Team skill acquisition: team and individual performance effects of feedback

Although team development research has, to some extent, addressed the various components of team functioning, later studies have failed to sufficiently clarify what influences teams as they acquire the various skills that constitute complex team performance. Similarly, research regarding team structure, as of yet, has failed to fully determine how teams under various structures should be trained in order to optimize their ability to perform complex (i.e., both team and individual) tasks. Thus, there is a need to investigate differential developmental trends in teams of varying structure. Additionally, research is required to identify interventions which might optimize the developmental process. Although the effects of feedback are becoming increasingly well investigated, there has been relatively little investigation regarding the impact of feedback given on multiple task performance. The current study investigates the impact of feedback given, over time, regarding team vs. individual tasks in teams of two structures: non-hierarchical vs. product. Results supported the hypothesized differential effects of feedback type during skill acquisition under varying levels of structure.