Session 2.1 - Why Launch a Team Project?

Chapter 3: Launching a Team Project | Duration: 1 hr

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

  • Explain why TSPi begins with a formal launch step
  • Describe the standard TSPi roles and why they matter
  • Connect launch activities to later project performance
  • Recognize the cost of skipping early team-building work

1 Hour

Time invested upfront saves weeks of drift later

3

Basic team goals: Quality, Management, Schedule

5

Standard TSPi roles for effective teamwork

Weekly

Regular meetings established during launch

Introduction

TSPi projects start with a launch step, in which the instructor describes the team launch process. The process of forming and building a team does not happen by accident, and it takes time. Teams need to establish their working relationships, determine member roles, and agree on goals.

"An hour or so spent on team-building issues at the beginning of the project saves time later."

— Chapter 3, Section 3.1

Launch is not ceremony—it is the start of building the team's operating system. This chapter covers why you need a team launch, how to set team goals, and the steps in the launch process.

Why Conduct a Team Launch?

The process of forming and building a team does not happen by accident, and it takes time. Teams need to establish their working relationships, determine member roles, and agree on goals. The launch is the first step.

Key Principle

The launch process is used to form and build the teams, determine team member roles, establish team goals, and help the teams decide on their working practices. Without a launch, teams drift into unplanned behaviors that create friction and inefficiency later.

Time Well Spent
  • Aligns working relationships and expectations
  • Defines roles before work starts
  • Sets goals and decision criteria early
  • Reduces rework from misaligned assumptions
  • Provides basis for evaluating strategies
Risk Reduction
  • Prevents role ambiguity and responsibility gaps
  • Creates a forum for questions on product and process
  • Builds early peer pressure for follow-through
  • Makes the team ready for planning and tracking
  • Establishes communication patterns upfront
With Launch vs. Without Launch
✓ With Launch Clear Roles Everyone knows responsibilities Aligned Goals Team works toward common targets Early Agreement Decisions criteria established upfront Result: Smooth Execution • Less conflict and confusion • Faster decision making • Better quality and schedule adherence ✗ Without Launch Role Ambiguity Gaps and overlaps in responsibilities Misaligned Work Team members have different priorities Late Conflicts Arguments arise during execution Result: Project Drift • Frequent conflicts and rework • Slow decision making • Missed quality and schedule targets

Defining and agreeing on who will handle each role is an essential first step in team formation. The instructor makes the initial role assignments, but in subsequent development cycles you may be asked to state your role preferences.

Standard TSPi Roles

Launch clarifies who owns which responsibilities. The five standard TSPi roles are detailed in Chapters 11–15. Knowing your role early enables focused preparation and allows you to read the relevant chapter immediately after launch.

Role Integration Principle

Each role represents a single facet of the overall team's activities. Role objectives may occasionally appear to conflict because each considers the team's activities from only one perspective. To meet the team's overall goals, the team needs to integrate these role goals into a smoothly functioning whole by giving highest priority to the team's overall goals.

The Five TSPi Roles
Team Success Quality Product On Schedule Team Leader Meetings & Issues Development Manager Product Quality Planning Manager Plans & Tracking Quality/Process Manager Process & Data Support Manager Tools & Config
Team Leader (Chapter 11)

Principal Goal: Run an effective team

  • Build and maintain an effective team
  • Motivate all members to work aggressively
  • Resolve issues team members bring
  • Keep instructor fully informed
  • Perform effectively as meeting facilitator
Development Manager (Chapter 12)

Principal Goal: Produce a functioning, high-quality product

  • Produce a superior product
  • Fully use team members' skills and abilities
  • Lead development work
  • Ensure effective design practices
Planning Manager (Chapter 13)

Principal Goal: Guide team in producing detailed plan and precisely track progress

  • Produce complete, precise, and accurate plan
  • Accurately report team status every week
  • Consolidate team data
  • Lead strategy and planning work
Quality/Process Manager (Chapter 14)

