Creating an Effective Team Charter

Too often teams spend a considerable amount of their valuable resources trying to figure out what it is they are supposed to do, writes contributors John Moran, Grace Duffy and Michael Rudis. Before starting any type of a process improvement work, it is important to know where you're headed. Here's how a Team Charter can help. A Team Charter is the official document from the team sponsor that empowers the team to act. It is a written document describing the mission of the team and how this mission is to be accomplished. The Team Charter is one of the most under-used and under-valued tools available to sponsors, team leaders, and facilitators for helping a team succeed. But it is often overlooked because it is time consuming to develop. To write a clear, concise, and inclusive Team Charter requires great forethought and effort. Often the sponsor is in such a rush to start the teaming process that they skip the basic step of filling out a Team Charter that clearly defines the goals and objectives to be achieved. When a team is started without a formal Team Charter many meetings are often wasted trying to figure why we are here, what we should do, and when it should be done. The team spends a considerable amount of time and energy trying to second guess what the sponsor really wanted when the team was formed. This is a loss of valuable time and talent that could be avoided by designing a clear mission statement prior to the teams formation. That's why a sponsor must take the time to fill out a Team Charter. The Team Charter is an official work contract. This document delineates the strategic goals, boundaries, measures of success, constraints/limits, and available resources. The Team Charter provides a framework for ongoing discussions between the team and its sponsor with regard to the teams direction and progress. It is an iterative process until a base line acceptance is established. It must be reviewed on a regular basis by the sponsor, the team leader, facilitator, and team members to ensure that it is reflective of what the team is doing or will be doing in the future. The following example of the use of a Team Charter in a Public Health Department is an excellent adaptation of the concepts in the original team charter article to provide a guidance document to beginning Process Action Teams.

Delaware (US) Public Health PROCESS ACTION TEAM (PAT) CHARTER

The DPH Process Action Team (PAT) Charter is the official document from the executive sponsor that empowers the PAT to act. It is a written document describing the mission of the team and how this mission is to be accomplished. The DPH Process Action Team (PAT) Charter is the official document from the executive sponsor that empowers the PAT to act. It is a written document describing the mission of the team and how this mission is to be accomplished.

The PAT Charter is one of the most under-used and under-valued tools available to executive sponsors, team leaders, and facilitators for helping a team succeed. The PAT Charter is often overlooked because it is time consuming to develop. To write a clear, concise, and inclusive PAT Charter requires great forethought. Too often folks are in such a rush to begin the teaming process that they skip the basic step of completing a PAT Charter that clearly defines the goals and objectives to be achieved. The executive sponsor must take the time to complete a PAT Charter so the team will clearly understand the why, what, who, when, and where of the process they are to undertake. The PAT Charter is an official work contract. This document delineates the strategic goals, boundaries, measures of success, constraints/limits, and available resources. The PAT Charter provides a framework for ongoing discussions between the PAT and its executive sponsor with regard to the teams direction and progress. The Team Charter is a repetitive process until a base line acceptance is established. It must be reviewed on a regular basis by the sponsor, team leader, facilitator, and team members to ensure that it is reflective of what the team is doing or will be doing in the future. After a few iterations of this charter, the executive sponsor, team leader, and facilitator will have a written document that describes in detail what the team is to accomplish. This becomes the official work contract for the team leader and the facilitator to begin the teaming process. As an option you may use the Working Copy of the PAT Charter to draft the document (freely available for download here). When you have a document that the executive sponsor, team leader and facilitator agree upon, enter the information into the form copy. This will serve as the official document that all players will sign and work from. For a full downloadable version of the PAT Charter forms please download the PDF here: Creating a Project Team Charter - Template

Essential Components of a Team Charter

The table below describes the different components that a good team charter requires for success. The following tables are included for download the in the Charter Template document.
WHAT IT DOES? Identifies the team. Identifies the area of focus. States why this effort was WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Enables the team to

SECTION

EXAMPLE WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) Waiting

TIP

PAT Name

distinguish the effort from Room Time Reduction others. Team. Clarifies the intent of the WIC Intake Department project. waiting time

Keep it simple, unique, and easily stated.

Subject Process Improvement Opportunity

Make it clear and succinct.

Orients team and others WIC applicants are This is the most important part to the true need for the complaining that it takes of the Charter. It is the

initiated and what effort. The source and too much time to foundation for PAT formation. will be affected analysis of the data that process their in-person It's important to ensure that it is

by the outcome. identified the problem or application and there is

well thought through and

opportunity should be a lack of privacy while agreed upon by the Executive included and used as a giving information to the Sponsor, Team Leader, and baseline. Signifies the day Charter Dates Keeps the team focused on beginning with the clerk. Facilitator.

the charter goes end in mind. This is not into effect and necessarily the date the the date the team Team Leader reports adjourns. results to the Executive Sponsor. Identifies the senior leader that supports and/or initiated this effort. This Leadership Team member has overall authority and responsibility for organizing the team that will address the Process Improvement Opportunity. They have overall operational accountability. The Executive Sponsor will be expected to break down barriers and go to bat for the team. Establishes who will Identifies one individual who will guide the team to achieve conduct team meetings, provide focus and direction, and will ensure productive use of team

Charter Start Date: September 17, 2011 Charter End Date: December 20, 2011

Make sure these dates are reasonable and agreed upon by the Executive Sponsor, Team Leader, and Facilitator.

