working in groups · so, what skills and abilities can a person bring to a projt d t ?ject and a...

Working in groups

Life cycle. Roles. y

Graphical Interfaces fall 2010

The life cycle of a group


Roles

So, what skills and abilities can a person bring to a j t d t ?project and a team?


Professional Roles


Roles…

Each member in a team has (at least) two different lroles...

– Professional role (programmer, project leader...)– Some of these also define hierachy, e.g. system architect

typically superior to programmer)l– Team role

Other factors like personal likes and dislikes also affect the balance in a group


We can read a person’s CV…

…and still not have the slightest idea as toslightest idea as to whether they will fit the group or not.


group or not.

Measuring personalities

Jung tests– Introversion/Extroversion– Intuition/Sensing– Thinking/Feeling– Judging/Percieving– ESTP, IITP etc

The Enneagram – A nine factor personality systemA nine factor personality system


Measuring personalities

The Big Five, aka SLOAN– Extroversion - Social vs. Reserved type– Emotional Stability - Limbic vs. Calm type– Orderliness - Organized vs. Unstructured type– Accommodation - Accommodating vs. Egocentric type

Intellect - Non-curious vs. Inquisitive type – SLOAN, RCUEI etc...

However, these categorizations say nothing about gruop mentality


Belbn

Team rolesHow people act when being part of a (professional) team

Eight roles plus one supportiveone supportive

All are necessary!y


Belbin

No role is entirely good; they all have pros and cons.

Everyone has a primary and a secondary teamEveryone has a primary and a secondary team role (and so on...)

We take on the role(s) needed, which is why we may act differently in different groupsmay act differently in different groups


Real life part I


Real life part II


Real life part III


Other forces


Advice

Speak ”same l ”language”

Workload spreads out pdifferently depending onp gdiscipline


Advice

Tight communication, work together as much as iblpossible


Advice

Beware of culture clashes...– Not only natural cultures but more importantly– designer / HCI-culture clash!

Establish means of workingg– Time-issues– PlacePlace– Decision-making (consensus vs expertise areas)– AmbitionAmbition


Advice

Set up a small project plan– Several deadlines– Who is responsible for what; estimate skill set– Note: Report is shared responsibility– Slack– The -factor


Advice for larger projects

When planning and choosing project idea... tresource management

– What are your skills/strengths?– Level of ambition?– Other resources at hand?

Clearly express the design requirementsy g– Stating objectives– Sucess criteria



Make sure that you share responsibility and k l dknowledge

– The bus factor– But still divide tasks; everyone cannot do everything, that

takes too much time

Establish good means of communication to keep track of the projectp j

– Blog? Wiki? Not only email...

Project plan even more importantSlack deadlines Plan B’s


– Slack, deadlines, Plan B s


Discuss– Levels of ambition– What happens if someone doesn’t do what they are

d ?supposed to?– How are decisions made? By a project leader?

C ? V ti ?Consensus? Voting?


Good luck!


working in groups · so, what skills and abilities can a person bring to a projt d t ?ject and a...

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