You find yourself panicking the night of a deadline, scrambling to finish the part of the project that your partner should have taken care of weeks ago. You begin to wonder: what could I have done differently?
We’ve all been there.
Being stuck within a noncommittal group is quite a universal experience. When it comes to assignments, presentations and projects, having group members that show blatant disregard for their personal contributions is about as frustrating as it gets. After all, why should one or two hard-working group members be forced to complete an entire project’s worth of work?
There are methods, however, through which a student can attempt to keep the workload-sharing process as smooth as possible. Some of these methods require thought before choosing partners, while others may serve as damage control in situations that have already proven difficult.
Here are some dos and don’ts in the process of managing the labour of an ideal group project.
DO: Ask potential partners what success looks like to them
With so many unique perspectives and experiences, the term “good grade” doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone. Being mindful of this can allow an unsure student the opportunity to choose partners who share similar goals for the project and align with their own definition of “success.”
Some may be hoping for an incredibly high grade from an assignment, while others might simply hope to pass. Either way, asking potential partners what their goals are for the project’s final outcome can prove to be an effective means of seeking out individuals with a similar level of care toward their work.
Before settling on a partner, ask them what grade they are hoping to attain from the project, and use their response to determine whether you have similar intentions.
DO: Set up a schedule
It’s easy to ignore a long-term project until the deadline draws close, which can cause unnecessary stress and negatively impact its final quality. Meeting with your group as soon as its members have been decided is a good opportunity to create a schedule that each student is expected to follow.
This can take multiple forms. A schedule could consist of distinct checkpoints in which specific elements of the project should be completed by a certain date, allowing the group to effectively spread the workload across the days, weeks or months before the deadline.
Another option would be to hold weekly or bi-weekly meetings in which members debrief their work until that point. These meetings don’t have to be long or tedious. A few minutes a week can serve as an effective way to remain updated on the status of everyone’s progress and clear up issues.
Forming a schedule also provides an opportunity to hold members accountable when it’s clear they haven’t been completing their share. Checkpoints and meetings early in the project can serve as indicators of any members that might be neglecting their portion of work.
If a group partner is neglecting their responsibilities, it’s important to remain civil and understanding. You might not be sure what a person is facing privately, and they may have a legitimate excuse for not having completed their work yet. Accusations often lead to tension, which only makes the process less smooth. Deal with accountability in a gentle manner or neglectful partners may end up the least of your concerns.
DON’T: Immediately join a group only because your friends are in it
There are certainly situations in which joining a group of friends can be beneficial. Working with like-minded people is generally an advantage and there’s no shame in drifting towards groups with familiar faces. This is completely natural.
However, while joining friends can certainly positively affect a project, it can also lead to difficulty if other factors are never considered. Before joining a group without any forethought into what to expect from the group in terms of responsibility, it is worthwhile to consider potential ramifications such as the possibility of distraction between friends. This isn’t to say that you should never join groups composed of friends. It’s simply wise to give this process a bit of thought before jumping into a project that may take weeks or even months to complete.
It’s also worth considering that university is a fantastic place to meet new people and form new bonds. Joining a group with unfamiliar students could end up creating brand-new relationships, so there’s certainly a benefit to joining groups with strangers.
DO: Delegate tasks as early as possible
Similar to creating a schedule, delegating tasks is an effective way to balance the workload early on. Discussing the roles each group member will assume within the group allows each individual member to follow their strengths and feel committed to their specific portion of the project.
Splitting up the project may take on a literal meaning in a presentation, with different members in charge of their own subjects or discussion points. Other kinds of projects will require more creativity. For example, in a group essay, tasks such as researching, blueprinting and editing might be delegated to the individuals whose strengths best suit any given task.
There will always be areas where cooperation is required, but giving each group member a unique responsibility for their part of the project can help balance the overall workload.
DO: Meet with your instructor if things aren’t improving
Your instructor, whether they be a professor or seminar leader, is there to help you. It’s always best to allow potentially neglectful partners an opportunity to improve, but if you find yourself forced into completing others’ portions of work without a way to escape, there is no shame in letting your instructor know to ask for advice or seek assistance.
While the support you receive is dependent on the situation and the instructor you approach, it is still generally beneficial to let them know of the issues that you’re experiencing. It’s usually also helpful to inform them of your concerns as early before the assignment deadline as possible so that you’re not completing more than your fair share throughout the entire duration of the project. As the due date draws near, potential solutions can become increasingly difficult to find.
DON’T: Be the neglectful group member
This should go without saying, but please don’t be the group member that disregards their portion of the work. Not only is this plainly disrespectful towards your peers, but it forces more work upon them and risks bringing their grades down. It can also earn you a negative reputation within the partner-selection process for future group projects.
With so many types of group projects, there are several other methods to work toward a smooth process that depend on the project’s format. Whether you employ these strategies or find others that work for you, remember that there are plenty of committed, diligent potential partners out there, and finding them can make group projects some of the most memorable and enjoyable experiences of your post-secondary journey.
