Team Alignment Map Intro Guide

GETTING STARTED WITH  
THE TEAM ALIGNMENT MAP (TAM)

Stefano Mastrogiacomo, PhD
CONTRIBUTE TO OUR 
FORTHCOMING BOOK !
Join the community and share your experiences:

www.teamalignment.co
SUMMARY
The Team Alignment Map is an agile template used for
improving collaboration in cross-functional teams.
The TAM is a visual chart that allows participants to hold more productive meetings,
structuring the content of their conversations according to four key pillars that lead to a
better execution of their work. The TAM has extensively been tested upon for-profit and
non-profit organisations that belong to the healthcare and luxury industries, as well as
across humanitarian organisations, public administrations and tech start-ups. It presents
the following advantages:
MORE PRODUCTIVE MORE MORE SUCCESSFUL

MEETINGS ENGAGEMENT PROJECTS
 
Less time is lost by focusing Co-designing and facilitating The tool enables rapid
on the conversations. collective decisions. detection and remedy of
issues in real time.
CONTENT
I. Discover II. Your next meeting

Setting the stage How to use the TAM in your next meeting?
How can the TAM help you? Featured case: develop a marketing strategy
What is team alignment? Describe topic and period
The TAM overview Perform a forward pass
When to use the TAM? Describe joint objectives
Describe joint commitments
Describe joint resources
Describe joint risks
Perform a backward pass
Transform joint resources and joint risks
Set joint delivery dates and joint validate
SETTING THE STAGE
The world needs better teamwork
How will we address the challenges and seize the opportunities we face as a society at the
brink of a Fourth Industrial Revolution? From the sustainable development goals and their
ambition to reduce gas emissions, increase worldwide employment and feed 9 billion
people by 2050, to the innovation breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, robotics,
nanotechnology and biotechnology to name a few, we live in a complex world.
To deal with this level of complexity, cross-functional teams are needed, i.e. teams of
specialists working with each other (and not around each other) in which every specialist
brings the best of his or her talent to the team, in a mutually prolific exchange.
79%
« 79% of executives agree that the future workforce will be
structured more by projects — work focused on joint goals
completed in collaborative teams — than by job function. »
Harnessing Revolution: Creating the future workforce – Accenture 2017
75%
« Collaboration is the number-one trait CEOs are seeking
in their employees, with 75 percent of CEOs calling it
critical. »
Leading through connections – IBM Global CEO Study 2012

SKILLS AND TOOLS
New skills and tools are needed to perform better
As described by Tabrizi, « Teams are hurt by unclear governance, by a lack of

accountability, by goals that lack specificity, and by organisations’ failure to prioritise the
success of cross-functional projects. »
Great failures do not happen overnight, they are the consequence of the accumulation of
thousands of small problems, most of which draw their strength from undetected
misunderstandings between stakeholders. These failures are not inescapable, tools exist
that can break these negative spirals at the source, i.e. unsuccessful meetings.
75%
« 75% of cross-functional teams are dysfunctional. »
Behnam Tabrizi - Harvard Business Review, 2015

I. DISCOVER
HOW CAN THE TAM HELP YOU ?
Take the test
If you checked all the statements:

Which statements Congratulations ! Your team is doing great !
apply to your team?
In case you haven’t:
Consider a test drive of the TAM; chances are your team
☐ We are clear about what we intend to is not on a right path when it comes to collaboration. At
achieve together. least one person in the team (you) is missing crucial
☐ If I do my part, I’m convinced others will information to contribute successfully to the joint effort.
do their part. Mutual clarity is what enables participants to
☐ We have the resources we need to do c o o r d i n a t e w o r k . W h e n i t’s m i s s i n g , t e a m s
our jobs. underperform, deliver mediocre results or simply fail
☐ In case of problems we know what to collectively.
do.
The TAM is a simple and visual tool that helps cross-
Number of statements checked : functional teams collaborate better, by establishing a
common language and sharing minimal relevant
information to coordinate with one another more
effectively.
WHAT IS TEAM ALIGNMENT ?
TEAM ALIGNMENT IS THE CONSTANT COMMUNICATION

