Exploring Workflow Patterns in Two Hybrid Engineering Teams

Abstract

Aim/Purpose This article reports an exploratory case study that examines workflow perceptions in two hybrid engineering teams comprising 26 professionals, focusing on temporal experience, meeting character, and engagement. Background Hybrid work configurations pose coordination challenges for distributed teams, yet the hybrid context remains understudied, particularly in terms of temporal coordination and synchronous communication. Methodology Following an exploratory case study design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with four team leaders and administered a six-item categorical questionnaire to 26 team members. A modified C4.5 decision tree algorithm was applied to organize response patterns for interpretive purposes, though severe limitations from the small sample size and unvalidated measures are acknowledged. Contribution Three response patterns and one outlier emerged (n= 1), with sense of time and meeting character appearing as the most differentiating variables. Extracted patterns from decision trees serve as a foundation for describing a provisional profile. Three provisional profiles were observed: a subgroup reporting temporal acceleration alongside task-focused meeting preferences (n=4); a subgroup reporting awaiting-completion states with task-focused preferences (n=17); and a subgroup reporting connection-oriented meeting preferences (n=4). These profiles are offered as tentative, sample-bound observations. We introduce preliminary terminology to describe workflow dynamics and apply a machine learning algorithm in a new context, as an exploratory pattern-organization tool. No claims of generalizable patterns are made due to the absence of performance measurement and comparison groups. Findings The observed patterns suggest possible directions for further studies on temporal experience, meeting character, and informing processes in hybrid work settings. These patterns require extensive validation before offering reliable guidance for practice. Recommendations for Practitioners The managers and team leaders may find it useful to reflect on temporal experience, meeting structure, and information flow in hybrid teams, but the present study does not provide validated intervention principles or managerial guidance. Recommendations for Researchers The interpretations were made on a small data set that depends heavily on the specificity of the team’s common language and may serve as a basis for researching new concepts of group engagement patterns in a business environment. Larger datasets, along with the application of contemporary machine learning methods, could be used to uncover hidden patterns in qualitative data. Impact on Society This study contributes to ongoing discussion about hybrid work by drawing attention to underexplored issues of temporal coordination and meeting function, but it should not imply direct societal impact or reliable practical guidance. Future Research Future research with larger datasets, validated instruments, performance measurement, and cross-context replication is essential, positioning this study as hypothesis-generating groundwork for understanding temporal dynamics in hybrid teams.