You might be a collection of folk who don't know each other well, but you will work better and more effectively if you get to know each other. Don't just talk about the work, have conversations about your interests and hobbies. Perhaps go for a coffee or a drink after group meetings. If you get to know your group members, it will build trust and make communications easier
Effective group work requires that everyone in the group knows what they're supposed to be doing and what everyone else in the group is supposed to be doing
In one of your group's first meetings, you should try to come to an agreement on what you need to do and who is responsible for doing it. This should be written down and if you're using an online space for collaboration, it should be stored there. Here's a Groupwork Task List template you can use to keep track of who's meant to be doing what.
Check everyone’s understanding of the task before you begin. Give everyone a chance to express their ideas to allow time for discussion. Once you have settled on how to approach things, make sure you all agree and are clear about what your final goal is.
There's a quote from the car maker, Henry Ford: "The question 'Who ought to be boss?' is like 'Who ought to be the tenor in the quartet?' Obviously, the man who can sing tenor". You probably don't need a boss or a tenor, but the group should assign work based on current strengths and skills, and if they're not all there then strengths and skills group members want to develop. Do try to keep the work evenly distributed, however.
Your project is not one amorphous blob of work. There will different tasks at the start, middle and end of the work. Write these down (you could use the Assignment Calculator or Assignment Planning section to think about the breakdown of work). You should, if you can, break the work down into bite-sized chunks each with its own deadline and assign responsibility for doing them. Again, you can use the Groupwork Task List template to keep track of things.
An agreed project mission and clear purpose will help make everyone aware of group expectations and help them actively participate in achieving the desired outcome. If you do this, you'll have a better sense of how the work is progressing and feel a sense of achievement as you reach each goal.
Think about using the Assignment Calculator to estimate how long each task will take. Set due dates for each task. Leave some time at the end to combine individual pieces of work
Make sure that everyone in the group knows the due date of the project.
A group is a collection of people. Everyone's on the same level with no leaders. So, decisions must be made collectively. Agreeing and making decisions as a group can be difficult. Making a decision needs to be based on open conversations in which every group member's voice carries the same weight and where every member is comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions. When a decision is made, group members must commit to it.
Nominate a backup person for each action/task just in case something goes wrong? What would happen if someone got sick and was unable to do their work?
Meetings keep a project focussed and on time by allowing group members to communicate effectively and discuss progress. Consider having a regular time for these. Just before or after a timetabled class often works well but choose a time that is good for everyone.
Keep an eye on time and know the team strengths and limitations. Meet the project requirements first and then you can look to make improvements to make the project better. A basic project that satisfies your goals and gets completed in time is better than an innovative, exciting project that gets stuck on technical issues or is handed in late! Remember, the perfect is the enemy of the good!
Make sure all group members feel involved. If someone is not participating, talk to them - ask for their opinion or ask if there's a job they'd like to do. Help them feel welcome by talking to them before or after the group meets. Also, you need to be aware of any cultural differences that might affect how people are behave within the group
Communication is vital! Make sure you attend your meetings and keep each other informed about your progress. Let each other know as soon as you get stuck or experience problems and consider keeping in touch outside meetings (e.g, email, group chat)
It's a fact of life, problems will happen. Don’t ignore them because you don’t know what to do. A problem shared is a problem that's more easily resolved. Know when to ask for help and do so as quickly as possible. Use the group!
During the work, take some time to reflect on what is going well and what isn't. You can reinforce what's working, address what isn't so nipping potential problems in the bud and find suggestions on improving your work.
After the work is over, think about how the work went overall and what you can all do better next time
