Tools you can use.
Team Analysis™ Report
TeamAnalysis™ diagnoses the dynamics of any team, specifies the reasons for the condition identified and offers methods to offset vulnerabilities or magnify strengths. The report considers the impact of individuals, subgroups (e.g., coalitions) and the dynamics of all of these factors interacting simultaneously.
Other Reports
Report Details
The TeamAnalysis™ Report is written in a manner accessible to anyone. The reading level approximates 8th grade but is mature, respectful and matter-of-fact in tone. No individual can be singled out for praise or blame. It is entirely focused on the group functioning as a group. This report feature means that the report can be used in a group context without concern. The typical group will immediately focus on what the "group" needs to do and not "who" needs to change.
The TeamAnalysis™ Report catalyzes the group's thinking by providing a number of specific recommendations for the team to consider. These are designed be used singly or in combination. This strategy allows a team, department or other group to adjust the interventions to more exactly meet local conditions. The net result is that the likelihood of success is dramatically increased.
How "I Opt" Works
The TeamAnalysis™ Report assesses how all of the members of a team will interact and the likely result of that interaction. It does this by mapping the information processing strategies being applied by individual team/department/group members as they affect each other.
The "I Opt" TeamAnalysis report uses the same "I Opt" Survey as does all of the other "I Opt" reports. Each team member completes an "I Opt" Survey that is then input into the TeamAnalysis program. The computer program then assesses the information flows and uses artificial intelligence to estimate likely strengths and vulnerabilities of the group as well as methods by which vulnerabilities can be offset and strengths magnified.
TeamAnalysis™ is applicable to both existing or proposed groups. The only requirement is that the group be some kind of team. That means that they share a common purpose (e.g., goal, function, purpose, objective, etc.). All members must also be directly affected by the group outcomes--both positive and negative.
Typical applications include Board of Directors, Executive Committees, Departments, project teams, cross-functional teams, work groups, task forces, military squads, crews and a variety of other teams. It has been proven effective in thousands of applications across all industries, in all functions, at all levels and in international as well as domestic applications with a wide variety of clients.
The TeamAnalysis™ defines the direction the group will take over a stream of decisions. The report is highly accurate and reliable. Team members will normally immediately recognize the group behavior characterized in the report. This produces an extremely high level of face validity. This, in turn, allows the team to move quickly from assessing the accuracy of the report to actually considering options for improving team performance.
TeamAnalysis™ is designed to be shared with all group members. It is also designed to be used in group settings. This participatory orientation helps to insure a high level of "ownership" by all group members. It also brings into play group processes which act to reinforce and solidify group gains.
Obtaining a Report
People with an internet account can access the report directly from their Internet. Turnaround time is currently under 5 minutes.
Individual instance users can obtain the report from Professional Communications Inc. (the owner of "I Opt" technology) in any manner preferred by the client (e.g., email, fax, surface mail, private courier, telephone, etc.). Turnaround time is usually less than 24 hours. Contact us for more information.
Report Contents
Report Contents
The TeamAnalysis™ Report is designed to be relevant to the entire range of people to whom it might be applied (from detail-oriented to expansive; from analytical to intuitive, etc.). It is highly graphical and written in a mature, respectful manner. It uses ordinary business-like language and no knowledge of "I Opt" technology is needed to make effective use of the report.
- TeamAnalysis begins with an Executive Summary that outlines the report's major findings and recommendations.
- A detailed textual analysis (written in ordinary business language) provides specific recommendations for the group to consider. It also includes a team specific justification for the inclusion of that particular item.
- A Strategic Style Analytical section shows how the judgments and recommendations contained in the TeamAnalysis report were obtained. Graphics show the quantitative relationships and a easy-to-understand textual section below each graph explains it.
- The report compares the specific team, department or other group to others from Professional Communications Inc.'s (the owner of "I Opt" technology) database. This allows the group to get a sense of how this particular team "fits into" a larger context.
- The probabilities of the group choosing to act in a particular way are quantified in graphs specific to the particular group being analyzed. Below each graph is a textual explanation of what the graph says and what it means in terms of the likely character of group decisions.
- The strategic profile for each individual in the group is provided. This can be used for participatory activities and can function as a "take home" for the group members.
The TeamAnalysis report is fully validated and operationally proven. It has been used in tens of thousands of instances. It has been shown to be reliable, accurate and well-suited to addressing goal directed groups of all kinds whose members share a common purpose and experience a common destiny (e.g., participate in the rewards of success and the penalties of failure).
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The TeamAnalysis report profiles explicit, readable, highly accurate and reliable assessment of any team, department, work group or other group whose members share a common purpose and are personally affected by the outcome of group efforts.
The report can be used for actual or prospective teams or other groups. It is designed to be used in a group context, is nonjudgmental and readable at all organizational and educational levels.
Synergies, Vulnerabilities, and Recommendations
The first page of this section is a one-page summary of the entire report. This appeals to the action-oriented "doers." This is followed by multiple pages (exact number depends on the analysis) that offer explicit suggestions on things that can be considered to improve group functioning. This part of the analysis particularly appeals to people who value exactness and are focused on "how" things are to be done.
This, as well as the rest of the report is written in ordinary business language and requires no background in "I Opt" technology to use. The recommendations target offsetting group (not individual) vulnerabilities and enhancing strengths and are readily accepted.
Justification of Synergies and Vulnerabilities Identified
The basis of the recommendations in the first section are provided in both graphic and textual terms. This part especially appeals to the scientific, information technology, financial and other analytic types who tend to adopt a "Doubting Thomas" stance with what they think to be "soft" technologies.
The graphics and tables used are backed by easily understood explanations. They are all specific to the team being analyzed and refer to the specific interactions likely among the exact people who are on the team. This feature lends a high degree of credibility to the report and its recommendations, observations and judgements.
External Comparisons
This section uses Professional Communications Inc. (the owner of "I Opt" technology) extensive database of past results from other teams, departments and other groups. It compares the individuals to others in terms of their percentile ranking along the "I Opt" dimensions. This gives group members a "feel" for their uniqueness.
It also compares the team as a whole to database results. This gives the group members a sense of how this team might compare to others with whom they may have been associated in the past.
The overall effect of this section is to position the group in a broader context. Their particular characteristics are unique. But the issues that they confront are not. This helps to remove any stigma that some members may feel from being singled out for intervention.
Group Effects of Decision Making
Teams make group decisions. This section provides probabilistic estimates of overall group direction. It shows that this direction will change under different decision strategies (e.g., majority rule, consensus, hierarchy, etc.). The strength of team direction under each decision method is shown in graphical form and explained in textual form.
This section helps group members understand why group decisions sometimes do not align well with their personal preferences. It also helps position group members to positively influence group direction. This, in turn, helps to solidify a sense of "team" and heighten the level of personal commitment.
Individual Graphics
The "I Opt" Strategic Profile visually describes a person's strategic preferences in total. They can be used by team members for person-to-person comparisons by making acetate transparencies from them. Individual can then overlay their profiles for a visualization of their complementary and contrasting capacities. This can help group members fashion strategies within which they can align and leverage their abilities toward the common objective.
A more extensive application of individual graphics is available in the "I Opt" Consultants Package. There the profiles are framed so that they can be used as place cards and various activities are offered for use in a group context.