, ethical

Team Success = Interpersonal Skills + Methodological Skills Skill set includes communication, organization, leadership, team

building, coping, negotiation, decision making These skills can be learned and practiced!

Interpersonal Skills may govern one’s professional success As a engineer on project teams As a manager of engineering teams As a participating citizen of America and the world

It pays to acquire skills in all aspects of Teamwork -- and help is available through outside study as well as new technology

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03 - Engineering Teams (1)