Group Work

Myth: A successful team always has to get along and agree about everything

Truth: As humans, we all have a number of individual differences, which means that it is extremely likely that we will not agree on everything when working in groups. In fact, research has shown that disagreements can actually be good for a team, as long as they are handled well and related back to the group’s objectives and goals. Productive disagreements will provide more differing viewpoints, which can lead to better outcomes and more creative solutions.

Myth: A group that starts off on the right track will stay on the right track

Truth: Successful group work requires an ongoing effort from all group members. A number of events can occur following the formation of a group, which can influence the groups’ trajectory. For example, a group may have started out well and effectively distributed all tasks, but then one member may not complete their designated tasks. Similarly, a group may start off on the wrong track, but they have ability to resolve this through effective team work. To ensure that a group stays on the right track, it is important to continually monitor the progress of the group, and intervene where necessary.

Video: How collaboration can lead to great ideas (5 minutes)

1) Shared learning: Working in a group means that we have to share our knowledge and ideas with other students. A benefit of this is that our own awareness can be increased by learning from the knowledge and ideas of others. A second benefit is that we need to think carefully about our own ideas in order to explain them to the group. Both of these things can improve our own critical thinking and understanding of the topic.

When working in a group, we have the opportunity to draw on the individual strengths of different group members. This will likely help to create a more well thought out assignment compared to what we could create on our own.

2) Learning group work skills: Completing an individual assignment requires a numbers of skills that you likely have some experience with. However, to complete group work effectively you will need to adapt these skills, and even learn some new skills related to working as part of a team. Or, if you already have experience in working as part of a team, further group work will help you to refine these skills. Important group work skills can include complex time management, communication and conflict management. Continue reading this document to find out more about some of the skills involved in group work.

3) Preparation for the workforce: In many professions, people are required to work as part of a team. Teamwork occurs on a daily basis in many workplaces. Or, you may be required to work as part of a team to complete a specific project for your work. Completing group work at Uni will help to prepare you for these scenarios in the workforce. The ability to deal with differing opinions, co-ordinate schedules, and communicate effectively, are just a few things you will learn that are applicable in the “real world”.

Forming a group can take some time and effort. Psychologist Bruce Tuckman developed a model to describe the stages of group development. This model consists of the following stages.

Forming: This stage occurs when the group first joins together. At this stage, most team members are generally positive and polite. Some may be anxious, as they don’t know their group members, of fully understand what work the group will do. The group may set some initial rules in this stage, and if there is a group leader, members will look to them for guidance.

Storming: At this stage, members may start to push against the boundaries that were established in the forming stage. This can sometimes be characterised by competition and conflict, as the group members attempt to organise the task. This conflict can also arise due to natural differences in group members. People often work in a variety of different ways, but this can sometimes cause frustration between group members. At this stage, group members may also question the purpose and responsibilities of different group members.

Norming: This stage is characterised by the group working together cohesively. Members begin to resolve their differences and appreciate the different strengths of other group members. Now that group members know each other a little better, they are able to ask one another for help and provide constructive feedback. There will also be a clear team goal, and members will start making progress towards this. Often, teams will move gradually from the storming stage to the norming stage, and there can be some shifting between these two stages if additional tasks are given to the group.

Performing: This stage occurs when the group work effectively together to achieve their objective or goal. By this stage, the roles and responsibilities of the group members have been clearly agreed upon and completed.

Adjourning: This stage occurs after the group task has been completed, and the group can separate. This stage can bring mixed feelings among group members, depending on how they have worked together to date. For example, the group may be happy with the progress that they have achieved, but sad that they will no longer be working together.

As previously mentioned, a number of important skills are needed to work effectively as part of a group. You may already have some of these, and you may learn others as you participate in more group work. These skills can fall into two main categories: Interpersonal skills and task skills.

Interpersonal Skills

1) Communication Skills: Being able to build a positive working relationship and talk effectively with other group members to create a shared understand of the task is essential for group work. This may involve reflecting back what other members of the group have said, or asking questions to clarify your understanding of the assignment. Click here for more information about communication skills.

2) Feedback skills: To provide the best quality group assignment, it is important to both give and receive feedback with your group members. To do this, it is helpful to give clear and specific feedback to your team members. This should involve both compliments about what they have done well, and some constructive criticism on things that could be improved. You also need to be able to accept this feedback from your other group members. It is important to monitor your own emotions and the emotions of other group members during the process. The purpose of feedback is to improve the quality of your assignment, and should not involve unnecessary criticism of group members.

3) Conflict resolution: As previously mentioned, group work can inevitably bring conflict and disagreements. The ability to manage these effectively is important for successful group work. To manage conflict, assertive communication is needed. This involves being able to express your views clearly and firmly, but without aggression. Click here for more information about assertive communication.

