Proceedings of the Design Society - ICED25 5 - Exploring the link between students’ MBTI personality types and design team performance

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Paura

This study investigates the relationship between MBTI personality type diversity and team performance in the first-year “Introduction to Design” course at SUTD. Statistical analysis finds a significant but weak correlation between broader MBTI diversity and higher final project grades. Teams with more introverted (I) and intuitive (N) members tend to perform better. Results also indicate stronger performance for teams containing INTJ and ISTP members, while teams with ISFP members show lower grades. Further research is needed to test causation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Teamwork and performance in design education

Personality tests and MBTI in SUTD

Background

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

Proceedings of the Design Society, Volume 5: ICED25 [https://doi.org/10.1017/pds.2025.10184](https://doi.org/10.1017/pds.2025.10184) Exploring the link between students’ MBTI personality types and design team performance Immanuel Hendra , , Lucienne Theresia Maria Blessing , Arlindo Silva and Ricky Ang Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore [immanuel_hendra@mymail.sutd.edu.sg](immanuel_hendra@mymail.sutd.edu.sg) ABSTRACT: This study investigates the relationship between MBTI personality type diversity and team performance in the first-year “Introduction to Design” course at SUTD. Analysis reveals a statistically significant yet weak correlation between greater MBTI diversity and higher final project grades. Additionally, teams with more introverted (I) and intuitive (N) members tended to perform better, consistent with research linking introverts to deep reflection and structured decision-making, and intuitives to creative problem-solving and future-oriented thinking. Result also shows that teams with INTJ and ISTP members performed better, while those with ISFP members showed lower performance. While these findings suggest personality composition influences team performances, measured in terms of grades, further research is needed to establish causation and underlying mechanisms. KEYWORDS: design education, teamwork, human behaviour in design, case study 1 . Introduction In education, design projects are often executed in teams to help students better navigate the complexities of real-life challenges (Fleischmann, 2022) . Working as a team enhances learning success rates by offering cross-learning opportunities and expanding students’ problem-solving approaches during the design process (Kastas Uzun, 2020) . To achieve success in teams, effective cooperation is essential (McDonough, 2000) . This cooperation is facilitated through enhanced communication and decisionmaking, which are largely influenced by understanding and managing personal differences in working styles and approaches (Ryder-Smith, 1999) . A shared understanding within the team can improve overall performance, driven by factors such as group potency, team effort, and task routineness (Aubé et al., 2015) . One effective strategy to foster this understanding is recognizing and addressing the personality types of team members (Filbeck & Smith, 1997) . Recognizing personality differences within teams can improve interpersonal dynamics, promoting collaboration and minimizing conflicts (Filbeck & Smith, 1997) . Personality traits directly influence communication skills, including active listening and assertiveness, which are fundamental for successful teamwork (Hassan et al., 2019; Sims, 2017) . These traits also impact task-related conflicts and overall team effectiveness, as divergent personalities can lead to disputes that hinder project success (D’Silva et al., 2016; Montequín et al., 2010) . Furthermore, the personality traits of leaders are positively associated with more effective communication practices, such as transparency and symmetry, underscoring the importance of personality awareness for team success (Y. Lee, 2022) . Task conflicts within teams are also shaped by the members’ personalities, making it critical to understand these traits in order to manage conflict effectively (B. H. Bradley et al., 2013) . There are many types of personality tests, such as: the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF), and the Big Five Personality Traits(Cherry, 2024) . Each of these tests has its own distinct history, theoretical foundation, and intended purpose, which may include ICED25 1705 diagnosing psychological conditions, tracking personality changes, or screening candidates for employment (Cherry, 2024) . Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has adopted the MBTI personality test. All undergraduate students admitted to SUTD are required to do this tes

FAQs

What relationship does the study find between MBTI diversity and design team performance?

The analysis shows a statistically significant yet weak correlation: greater MBTI diversity is associated with higher final project grades.

Which personality traits are associated with better performance in the teams?

Teams with more introverted (I) and intuitive (N) members tend to perform better, consistent with explanations involving reflection, structured decision-making, and creative, future-oriented thinking.

How do specific MBTI types relate to team grades?

Teams including INTJ and ISTP members perform better, while teams with ISFP members show lower performance.

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Paura