ESC100 – Design Studio Week 4
Teamwork
Introduction to the Project
Brainstorming
Today’s Schedule:
2:05-2:25
Machine Shop
2:30-2:45
Short Teaming Lecture
2:45-3:15
Get to know your team (team contract)
3:15-3:30 The Project and Milestone 1
3:30-4:45
Design Specs and Brainstorming
What is teamwork…. (it is more than a group)
A team is a group of people with
complementary skills who are
committed to a common purpose, performance goals and
approach, for which they hold
themselves accountable
Famous Quotes About Teamwork

Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is
progress. Working together is success. -Henry Ford
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Teamwork is the ability to work as a group toward a
common vision, even if that vision becomes extremely
blurry. - unknown
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I can do what you can’t do, and you can do what I can’t do;
together we can do great things. - Mother Teresa
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No member of a crew is praised for the rugged individuality
of his rowing. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Why Students don’t like Teams
A. Students do not know what to expect.
B. Decisions take more time
C. There are disagreements
D. Not all students fully participate
E. Scheduling conflicts
F. Tension of individual versus group accountability
Benefits of Working in Teams

Accomplish projects an individual cannot do
◦ Most engineering projects are too large or too complex for one individual to
complete alone.

Brainstorm More Solution Options & Detect Flaws in Solutions
◦ Different people looking at the same problem will find different solutions.
◦ A team looking at different proposed solutions may find pitfalls that an
individual might miss.
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Build Community
◦ Members of effective teams can form personal bonds which are good for
individual and workplace morale. In the university setting, students on
teams often form bonds that extend beyond the classroom.
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Exposure to different points of view
◦ You learn different ways of approaching a problem when you are exposed to
methods and ideas that other people have.
Benefits of Working in Teams

Critical Thinking & Evaluation Skills
◦ You must use these skills to evaluate the complex issues of team
project goals and to formulate appropriate solutions and plans
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Conflict Resolution Skills
◦ Yes, teams have conflicts, but you can develop the skills to facilitate
solutions to conflicts so that the team remains functional.
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Develop Good Communication Skills
◦ Effective teams . . .
 Actively and effectively listen to their team members to understand their
ideas and concerns.
 Effectively articulate their ideas or their concerns to others.
 Provide genuinely constructive feedback to team members
Team Skills
Listen
•Listen to other's ideas. When people are allowed to freely
express their ideas, these initial ideas produce other ideas.
Question
• Ask questions, interact, and discuss the objectives of the team.
Persuade
• Individuals are encouraged to exchange, defend, and then to ultimately
rethink their ideas.
Respect
Help
Share
Participate
• Treat others with respect and support their ideas.
• Help one's coworkers, which is the general theme of teamwork.
• Share with the team to create an environment of teamwork.
• All members of the team are encouraged to participate in the team.
Tips on Communication
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Listen actively and ask questions
Give constructive feedback
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Don't express an opinion as a fact
Explain your reasons
Restate the original idea to be sure it's understood
Compliment another's idea
Respond, don't react
Don't interrupt
Critique the idea, not the person
Be courteous
Avoid jargon
Be Aware of body language and tone.
Tips on Team Organization
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Assign a Group Leader - Project manager, Leader, Facilitator, etc.
List tasks to be completed
◦ Assign responsibility for all tasks, develop a timeline, develop and post a
checklist.
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Communicate
◦ Maintain a central archive for all communications (a team Design
Notebook).
◦ Communicate all team meetings - Send reminders when deadlines
approach, Send confirmation when tasks are completed.
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Distribute the work among members
◦ Equivalency-Fairness-Balance, Ability-Training-Experience, Time and Effort
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Do what you promise to do . . . Be accountable
◦ On time, Your best quality work
Tips on Resolving Conflict
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Acknowledge the conflict – don’t ignore it
Review your team contract.
Stick to the facts – don’t get personal
Analyze the situation – encourage different points of view
Focus on a solution – don’t get stuck on things you can’t
change
Once you decide on a solution – move forward
Tip - Running a Good Meeting
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Plan the meeting – objectives & agenda
Inform the team – when, where, information they need, what
they need to prepare
Conduct effectively – follow agenda, one item at a time,
manage discussion, maintain focus and pace
Summarize meeting – summarize decisions and action items,
send notes out to team
Finally - Keep in mind that:
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Working in a group does NOT mean that you are
working as a team.
Teamwork does NOT just happen.
Team skills need practice and development.
A team’s success is measured by the achievement of
the team as a whole.
Industry values teamwork more than an individual’s
ability to contribute.
Today
2:45-3:15 Spend 30 minutes with your team
◦ Read over and discuss team contract (due Monday).
◦ Sign Tool Kit agreement
3:15 Introduction to the Design Project and Milestone #1
3:30 Back in Teams
◦ Review and Rewrite the problem specifications (Performance,
Geometry, Materials, Energy, Time, Cost, Manufacture,
Standards, Safety, Transport, Ergonomics)
◦ Brainstorm Ideas for your project
Monday – We will meet as a group (OLIN 204) DUE –20
ideas that you have brainstormed for the project. Bring
list to hand in
Teams
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Samwick, Cavazos, Bailey
Esposito, Sharry, Mintz
Foresman, Fromm, Vesling
Van Nostrand, Rubin, Woods
Haren, Klug, Martin
Donlon, Sears, Brown
‹#›/
Problem Definition
Design Specs:
 Performance, Geometry, Materials, Energy, Time, Cost,
Manufacture, Standards, Safety, Transport, Ergonomics
Brainstorming:
 The basic ground rules for brainstorming are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
All ideas are welcome. There are no wrong answers. Wild
ideas are encouraged.
During brainstorming, no judgment or criticism is allowed.
Generate as many ideas as possible. Seek quantity rather
than quality of ideas. Don’t give long explanations. Be brief.
Building on or expanding previous ideas ("hitchhiking") is
encouraged.
Acknowledgement
This presentation is adopted in part from the following web
pages:
http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/teams/
http://www.engr.sjsu.edu/E10/