It’s a fact: group projects are an inescapable part of every student’s university journey. But, there are ways to make group projects enjoyable! Check out the following tips to help increase understanding, communication and collaboration with your teammates and help you have a successful experience.
Break the Ice – set the ball rolling
The first piece of wisdom I can share is to find commonalities and similar interests with your group members. You may have never worked with these students before, so take advantage of the opportunity and get to know who they are.
Whether your group project lasts for one week or over the entire term, university is all about new experiences. You could even view group work as an opportunity foster new friendships! This will be especially helpful when communicating, reaching out and asking questions.
Pro tip: Check out York's Student Guide to Group Work for more guidance and tips.
Think about any opportunities or obstacles
When starting a group project, it helps to identify each member’s skillset. This ensures that each person is the right fit for the task they are assigned and has the skills and understanding to take on their role. My least favourite part about group projects is getting stuck with the task that no one wants, but by going over everyone's skills you can avoid anyone feeling uninterested and unproductive!
Set deadlines
The final tip, which is arguably the most important, is to set deadlines. It’s very easy to meet with your group once at the beginning of term and then again, the night before the assignment is due. Speaking from experience, it’s never worked out in my favour. Continuously holding meetings with your group allows for everyone to share their progress and any questions they may have.
Setting a timeline allows people to not only share their availability and other commitments but also gives everyone time to plan in advance for any potential setbacks that may arise. Meetings and timelines can also ease collaboration and increase effectiveness, and you’ll all get to know each other better!
One way I like to keep track of my tasks is through Microsoft Excel. At the start of the semester, I input all of my deliverables for each course into an Excel spreadsheet, along with the due dates. This helps me see which assignments I have to submit and whether they overlap with other courses. I then transfer this information into a Google calendar to easily see when I have time to meet with my groups!
To sum it all up, be open-minded. It’s a lot easier said than done but your attitude will truly impact your success with every task you take on. Focus on the positives and how you can make your situation better!