Efficient Organization in Microsoft Teams: Dedicated Teams vs. individual Channels

Project managers and team leads regularly face the challenge of effectively using Microsoft Teams and SharePoint for collaboration. The critical question often arises: Should each project have its own dedicated Microsoft Team, or should tasks/ projects be managed as individual channels within a centralized Microsoft Team?

This article provides a clear overview of both options, explains their pros and cons, offers concrete examples, and highlights best practices to support you in making an informed decision.

Option 1: Dedicated Team per Project

Advantages

• Clear Structure: All relevant discussions, files, and information are centrally located within a dedicated team.
• Easy Permission Management: Project-specific access can be easily managed via Team/Group Members, ideal for sensitive or confidential projects.
• Easy External Collaboration: External partners or service providers can have controlled access specifically limited to one project.
• Greater Customization: Dedicated Teams can be extensively customized with specific channels, tabs, automation flows, SharePoint site configurations, and integrated apps tailored precisely to the project's needs.

Disadvantages

• slightly increased Administrative Effort: More teams mean additional administration: creating, maintaining, ...
• Potential Complexity: Team members involved in multiple projects must frequently switch between different teams.
• Information Silos: Project content may become even less visible after completion.

Practical Example

A large-scale software implementation lasting several months justifies a dedicated team. It provides structured storage for technical documentation, project plans, and external partner interactions.

Option 2: Project Channel within a PMO Team

Advantages

• Central Overview: All projects and tasks can be accessed and monitored from one central team.
• Reduced Administrative Effort: Fewer teams mean less administrative overhead.
• Simplified Communication: Easy exchange of information across multiple projects within the same environment.

Disadvantages

• Complex Permission Control: Channel-specific permissions are harder to set, as permissions typically apply team-wide. I would only set up private or public channels in absolutely exceptional cases! Many people don't realize that this creates separate SharePoint Websites and that private/public channels have many technical limitations!
• Less Control Over Guest Access: External guests generally gain access to the entire PMO team rather than just specific channels.
• Potential for Clutter: With numerous channels, maintaining clarity can become challenging, especially for new team members. -> see Best Practices for further tips!

Practical Example

A construction company organizes smaller renovation or remodeling projects within a central PMO team, with each project represented by its own channel. Project managers quickly get an overview of the status across multiple projects.

The Hybrid Approach: Use both together!

A hybrid approach combines the strengths of both models, offering significant flexibility:

Dedicated Teams for larger, complex, or confidential projects AND a channel in a PMO/ Department Team to maintain transparency and overview across all ongoing projects, including major ones.

With this method, even large projects with dedicated Teams maintain visibility through a corresponding channel in the PMO team. This ensures stakeholders can quickly access high-level project statuses, updates, and timelines without navigating multiple Teams.

Practical Examples

• An automotive manufacturer uses dedicated Teams for extensive product development projects but maintains a corresponding channel in the PMO team for overall visibility.
• A marketing agency creates dedicated Teams for major campaigns but simultaneously updates a channel in their central PMO team to maintain transparency across all client projects.

Proven Best Practices

• Use Channel Features: Try to use the channels for communication and collaboration more and more! Many only use temporary chats/chat groups! Communication and collaboration in channels is much clearer as soon as every team member knows how to use them! Here are just a few important features: @ Notification of channels or tags, SharePoint page with navigation set up as tabs, Planner Board, etc.
• Customize Channel Visibility: Encourage team members to hide channels not immediately relevant, enhancing clarity and focus.
• Consistent, Clear Channel Naming: Use clear and descriptive channel names such as "Task Workflow for Campaign Management" instead of vague labels like "Automation"
• Archiving Channels and Teams: Once projects conclude, archive channels or entire teams. Archived teams remain accessible in read-only mode, maintaining historical records without clutter.

Conclusion: Choosing the Right Structure

Dedicated Teams are particularly suited for complex, large-scale, or confidential projects. Conversely, smaller projects and tasks can be efficiently managed within centralized PMO/ Department Teams as channels. Adopting a hybrid approach often offers the best flexibility, balancing clarity, administrative effort, and adaptability.