PROCESS OF MAINTAINING RELEVANT COMMON KNOWLEDGE
AMONG TEAM MEMBERS TO ENSURE THE PROPER EXECUTION OF
THEIR PROJECT.
THIS PROCESS UNFOLDS IN 4 STEPS, STARTING WITH THE

BUILDING BLOCK OF ANY PROJECT OR ORGANISATION: A
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSATION.
1. SUCCESSFUL CONVERSATIONS
Aligned teams talk about the right things; they focus the content of their meetings on the
very information each participant needs to know to contribute successfully.
2. RELEVANT COMMON KNOWLEDGE

When participants share the same and relevant information, they experience mutual clarity,
a drastic reduction of perception gaps. This is what psycholinguists describe as common
knowledge and is the basis for team alignment: reducing perception gaps before acting
together is what we describe as team alignment.
3. SEAMLESS EXECUTION
Relevant common knowledge enables effective team alignment because participants make
successful predictions about each other. This turns into a harmonious execution of activities,
a seamless division of work and integration of individuals’ parts.
4. MORE SUCCESSFUL RESULTS

Mutual clarity boosts every participant's contribution and collective work is seamlessly
executed: a joint performance that leads to better results.
THE TEAM ALIGNMENT
SEQUENCE
1. 2. 3. 4.
Successful Relevant Seamless More
Conversations Common Knowledge Execution Successful
CONVERSATION IS THE TECHNOLOGY
OF MANAGEMENT
When innovating or working under uncertainty conditions, no existing technology can

compete with the effectiveness of face-to-face interaction to coordinate with one another
and deliver a common result. By far, conversation is the best device available to get things
done together. It helps shape the problem, distribute the work to be done and integrate
individuals’ contributions. Technology has an important role to play but at a secondary
level, because every technological communication channel presents inconveniences when
compared to direct dialogue.
The power of conversation comes first; that’s why meetings are so crucial to the success of
any project. Meetings are often criticised simply because they are unsuccessful, they don’t
help the participants create « good » common knowledge and execution suffers. As a
conversational tool, the TAM gives common knowledge a boost by improving the quality
of simple conversations and of complex conversational flows.
60-90%
« Managing is between 60 and 90 percent oral. »
Henry Mintzberg - Managing, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2009

TAM OVERVIEW
Each building block of the TAM illustrates essential information to be discussed during your
team meetings. The content of the columns must be discussed and validated by the whole
team to minimise perception gaps. When perception gaps are left unattended, they can
turn
Our Joint into coordination surprises and can eventually lead to project failure, what the TAM
Activity
helps you prevent.
Joint Objectives
The Team Alignment Map

Confused Clear
TOPIC PERIOD HEADER AREA

Joint Commitments Defines the purpose and the timeframe
Implicit Explicit
JOINT JOINT JOINT JOINT of the collaboration.
OBJECTIVES COMMITMENTS RESOURCES RISKS
What do we want to achieve together? Who does what for whom? What resources do we need? What can prevent us from succeeding?
Joint Resources
Unavailable Available
Joint Risks
Underestimated Under Control
CONVERSATION AREA
Focuses the conversation on the 4
minimal requirements for effective
team alignment
©
Designed by Stefano Mastrogiacomo.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. www.teamalignment.co
WHEN TO USE THE TAM ?
The TAM is typically used in the following team or client meetings:

• Project kick-off
• Project follow-up
• Weekly or monthly coordination
And supports activities such as:
Defining work Negotiating decisions Solving issues
Setting priorities Exploring options Creating a sense of urgency

