ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL: SURVIVING THE GROUP PROJECT

The Grad School Guide | Emma Puddicombe

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Let’s play a game. I’m going to name a Grad School situation and you’re going to say the first word that comes to your mind. GO!

Situation: Group Projects. 

Now, if you’re immediate response was “NO” or something similar, I don’t blame you. Many of us have had negative experiences with group projects in the past and are not keen to be a part of them again. Unfortunately, group projects are a Grad School reality. Don’t fret, though. I am here to present you with tips to maneuver these situations with ease and grace! Keep reading for your guide to surviving the Group Project.

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1) Take Charge

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I get it. Taking charge of a situation and acting as “the boss” can be intimidating and you don’t want to step on anybody’s toes. Get over it. Don’t wait for someone else to take charge because nine times out of ten, that’s what every other group member is waiting for. I don’t mean play the dictator of the group, but being a firm hand to guide the group to productivity will be easier than you think!

2) Communicate

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Always communicate with the people in your group about questions you have, the confusion you are experiencing, or new ideas. Having one place where you can contact all your group members will give you a chance to make sure everyone is on the same page. Don’t just assume everyone knows what is going on during the project, because when you assume...well, you know the saying.
Email is one great way to communicate with your group, but some people have trouble keeping track of countless emails from multiple people. Here are some other messaging platforms your group can use:
       1. Facebook Messenger.
       2. WhatsApp.
       3. Slack.

3) Schedule Meetings

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Communicating over messenger is most effective when it’s used in smaller doses and should not be the only method of communication. Scheduling a meeting will provide you with a better way to talk with your group and give you all a chance to be together and focus only on the project for a period of time. Finding this period of time, however, is a challenge in itself. Doodle is a great tool which can give everyone a chance to share their availability in one place and say when they would prefer to meet.

4) Book a Room

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Finding a time to meet is only half the battle, the other half is finding a place to meet. You could find a corner in the Inforum the day of the meeting, but that could eat up valuable time you could be using to work on the project. Instead, book a meeting room and have a designated quiet place to meet with group members. You can book meeting rooms by emailing this address --> help.ischool@utoronto.ca

5) Make a Schedule

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Sit down with your group members and create an agreed upon schedule for the project. Think about when you want all the research to be finished, when everyone’s individual work should be completed, when you want the final project to be 100% done, etc. Make sure the dates are clear and have them written somewhere so that everyone can refer to these agreed upon deadlines.

6) Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses

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There are multiple people in one group, and not everyone likes working on the same thing (Eg. You might be a good researcher, but terrible at writing up that research in a professional way.) Talk together as a group and flesh out who is good at what before assigning roles in the project. This will help to ensure that everyone contributes their best work to the project.

Note: Just because you don’t like it, doesn’t mean you don’t do it. Everyone should still contribute equally to a project. Step up and do what you can, even if it’s not what you’re best at.

7) Be Honest

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If something will prevent you from giving your all in a group project, you need to tell your group members. Now, I don’t mean give them you’re whole life story or divulge any personal information you aren’t comfortable sharing. However, if you are dealing with a personal issue which will prevent you from making a deadline, your group deserves to know. Your groupmates will be more willing to help you if they know in advance what your limitations might be.

Note: Telling your group members about personal issues is not showing weakness and no one will think any less of you for doing this. You need to take on what you can handle, and taking on too much will only bring down the whole group.

8) Have a Shared Document

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Have one, easily accessible place where everyone can share their work with the group. What you share doesn’t need to be perfect, but it will help your group mates understand where the project is as a whole. Google Docs is a great platform for this. You don’t need a Gmail account to be added to a document and it can be accessed on any computer anywhere.

9) Play Nice, Be Kind, and Trust

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People work differently. What works for one person might not work for someone else, and you have to accept that everyone’s process is different. Snapping at your group mates and being passive-aggressive will only make the group dynamic worse. Be patient with one another, and most importantly, be kind. Remember, the only actions you can control are your own. Trust your group members and get your work done before you worry about what they are doing.

10) Talk to Your Prof

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I have been very positive so far in regard to the Group Project, however, sometimes it could turn out exactly as you feared it would: Terrible. It happens. If you are in a situation where people really aren’t pulling their weight or doing their part, it’s okay to talk to the prof to get advice on how to move forward. It may feel like you’re tattling, but the professors are there to help you succeed. They will help guide you towards a better group dynamic.