Team Project Members: Geographic Distribution and Colocation Strategies

PMBOK v8 Definition

Team project members refer to the people who perform the work of the project, and their geographic distribution is a critical factor in project planning. According to PMBOK v8, key considerations include whether team members are predominantly located geographically, whether some or all will be remote or colocated, and the organizational distribution of supporting groups and stakeholders. Colocation involves placing many or all of the most active project team members in the same physical location to enhance their ability to perform as a team, and can be temporary or continue for the entire project.

Why It Matters for the Exam

This concept appears frequently in PMI exam questions about resource management, team development, and communication planning. Questions test your understanding of how geographic distribution affects team performance, communication, and productivity, particularly when deciding between colocation and virtual team arrangements. Expect scenario-based questions where you must recommend the appropriate team arrangement based on project constraints.

Key Points to Remember (for the exam)

• Primary Consideration: Geographic location of team members (remote vs. colocated) directly impacts communication, working relationships, and productivity
• Colocation Definition: Placing many or all active project team members in the same physical location to enhance team performance
• Temporal Flexibility: Colocation can be temporary (at strategically important times) or continue for the entire project
• Key Inputs for Decision: Project management plan (resource management plan), team performance assessments, and project documents (issue log, lessons learned register, project schedule, resource calendars, team charter)
• Key Tools and Techniques: Colocation, virtual teams, communication technology, and interpersonal/team skills (conflict management, influencing, motivation, negotiation, team building, decision-making, critical thinking)
• Critical Factors to Assess: Project team experience (industry, organization, working together, skills, tools, technology), access to customer for frequent/timely feedback, and team diversity
• Outputs to Track: Team performance assessments, change requests, project management plan updates, and project document updates

Typical PMI Exam Example

A global software development project has team members in three different countries with a 12-hour time zone difference. The project manager needs to improve communication and productivity during the critical integration phase. What should the project manager recommend? → Implement temporary colocation for the most active team members during the integration phase to enhance their ability to perform as a team.

PMI Exam Traps

• Trap: Assuming colocation means permanent physical presence of all team members

  • Reality: Colocation can be temporary, used only at strategically important times during the project

• Trap: Confusing colocation with virtual teams as mutually exclusive options

  • Reality: The project can use both approaches—colocation for critical phases and virtual teams for other periods

• Trap: Thinking team experience is only about technical skills

  • Reality: PMBOK v8 specifically asks about experience in the industry, organization, AND working with one another

• Trap: Overlooking the importance of customer access in team distribution decisions

  • Reality: The practicality of getting frequent and timely feedback from customers is a key consideration

Important PMI Connections

Quick Review Questions

1. A project manager is planning the team structure for a project with members in four different cities. What factors should be assessed when deciding between colocation and virtual team arrangements?

2. During which phase of a project might temporary colocation be most beneficial according to PMBOK v8?

3. What are the key inputs needed to make decisions about team geographic distribution and colocation?

4. A project team has extensive experience working together but lacks specific technical skills. How should this affect the team distribution decision?

5. What is the relationship between colocation and team performance assessments in the Lead the Team process?

PMBOK v8 Reference

Section 5 – Tools and Techniques (Colocation, pages 151-152) Section: Lead the Team (Inputs, Tools & Techniques, Outputs)