Principal Goal: Ensure team properly uses TSPi to produce defect-free product

  • All members accurately report and use TSPi data
  • Team faithfully follows TSPi
  • All inspections properly moderated
  • All meetings accurately reported
Support Manager (Chapter 15)

Principal Goal: Ensure project is properly supported and controlled

  • Team has suitable tools and methods
  • No unauthorized changes to baselined products
  • All risks and issues recorded and reported
  • Team meets reuse goals

"Although the goals of each individual role are important, it is also important to remember that each role represents a single facet of the overall team's activities. You can best integrate these by giving highest priority to the team's overall goals and then working cooperatively with the entire team to meet your personal and role goals."

— Chapter 3, Section 3.4

How Launch Accelerates the Project

The launch provides the foundation for everything that the team will subsequently do. With agreed-on goals, you have the basis for evaluating strategies and settling issues. Without defined goals, there is no orderly way to settle arguments, negotiate strategies, or plan the work.

TSPi Development Flow
Launch Roles + Goals ~1 hour Strategy Design Approach STRAT script Plan Detailed Estimates PLAN script Execute Build & Test Multiple phases Launch Outputs • Team formed • Roles assigned • Goals set • Meeting time agreed • Data process defined Strategy Outputs • Design approach • Size estimates • Conceptual design • Team standards • Risk assessment Plan Outputs • Task breakdown • Time estimates • Schedule • Detailed design • Quality plan Execution Focus • Weekly tracking • Status meetings • Quality checks • Issue resolution • Product delivery
Foundation for Planning

Launch establishes the framework for the strategy and plan. Goals guide decisions throughout planning and execution.

Basis for Decisions

With agreed-on goals, teams have clear criteria for evaluating strategies and settling issues during development.

Enables Tracking

Roles established during launch ensure someone is responsible for gathering data and tracking team progress weekly.

The TSPi Launch Scripts

The instructor leads the team through either LAU1 (for the first development cycle) or LAUn (for subsequent cycles):

  • LAU1 Steps: Course overview, student information, product objectives, team assignments, team goals, first team meeting
  • LAUn Steps: Simplified launch for subsequent cycles since team already understands TSPi and the product
  • First Weekly Meeting: Held during launch to discuss goals, establish meeting schedule, and agree on data submission process

Summary

Key Takeaways
  • Launch is deliberate: it builds relationships, assigns roles, and sets goals before work begins
  • An hour spent on team-building issues at the beginning saves time later
  • Early alignment reduces role ambiguity, rework, and late conflicts
  • Launch sets the foundation for planning, tracking, and disciplined execution
What You Should Know
  • The five standard TSPi roles and their principal goals
  • Why teams need a formal launch step
  • The three basic team goals (Quality, Management, Schedule)
  • How launch connects to later project performance
The Launch Process Summary
Why Launch? • Teams don't form by accident • Roles need to be defined • Goals must be agreed • Early alignment saves time later Result: Foundation Five TSPi Roles 1. Team Leader 2. Development Manager 3. Planning Manager 4. Quality/Process Mgr 5. Support Manager See Chapters 11-15 for detailed role descriptions Three Team Goals Goal 1: Quality Product Defects found early, low density at delivery Goal 2: Well-Managed Accurate estimates, data recorded properly Goal 3: On Time Days early or late < 4 Launch Flow Course overview Student info Product objectives Team assignments Team goals First meeting Project start

"The launch process is used to form and build the teams, determine team member roles, establish team goals, and help the teams decide on their working practices. Following the team launch, the teams follow the TSPi process to start their projects."

— Chapter 3 Summary

Next Steps

After completing the launch:

  1. Read the chapter corresponding to your assigned role (Chapters 11-15)
  2. Attend the first weekly team meeting to finalize data submission schedule
  3. Begin the STRAT (Strategy) script to plan your development approach
  4. Set up your project notebook and start using the TSPi support tool
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