II. YOUR NEXT MEETING
HOW TO USE THE TAM IN
YOUR NEXT MEETING ?
Place the Team Alignment Map on a wall and provide sticky notes and pens to each
participant.
Entry of meeting
1. Steps 1-2: fill the context information
Body of meeting
2. Steps 2-6: perform a forward pass
3. Steps 7-9: perform a backward pass
4. Seek every participant’s validation
5. If yes: go to 7
6. If no: back to point 1 (enter the refinement loop)
Exit of meeting
7. Share the TAM with the team
Our Joint Activity
Joint Objectives

Confused Clear
1. 2.
TOPIC PERIOD
Joint Commitments
Implicit Explicit
JOINT JOINT JOINT JOINT
Joint Resources
FORWARD PASS
Joint Risks
3. 4. 5. 6.
BACKWARD PASS
9. 8. 7.

MEETING STEPS
Forward pass, backward pass and refinement loop
1. 2.
Define Set
Topic Period
FORWARD PASS
REFINEMENT LOOP
3. 4. 5. 6.
Describe Describe Describe Describe

Joint Objectives Joint Commitments Joint Resources Joint Risks
BACKWARD PASS
9. 8. 7.
Set Transform Transform

Joint Delivery Joint Resources Joint Risks
Dates and Validate
ENTER A TEAM ALIGNMENT MEETING
Our Joint Activity
Joint Objectives

Confused Clear
TOPIC PERIOD
Joint Commitments
Implicit Explicit
Joint Resources
Joint Risks

FEATURED CASE :
DEVELOP A MARKETING STRATEGY
Let’s discover how Mark, Lucy, Ian, Lea and Simone use the TAM to boost alignment in a
marketing project meeting.
Mark Lucy Ian Lea Simone

Client Sales Designer Finance Communications
1.
DESCRIBE TOPIC AND PERIOD
2.
Key Question: « Why are we here? » Examples

Announcing or negotiating the Topic sets the • Project Cube
necessary boundaries of the conversation • Improve innovation in our
ahead. When this is missing, participants may department
jump from subject to subject and • Reduce product defects by 10%
conversation may become confusing and • Next annual seminar
random. • Digital team: weekly coordination
How to describe a Topic? How to describe a Period?

• The overarching goal, objective or mission Periods can be freely described in
• The name of the project you’re working on terms of hours, days, months and
• The outcome of the meeting years: 2 h, 3 d, 6 m, 1 y.
• An activity for your team
Joint Objectives

Confused Clear
1.
TOPIC eting Strategy PERIOD 4 w e e ks
Develop Mark
Joint Commitments
Implicit Explicit
2. JOINT JOINT JOINT JOINT
Joint Resources
Joint Risks

PERFORM A  
FORWARD PASS
THE FORWARD PASS
The Forward Pass describes the collaboration ahead in a
logical order from left to right
It consists of filling in the 4 columns with appropriate content: what joint objectives, what
joint commitments, what joint resources and joint risks exist for our team. Rapidly a big
picture emerges — both, in terms of expectations and problems — on which participants
can reflect and improve the way to jointly approach work.
Joint Objectives

Confused Clear
TOPIC PERIOD
Joint Commitments
Implicit Explicit
Joint Resources
FORWARD PASS
Joint Risks
3. 4. 5. 6.

3. DESCRIBE JOINT OBJECTIVES
Key Question: “What do we want to achieve Examples

together?” • Design new product packaging
Joint objectives sticky notes describe the • Open a new store in London
tangible outcomes of the collaboration at the • Analyse yearly financial data
end of the period. Mutual clarity on joint • Create a first prototype
objectives creates joint focus. • Develop new user interfaces
How to describe Joint Objectives?

