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Page 280 need to be flexible enough to continually adapt to these needs across a global (and possibly virtual) team when they occur. The challenge of effective information management will also intensify as greater amounts of data are produced through integration, improved channels of communication, and global/virtual teams conducting many processes simultaneously. To counteract this abundant generation of information, there need to be the right tools to permit viewpoints of information at an appropriate level, so that the information is comprehensible and relevant without excessive detail. Information overload could easily become a major problem and this will be particularly true for the project manager who resides over the whole project. Additionally, a common language is required to describe project stages and processes between major transitions in the R&D life cycle. This will provide a valuable enabler to effective application of the principles of high-performance teamwork. This language is best established within an overall project management framework that details processes roles and responsibilities for core project team members key performance indicators skills information needs required to achieve high performance. This framework needs to be readily accessible, possibly, by creating an IT-supported project team shared area or home page, where the language and team processes can be rapidly transferred across the international organization. Support of best practice project leadership requires regular sharing of ideas, learning, and issues within the project management peer group. Although project management must feature regularly on the agendas of international meetings of the peer group, it is also extremely important to provide an approach which allows for continuous real-time sharing of general project management issues including - planning and problem solving issues and - performance management issues, and best practice project-specific issues including - scientific/medical/technical issues and - interpersonal team dynamics issues.
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