Executive Sponsor

Designated by the leadership team to hold overall responsibility for the strategy and its execution.

Mary James, Local Health Department Administrator

Its a good idea for all members of the PAT to meet the Executive Sponsor prior to the initiation of the Charter.

Select a Team Leader that has a broad understanding of the process improvement opportunity.

Team Leader

the same individual who who will will be in charge of the communicate to process, but should be a senior leaders. person who will lose sleep over the outcome. Moves a team Quality facilitators use observation, intervention,

successful outcomes and

members time. This Josephine Smith, WIC person is not necessarily Manager

forward through feedback, coaching, and a series of team member personality Facilitator scheduled meetings aimed differences to conduct effective meetings. Joe Bagodonuts, Facilitator Extraordinaire

To eliminate the possibility of personal bias and the risk of getting involved with decision making and solutions, its important to select a facilitator that knows as little about the process as possible.

at attaining the Quality facilitators are not goal established subject matter experts, by the team and but rather focus on how team leader. effectively the team is working.

Team Defines who will Assure that all the people Team Member: Wilma Member/Section/ be on the team necessary to effect Bates WIC Intake

You may have people that you do not need on the core team.

Area of Expertise

and why

change will be involved.

supervisor.

However, they are key stakeholders and must be consulted with, and made aware of, changes. These individuals should be identified in the Charter. Refer to the high level process utilized to define the scope to verify that the team has representation from each major process step.

It describes what the team intends to do, providing Clarifies where the team the team with a is going and enables Process Improvement Aim focus and a way them to know when they to measure get there. A well stated progress. The aim should be derived from a known problem (data) and need for corrective action. Process Improvement Objectives (SMART = Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Realistic, Time Dependent) Listing out the specific and measurable objectives for the effort will help define the opportunities to improve. Group similar objectives and It enables the team to reach consensus on give them a descriptive title; for Eliminate unnecessary example, Eliminating Waste. Eliminating Waste aim affords a team the opportunity to improve many aspects of the system or process related to the aim. Most successful improvement efforts have a succinct aim with a measurable stretch goal. The measure should be monitored over time and tracked in the form of a statistical process control chart.

AIM: To reduce the waiting time by 50%.

what will be addressed waiting time Grouping objectives into change during the course of the Reduce duplicative data concepts facilitates creative effort. entry thinking with improvement teams. Be specific. Agree to definitions & data sources. It is ideal to Overall applicant cycle have a balanced set of measures: Identify one overarching measure that can be a gauge for the entire effort, measure it over time and use a control chart. This should relate to the Process Improvement Aim.

Defines how you measure the success of the improvement effort or the project as a whole.

Metrics help the team and sponsor to understand when and if

Success Metrics (Measures)

time to get service and an implemented complete an application improvement is meeting will be reduced by 50%. the desired goal. Use sampling.

Marks significant Key Milestones expectations and/or deliverables the team can expect. Available Resources Articulate who and what is Holds the team accountable. Maps progress.

Schedule milestone reviews on Assessment due March senior management calendars 15th. well in advance to make sure Recommendations to time is available when the team be presented to senior is ready to present. leadership in 6 weeks. Facilitator: Joe Validate availability of resources Bagodonuts. Training as part of the definition stage of

Current State

Provides both the team and senior leadership

available to

with an opportunity to

workshops. Up to $5,000 for miscellaneous office expenses.

the process improvement project. The team sponsor or process owner is usually the function that controls resource availability.

support the team. negotiate what the team This might needs to be successful. include a facilitator, trainers, or funds. Recognizes any Resources are scarce in additional most organizations. It is

Required Resources

resource the best to be realistic in the Physical layout changes may Support from Location team believes is use of resources and take time to design, schedule Facilities department to necessary to identify requirements at and implement. Have the team re-work client waiting achieve the the onset of activities. If think ahead to anticipate areas or create client objectives of the resources are bottlenecks that may occur booths. process unavailable, then options during the improvement project. improvement project. Describes both positive and negative factors that must be discussed and understood prior to the work beginning. Assumptions: Clarifies expectations; Assumption: The WIC intake area can be rearranged to make for private booths can be pursued for alternative strategies.

