Medisys

Purpose: To offer an opportunity to apply what we've learned in a real world setting.

1. Read the following case in your course packet:

Medisys Corp: The IntensCare Product Development Team

1. Analyze: The case ends with 6 months until the scheduled launch of IntensCare with the cross-functional product development team behind on its design, clinical testing, and production schedules. We would like you to analyze the case from the perspective of Art Beaumont, the president of Medisys. The idea of cross-functional product development teams was his idea. Presume Beaumont knows all the information presented in the case. There are two parts to the assignment.

First, diagnose this team by applying concepts from the lecture notes and the articles "Why Teams Don’t Work" And “The Discipline of Teams.” In other words, use the information in the articles and notes to state what is working, what isn’t working, and why. Said another way, the articles enumerate the practices of effective teams/groups. To what extent does the IntensCare Product Development team implement these “best” practices—or not?

Then, based on your diagnosis make recommendations for how Beaumont should intervene to help ensure that the product will launch on time and in a way that will be successful. Be sure to explain why you are making each recommendation and how they will help the team. Remember, Beaumont is not a team member himself.

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Katzenbach and Smith mentioned in their article, entitled “The Discipline of Teams,” there are four elements that describe a team: their commitment to a common purpose, performance goals, complementary skills, and mutual accountability. Some of these characteristics are noticeable in the MediSys case, while others are lacking.

The MediSys Corporation Intenscare Product Development Team as created to focus on the development of a new remote monitoring system. The team consisted...