Tuckman's Ladder

Forming-Storming-Norming-Performing 1

Bruce Tuckman

Building a high-performing Agile team is a journey, not an instant transformation. It takes time as teams navigate challenges, refine their collaboration, and develop trust. Bruce Tuckman's Stages of Group Development (Tuckman's Ladder): Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning, offer a proven framework for understanding this evolution.

By recognizing and adapting to each stage, Agile Coaches and Scrum Masters can effectively guide teams through obstacles, foster team maturity, and accelerate their path to long-term success.

By recognizing these stages, Agile Coaches and Scrum Masters can guide teams through difficulties, accelerate team maturity, and ensure long-term success.

Tuckman's Stages of Group Development

  1. Forming:
    • Team members are introduced and begin understanding their roles.
    • Communication is polite, and members look to leadership for direction.
    • Agile Impact:
      • The Scrum Master is directing the team.
      • The team needs a lot of direction to help get used to the specific tasks they need to accomplish. The Scrum Master sets expectations, introduces Agile principles, and establishs a psychologically safe environment.
  2. Storming:
    • Differences emerge as individuals assert opinions, causing friction.
    • Resistance to Agile practices or conflicts over work styles may arise.
    • Agile Impact:
      • The Scrum Master is coaching the team.
      • The Scrum Master facilitates open discussions, mediates conflict, and reinforces Agile values while providing the emotional support needed to keep the team moving forward.
  3. Norming:
    • The team aligns on goals, processes, and working agreements.
    • Trust and collaboration improve, and Agile ceremonies become more effective.
    • Agile Impact:
      • The Scrum Master is supporting the team.
      • The Scrum Master steps back slightly, empowering the team to self-organize while ensuring continuous improvement and challenging the team with high level goals.
  4. Performing:
    • The team reaches high efficiency, with minimal supervision needed.
    • Members trust each other, solve problems proactively, and continuously improve.
    • Agile Impact:
      • The Scrum Master is delegating to the team.
      • The team self-manages, delivering value predictably. The Scrum Master provides support only when necessary.
  5. Adjourning:
    • The team disbands after project completion or team restructuring.
    • Members celebrate successes and reflect on lessons learned.
    • Agile Impact:
      • A final Retrospective ensures knowledge transfer, process improvements, and proper closure.

Scenario

A software development team is transitioning to Agile for the first time.

  1. Forming: Team members attend their first Sprint Planning session. Some are new to Agile, relying on the Scrum Master for direction.
  2. Storming: Disagreements arise over estimation techniques. Some prefer story points, while others resist Agile frameworks altogether. Daily Scrums feel forced and conflicts slow progress.
  3. Norming: Through Retrospectives and open discussions, the team agrees on estimation practices and refines their workflow. Collaboration improves.
  4. Performing: The team operates smoothly, delivering consistent increments of working software. Agile ceremonies are effective, and the team self-organizes with minimal intervention.
  5. Adjourning: The project concludes, and the team holds a final Retrospective to document best practices and celebrate their success.

Impact & Practical Use:

Understanding Tuckman's model helps Agile leaders:

  • Identify a team's maturity level and adapt leadership styles accordingly. Realize the progression is not always linear.
  • When the team changes, they go back to the Forming stage.
  • Support conflict resolution during Storming to prevent stagnation.
  • Foster self-organization as teams enter Norming and Performing phases.
  • Ensure smooth transitions and knowledge sharing in Adjourning phase.

Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches can apply this model by:

  • Observing team behaviors and providing targeted coaching at each stage.
  • Encouraging psychological safety, open communication, and trust-building.
  • Adjusting Agile practices to fit the team's maturity level.
  • Leveraging Retrospectives to identify challenges and drive continuous improvement.

Summary

Tuckman's Stages of Group Development offer a valuable framework for understanding how Agile teams evolve from uncertainty to high performance. By recognizing these stages, Agile leaders can navigate conflicts, reinforce collaboration, and empower teams to thrive.

  • Forming: Team members get acquainted and look for guidance.
  • Storming: Conflicts arise as members assert opinions.
  • Norming: The team finds balance and establishes effective workflows.
  • Performing: High efficiency and self-organization drive success.
  • Adjourning: The team transitions, ensuring lessons are captured.

By applying this model, Agile teams can overcome challenges faster, accelerate their growth, and consistently deliver value. Whether a team is just starting or already performing at a high level, Tuckman's framework provides a roadmap for long-term Agile success.