Work it out on the remix: the do's and don'ts of collaboration

Why is everyone always so hung up about group projects? Sure, they come with their challenges like any other assessment – but they also offer something that a solo project can’t: they teach you to work together with other people. Apologies to all the introverts and lone wolves out there, but working with other people is basically inevitable once you get out into the real world, and much like yourself, those other people won’t be perfect.

The upside is that with a few simple strategies you can overcome the regular trappings of the dreaded group project, and instead walk away with the results you’re looking for, some new skills that could be useful for the workplace, and maybe even some friends or job referrals down the way!

Do: Create a common goal as a group and stick to it

This is probably one of the most important things you can do when you’re embarking on any group project. What are you actually trying to get done? When will you know it’s done? How will you know if it’s good enough? Create criteria for success, and agree as a group to commit to it. Sometimes most of the criteria are there for you, in the form of an assessment task notification, or marking criteria, but if you don’t have one, it’s worth making one. Having a criteria means you’re all working towards the same thing, and you can frame any brainstorm, discussion or critique around whether it works towards this criteria, rather than just because one person or the other prefers it that way.

Don't: Dominate the discussion

I’m what you might call a yapper – but having the loudest voice doesn’t mean I have the best ideas. Everyone has something they can bring to the table, and they deserve the opportunity to speak their mind and add to the conversation. It’s also good to get people involved because it helps them take mutual ownership of the project, which means they’re more likely to go the extra mile.

There are a whole bunch of techniques you can use to encourage people to contribute, but often times the best way to do it is to simply ask what they think, either in public or in private if they’re a bit shy. Even if someone doesn’t have something to add, you show that you’re someone who’s attentive and cares about the group’s wellbeing.

Do: Set clear roles and responsibilities

Like the above, make sure everyone knows what they should be doing at any given moment – even if the direction is just to wait until they have a new task. Nobody should be able to say ‘who me? I thought you were working on that’. You can choose to assign roles based on people’s skills/ strengths or rotate roles as you go. For example, you could make a quick roster for someone to take notes and make action points during the meeting, while another person runs it.

Don’t: micromanage

There’s a difference between leading a group and micromanaging. The key is to separate the objective (things based in fact) and the subjective (things based on opinion). It’s fine to point out a spelling mistake, a contradiction or something that might need a citation, but if you just don’t like someone’s writing style, it’s probably best to keep that to yourself if they’re going to get the marks anyway. Pick your battles!

Do: Celebrate successes (and failures)

Who doesn’t like compliments? When you’re studying it often feels like you’re just moving from one project to another until you get your final marks back – but it’s worth putting a message in from time to time reminding everyone that they’re doing a great job.

Celebrating failures might sound silly, but early failures are a great thing. Better to know that an idea isn’t going to work out after a quick investigation or test, than when you’ve invested lots of time, money or effort into a project.

Don’t: be inauthentic

People don’t normally show up to do a bad job, and while group projects can get a bad rep, it’s important to assume that someone really is trying their best (and want to improve), and approach giving feedback in that spirit.

When you’re giving feedback, try not to be phony. People can tell when you’re genuinely giving a compliment, and when you’re preparing for a badly executed compliment sandwich (compliment, critique, compliment) by making up something nice to say before you get into what you really wanted to say. If you’re going to make a compliment or a critique, make sure it’s specific, genuine and, in the case of a critique, that it provides a way for that person to improve.

Do: Keep the chat up

Every group needs someone to keep the project moving forward – and that person could be you. Don’t be afraid to check in at regular periods to see how people are progressing, especially if you need someone to finish one task before someone can start another. Chat apps like Messenger, Discord, Slack or even workplace management software like Asana, Monday, Jira and more could be a great way to manage your tasks across big projects.

Big projects with lots of contributors can create a bit of a bystander effect, so creating some (gentle) visibility, accountability and urgency can inspire people to get a move on.

Don’t: Be a hypocrite

The best way to lead is by example. If you want to keep people accountable, then you need to make sure you’re staying
accountable yourself. If you want to receive detailed feedback, make sure your feedback is awesome. Will you always be treated the way you treat others? At this point in your life, I’m sure you know the answer to that question – but nobody will be able to say to you that they chose to take a negative action because you inspired them to do it.

As a recently very famous popstar once said ‘girl, it’s confusing’. But with a little bit of knowledge on your side, you could create the crossover event of the century and build some essential skills that you can take with you for life – from handling a group uni assessment or planning an epic European vacay with your mates, all the way to smashing it in your career, leading work projects with ease.

After all, your teachers and lecturers aren’t joking when they say that group assignments prepare you for real life. By honing your skills in the group project, you’re getting ready to become a superstar team player in your dream job.