The concept of teamwork is essential to the success of Kluster. The company’s Illuminator project, a communitydriven product development platform, requires the involvement of many different people. Tom Pasley, the project manager, notes that each individual on the Illuminator team brings a different set of skills to the table. Members meet daily, either electronically or physically, to discuss the project and generate new ideas.

According to Pasley, self-management is important to the project’s success. Each person must stay on task and provide feedback to the other members. The graphic designer on the project says that each individual plays a different role. One person provides the voice of reason; a second gives a perspective of how ideas will affect the internal situation. A third member of the team thinks outside the box; a fourth considers the project from a future point of view, and so on. The founder of Kluster, Ben Kaufman, generates many of the ideas for the project, and is the leader of the team.

However, engineer Peter Wadsworth, claims that Kaufman also values the perspectives and inputs of the other team members. Wadsworth notes that self-discipline is important, and that it quickly becomes apparent when someone fails to pull his or her weight. Strong communication skills contribute to the success of the project.

Discussion Questions

1. Using the definitions presented in Chapter 8, how would you characterize the Illuminator project at Kluster? Is it a group or a team?

2. Use the five dimensions of teams outlined in Chapter 8 to describe the Illuminator team at Kluster.

3. Considering the keys to successful teams presented in Chapter 8, what would you recommend that Kluster do to ensure that its Illuminator team is successful?