Three tips to be successful in group projects

Franklin University believes in the experience of working in group projects. In any workplace, you will be required to collaborate with a team, which is not always easy. To help you gain experience with group work, you will be asked to participate in various group assignments during your career at Franklin. If you are having difficulty within your group, utilize these three tips for success below.

1. Communication
   Effective communication is vital when working in a group project. A best practice is to have an initial group meeting to discuss preferred meeting times, work styles and best contact methods. Establish a recurring meeting time with your teammates to ensure everyone stays in touch and participates in the work. Create an open communication atmosphere, ensuring members feel comfortable to reach out with any questions or concerns while working on the project. 
    
2. Organization 
   Organization is needed while working in a group project because it can be challenging to coordinate responsibilities with that many people without a plan. Consider electing someone from your group to be the leader at the beginning of the project. This person will be responsible for taking notes during meetings, sending out e-mails to the team and act as the liaison between the group and the class instructor.
   
   Additionally, before getting started, the group needs to review the assignment requirements to create an action plan. The group leader will then be responsible for assigning tasks in the action plan to team members, and each task will have a deadline. Taking the time to establish an action plan before getting started on the assignment will lead to fewer miscommunications amongst team members and more productive work.
    
3. Accountability 
   Whether an in-person or online class, groups will not always be able to meet and work on the project together. Most likely, group members will have to find time to work on their portion of the project alone. This is why it is essential to hold yourself accountable for completing work on time and hold other members of the group accountable for their deadlines. Utilize the effective communication and organizational practices established early on by your group. If a group member is not participating, have the group leader reach out to this member first. If no contact can be made, the group leader can reach out to the instructor on the team’s behalf for instructions on how to proceed.