Effective Project Management: Traditional, Agile, Extreme, Sixth Edition

Core Team Structure

Now it's time to turn to a structure that originates from an idea I got while doing some consulting work for Walmart. I call it the Core Team (CT) structure, which is the name they used. The name makes sense to me. Originally, it was a structure they used for critical and complex projects. It was not a structure designed for multi-team projects, but I have redefined it to fit such projects.

A Core Team (CT) is a temporary team comprising a small number of subject matter experts (SMEs) chosen and managed by the CT Manager. These SMEs consult, advise, and support the CT Manager and the teams assigned to the project.

Core Team Characteristics

The idea of a Core Team is a term coined by Walmart and is used here in the same sense as it is used at Walmart. As Figure 17-4 illustrates, the CT structure is very simple.

The CT represents the recognized resident expertise assigned to the project. Collectively, the expertise of the CT members covers the business units and systems that support them. The project manager is not the resident expert. The CT has the respect and credibility of the individual project teams, and represents the subject matter expertise available to those teams. In fact, CT members will often be from some of the same client groups and business lines as the individual project teams themselves. They have earned the right to speak on the project, and ...