1.11: Forming Teams for the Practicum

Forming Teams for the Practicum

Risk Management is a Team Sport

In the real world, risk is not identified, mitigated, or managed by a single person. It emerges from—and is resolved within—teams. Product teams, compliance teams, clinical teams, executive teams. Every successful risk strategy is the result of shared attention, diverse perspectives, and structured collaboration.

This practicum was designed to reflect that reality. Whenever possible, students are encouraged to complete this course in teams of 3 to 5 people, simulating the kind of cross-functional work environments found in healthcare, tech, and nonprofit project settings.

Working in a team allows you to experience the interpersonal, political, and process-based challenges that shape real-world risk work—and to build confidence in how to navigate them.

Team Formation Guidelines

If you are enrolled in a for-credit class using this OER, your instructor will either:

• Assign you to a team based on availability, balance, and learning needs,
• Or allow you to self-select into groups early in the course.

Instructors will often use short intake surveys to assess:

• Weekly availability
• Interest in leadership or support roles
• Preferred work styles or communication tools
• Prior experience (though no background is required)

Once your team is confirmed, you will receive a shared folder, naming conventions, and an optional team charter template to guide collaboration.

For independent learners or small study pods, we recommend reaching out to 1–2 peers through online forums or study groups to simulate team dialogue, even if submissions remain individual.

Ideal Team Size and Composition

Most milestones are designed for teams of 3 to 5, which allows for:

• Functional role rotation
• Peer feedback
• Manageable communication
• Redundancy if someone is absent or delayed

Smaller teams (e.g., 2) may need to take on multiple roles per person. Larger teams (6+) are not recommended unless an instructor has designed custom scaffolding to support them.

The strongest teams include a mix of thinkers:

• Detail-oriented planners
• Big-picture strategists
• Visual communicators
• Technically curious analysts
• Collaborative listeners

Everyone brings value. The goal is not to all think alike—but to work in alignment.

Recommended Team Roles

To simulate a professional working environment, each team should assign and rotate key roles during each milestone. These may include:

• Project Manager (PM) – Facilitates weekly planning, milestone checklists, and team pacing. Ensures deliverables are submitted on time.
• Senior Risk Manager (SRM) – Leads risk tool application (e.g., creating diagrams, analyzing data). Ensures tools are applied correctly.
• Communicator – Prepares written summaries, creates team slides, and clarifies final deliverables. Acts as team spokesperson if needed.
• Researcher/Validator – Cross-checks assumptions, checks regulatory or technical context, ensures accurate use of terminology or concepts.
• Facilitator (Optional) – If teams are larger, someone may support meeting facilitation, time management, and synthesis of ideas.

Roles should rotate with each milestone to ensure shared growth and distributed accountability. Every team member should experience at least two different roles during the course.

Best Practices for Team Collaboration

Successful teams treat collaboration as a skill, not an accident. Here are some proven practices:

• Meet early and often – Set a standing check-in time (even 30 mins weekly) to review the milestone memo and assign roles.
• Use shared files – Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox folders allow live co-authoring, commenting, and version control.
• Name files clearly – Use a shared naming convention like M04_ControlChecklist_TeamR to keep work organized.
• Respect all voices – Create space for quieter members to contribute, especially during brainstorming or decision moments.
• Debrief as a team – Use reflection questions to process what worked and what didn’t. This builds psychological safety and performance.
• Flag issues early – If a teammate disappears, misses work, or creates conflict, inform the instructor early—before it damages trust.

Instructor Support for Teams

Instructors using this OER are encouraged to:

• Provide lightweight scaffolding for team setup (e.g., icebreakers, role assignment templates)
• Monitor participation through milestone submissions and team status reports
• Facilitate respectful interventions when needed, especially if power imbalances, absences, or group tension arise
• Use peer evaluation tools sparingly but strategically to support equitable grading if needed

The purpose of team-based learning is to build real-world leadership capacity—not to add stress or create dependency. Instructors may offer the option to opt-out of team work in certain cases, or allow independent submissions when justified.

What to Do If a Team Member Falls Behind

Risk work involves dependencies—and sometimes, those dependencies break. If a teammate falls behind or drops out:

• Do your best to cover the gap collaboratively
• Document which parts were completed by whom
• Let the instructor know in a respectful, timely way
• Reflect honestly in your milestone journal

You are not expected to fix every breakdown. But you are expected to respond with professionalism.

Team vs. Solo Work: A Summary

Working in a Team	Working Independently
Simulates cross-functional collaboration	Mirrors individual analyst or consultant role
Requires coordination and shared leadership	Requires self-management and role-switching
Offers more ideas, feedback, support	Offers more autonomy and flexibility
Focuses on interpersonal growth	Focuses on personal process clarity
Needs strong communication and planning	Needs discipline and self-direction

Both paths are valid and valuable. What matters is that you engage the process fully, thoughtfully, and professionally.