Communicate with all areas of statements of requires people to reflect Constraints: Information the organization affected by the requirements that on the effort in a more Technology solutions process improvements must be thoughtful way; can will not be entertained Considerations anticipated. Record any barriers accepted; redefine the work; may at this time (system (Assumptions, or obstacles identified during Constraints: an facilitate the removal of upgrade planned in 2 Constraints, these conversations. Some element that known obstructions in years). Obstacles, Risks) items may be simple to might restrict or advance; gives credibility Obstacles: address, others may need regulate project to teams (that they have Departmental practices significant effort. The sooner actions or considered possible related to scheduling these are identified, the better. outcomes; issues). applicants differ widely. Obstacles: factor that might impede progress; Risks: a course of action that might pose a hazard or cause loss. Specifies the boundaries of the process you are Boundaries The time the person arrives in the WIC Map out a 7-9 step high-level process flow for the scope youve defined. This will help you understand what you need to be successful, including validating team membership. Risks: Changes may not conform to legal requirements

involved in. They Sets the stage; provides Department to the time may be stated in focus; identifies limits. they have successfully time frames and/or process steps. filled out the application and leave.

Identifies individuals and/or departments that may be impacted by the outcome. These individuals should be sought out as a resource and communicated with on a regular basis. Identifies everyone who is expecting to receive communication on this The entire team will give team effort. The Clarifies your a report out to the communication plan has activities for stakeholders 6 weeks two purposes; 1) keeping from the start of the Identifying how the team Communication necessary and project (~ Nov15). The will work internally to Plan useful functions Team Leader will achieve smooth or leadership update the Executive interaction, 2) Establish aware of project Sponsor weekly requirements for keeping progress. (agenda item at the stakeholders and other regular staff meeting). external decision makers informed of project activity. Serves as a contract agreement between the Signature Page Executive Sponsor, Team Creates buy-in, everyone has an opportunity to meet all the players involved in the process It's a good idea to have all parties sign the Charter at the same time and place. It recognizes their importance and increases the teams awareness. John Smith Information Systems Stakeholders may be affected directly by the anticipated changes or be politically essential to the acceptance of the recommendations. Stakeholders can ease the progress of the project or greatly delay progress.

Key Stakeholders/ Area of Concern

Over-communicate rather than under-communicate. Communication should match the style of the audience. If a senior leader likes to see charts and graphs, format the status report accordingly. If the Quality Council wishes to have the whole team present a milestone, then practice with all members contributing to the communication.

Leader, improvement opportunity. Facilitator, and Team Members

References:
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forming,_storming,_norming_and_performing- Tuckman, Bruce. "Developmental sequence in small groups". Psychological Bulletin 63 (6): 384 99, 1965, accessed 12/21/09 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3954/is_200104/ai_n8943663.

About the Authors

Grace L. Duffy, CMQ/OE, CQA, CQIA, CSSGB, CLSSMBB provides services in organizational and process improvement, leadership, quality, customer service and teamwork. Her clients include government, health care, public health, education, manufacturing, services and not-for-profit organizations. Duffy holds a masters in business administration from Georgia State University. She is an ASQ Fellow and past vice president of ASQ. Duffy can be reached at grace683@embarqmail.com. John W. Moran, MBA, Ph.D., CMC, CMQ/OE, CQIA, is senior quality advisor to the Public Health Foundation. He has over 30 years of quality improvement expertise in developing tools and training programs, implementing and evaluating QI programs, and writing articles and books on QI methods. Dr. Moran is a retired senior vice president of information systems, administrative and diagnostic services at New England Baptist Hospital. He was previously chief operating officer of Changing Healthcare, Inc. Dr. Moran was employed for 21 years by Polaroid where he held various senior management positions. His last position was director of worldwide quality and systems. jmoran@phf.org. Michael Rudis is Training Administrator for the Delaware Division of Public Health, Office of Performance Management. He is responsible for implementing an effective performance management system that will improve the quality of the organization's programs to better serve the people of Delaware. Michael can be reached at michael.rudis@state.de.us. I invite you to join as a member of the PEX Network Group http://tinyurl.com/3hwakem, you will have access to Key Leaders Globally, Events, Webinars, Presentations, Articles, Case Studies, Blog Discussions, White Papers, and Tools and Templates. To access this free content please take 2 minutes for a 1 time FREE registration at http://tiny.cc/tpkd0 PEX Network, a division of IQPC, facilitates access to a wealth of relevant content for Process Excellence, Lean, and Six Sigma practitioners. Further enhanced with an online community of your peers, we will provide you with the tools and resources to help you perform more effective and efficiently, while enhancing the quality operations within your organization. As our industry becomes more and more dependent on the Web for information, PEXNetwork.com has been developed to provide Six Sigma professionals with instant access to information. Leveraging our strength and foundation in education, IQPC and the Process Excellence Network are uniquely positioned to provide a comprehensive library of webcasts gathered from our events, as well as exclusive content from leaders in the industry.