Dealing with the Unexpected: Critical Incidents in the LEGO Mindstorms team

Abstract

This article addresses the relative lack of empirical studies of how self-managed teams in high velocity environments handle unexpected critical incidents. It presents an interpretive case study of the LEGO Mindstorms project team, and focuses in particular on how this team responded to three critical incidents. Our study results in three core findings concerning how this team responded to the unexpected in its high velocity environment. These include: the importance of increasing presence; creating a context for a shared and emotionally grounded identity; and developing a shared set of guiding principles for action, behaviour, and decision-making. The authors further describe interconnections among these three core findings, proposing a higher-level ‘virtuous circle’ that illustrates how this team responded effectively to critical incidents.