Team Performance

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A Supplement to Graffius' Phases of Team Development: Exploring the Original, Data-Based Curvature for the Performance Trajectory

14 August 2026

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

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Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 14). A Supplement to Graffius' Phases of Team Development: Exploring the Original, Data-Based Curvature for the Performance Trajectory. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/phases-of-team-development-supplement-performance-curve.html

About This Article

Source information and links for materials cited are provided in the References section.

Introduction

Team development is commonly described as a progression through five phases (also called stages): Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning. Bruce W. Tuckman introduced the first four phases in 1965, and he and Mary Ann C. Jensen added the fifth phase in 1977. However, Tuckman/Jensen did not develop the typical characteristics for each phase; Scott M. Graffius did. Tuckman/Jensen did not develop the typical strategies for each phase; Graffius did. Tuckman/Jensen did not develop the performance graph; Graffius did.

Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development—Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning—inclusive of a graph showing how performance varies by phase, as well as the characteristics and strategies for each phase. Leaders can apply these insights to advance the effectiveness and success of teams. Graffius initially developed his unique material in 2008, and he periodically updates it. In the 2026 edition of his work, for example, he added coverage of human-AI teams.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, universities, and publications around the world have used Graffius' "Phases of Team Development." Examples include Adobe, American Management Association, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Bayer, Boston University, Broadcom, Cisco, DevOps Institute, Government of Finland, Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering GmbH, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Journal of Neurosurgery, Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College), Microsoft, Oracle, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Technical University of Munich, Torrens University, Tufts University, U.S. National Park Service, U.S. Tennis Association, UC San Diego, UK Sports Institute, University of Galway, University of Waterloo, Warsaw University of Technology, Yale University, and many others.

Focus on the Graph Element

Scott M. Graffius regularly updates his "Phases of Team Development" work. He presents the 2026 edition here, and a visual from it is below.

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This article focuses primarily on the original, data-based graph element, including its performance trajectory. First is an overview. The graph depicts an initial increase in performance during Forming, followed by a decline during Storming, a broad trough near the Storming-Norming transition, an accelerating recovery during Norming, continued improvement during Performing, and a high-performance plateau extending through Adjourning.

The trajectory is based on thousands of data points collected across hundreds of projects (technical and non-technical, spanning multiple industries/domains) over years of professional practice. Graffius applied statistical tools and professional judgement, informed by decades of direct experience in team leadership and project delivery, to analyze and render the performance pattern across the five phases.

The graph is an original, empirically based, statistically informed, expert-finalized model of the relationship between developmental phases and relative team performance. The underlying statistical analysis (including the specific data set, modeling approach, and fitted parameters) is proprietary to Graffius and is not delineated in this piece. What's presented here, however, is the qualitative behavior of the resulting curve (direction and rate of change across phases), which is robust enough to characterize its shape without exposing the confidential details behind it.

What the Graph Depicts

The graph represents the relationship between developmental phases and relative team performance. It may be expressed as:

P = f(D)

where P represents relative team performance, effectiveness, or productivity, and D represents the team's developmental position across the five phases.

The relationship is nonlinear. The model shows an initial increase, a subsequent decline associated with Storming, a broad low point around the Storming-Norming transition, a substantial recovery through Norming, continued improvement through Performing, and eventual flattening as the team reaches a mature high-performance state.

The curve communicates level and rate of change.

The vertical position of the curve indicates relative performance at a given position. The slope indicates the direction and approximate rate at which performance is changing. The curvature indicates whether that rate of change is itself increasing or decreasing.

The horizontal axis represents developmental phase (not elapsed time).

More on the Axes

The vertical axis is labeled PERFORMANCE.

It functions as a practical proxy for overall team effectiveness, productivity, and the ability to produce desired results. It deliberately does not specify a particular measurement instrument or unit. It represents relative performance, comparatively lower or higher effectiveness as the team progresses through its developmental lifecycle.

The vertical dimension is comparative rather than metrically defined.

The horizontal axis is labeled PHASE and represents progression through the developmental lifecycle:

Forming → Storming → Norming → Performing → Adjourning

This is a phase-dependent trajectory (not a time series).

Phase progression and elapsed time are distinct variables.

The graph features a continuous, nonlinear curve. Several regions can be described in qualitative-calculus terms:

Early Forming: positive slope, with a modest increase in performance.
Late Forming: a local maximum is reached.
Forming-to-Storming transition: the slope turns negative.
Storming: sustained negative slope and declining performance.
Storming-to-Norming transition: a broad minimum or trough.
Early-to-mid Norming: positive slope with an increasing rate of improvement.
Late Norming into Performing: sustained strong positive slope.
Mature Performing: positive slope that progressively decreases.
High-performance plateau: a near-horizontal, asymptotic region representing mature performance.

