Virtual Teams: A Guide to Successful Implementation

• Virtual teams require initial face-to-face meetings to develop a sense of “team” for their members. This sense of team establishes the mutual goals, trust, and relationships that are necessary to complete projects. (IR170-2, p. 7)
• A primary task for virtual team managers must be the frequent restatement of goals to the team to ensure that every member remains focused on the common objectives and goals. 

• Technology is no longer a limiting factor for implementing virtual teams, but poor technology choices can defeat the implementation and operation of a virtual team. (IR170-2, p. 2)
• Technologies that enable collaboration can be classified in three major areas:  information management, conferencing, and project management. 
• Recipients and senders of electronic documents need to verify that the information transferred during a project is reliably being communicated and is secure in its transmission.

• Every organization must commit to providing each member of a virtual team with equal training. (IR170-2, p. 7)
• Provide cultural training for international teams. 

• When determining work splits and the project execution strategy, focus on competencies, not geographies or organizations. (IR170-2, p. 19)
• An undeniable fact of virtual teaming is that the amount of electronic communications will increase for every member of the team. It is critical to establish communication guidelines.

IR170-2, Virtual Teams:  A Guide to Successful Implementation

Provides direction for implementing and managing a virtual team (a group collaborating via electronic media from various geographic locations) in a project management environment. This guide explains how management and IT issues common with most project teams require a different approach with virtual teams. Includes a primary checklist for implementing and managing a virtual team.