A group project can be a daunting endeavor. It tests your ability to both collaborate and compile the efforts of a team. For students in college and school, this cooperation fosters essential skills. In the working world, you will almost always be part of a group (depending on your profession).
In the contemporary era, group projects are a blend of digital and in-person aspects. Learning how to handle such collaboration is crucial.
In-Person Versus Digital
First, digital platforms like Teams, SharePoint, Google Drive, Dropbox, and ClickUp require a separate skill set. Second, these digital technologies come with upfront costs that your school may sometimes cover. Lastly, computer literacy is a must-have skill. Modern students that work in groups over long distances need all three to be successful.
Steps to Succeed in Online Group Projects
Preparation is key! There are plenty of pitfalls you may face. Even if you are an experienced collaborator, there may be more to learn. If you feel that you need professional assistance with a particular project, you can find an essayservice website and entrust your assignment to experienced people. Still, if each team member makes their contribution, it will be easier to achieve set objectives.
The next five topics will navigate you through your first or your tenth group project. They are replicable steps that apply to multiple contexts and will help you meet your deadlines.
1. Proactivity
Engage with the content of your assignment as soon as you have access to it. Absorb it and let your mind come up with interesting approaches for its completion. Have some casual conversations about it with your group members. Take stock of what everyone is particularly interested in.
Make sure that everyone is participating and offering their ideas. This will make the group organized and your overall direction clear. Besides, it will be easier for everyone to communicate their vision of the end product.
2. Delegation
It is of utmost importance that every member have an assignment. This means that the original task must be divided and collated efficiently. This step is ideal for assigning a leader. Having a competent and willing leader will aid the entire group in identifying what needs to be done.
A good leader will ensure that everyone is heard and all ideas are applied appropriately. Yet, it may not always be necessary to assign a leader. As long as there is consensus about the task and clear deadlines installed, a small group can work well without one.
3. Communication
Communication is an aspect that a leader would typically ensure. Regular and scheduled interactions are essential for tasks that span semesters. To organize this, a shared platform like Facebook or Whatsapp should be decided upon. This digital space will be treated as a forum in which everyone ascertains their roles and shares their experience of the work.
4. Sociality
Social tension will inevitably arise. The way of overcoming it is highly dependent on context. There is a general rule of thumb: there must be a mutual agreement in the planning phase that respect is mandatory. Such a principle will ultimately ensure that the deadlines are met. Everyone is working towards the same goals. With interpersonal respect within a group, these objectives remain a priority.
Remember that your class is comparable to a professional environment. Your instructor serves as a mediator, and your team members should demonstrate appropriate conduct to establish a favorable atmosphere. Professional behavior involves the following qualities:
- accountability;
- politeness;
- forward-thinking;
- commitment;
- providing support to your peers.
5. Tracking
Everyone is experiencing a strain on their capacities during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to remain empathetic to your peers and set expectations that are not overwhelming. People might be having a rough time in their personal lives. Keeping track of every individual’s progress also must take into account the possibility of delays.
It is usually impossible to follow the plan perfectly. This is where communication and tracking are equally relevant. Keep in touch with your group and tell them how you are progressing. Open communication will make your work more effective and predictive.
If your group members live in different timezones, an online forum will make tracking far easier. Clear and well-outlined expectations will also allow people to get to work regardless of where they are, which is a great advantage of digital group work.
Virtual Group Success
Succeeding as a group is even easier now. Digital platforms allow us to join our efforts in any part of the world. It makes communicating a breeze. Having access to someone, so long as they have a phone or laptop, keeps everyone connected. This ensures proper delegation of tasks and accurate tracking.
Digitization of projects makes working across timezones convenient. There is no need to wait; you can jump right in when everything has been set up correctly. Preparation is essential. If you plan something, you have high chances of succeeding, even if everything does not go as expected. Your project results will be proof of that.
