GROUP PROJECT TIPS
Do you moan and groan when the teacher assigns group work?
When you get assigned to a group project, it would be great if everyone did their part and things went smoothly. Unfortunately, as we all know, that's not usually what happens!
Since it's inevitable that you'll have to be involved in a group project at least once during your school career, you might as well learn how to manage one the right way. Follow these tips to deal with the most common problems of group projects, and to end up with a result that everyone in the group can be proud of.
Create a Project Charter
Before you even start working on your project, sit down with your teammates and create a plan for how you'll work on the project. Things to include:
The objective of the project (such as, "To create a fun, non-boring and informative five-minute presentation about alternative energy sources")
A schedule for meetings (how often you'll get together to work on the project, plus when and where you'll meet)
Contact info for everyone in the group (phone numbers and email addresses)
How you will make sure everyone in the group gets their opinions heard (for example, you could decide to sit in a circle when you work together, and give everyone a turn at giving their opinion on each idea that's offered)
A strategy for managing problems (clearly state what will happen if someone bails on a meeting, or doesn't do their assigned tasks)
Everyone in the group should get a copy of the Project Charter when it's done. You can - and should - still be flexible, but having these basics down on paper will save you time later when you should be focusing more on the project work, not the group dynamics.
List and Assign Tasks
You'll need to figure out what needs to be done on the project. For example, if your project is to design a poster, the tasks might be writing the text; coming up with a design concept; drawing or using a computer graphics program to create the poster; getting it laminated; deciding how you will present the poster to the class and writing the speech to the class; etc.
Once you've got an agreed-on list of tasks, you can assign each person in the group a responsibility, according to their abilities. Have a group discussion to find out what parts of the project each person is interested in, and what skills and talents they can bring to the project. If there are boring parts of the project that nobody wants to do, divide them up so not only one person is stuck with them. If somebody is interested in trying something, but doesn't have much experience, pair them up with someone more skilled. The idea is to let people develop their abilities within the group, while still creating a project that can earn your team a good grade.
Now you can assign deadlines for each group member to get their tasks done by. Work backwards from the final deadline date for the project, to figure out when each part has to be completed. Never skip this step, or you could end up stressing out at the last minute and sabatoging your hopes of doing well.
It's usually a good idea to choose a project leader who can take charge of making sure everyone is doing what they're supposed to. Choose someone who is well-liked in the group, and who has the authority and intelligence to be a leader. If nobody else is volunteering, consider taking charge yourself. You will not only sleep better knowing that the project is going to get done right and on time, you will gain important leadership skills that can come in handy throughout your lifetime.
Don't Neglect the Social Aspect
Group projects can get weird when team members don't have the basic politeness to treat each other well. Do your part by:
Listening without interrupting when your teammates express their ideas
Encouraging quiet people on the team to express their opinions
Staying positive and not saying things like "this project sucks" that will drag down your team
Helping team members who are struggling
Not gossiping about other members
Not taking it personally when someone else's idea is chosen over yours
