Colocation (War Room)
Colocation (also known as a war room or tight matrix) involves placing team members in the same physical location to improve communication, working relationships, and productivity.
Explanation
Colocation brings team members together in a shared physical space to facilitate face-to-face communication, rapid decision-making, and stronger team cohesion. The dedicated space, sometimes called a war room, typically includes meeting areas, shared workspaces, and visual management tools like whiteboards or project boards.\n\nResearch consistently shows that colocated teams communicate more effectively and resolve issues faster than distributed teams. Informal interactions such as hallway conversations and spontaneous discussions lead to quicker problem resolution and knowledge sharing. Colocation is particularly valuable during critical project phases or when the team needs to rapidly align on complex issues.\n\nColocation is a tool and technique of the Develop Team process. While not always feasible due to geographic distribution or organizational constraints, even temporary colocation (such as bringing the team together for a planning session or sprint) can significantly improve team performance. Colocation can be combined with virtual team approaches, where part of the team is colocated and others participate remotely.
Key Points
- •Team members placed in the same physical location
- •Also called war room or tight matrix
- •Improves communication, decision-making, and team cohesion
- •Tool and technique of the Develop Team process
Exam Tip
Colocation and war room mean the same thing. A tight matrix refers to colocation within a matrix organization. This is different from a strong matrix or weak matrix, which describe authority levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Topics
Develop Team
Develop Team is the process of improving competencies, team member interaction, and the overall team environment to enhance project performance.
Virtual Teams
Virtual teams are groups of people with a shared goal who fulfill their roles with little or no face-to-face interaction, relying on communication technology to collaborate.
Team Charter
A team charter is a document that establishes the team values, agreements, and operating guidelines, including communication guidelines, decision-making criteria, conflict resolution processes, meeting guidelines, and team agreements.
Test your knowledge
Practice scenario-based questions on this topic with detailed explanations.