Team Formation

Here are some things to consider before forming your group:

You will be doing this project in teams of 4, as all of the logistics are designed for that many students. As you can imagine, there is a fair bit of anxiety associated with group projects but know that this particular group project has several features that should make it possible to deal with any unforeseen circumstances. There is a little bit of additional work needed to form a team, so we can make sure that all team members are on the same page, and teamwork can happen harmoniously. Below is some guidance for you, we expect you to read it all the way through.

Considerations when looking for a team

It may be very tempting to do this, but try to avoid making a group with people you already know and have worked with in the past. I know this will be really hard and counter-intuitive, but group dynamics are very tricky and in my experience people that don’t know each other from before tend to approach the project and the code of conduct differently.

Consideration 1: Interest in the topic

As we’ve said, the most important thing you should look for in a team member, is an interest in the topic of whatever project you end up choosing.

Consideration 2: Diversity of knowledge, experience, and skills

Here is a self-assessment form that each members of your group should do.

Traits	Beginner	Novice	Expert
General familiarity with technology
Programming Experience (any language)
Presentations and communication
Organization and Logistics
Design/Aesthetic skills
Attention to Detail

The ideal group would have a healthy mix of traits in each of the group members. It’s very unlikely that one person will be an “expert” in everything, and we want to make sure the group experience is such that everyone can learn and benefit in different ways. We are not going to police your groups, but the groups that we “worry about” the most, are those where all members declare themselves as “experts”.

Consideration 3: Availability

You should work with group members with whom you can easily find a weekly timeslot to meet, if possible and convenient, some meetings in person. There is nothing more frustrating than group members who can’t find a time to work on things simultaneously. If you are a morning person, try to find others who want to work in the mornings. If you stay up till 3 AM every night, it will likely not make a good match to work with team members who want to meet at 8 AM.

Consideration 4: Goals for the project

You should work with group members with shared goals on what your final objective is. Your objective could be as simple as “do the bare minimum to pass the project”, or “do as much as I can given my heavy course and work load” (make sure to define what “as much as I can” means), or “try everything, and aim to do the best I can”, or “my goal is to make something I’m proud of that I can show my future employers”. Consider all those options above and make sure your team members are on the same page.

Good luck!