Team Formation Canvas

The Team Formation Canvas helps teams accelerate "time to team" by focusing on building connection with each other and shared understanding of what they're trying to achieve and how to work together.

Who this is for:

- Newly forming product or delivery teams

- Teams that are experiencing change: new team members, new leadership, pivot in strategy

What the Team Formation Canvas is:

Based on the Drexler-Sibbett Team Performance Model, this workshop helps newly forming teams:

- Get to know each other as humans

- Gain essential context for why the team exists

- Build shared understanding of what the team is trying toachieve

- Define roles and responsibilities among the team and stakeholders

- Create a Team API, which helps define the role of the team, establish clear agreements on how to work together, and how the team interacts with other teams (credit: Team Topologies)

How to use this template:

- Setup a 3-hour workshop for your team

- Designate a facilitator to ensure the conversation stays on track

- Identify who can provide the right context for the team (should answer: why does this team exist? Why now?)

- Optional pre-work: ask the product lead to provide an initial view of the Impact Map to start the conversation