Diversity Framework

A Guideline for Managing Behavioral Differences in Project Teams

This phase provides a guideline on how to tackle arising diversity challenges during the project implementation phase. 

If a challenge or chance arises, the project manager will first assess whether the problem or chance is related to diversity. An example for a chance would be that there is a new, highly skilled team member joining the group, whereas a challenge could be an arising conflict within the team. Comment: If the chance or challenge was already dealt with in the elaboration phase (including a solution strategy for the gap), the implementation does not need to be performed, but the re-assessment phase would be more appropriate and efficient.

The project manager has two basic options on how to proceed in this phase. Either the team deals with the challenge in a group-based meeting or, alternatively, the project manager can elaborate the challenge in 1-on-1 sessions with the team members. The choice for a procedure is highly dependent on the project context, the project manager’s preference or also to the chosen procedure in the preceding planning phase.

  • IM1 - Assess challenge / chance and decide for procedure

    Open or Close
    Whenever a challenge or chance arises, the project manager will check if it is linked to the diversity topic. If it is not connected, the project manager can use standard conflict solution techniques (as part of the project management process) or try to use potentials that come up.
    If the challenge is linked to diversity, the project manager can choose between a group-oriented procedure or a procedure on an individual basis (with 1-on-1 meetings with single project team members).
    Lead: Project Manager
    Optional: Supporter
Option A)
Group-based procedure chosen

  • IM2.1 - Identify challenge / chance and underlying reasons

    Open or Close
    If the team decided for a group-based procedure, a workshop will be held in which the project team should describe the challenge / chance.

    By using a preferred visualization technique (e.g. creating tree structures or mind maps, etc.) the project team can structure the challenge / chances and identify associated challenges / chances. Furthermore, the team will analyze underlying reasons (impact factors) for the challenge / chance.
    Lead: Project Team
    Facilitating: Supporter / Project Manager

  • IM2.2 - Identify individual intersts

    Open or Close
    Based on the impact factors of the challenge / chance, the project team will identify their personal and individual interests. The supporter or project manager will facilitate the team in mapping the individual interests with the pre-defined diversity features. Furthermore, the team will also identify project interests that are in connection with the individual interests.
    Lead: Project Team
    Facilitating: Supporter / Project Manager

  • IM2.3 - Visualize interests

    Open or Close
    In this next step, the project team identifies gaps and contradictions between their individual interests. They also examine gaps between individual gaps and project interests.

    Furthermore, the team collects more factors connected to the gap (e.g. conditions that enhance the challenge / chance, questions regarding the gap, connected/linked processes) and visualize these aspects.
    Lead: Project Team
    Facilitating: Supporter / Project Manager

  • IM2.4 - Formulate solution

    Open or Close
    Finally, the team discusses – facilitated by the project manager – all conflicting interests (based on the visualization). The team members need to search for procedures and rules that define how to deal with the challenge or chance.
    Lead: Project Team
    Facilitating: Supporter / Project Manager
Option B)
Individual-based procedure chosen

  • IM2.2 - Identify challenge / chance and underlying reasons

    Open or Close
    If the team decided for an individual-based procedure, 1-on-1 meetings with each project team member will be held. In these 1-on-1 meetings, members provide information on the challenge / chance and answers questions, while the project manager structures the challenge / chance with a preferred visualization technique (e.g. creating tree structures or mind maps, etc.). Also, they both try together to identify associated challenges or chances and analyze underlying reasons (impact factors) for the challenge / chance. Finally, the project manager collects and structures all identified sub-challenges / sub-chances and their impact factors from all 1-on-1 meetings.
    Lead: Project Manager
    Attending: Project Team Member
    Optional: Supporter

  • IM3.2 - Identify individual interests

    Open or Close
    Based on the impact factors of the challenge / chance, the project manager now needs to identify the team members’ personal and individual interests linked to these impact factors(s) and challenge or chance. The team members provides information on their own interests while the project manager collects these interests and maps them with the pre-defined diversity features.  This step is also performed in the 1-on-1 meetings.
    Lead: Project Manager
    Attending: Project Team Member
    Optional: Supporter

  • IM3.3 - Visualize interests

    Open or Close
    After the 1-on-1 meetings are complete, the project manager uses the list of impact factors and associated challenges / chances to identify gaps between the team members’ individual interests.
    hen she or he further examines the project interests and identifies gaps between the individual interests and project interests. Next, the project manager defines more factors connected to the gap (e.g. conditions that enhance the challenge / chance, questions regarding the gap, connected/linked processes) and visualizes these aspects.
    Lead: Project Manager
    Optional: Supporter

  • IM3.4 - Formulate solution and inform project team

    Open or Close
    Finally, the project manager will determine procedures and rules that define how to deal with the challenge or chance. Then, the project manager needs to inform the project team about these defined procedures and rules.


    Alternatively, this step could also be performed in the project team.
    Lead: Project Manager or Project Team
    Optional: Supporter