University group projects sound innocent, but we get goose bumps thinking that we have to work with group members when we have to do mostly work on our own, which will be more like solo work instead of group work. One of the most dreaded experiences of students in university is working in a group, but through the right strategies and some tech tools, it can become a valuable learning experience.

In this guide, we will discuss about how we can deal with lazy group members? What are the best writing software tools for your next group presentation? How can you work in a group while actually working in a group?

WHY GROUP PROJECTS ARE STRESSFUL?

I am not going to lie, the problem is not in collaboration, but it is the delivery that matters. Before moving forward, we are going to go through some reasons why university group projects fail:

• Every individual works at a different speed.
• Communication is unclear.
• Tasks are not distributed equally.
• Some group members do not work at all.
• The conflicts are not solved.

Everything that exists has a reason; group projects exist because they build teamwork skills that will be useful in almost every field of life in the future. The group projects are not just about finishing the project, but also about developing skills like problem solving, time management, working with different personalities, and how to meet shared goals.

SET RULES

For working in a group, the first thing you need to do is organise a meeting with your team. In the meeting, you have to organise your team and set the rules which will save a lot of hassle in the future.

DISCUSS ABOUT GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS

In your meeting, you need to talk about certain points, like what grade we are trying to achieve. How much should each member participate? And discuss about deadline of the project. After all the discussion about goals, also talk about communication norms, that how all the group members will stay in contact with each other, and set a proper time at which all the group members can be available.

CREATE A TIMELINE

After the discussion of goals, create a timeline for your group project. Divide your whole project into small phases and set your deadline for each phase. First thing you need to do is to break the whole project into small parts like research, drafting, editing and presentation and then set a deadline for each phase. After completing all, select another deadline before the original deadline of the project so that you can complete your project easily before the due date.

ASSIGN WORK

The main step is to assign the work equally to the group members. In a group, every member is different from the others. Some might be good at writing, some as designers, and some as presenters. So make sure to divide and assign the work in which the members are comfortable to volunteer, but also try to encourage them to step out of their comfort zone so they can learn. Divide the task between group members equally as project manager, researcher, writer, presenter, and checker, who will double-check the project.

COLLABORATIVE WRITING TOOLS

Working on a group project is about time visibility, for which you need to work on collaborative software writing tools, which will make the process easier and time-saving. Google Docs and Treffo are the writing tools that can be used for drafting, editing. They are great for groups where fair contribution is a problem.

HOW TO DEAL WITH GROUP MEMBERS WHO ARE LAZY?

Now we will discuss how we can deal with the lazy group members without being rude.

COMMUNICATION

Sometimes, it is not about a person being lazy, but it is a misunderstanding or any other issue that the particular person is not able to tell. For situations like these, you need to be friendly and fair so that if there is any problem with the member, he can easily share his problem, that why the task assigned to him is still not submitted. 

ARRANGE A GROUP MEETING

If the talking part did not work, then call a group meeting in which you do not need to call out a particular person and criticise them. In the group meeting, focus on the solution of the assigned work, which has not been completed yet, instead of taunting the particular person.

INVOLVE THE TUTOR

When nothing works, then the last step is to engage your tutor and inform him about the issue with the member who is not willing to work. But engaging the tutor should be the last step; first, try to solve the issue within the group.

GROUP PRESENTATION

In a group, every member should be rewarded for their work, but if there is no coordination, the group presentation may crumble. So divide the whole work equally and fairly.

SPEAKING FRAGMENTS

For the presentation, the speaking part should be divided like introduction of the subject, presentation of each section, and who will answer the questions at the end of the presentation. Assign these roles in a way that avoids repetition and confusion.

PRACTICE

Before the final presentation, practice the whole presentation at least two times. When you are practicing, keep a record of time, keep checking for imperfections and improve those mistakes. Prepare joined and organised slides; this matters a lot during a presentation and attracts the attention of the audience. 

WORK AS A GROUP

Working as a group means that you all have to support each other in a presentation. If someone gets confused and forgets his line, politely jump in and try to tackle the situation. This will also show your teamwork and how professional you are during a presentation; you will be graded for it too because these small things are being noticed by the tutor. That’s why group presentations exist so that you can develop the skills needed to work in a team. 

CONCLUSION

From now on, do not panic whenever you hear the word GROUP PRESENTATION, but be strategic and start planning how you will handle the whole situation. The tips like communication, use of writing tools, and a bit of patience will be the cherry on top which will make your group shine. Your goal should not be only getting grades, but also how to work in a team with others. Group project in university is the most fun part if done in the right way. Keep the strategies in mind and best of luck for your future projects!

Written by Ansa Ishtiaq