Video: How to deal with conflict (2 minutes)

Task Skills

4) Complex Time Management: Being a Uni student requires a certain amount of time management. Working in group requires some more complex time management, due to the competing needs of differing group members. You need to manage your time to complete the assignment before its due date. To do this, you will need to co-ordinate you schedule with other students to organise group meetings. While attending these meetings, you will also have to manage your time to ensure that all important topics are covered during your meeting time.

5) Decision Making: When you are part of a group, there are a number of decisions that need to be made about that group assignment. But when making decisions in a group, you need to consider the views of different members. Important decisions related to group work include the overall group goal, the responsibilities of each group member, the possibility for smaller task deadlines before the final deadline, etc.

Video: TED Talk - How can groups make good decisions? (8 minutes)

6) Problem solving: When completing a task such as a group assignment, it is possible for several problems to arise. For example, part of the group assignment may involve finding a solution to a particular problem. Or, you may have a group member leave the course unexpectedly, meaning that you have to work out what to do with their part of the assignment. To solve problems you may need to think creatively and brainstorm with your fellow group members.

So you now have some information about the importance of group work, and the skills involved. But how do you actually complete group work effectively? Effective group work doesn’t happen by accident. We have provided some tips below about how to complete a group assignment successfully.

Video: Working in Groups (5 minutes)

1) Reflect on previous experience with group work:

If you notice in your course outline that you have a group assignment coming up, it may be beneficial to take some time to reflect upon the experience you had last time that you worked in a group.

What worked well? What didn’t work well? What were the main barriers to success? Did you have difficulty speaking up about your opinions to the other members of the group? Were you unclear about the roles of each member of the group?

Understanding and naming what got in the way last time is the starting point to being able to identify what specific strategies you could try when completing this group assignment. For example, if difficulty speaking up was your major barrier, then you could spend some time practising assertiveness skills.

2) Get to know your group:

Sometimes we may have the opportunity to choose the group that we will work with for an assignment. However, a lot of the time we will be allocated to a group by our lecturer or tutor. If this is the case, take a little bit of time to get to know each other. This may simply involve stating your name and what degree you are studying (if the course is not restricted to a specific degree). It may also be helpful to identify your skills and knowledge that may be relevant to completing this assignment.

Taking a little bit of time to get to know each other during this initial meeting will help to foster open communication throughout the duration of the assignment. Who knows, you may even make some new friends.

3) Decide on a method of communication:

When first meeting with your group, it is essential to get everyone’s names and contact details. When doing this, the group should agree upon a preferred method of communication. For example, if everybody has Facebook then it may be easiest to create an assignment group for communication. Or, the group may prefer to communicate via student email.

This needs to be done to ensure that group members are not missing out on communication, and so that there is accountability when a group member does not respond to messages. For example, if you have all agreed to communicate via student email, then a fellow group member cannot use the excuse that they “don’t check their student email regularly”.

4) Set some ground rules:

Having clear group rules from the outset can help a group to work harmoniously together. Group rules can help to reduce uncertainty, and make group members feel more comfortable. These rules should be developed collaboratively, and early on in the groups’ formation.

Some examples of common ground rules that can be set are: respecting the opinions of other group members, only one group member speaking at a time, providing the group with ample notice if you are unable to make it to a meeting, etc. These rules may seem obvious. However, clearly agreeing on rules from the outset can help to reduce confusion and clarify expectations.

5) Set clear goals and objectives for the group:

When first discussing the group assignment with your team members, you should share and discuss your understanding of the project. The group should be able to come to a consensus about what needs to be done for the assignment. If each member's understanding of the assignment still varies significantly, then there may be the need to ask the tutor or lecturer for further clarification. See the following tip sheet for more information about goal setting.

6) Establish meeting times for the group:

A successful group has to communicate and meet regularly. Ideally, a group should meet face-to-face on a regular basis. However, with the competing schedules of different group members, it may be difficult to schedule all of these meetings in advance. Nonetheless, it is important for groups to schedule at least one meeting after the initial group formation. This will allow for the discussion of progress to date and any issues if applicable. From here, the group can then decide when another meeting will be necessary. As previously stated, it is important that all group members can come to a consensus. For example, if one member thinks it is not necessary to meet again, but the other three do believe it is necessary, then some negotiation and compromise may need to occur.

7) Define the roles of different group members and distribute the work evenly:

The group should agree on how the assignment task will be distributed among group members. This distribution should be as even as possible. You should not have to rely on a single person to complete the majority of the work, nor should have a member that gets by with little to no effort.

To facilitate the even distribution of workload, the individual duties of each person must be clearly defined. The distribution of the workload may also reflect the strengths of different group members. For example, if one group member is good with technology, then they may be responsible for formatting the group’s PowerPoint slides. The picture below provides some examples of different roles that you might need in your group.

