You have been requested to fill in for a project manager who has called in sick midway into project execution. As you get yourself familiar with the project team, you are impressed to see how well the team members collaborate and work through issues smoothly and effectively.

Based on your observations, where is the team on the Tuckman ladder?

(On the actual PMP exam, you will be requested to click the correct area in the image. But here in the simulator, please select the answer below.)



A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D

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HINT: According to the Tuckman ladder, teams may go through five stages of development: forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning.

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Answer and Explanation:
The correct answer is D.

The Tuckman ladder is one of the models used to describe stages of team development. This model is typically referred to by project management practitioners as part of the Develop Team process.

The model includes five stages: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. While it is safe to say that most teams go through all five stages, some may get stuck in a particular stage or even regress (go back) to an earlier stage. On the other hand, projects with team members who worked together in the past might skip a stage.

Each stage is distinguished by different dynamics among the team members resulting in various levels of team effectiveness. Team effectiveness is at its lowest level during the storming stage as the environment is characterized by a high degree of conflict and a lack of collaboration among the team members.

As the team members begin to work together and trust each other, in other words, the relationships between the team members normalize (thus the name of the next stage, norming), the degree of team effectiveness increases.

Teams that successfully go through the norming stage would eventually reach the performing stage, which is the highest level of team development. In the performing stage, the team function as a well-organized unit, and the team effectiveness is at its highest.

Details for each option:

A. Incorrect. Area A represents the forming phase of the team development model. In this phase, the team members meet and learn about the project and their formal roles and responsibilities. Team members tend to be independent and not as open. The scenario describes a team working as a well-organized unit, making this choice an incorrect answer.

B. Incorrect. Area B represents the storming phase of team development. During this phase, the team begins to address the project work, technical decisions, and the project management approach. If team members are not collaborative, the environment can become counterproductive, resulting in low team effectiveness. According to the scenario, the team members work and collaborate with one another. Therefore, this answer choice can be eliminated.

C. Incorrect. Area C represents the norming stage of the team development model. In this phase, team members begin to work together and adjust their work habits and behavior to support the team. The team members learn to trust each other. The scenario describes a more advanced stage in team development, making this choice not the best answer.

D. Correct. Area D represents the performing stage of the team development model, where the team's performance is at its highest level. Teams that reach this level of development, function as well-organized units. The team members are interdependent and work through issues smoothly and effectively. The scenario closely matches this description, making performing the best answer to the question asked.

Reference: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^® Guide) – Seventh Edition, Project Management Institute Inc., 2021, The Standard for Project Management:
3.2 CREATE A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT TEAM ENVIRONMENT
4.2.6.1 Tuckman Ladder

Process Groups: A Practice Guide, Project Management Institute Inc., 2023,
6.5 Develop Team

Additional resources:
www.projectmanagement.com/blog-post/1519...-the-Project-Manager

Additional resources:
www.projectmanagement.com/wikis/609109/T...f-group-development-