Level of Project Team Involvement and Coordination Tailoring

PMBOK v8 Definition

The level of the project team's involvement and the coordination required may vary from project to project and should be tailored according to the project's needs, considering factors such as complexity, management approach, and level of changes involved. Some projects benefit from decentralized coordination in which project team members self-organize and self-manage, such as agile teams, while other projects benefit from centralized coordination under the leadership and guidance of a project management team, project manager, or a hybrid governance model.

Why It Matters for the Exam

This concept appears frequently in situational questions where the PMI exam tests your ability to select the appropriate coordination approach based on project characteristics. Questions often present a scenario with specific project attributes (complexity, team experience, change frequency) and ask which coordination model—decentralized, centralized, or hybrid—is most appropriate. Expect this in leadership, team development, and tailoring questions.

Key Points to Remember (for the exam)

• Three Coordination Models: Decentralized (self-organizing, self-managing), Centralized (project management team or project manager leads), and Hybrid governance model
• Tailoring Factors: Complexity, management approach, and level of changes involved determine the appropriate coordination level
• Team Composition: Team's size, composition, and skill level depend on project's type, scale, complexity, and organizational level of maturity
• Common Aspect: Regardless of coordination model, supportive leadership models and meaningful continuous engagement among project teams and other stakeholders are key to success
• Leadership vs. Management: Management activities focus on having effective processes (planning, coordinating, measuring, monitoring work); Leadership activities focus on people (influencing, motivating, listening, enabling)
• Team Development Aspects: Vision and objectives communicated throughout project; Roles and responsibilities understood by team members; Gaps in knowledge and skills addressed through training, mentoring, or coaching
• Project Management Team Functions: Facilitating, mentoring project team, and managing processes to deliver intended outcomes

Typical PMI Exam Example

A project manager is assigned to a complex software development project with experienced, self-motivated team members who have worked together previously. The project involves frequent requirement changes. What coordination approach should the project manager use?

Answer: Decentralized coordination, allowing team members to self-organize and self-manage (agile approach), because the team's experience and the high level of changes support this model.

PMI Exam Traps

• Trap: Thinking all projects need centralized coordination with a project manager directing every task

  • Reality: Some projects benefit from decentralized coordination where team members self-organize and self-manage (agile teams)

• Trap: Believing "project team" and "project management team" are the same concept

  • Reality: Project team performs the work and achieves objectives; Project management team guides the assigned team and performs functions like facilitating and mentoring

• Trap: Assuming team involvement level is fixed and does not require tailoring

  • Reality: The level of involvement and coordination should be tailored according to project needs considering complexity, management approach, and level of changes

• Trap: Confusing management activities with leadership activities

  • Reality: Management focuses on processes (planning, coordinating, measuring, monitoring); Leadership focuses on people (influencing, motivating, listening, enabling)

Important PMI Connections

Quick Review Questions

1. A project has high complexity, frequent changes, and an experienced team. Should coordination be centralized, decentralized, or hybrid?

2. What are the three factors that determine the appropriate level of project team involvement and coordination?

3. What is the difference between management activities and leadership activities in project team coordination?

4. What are the two common aspects of project team development that apply regardless of coordination model?

5. What functions does a project management team perform to guide the assigned team?

PMBOK v8 Reference

Section 2.6.2.4 - Project Team and Section 2.6.2.4.1 - Common Aspects of Team Development