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CERI Hot Topic Seminar – The virtual business

CERI Hot Topic Seminar – The virtual business. Senior Solutions Architect. Gary Frostick BSc(Hons) CEng CITP MBCS. Xonitek Systems/Index Computer Systems. 2. 3. 4. 1. Introduction – Virtual Teams. Benefits, Risks & Weaknesses. Strategy and Recommendations. Conclusions.

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CERI Hot Topic Seminar – The virtual business

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  1. CERI Hot Topic Seminar – The virtual business Senior Solutions Architect Gary Frostick BSc(Hons) CEng CITP MBCS Xonitek Systems/Index Computer Systems

  2. 2 3 4 1 Introduction – Virtual Teams Benefits, Risks & Weaknesses Strategy and Recommendations Conclusions

  3. Collaboration across international boundaries? Issues raised are relevant to any virtual business/virtual team scenario – not just international issues.

  4. What is a Virtual Team? A virtual team is a group of individuals who work across time, location and organisational boundaries.

  5. Why Virtual Teams? • Customer/Supplier Projects • Multi-Supplier Projects • Multiple Locations • Teleworkers • Cross-Department Internal Projects • Service Teams • Action Teams (Contingency Planning)

  6. Why Virtual Teams? • Geographically dispersed teams allow organisations to hire and retain the best people regardless of location. • Organisations becoming more geographically dispersed due to availability/cost of labour/facilities. • Allow organisations to build customer/supplier (or inter-supplier) relationships over long-term projects to achieve common goals. • Greater use of sub-contractors/facilities management/third party logistics.

  7. Strengths of Virtual Teams • Pool Expertise • Avoids Limitations of Resource • Supplier/Customers Relationships can become Partnerships • Flexibility

  8. Weaknesses of Virtual Teams • Leadership • Ownership • Visibility • Time Differences • Language Barriers • Cultural Differences • Division of Work • Trust • Isolation • Consensual decision making can be slower/more difficult

  9. Strategy So can virtual teams be effective?

  10. Include Face-to Face Time - At start of project - Project reviews (If possible) Keep Project Information Visible - Common Systems - Use IT Supported Co-operative Systems - Appropriate Information Availability/Security Recognise Communication Delays - Time Zones - Working Days - Agreed Response Times Recommendations

  11. Recommendations 2 • Keep Team Members Visible - Common Calendar - Project Plan - Etc • Communication - Document Conversation - Language Barrier - Augment Text Only Communications - Don’t Rely on e-mail!!! - Back-up Communication Methods • Establish Ground Rules (Working Methodology) - Trust

  12. Recommendations 3 • Project Reviews (Team Assessment) • Recognise People - Achievements - Potential Conflicts • Learn from Experience

  13. Conclusions • Virtual teams can be very effective but limitations must be recognised. • Technology makes virtual teams possible, but is not a perfect substitution for human interaction. • Virtual teams can be used in some scenarios to improve inter-organisation relationships and can add competitive advantage.

  14. Questions

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