A verb (action) + an adjective (description) +
a noun (result)
Joint Objectives

Confused Clear
TOPIC e ting Strategy PERIOD 4 w e e ks

Develop Mark
Joint Commitments
Implicit Explicit
3.
Joint Resources
Perform
Joint Risks Secondary
Underestimated research Under Control
Do as-is analysis
©
Perform
competitor
analysis

4. DESCRIBE JOINT COMMITMENTS
Key Question: “Who does what for whom?” Examples

Joint commitments sticky notes assign • Ann
people to objectives. They detail the • Bob
contribution of each participant in respect to • Ann (drafts report) and Bob (illustrations)
others. Mutual clarity on joint commitments • Alan (hires new analyst)
creates accountability.
Beware !
To be effective, joint commitments require
sufficient mutual trust. In case of doubt, trust
your feelings and ask for more evidence of
commitment.
Joint Objectives

Confused Clear
TOPIC trategy PERIOD 4 w e e ks

eting S
Joint Commitments Develop Mark
Implicit Explicit
4. What do we want to achieve together? Who does what for whom? What resources do we need? What can prevent us from succeeding?
Joint Resources
Perform
Lea & Simon
e
ALL - report
Do as-is analysis problems and
© analyse
Perform
Mark, Lucy, Ian
competitor
analysis

5. DESCRIBE JOINT RESOURCES
Key Question: “What resources do we Budget, time, staff, infrastructure and

need?” skills immediately come to mind, but
Resources are the fuel participants need to there is a greater variety of resources;
complete their work. When resources are they are of: (1) financial, (2) physical, (3)
missing not much can really be done. Mutual human, (4) intellectual and (5) emotional
clarity on joint resources helps understand nature.
current capacity. Consider intangible resources like
motivation, power or an appropriate
How to describe Joint Resources?
culture; they are crucial for a successful
Start your sticky notes with: need, lack,
collaboration.
require, miss, etc.
Examples
• Need +10k budget
• Insufficient culture of digital
• Lack of motivation in team
• Miss project management skills
Joint Objectives

Confused Clear

Develop Mark
Joint Commitments
Implicit Explicit
Joint Resources
Perform
Lea & Simon
e
Miss databa
se
access
ALL - report
© analyse
Ian lacks time
Perform
Mark, Lucy, Ian
competitor
analysis

6. DESCRIBE JOINT RISKS
Key Question: “What can prevent us Examples

from succeeding?” • Running over budget
Risks are events that can negatively • Late at meetings
• Client not satisfied
impact a collaboration and prevent the
• Change in regulations
team from reaching its joint objectives.
Mutual clarity on joint risks helps
The typical 4 sources of project risks can
understand the current risk exposure. help identify which risks apply to your
team:
1. Risks related to the team (staffing,
How to describe Joint Risks?
logistics, roles, communications, etc.)
Describe short statements about
2. Risks related to the organisation
disadvantages, fears, obstacles, objections,
(support, politics, funding, etc.)
side-effects, etc. in the relevant categories.
3. Deliverable risks (quality, technical
problems, etc.)
4. External risks (client, vendors,
regulations, market, etc.)
Joint Objectives

Confused Clear

Develop Mark
Joint Commitments
Implicit Explicit
Joint Resources
Perform
Lea & Simon
e
Underestimated Under Control Client is not
research
Miss databa available
se
access
ALL - report
© analyse
e on
Over-relianc
data
Ian lacks time
Perform Mark, Lucy, Ian

ysis
competitor anal

PERFORM A  
BACKWARD PASS
THE BACKWARD PASS
The Backward Pass addresses the problems caused by the last 2
columns and sets delivery dates by objective.
The Backward Pass removes as much content as possible from the joint resources and joint
risks columns by adding, adapting or withdrawing content on the rest of the map, i.e.:
(1) Creating new objectives and joint commitments.
(2) Renegotiating any content of the map: topic, period and the content of the columns.
(3) Setting a joint delivery date next to each joint objective.

Joint Objectives

Confused Clear
TOPIC PERIOD
Joint Commitments
Implicit Explicit
Joint Resources
Joint Risks
BACKWARD PASS
9. 8. 7.

