Task Types and Team-Level Attributes

Synthesis of Team Classification Literature

1. Jessica L. Wildman1
2. Amanda L. Thayer1
3. Michael A. Rosen2
4. Eduardo Salas1
5. John E. Mathieu3
6. Sara R. Rayne4

1. ¹University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
2. ²Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
3. ³University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
4. ⁴FedEx Corporate Services, Memphis, TN, USA

1. Eduardo Salas, University of Central Florida, Institute for Simulation and Training, 3100 Technology Parkway, Orlando, FL 32826, USA Email: esalas@ist.ucf.edu

Abstract

Within team research, there is no shortage of literature classifying teams. However, the team taxonomic literature suffers from a few limitations. First, many taxonomies claim to classify teams into mutually exclusive classes, yet when examined closely, are not. Second, some of the most well-known taxonomies are descriptive of various tasks teams engage in, but not of the holistic team-level properties that define different types of teams. A clear understanding of both is necessary if human resource development (HRD) professionals are to develop and train different teams effectively. Therefore, the purpose of the current article is twofold: to present an integrative taxonomy of task types and a set of team-level characteristics that have been carefully synthesized from the prior literature and to explain how these tools can be used in conjunction to inform team-oriented HRD research and practice.

Task Types and Team-Level Attributes