Transmission Approaches for Teamwork

Theories and concepts which inform our understanding of human teamwork are well documented in the literature. We can use these approaches in particular to understand the interaction between human thinking and behaviour.

Sycara (2006) groups them into eight categories:

1. Social psychological approaches: Focus on relationships and interactions between team members
2. Sociotechnical approaches: Focus on work-related implications of team members’ relationships and interactions
3. Ecological approaches: Focus on the effects of organisational or working environments on teamwork
4. Human resource approaches: Focus on the utilisation of team members’ capabilities and talents
5. Technological approaches: Focus on technological progress
6. Lifecycle approaches: Focus on changes in team performance during the lifecycle of existence
7. Task-oriented approaches: Focus on team roles, functions, and tasking
8. Integrative approaches: Consider multiple different approaches