Assessing How Team Task Influences Team Assembly Through Network Analysis

What traits make users appealing as potential teammates? How do the traits that users seek out in teammates stay constant and differ as the task changes? Our study explores the social networks and skills involved in teammate selection. We performed a quasi-experimental study to analyze teammate choices for three tasks: launching a start-up, surviving in a jungle, and running an election campaign. We conducted our study in one graduate and two undergraduate classes, where students self-assembled into teams using a team recommender software. We analyzed our results using Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs). Our results indicate that (a) among all three tasks, prior relationships were important, while (b) the importance of certain project skills varied across the three task types when choosing potential teammates.