8) Keep accurate notes:

At each group meeting, a member of the group should be designated to keep a record of what was discussed and agreed upon. These notes will reflect any decisions that have been made, and the upcoming tasks of each group member. This document should then be shared with the group.

Accurate note taking helps to keep each group member accountable and on track with their tasks. Often, a member may understand something when it is discussed in the group, but forget by the time they go to complete the work a few days later. This document will help to refresh their memories.

These notes can also be useful to hold other group members accountable in the cases where they do not complete their designated work. You may need to remind group members what they have agreed to, by referring them to this document. In worse case scenarios, these notes may also be provided as evidence to tutors, if a group member has consistently not contributed for the duration of the assignment.

9) Monitor the progress of the group:

Between the initial group meeting and the final assignment deadline, it is important to monitor the progress that your group is making. This can be done by setting “mini deadlines” along the way. For example, you might agree with the group that you will have a draft of your part completed by a certain date.

Monitoring the progress of the group will allow members to notice if there is anybody falling behind, and to reallocate tasks where necessary. For example, one person may have been given the task of summarising the evidence for a particular topic. But once they start this task, they realise it is really a job for two people. By monitoring progress regularly, you can ensure that allocation is adjusted where necessary.

To evaluate the effectiveness of your group, you may wish to fill in the following survey. These can either be filled out individually, or as a group, and may give an indication of things that are going well, as well as those things that may need some improvement.

10) Allow enough time before the deadline for practice and revision:

With most group assignments, each member completes their own portion of work, and this is then compiled before handing the assignment in. When marking group assignments, many tutors and lecturers are looking for group cohesiveness. A good sign of this is consistency in your assignment. As such, enough time should be left before the deadline to revise the assignment, and make sure that all formatting and information is consistent.

11) Respect your fellow group members:

Every group that you work with will be different, and each member of the group with bring their own strengths, values, and working style. It is highly likely that other group members may do their aspect of the assignment differently to how you would do it. It is important to accept these differences, as this will help you to progress with the assignment, and not get stuck on minor details. If these differences are frustrating for you, it may be necessary to take some time to reflect on whether these behaviours are genuinely impacting on the assignment, or if they are just different to what you would do. If you feel that their decisions or work style are having a negative impact on your assessment, then you may bring this up with the person in a respectful and assertive manner.

There may also be times when a group member does not complete their allocated work for a variety of reasons. For example, someone may have a sick child, and not be able to make it to a group meeting. It is important to be accommodating of people’s situations where possible, and problem solve. However, being respectful does not mean that you have to accept a group member consistently not putting in effort.

Problem 1: There is an unequal contribution in the group by one or more members.

For example, you may notice that yourself and one other group member are doing all the work, while the other two group members are slacking off.

Solution: Speak to the other group members in a respectful and assertive manner. Remind these group members what they have agreed to do by referring them back to the notes from meetings. Check in to see if there is a valid reason for these people not completing the tasks that they have agreed. Try to negotiate and problem solve with the group so that you can come to a decision that all group members are satisfied with. However, if you are unable to resolve this issue as a group, then it is a good idea to speak to your tutor.

Problem 2: Group members are aiming for different grades.

For example, you may really be aiming for a High Distinction, while the other group members are happy with a Pass or Credit.

Solution: You could try speaking with the group members about your expectations from the assignment. However, the group may be putting in an objectively acceptable amount of effort for the assignment – it just might not meet your standards. If this is the case, you may not be able to force your group mates to put in extra effort. Instead, you may have to ask yourself whether you are prepared to do the extra work to deliver the higher mark? If you do want to do this extra work, then it may be helpful to complete your part of the assignment early so that you can help the other group members with their parts.

Problem 3: There is a member taking control and dominating the group.

Solution: It is a good idea to speak to this group member respectfully about their behaviour. If you don’t not approach them about their behaviour, they will likely continue to dominate the group for the rest of the assignment. Try stating how you feel as a result of their behaviour, and then provide some alternative solutions. For example, you could suggest that each group member be allocated 5 minutes to discuss their perspective on the assignment. If this person continues to control the group, and you are not able to resolve the issue together, then it may be a good idea to seek support from your tutor.

Apps and Resources

• Google Drive: A personal cloud storage service that allows you to store and share documents and presentations. When using a google document, multiple parties can edit it at the same time.
• Drop Box: An alternative to google drive that also allows you to store and share information.
• Prezi: An online program that allows you to create group presentations. This can be used as an alternative to PowerPoint.
• Asana: Allows you to manage team projects and allocate tasks. The basic version of the platform is free.

More Videos:

Video: TED Talk - Build a Tower, Build a Team (6 minutes)

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• The University's Academic Learning Support team runs workshops on a range of topics, such as Procrastination and study skill development, and also offer one-to-one consults for assessment support. Check out the website here.

UPDATED March 2022

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