BACKWARD PASS INDICATORS

7.
TRANSFORM JOINT RESSOURCES
8. AND JOINT RISKS
Key Question: “How can we engage the How to transform Joint Resources and Joint
resources we have/get the resources we are Risks?
For every note in the Joint Resources and in
missing and reduce our risk exposure?”
the Joint Risks columns :
Items in Joint Resources illustrate a needed
resource whereas items in Joint Risks a 1. Discuss: can we remove this note by creating
possible event that might jeopardise the new joint objectives and joint commitments,
success of the project. Concrete actions must or by renegotiating any other content
present on the map?
be undertaken so that each contributor has
access to resources he or she needs and also 2. Transform: if the answer is “yes", adapt the
to minimise the impact of harmful events. map and remove the note you’ve just discussed,
the problem has been addressed.
3. Defer: If the answer is "not for the moment",

leave the problematic note in place and validate
that work will have to be performed with either
that needed resource and/or that open risk for
the time being.
Joint Objectives

Confused Clear
TOPIC g Strategy
PERIOD 4 w e e ks
etin
Implicit Explicit
Joint Resources
Perform
Secondary Lea & Simon
e
research
Joint Risks
✗
Underestimated Under Control Client is not
Miss databa
se available
ALL - report access
analyse
Perform
mpetitor
co© Mark, Lucy, Ian
analysis Ian lacks time e on
Over-relianc
data
Schedule
8. meetings ahead Mark

Joint Objectives

Confused Clear
TOPIC eting Strategy

PERIOD 4 w e e ks
Implicit Explicit
Joint Resources
Perform
Secondary Lea & Simon
e
Joint Risks
research
✗
Miss databa
se
access
ALL - report
analyse
©
e on
Perform Over-relianc
Mark, Lucy, Ian Ian lacks time data
competitor
analysis
tings
Schedule mee Mark
ahead
7. Grant database
Lea
access
9.
SET JOINT DELIVERY DATES AND JOINT
VALIDATION
JOINT DELIVERY JOINT VALIDATION
Key Question: “When, exactly?” At the end of a TAM meeting, it is important to

A date has to be set for every objective in the seek verbal agreement from every participant
Joint Objectives column and the entire TAM to strengthen the joint commitments.
validated by the team.
… if not everyone validates:
A refinement loop is recommended, some
Time estimates are easy: items need to be renegotiated to get closer to
Provide a precise date like July 17th, May 3rd and everyone’s reality.
so on.
… if everyone validates:
The team is aligned and the meeting can be
Time estimates are difficult:
terminated.
Provide a date range like July 18th – August 7th,
March 3rd – September 21st. No matter how
large the range, it’s always better than leaving it
blank.
Joint Objectives

Confused Clear
TOPIC PERIOD
eting Strategy 4 w e e ks
Implicit Explicit
Joint Resources
Perform
Secondary Taylor & Alex
July 18th research
Joint Risks
ALL - report
July 14th Do as-is analysis problems and
analyse
Perform
Mark, Thomas, Ian
July 14th ©mpetitor
co
analysis e on
Over-relianc
Ian lacks time data
Schedule
June 17 th meetings ahead Mark
June 17th Grant database

Lea
access

9.
Joint Objectives

Confused Clear
TOPIC PERIOD
Implicit Explicit
Joint Resources
Perform
July 18th research
Joint Risks
ALL - report
analyse
Perform
Mark, Thomas, Ian
July 14th ©mpetitor
co
analysis e on
Over-relianc
Ian lacks time data
Schedule
June 17th Grant database

Lea
access

Joint Objectives

Confused Clear
TOPIC PERIOD
Implicit Explicit
Joint Resources
Perform
July 18th research
Joint Risks
ALL - report
analyse
Perform
titor Mark, Thomas, Ian
July 14th ©mpe
co
an al ys is
e on
Over-relianc
Ian lacks time da ta
Schedule
Grant database
June 17th Lea
access

9.
Joint Objectives

Confused Clear
TOPIC PERIOD
Joint Commitments
mplicit Explicit
Joint Resources
Joint Risks

END OF THE MEETING :
The team is now aligned and ready for action !
Our Joint Activity
Joint Objectives

