Size Matters

While the literature on the size of small groups and teams is extensive, there is little research on design team sizes and no formal research or analysis on the size of a military design team. This monograph investigates the optimal team size and composition for the military design team. The monograph is a multidisciplinary survey that draws from design theory, organization theory, leadership theory, social psychology, psychology, and anthropology. The results of the survey indicate that the ideal size of a military design team is five to six people; however, the team can be effective up to a size of nine. The findings also demonstrate that 20 team members create an inefficient team. The use of cross-functional or X-team structures provides a basis for the team structure and composition. The military design team will most likely be cross-functional in some manner due to the diverse educational background of its members and the joint and combined nature of military operations and organizations. However, the use of the X-team structure holds the most potential due to its external focus. This enables the design team to leverage resources external to the team and develop a design concept that provides best fit to their unique operational context.