Establish Integrated Teams

This preliminary distribution of requirements to integrated teams is done before any teams are formed to verify that the selected team structure is workable and covers all the necessary requirements, responsibilities, authorities, tasks, and interfaces. If this check is not satisfied it is necessary to repeat the selection of team structure to meet this check. This preliminary distribution is a useful compendium of information that the integrated teams must know to effectively carry out their tasks in an integrated way.

• Assemble requirements and interfaces for integrated teams. Assemble the tasks and work products, and the associated requirements and interfaces. Assign these to the appropriate integrated teams.
• Check that the preliminary distribution of requirements and interfaces covers all specified product requirements and other requirements. In the event that complete coverage of requirements is not achieved, corrective action should be taken to redistribute requirements or alter the integrated team structure.
• Define responsibilities and authorities for integrated teams. Business, management, and other nontechnical responsibilities and authorities for the integrated team are necessary elements to proper team function. Integrated team responsibilities and authorities are normally developed by the project and are consistent with established organization practices. Such factors include:
  • Authority of teams to pick their own leader
  • Authority of teams to implement subteams (e.g., a product team forming an integration subteam)
  • Reporting chains
  • Reporting requirements (cost, schedule, and performance status)
  • Progress reporting measures and methods
• Designate the sponsor for each integrated team. An integrated team sponsor is a manager (individual or team) who is responsible for establishing an integrated team, monitoring its activities and progress, and taking corrective action when needed. A manager may sponsor one or many teams