Enhancing Project Success for Interdisciplinary Student Teams : A Belbin’s Roles Perspective

This thesis explores the dynamics of interdisciplinary student teams, focusing on how Belbin’s Team Roles can improve team effectiveness and project success. Using semi-structured interviews and data analysis, the study highlights “Role Flux,” where team members adapt to various roles based on project needs and personal capabilities, enhancing flexibility and responsiveness. Key findings reveal that roles like Coordinator, Team worker, Plant, Monitor Evaluator, and Completer Finisher are crucial for successful collaboration, while Specialist and Resource Investigator are often redundant in interdisciplinary teams. The study further emphasizes the benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration, such as enhanced creativity, role awareness, and professional growth, alongside the challenges of role imbalances and varying work styles. By applying Belbin’s framework, this research concludes that interdisciplinary student teams can improve collaboration, leverage diverse strengths, and achieve better project outcomes through adaptability and structured role distribution.