The Effect of Software Team Personality Composition on Learning and Performance: Making the "Dream" Team

Abstract

Optimizing work team composition in organizational and educational environments is an important task toward maximizing performance. Social science research has revealed that personality trait composition influences team cohesion and performance. However, this research has not been well-adapted into the IS context. In addition, prior research demonstrates how individual personality traits impact teams, but fails to appropriately characterize overall team personality composition. We expand this research by 1) characterizing holistic personality compositions, and 2) examining team learning in addition to performance in the IS context. We draw from theory on team performance and "Big 5" trait composition. Results demonstrate that teams comprised of homogenous versus heterogeneous personality compositions differ in their performance and learning. The primary implication of this research is that teams can benefit from a priori personality measurements and directed composition. Initially, optimal learning and effectiveness comes from homogenous teams. However, this may change over time.