Implementation of Belbin's model for the creation of teams in project based courses

This paper presents an experiment conducted with Chemical Engineering Students at RMIT University that demonstrates the utility of forming teams based on Belbin¿s Team Roles Theory. According to Belbin (2008), a team is more effective when it has a combination of members who think, perform tasks, and are good in dealing with people. The first approach to team formation was to conduct the Belbin¿s Self Perception Inventory (SPI) for all the students enrolled in the project based course PROC2091 ¿ Process Systems Integration - delivered in the final year of the program. The SPI is an assessment used to gain insight into an individual¿s behavioural tendency in a team environment. With this information, teams were created looking for a blend of thinkers, task performers and communicators in each team. An evaluation conducted at the end of the semester demonstrated that indeed Belbin¿s roles provided useful information for improving team performance and individual satisfaction within the groups.