Ensuring a successful start of the group assignment

At the beginning of a group project, getting to know your teammates is essential for overcoming challenges and working efficiently towards shared goals.

- Explore these icebreaker activities to get to know each other and the team's diversity (website)
- Check these 35 icebreakers for virtual and hybrid meetings (website)

Discuss the project to develop a shared vision of the goals: 

• What is the assignment?
• What should the (final) result look like?
• What steps are needed to achieve success?

- Check these guidelines for a better understanding of a writing assignment (website)
- Look for these four key points in the assignment for clarity (infographic)
- Use these helpful tools for better understanding your assignment (video, 6’ 05)

Get to know your group members deeper by understanding their strengths, weaknesses, and skills to streamline role allocation.
Each team member can create a personal SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis and share it with the group. 

- Discover how to make a personal SWOT analysis (video, 5’)
- This scheme summarizes the different parts of a SWOT analysis (infographic)
- Some information and examples of SWOT analysis for students (website)

Next, make a team SWOT analysis by combining the individual SWOT analyses. Explore where your strengths and weaknesses complement each other and where gaps exist.
This way, you can identify your team’s strengths and weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing the team.

- Check this alternative exercise to discover each other's working styles and preferences (website)
- This is how you do a group SWOT analysis in group work (website)
- Check this activity to discuss team strengths and weaknesses (document)

Divide team roles according to each team member’s strengths and weaknesses.  
- Identify these group roles in your team (website)
- 6 different group roles at a glance (infographic)
- Discover different group roles (video, 2’)

Assign tasks to group members.
Be aware that you divide the workload evenly among the group members.

This step-by-step plan can help:

1. Define clear tasks

- Create a task list: identify all the tasks required to complete the project
- Define each task clearly, including specific expectations and deliverables

2. Allocate tasks among the group members
When dividing tasks, consider these factors: 

- Determine if tasks can be done solo or require teamwork
- Split larger tasks into sub-tasks
- Assign tasks based on each member's skills and expertise
- Aim for a fair distribution of workload

3. Set deadlines 

- Assign clear deadlines for each task to create accountability and minimize procrastination
- Track deadlines regularly to ensure steady progress, e.g. plan meetings close to important deadlines

4. Plan regular check-ins

- Schedule (bi-)weekly meetings to discuss progress and address any issues early
- Use these sessions to reassign tasks or adjust deadlines if needed 

• This overview can help you to list and divide tasks (infographic)
• Check these 7 actions to divide tasks equally (website)
• Discover 3 different ways to divide tasks (video, 5’)

Tip of student 
Create subgroups within the group, e.g. a couple of students within the same timezone.

A team contract outlines how the group plans to collaborate.
It addresses these questions:

• Communication: how will the group stay in touch?
• Information sharing: what tools will be used to share files and updates?
• Meeting: how often will the group meet, and in what format?
• Decision-making: how will the team handle decisions?
• Conflict resolution: what process will be followed for disagreements?
• Task division: how will the tasks be distributed?

- Discover the benefits and elements of a team contract (video, 1’50)
- Template of a group contract (document)
- Read the step-by-step guide of a team contract (website)

If necessary, write down the agreed terms for reference. If needed, adjust them as the project evolves.