Confused Clear
TOPIC PERIOD
Joint Commitments
Implicit Explicit
Joint Resources
Joint Risks

BEFORE AFTER
a meeting with the TAM a meeting with the TAM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stefano Mastrogiacomo, PhD
Stefano Mastrogiacomo is the designer of the Team Alignment Map, the Team Alignment
Kanban, the Team Alignment Snapshot and the Team Alignment Contract. Tools that help
cross-functional leaders and teams manage better transitions to agility and deliver more
successful innovation projects.
Stefano has been leading cross-functional projects (mainly digital transformation

initiatives), advising cross-functional leaders and teams in for-profit and not-for-profit
organizations, teaching and doing research on teamwork for almost 20 years. He holds a
PhD and a Master’s Degree in Organisation and Business Information Systems and
Organization (MBI), all obtained from the University of Lausanne.
He can be reached at stefano@teamalignment.co

COPYRIGHT MATERIAL. 
 
Not authorised for further reproduction or distribution
without explicit permission from the author.
© Stefano Mastrogiacomo
www.teamalignment.co

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GETTING STARTED WITH

THE TEAM ALIGNMENT MAP (TAM)

Join the community and share your experiences:

MORE PRODUCTIVE MORE MORE SUCCESSFUL

I. Discover II. Your next meeting

Harnessing Revolution: Creating the future workforce – Accenture 2017

Leading through connections – IBM Global CEO Study 2012

As described by Tabrizi, « Teams are hurt by unclear governance, by a lack of

Behnam Tabrizi - Harvard Business Review, 2015

If you checked all the statements:

TEAM ALIGNMENT IS THE CONSTANT COMMUNICATION

THIS PROCESS UNFOLDS IN 4 STEPS, STARTING WITH THE

2. RELEVANT COMMON KNOWLEDGE

4. MORE SUCCESSFUL RESULTS

When innovating or working under uncertainty conditions, no existing technology can

Henry Mintzberg - Managing, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2009

The Team Alignment Map

TOPIC PERIOD HEADER AREA

Designed by Stefano Mastrogiacomo.

The TAM is typically used in the following team or client meetings:

And supports activities such as:

Defining work Negotiating decisions Solving issues

Setting priorities Exploring options Creating a sense of urgency

The Team Alignment Map

Designed by Stefano Mastrogiacomo.

Describe Describe Describe Describe

Set Transform Transform

The Team Alignment Map

Designed by Stefano Mastrogiacomo.

Mark Lucy Ian Lea Simone

Key Question: « Why are we here? » Examples

How to describe a Topic? How to describe a Period?

The Team Alignment Map

Designed by Stefano Mastrogiacomo.

The Team Alignment Map

Designed by Stefano Mastrogiacomo.

Key Question: “What do we want to achieve Examples

How to describe Joint Objectives?

The Team Alignment Map

TOPIC e ting Strategy PERIOD 4 w e e ks

Designed by Stefano Mastrogiacomo.

Key Question: “Who does what for whom?” Examples

The Team Alignment Map

TOPIC trategy PERIOD 4 w e e ks

Designed by Stefano Mastrogiacomo.

Key Question: “What resources do we Budget, time, staff, infrastructure and

The Team Alignment Map

TOPIC eting Strategy PERIOD 4 w e e ks

Ian lacks time

Designed by Stefano Mastrogiacomo.

Key Question: “What can prevent us Examples

The Team Alignment Map

TOPIC eting Strategy PERIOD 4 w e e ks

Perform Mark, Lucy, Ian

Designed by Stefano Mastrogiacomo.

(1) Creating new objectives and joint commitments.

(3) Setting a joint delivery date next to each joint objective.

The Team Alignment Map

Designed by Stefano Mastrogiacomo.

BACKWARD PASS INDICATORS

3. Defer: If the answer is "not for the moment",

The Team Alignment Map

Designed by Stefano Mastrogiacomo.

The Team Alignment Map

GETTING STARTED WITH  