TIPS FOR SURVIVING THE GROUP PROJECT: SETTING UP FOR SUCCESS

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If you’ve done group projects before, you may not be surprised to hear that the Group Project is the Number One source of frustration identified by students across the board. I’ve put together some tips for setting up that can reduce your chances of putting in a lot of work then having the grade slide down the river due to the dynamics of the group or just plain bad luck when the schedule falls apart.

This is the week to put your group together and hold your first meetings. 

  1. Choose your team members, if possible. This is not the time to choose your friends just because they are your friends. Approach the students who arrive in class on time, have done the prep for the lecture or lab, and ask good questions. 
  2. Get everyone’s numbers and emails. Arrange to meet this week or weekend.
  3. Set up and circulate an agenda for that meeting.
  4. Review any collaboration tools that could be useful–group whiteboards, group calendars, project timelines. 
  5. Start the discussion at the time everyone agreed on, even if there are only two of you there. Fill in everyone as they arrive. Add their input–be welcoming here, not judgemental, but also respectful of everyone’s time by starting on time.
  6. At that first meeting, sketch out the best meeting times for going forward.
  7. Have each person identify their particular strengths, particularly if they are expert in the course subject or have done group presentations before. 
  8. Volunteer to be the recorder for the meetings to take notes and to circulate the notes to everyone.
  9. Get volunteers for (a) write-up, (b) preparing presentation materials, such as PowerPoint and hand-outs, (c) presenter and co-presenter–and alternates, in case life happens.
  10. Put the formal deadline for the presentation on the project timeline. Set your group target deadline well ahead of the formal deadline, because life does happen
  11. SMART goal: Have each person state their targeted grade for the project–note it down.
  12. Set the expectation for the next meeting–everyone to have reviewed the syllabus, the rubric for the project, the topics that can be chosen (unless these are already assigned), and their preferences for the group topic.
  13. Set the next meeting time, whether virtual or in person, for early next week to choose the group topic, outline the project, and assign tasks.

Notice that serious discussion of the topics doesn’t come until the second meeting. This first meeting is to settle who is doing what, and to affirm that you share a common goal. You may notice at this meeting that one or two team members jockey for leadership–if one person takes a dominant role, so much the better, whether that’s you or someone else. If two people are competing for top dog, see if you can get them to be presenter and co-presenter.

Insurance for keeping the project moving forward: 

  1. Whoever is the leader, make sure you keep notes of what is discussed, what is decided, who has done what, and who is to do what for the next meeting.
  2. Circulate your notes shortly after each meeting.
  3. Remind the group leader, even if that is you, to check in with team members before each meeting.
  4. Circulate the agenda for each meeting ahead of time, inviting additions and agreement.

These tips provide structure, and should be used flexibly–they are tools, not substance. Let me know how it goes, what went well, what didn’t. I’ll be returning to group work in several weeks, by which time problems, delays and conflicts may well be on the table.

This is project management, as you have probably identified. The success of the group project will depend not only on the quality of the subject matter research, but on the scheduling, collaboration and presentation of the group.

Next week, I’ll be discussing getting the most out of class. In the meantime, If you are interested in discussing how coaching over the rough spots and gaining skills to fill in for the soft sports could work for you, connect with me in the form below or directly through email: [email protected] 

The information in this blog cannot take the place of support from your own mental health professional or community health resources. Reach out to them. And IF YOU ARE IN CRISIS PLEASE DIAL 911.