Teamwork Efficiency
I believe that my team was effective in working together on the project. First of all, the planning of the project was very efficient. In the initial meeting, we devised a clear plan and created a schedule for every team member to follow, which allowed everyone to stay on schedule and submit parts of work on time. We also decided that it would be better to break down every person’s work into smaller parts to avoid doing the project at the last minute.
This ensured that we had enough time to check the work and make any corrections if required. Secondly, we determined communication channels, using online collaboration tools, such as Google docs and instant messaging chats. This helped us to support each other and to enhance the decision-making process. Throughout the project, I could consult my teammates if I had any questions or concerns about my part, which was useful. Finally, I believe that the assignment allowed each team member to show his or her skills and abilities, while at the same time enhancing our knowledge of workplace communication tools that are used by different companies.
What I Learned from the Team
Working in a team was an exciting opportunity for me to learn new skills and improve my ability to work in a group. One of the key differences between working alone and working in a team for me was the need for collective decision-making. Working in a group requires all members to contribute to decision-making. While working on this project, I also discovered the value of effective leadership in teamwork. Our group leader was Josie, and she worked really hard to ensure that everyone submitted their part of work on time, while at the same time remaining very kind and supportive to all team members.
She organized each meeting to ensure that we stay on schedule and communicate with each team member to check on the project. Having such an effective team leader was motivating and inspiring, which is why I enjoyed working in a group more than working on my own. In addition, working as part of a group, I learned about conflict resolution and cooperation. There were some problems and challenges that we had to solve collectively in order to finish the project successfully, and I believe that the experience of solving conflicts within a team was very useful.
What Team Members Learned from Me
Throughout working on the project, I tried to participate in all aspects of teamwork, such as meetings, online discussions, and more. Apart from working on my part of the project, I also shared my thoughts about the project with others and helped my teammates where possible. However, I did not try to influence their decisions or take on a leadership role, as this was Josie’s responsibility. I think the key skill that other team members could have learned from me was effective participation and support.
In addition, I believe that I acted efficiently during any conflicts. On one hand, I tried to contribute to finding the most beneficial solution; on the other hand, I allowed my teammates to come to a compromise with the help of the team leader rather than attempting to influence the conflict. Overall, I believe that the project allowed me to convey my views on effective communication strategies to other team members.
Team Success Factors
There were four main factors that allowed our team to complete the project successfully. First, Josie’s effective leadership helped to ensure that all team members stay on track with their work and participate in all aspects of the project. Josie managed to promote effective communication and helped to resolve any conflicts regarding the choice of topics and tools to be reviewed. Josie’s remained supportive throughout the project, which helped us to stay motivated and complete all work on time. Secondly, determining various online communication channels helped us to promote decision-making and create a supportive working environment.
Instead of waiting for the next meeting, we solved the majority of issues online within a few hours, which helped us to devote more time to research and analysis of information. Lastly, the diversity of skills and abilities of team members was very useful. When one team member struggled to find information or could not find a particular feature, there was always someone willing to help. Supporting one another and following the plan carefully helped us to resolve most of the challenges that our team faced.
The Most Challenging Aspect
One of the most challenging aspects of the team project was balancing our schedule and other commitments to organize meetings. Initially, we could not find a perfect time to meet up and became concerned that we would not be able to work on the project effectively. However, as we started to discuss various options, we found a way to compromise and to alter our schedule in a way that would permit us to meet on a regular basis. Another challenge we faced was the choice of tools.
Most of the team members wanted to write about tools they were familiar with, which led to a minor conflict as we could not decide on the allocation of tools. However, our team able was able to solve the problem by assigning tools randomly, which was fair to all team members. Finally, it was rather difficult to decide on which parts of work to include, as the amount of research we produced far exceeded the project requirements. In this case, we held a group discussion to identify the most interesting aspects of the work done and included those parts into the final project.
Communication Technologies’ Effects
As part of the project, we investigated a wide variety of online collaboration tools with regards to their functionality, ease of use, benefits, and potential challenges. Overall, we found that most of the tools provide a lot of benefits for collaboration, specifically by supporting virtual team communication. For instance, Microsoft Skype for business can be used for business meetings in case, not all the workers are on-site, whereas Google Calendar can help the team to stay on track with the project schedule and regular meetings. However, with the variety of different tools available, it is crucial for the business to choose the ones that suit its current needs and can be implemented easily.
For instance, in order to use Microsoft Skype for Business effectively, it is crucial for all the participants to have high-speed, stable internet access. Google Drive, on the other hand, might influence the layout of documents, which could create difficulties if the team needs to follow a specific template in their work. Overall, a correctly chosen online tool that fits the goals and abilities of the team would be efficient in supporting virtual team communication, whereas a tool that does not suit the team’s needs might hinder the process.
Advice to Next Semester’s Student
The key advice that I would give to the next semester’s students is to create a detailed project plan and a project schedule right in the first meeting. For us, creating a project plan and schedule was very effective, as it helped us to stay on track with the work and ensure that we finish the project in advance. Moreover, it is also crucial to choose a good team leader who has a lot of experience in leading group work.
Josie was quick and efficient in resolving any conflicts or issues, which was one of the key factors allowing us to succeed. Finally, I would also recommend future students establish online communication channels. Not only does it allow to ensure quick and effective decision-making, which contributes to success, it also provides additional insight into the research of the use of communication tools, which helps to add value to the research conducted.