About the Tuckman Team Development Model

Bruce Tuckman’s model of small group development, first proposed in 1965, is one of the most widely recognised frameworks for understanding how teams evolve over time. The model originally identified four distinct stages—Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing—characterised by the simultaneous development of interpersonal relationships and task-related activities. In 1977, a fifth stage, Adjourning, was added to account for the termination of a group’s work.

Forming: This initial phase is marked by orientation and testing. Team members attempt to identify behavioural boundaries and establish dependency relationships with leaders or powerful members for guidance in an uncertain situation.

Storming: Characterised by intragroup conflict, members begin to resist group influences and react emotionally to task demands. This stage often involves power struggles and “infighting” as individualities are expressed.

Norming: During this stage, cohesion develops as resistance is overcome. The group adopts shared standards, clarifies roles, and creates a climate of mutual psychological safety where personal opinions can be expressed openly.

Performing: The team becomes a functional, problem-solving instrument. Roles are flexible and purposive, allowing the group to channel its full energy into task completion and the emergence of solutions.

Adjourning: The final stage focuses on the termination of the mission. Members may experience a range of emotions, from exhilaration at their success to a sense of loss as they prepare to separate.

Think about your current team, project group, or work unit. For each statement, choose the response that best describes how strongly the behaviour is present in your team right now.

The tool identifies the stage with the highest score. Some teams may show features of several stages, especially during transitions, new projects, membership changes, or periods of pressure.

References
Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384–399.
Tuckman, B. W., & Jensen, M. A. C. (1977). Stages of small-group development revisited. Group & Organization Studies, 2(4), 419–427.