Week $9$ Tutorial $-$ Challenges Facing a Product Team at

DEF Inc. $($Group Presentation $/$ Class Discussion$)$

DEF Inc. is a biotechnology company that develops and sells

innovative medical devices for various health conditions. The

company has recently secured a contract with GHI Hospital,

that will purchase and use a new device for treating chronic

pain in patients. To meet the contract's specifications and

deadline, DEF Inc. has assembled a product team consisting

of six members: Anna, Ben, Chris, Dan, Eva, and Fred. Each

member has a different role and expertise in the product, such

as engineering, design, testing, quality control, marketing, and

sales. The product team is led by Anna, who is also the

product manager.

The product team has been working together for three months,

and has faced various obstacles and dilemmas along the way.

For example, Ben and Chris often have conflicting ideas on

the engineering and design of the device, and have trouble

finding a balance. Dan and Eva have different standards and

expectations, and sometimes argue over the testing and

quality control procedures. Fred feels ignored and

undervalued by the rest of the team, as he has less input and

contribution in the technical aspects of the product. Anna tries

to coordinate the team and the product, but she also deals with

stress and demands from the hospital and the senior

management of DEF Inc.

The product team is now in the final stage of the product, and

has to deliver the device to GHI Hospital in two weeks.

However, the team is still facing some unresolved issues, such

as glitches, defects, missing functions, marketing gaps, and

hospital feedback. The team members are feeling anxious,

angry, and discouraged, and are losing faith in their ability to

complete the product successfully.

Questions

Based on this case, what type of team does this product

team belong to$?$

Why does the product team encounter the obstacles as

mentioned in the case?

Identify and describe the factors that can influence the

performance and effectiveness of this product team.

What are some of the ways that Anna can improve the

product team's cohesion and performance?