A Structural Note on D

For the derivative expressions used throughout this piece, D is treated as a continuous developmental-position parameter, with the five named phases corresponding to labeled regions along it. This allows first- and second-derivative behavior (rate and curvature) to be described within and across phases, while preserving the graph's core premise: D indexes developmental progression, not elapsed time.

Next, each phase is examined in turn.

Forming

The curve enters Forming at a moderate performance level and initially moves upward. In qualitative mathematical terms, this is a region of positive first derivative: performance is increasing. The curve then reaches a small local maximum before changing direction.

Storming

Storming is where the graph undergoes its most pronounced deterioration. After the local maximum in Forming, the curve turns downward—initially moderately and then continuing toward its lowest level.

The negative slope of the curve can be understood as representing a performance cost of developmental friction.

The broad minimum around the Storming-Norming transition is one of the graph's most important structural features. The curve passes through a relatively broad trough.

It is expressed in qualitative derivative terms as:

dP/dD < 0 → dP/dD = 0 → dP/dD > 0

This indicates that performance declines, reaches a point at which the decline stops, and then begins to recover. The trough is the turning point between deterioration and recovery.

Norming

Following the trough, the curve reverses direction and begins a sustained upward trajectory.

Norming is particularly interesting because the curve does more than rise. During much of this region, the rate of improvement itself increases.

It is expressed in qualitative-calculus terms as:

dP/dD > 0

and

d²P/dD² > 0

It means that performance is improving, and the improvement is becoming increasingly pronounced. The result depicts an acceleration in the team's ability to perform.

Consistent with D as a continuous parameter (see A Structural Note on D above), between Norming and Performing lies an inflection point — the position of maximum improvement rate, where d²P/dD² = 0. Before this point, the rate of improvement is itself increasing (Norming); after it, the rate of improvement is still positive but progressively diminishing (Performing). This inflection point marks the moment the team's pace of growth peaks, even though absolute performance keeps climbing well beyond it. Aligned with D as a continuous parameter (see A Structural Note on D above), between Norming and Performing lies an inflection point — the position of maximum improvement rate, where d²P/dD² = 0. Before this point, the rate of improvement is itself increasing (Norming); after it, the rate of improvement is still positive but progressively diminishing (Performing). This inflection point marks the moment the team's pace of growth peaks, even though absolute performance keeps climbing well beyond it.

Performing

The upward trajectory continues into Performing, where the team achieves top performance.

dP/dD > 0

and

d²P/dD² < 0

It signifies that performance continues to improve. But the incremental gains become progressively smaller. This is a saturation pattern.

Eventually, the curve becomes nearly horizontal. The plateau represents the practical upper limit of performance.

Adjourning

The graph manifests Adjourning as a transition out of the team's active operating state (rather than as another performance-changing phase). Adjourning represents the termination or transition of the team's developmental lifecycle as a distinct conceptual dimension—team closure.

Conclusion

Team development is commonly described as a progression through five phases. Tuckman introduced the first four phases (Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing) in 1965, and Tuckman and Jensen added the fifth (Adjourning) in 1977. However, the phase-specific characteristics, strategies, and performance graph were developed by Scott M. Graffius, who originated and owns the associated intellectual property.

The graph shows the typical trajectory of performance across the phases of team development. The horizontal axis describes developmental position, not time, and the performance axis represents relative performance.

It provides a distinctive model of team development. The graph was informed by thousands of data points collected across hundreds of real-world projects, and expressed through an original analysis and novel illustration by Scott M. Graffius.

To learn more about Graffius' "Phases of Team Development," visit here.

References

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601

Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384–399. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0022100

Tuckman, B. W., & Jensen, M. A. C. (1977). Stages of small-group development revisited. Group & Organization Studies, 2(4), 419–427. https://doi.org/10.1177/105960117700200404

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About Scott M. Graffius

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Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 98 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 98 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.

Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."

The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.

Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

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Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.

The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.

Education and Professional Certifications

Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management

Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.

Discover Scott’s Books

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

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List of Additional Articles

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How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 14). A Supplement to Graffius' Phases of Team Development: Exploring the Original, Data-Based Curvature for the Performance Trajectory. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/phases-of-team-development-supplement-performance-curve.html

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Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Coming soon

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Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

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#TeamDevelopment
#ProjectManagement
#Leadership
#TeamPerformance
#BruceTuckman
#OrganizationalDevelopment
#GroupDynamics
#PerformanceTrajectory
#EmpiricalTeamModels
#TeamDevelopmentPhases
#HumanAITeams
#PhasesOfTeamDevelopment
#FSNPA

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Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

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Tags: Project Management • Leadership • Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, Adjourning • Phases of Team Development • Human-AI Teams • Developmental Phases of Teams • Empirical Team Models • Performance Trajectory • Group Dynamics • Organizational Development • Bruce Tuckman • Team Performance