15.1. THE CHALLENGES AND KEY SUCCESS FACTORS OF WORKING VIRTUALLY

Typical definitions of virtual teams and virtual collaboration refer to people working across boundaries of place, time, organization, and culture and to the critical role of information and communication technology (for example, Duarte & Snyder, 2006). From these definitions, however, it is difficult to derive what it really takes to work together effectively and successfully as a team across these boundaries. In this section, the three greatest challenges that virtual teams face, and the key success factors for overcoming them, are identified. These insights form the foundation of an effective training and development program.

15.1.1. The Challenges

Three key aspects make day-to-day virtual collaboration critically different from its traditional colocated version: