Group Project Survival Skills

       Home                                               Why Groups?

     Where to start?

     Group Roles? 

     Communication?

     Ideas -decisions?

     Deal with Conflict?      

      Manage Schedules?            

    Group Assessment?

 

Introduction                   Case Study                    Resources

Communication

The goal of a group project is to successfully address a question or problem creatively, effectively and efficiently...the idea being that "two heads/hands are better than one!" In order to get members to contribute, they need to believe that their ideas will be listened to and are in fact wanted. One of the critical elements for strong group work is communication that provides a safe and empathetic environment. In order to accomplish this several strategies need to be used:

bullet Get to know each other personally; use humor and personal stories; some groups create team names to develop an identity.

 

bullet Make sure everyone understands and agrees on the goal of the project.

 

bulletUse active listening skills and constructive feedback when discussing ideas to encourage more involvement.

 

bullet Update members on progress regularly in writing progress: through e-mail, shared online discussion board or group website.

 

bullet Learn about the differences in communication styles among varying cultures to encourage participation and decrease misunderstandings.

Read more about communication

Understand cross-cultural communication

 

 

URL: http://users.ipfw.edu/conklin

For problems or questions regarding this web contact conklin@ipfw.edu.
Last updated: 11/30/04.