ISyE Senior Design
Teamwork Effectiveness
Part I – Building an Effective Team
Who am I?
Blake E. Cherrington, Ph.D., P.E.
Dean Emeritus of the School of Engineering
University of Dayton
Executive in Residence
GT Institute for Leadership and Entrepreneurship
Why am I here?
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The biggest problem you are likely to
have in senior design (and in your career)
is figuring out how to work together
effectively as a group.
It is very often frustrating and difficult,
but the problems are (often) easy to
avoid, or solve.
I’m here to help.
What’s in it for you?
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I am available for consultation by
individuals or teams on ‘team dynamic’
problems.
I have nothing to do with the grade
you receive.
What you tell me is between you and
me.
How do you get in touch
with me?
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By appointment.
– Blake.Cherrington@comcast.net
– blake.cherrington@ile.gatech.edu
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We can meet in my office (4166/488 4th
Floor Management Building beside ‘Trading
Floor’), or Bookstore Starbucks, or over
here.
I’m usually on-campus on Wednesdays, but
I can come in on other days.
How Many of You Have Had
Problems Working in Teams?
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How many of you get mad at the ‘slacker’
who doesn’t pull her/his weight?
How many of you have been really
honked off with the obnoxious team
member who wants to tell everybody
what to do?
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How many of you wish some of the
team members would listen to your
good ideas and use them?
How many of you wish the blabber
mouths with the crazy ideas on your
team would just shut up and get to
work?
What teamwork problems
can you expect?
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One or two of your team members will
not pull their weight.
Communications between team
members will break down.
Communications with your client will
be difficult.
Your project schedule will blow up.
Your leader will quit, or be replaced.
How can you avoid these
problems?
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Build an effective team.
Develop an effective communications
strategy.
Accept responsibility and report regularly.
Establish a schedule and monitor your
progress.
Learn to disagree without being
disagreeable.
ISyE Senior Design
Teamwork Effectiveness
Part I – Building an Effective Team
Building an Effective Team
Look for
 Competence,
 Character,
 Complementary
skills ,
 Collaborative ability,
 Commitment.
What Skills are Desired
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One member with a close relationship
with the project sponsor.
Several members with excellent writing
and presentation skills.
Members with exceptional proficiency in
simulation / programming languages.
Someone willing to take on the
considerable work of leading and
coordinating the team.
Team Choice Strategies
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Get your friends together.
GPA Grouping.
Skills Inventory Approach.
Football Draft based on oral
presentation (best) or written.
Secret Ballot.
Application for Team
(Skills Inventory)
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ISyE courses taken, electives.
Special skills (computer languages, Web
page creation, PPT, Word, speaking skills)
Work and co-op experience, hobbies,
sports.
Previous leadership experiences.
Live on campus? Have a car?
Outside time commitments (family, job)
Statement of Strengths as team member.
Choosing the Team
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Do a ‘skills inventory’ for each
prospective member.
Interview prospective team members to
see if they have a complementary skill
set and the 5 ‘C’s’.
Look for diversity. Reflect the client.
Choose a leader (carefully) and respect
that choice.
Building Team Chemistry
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Complete the Myers-Briggs personality
profile and use it for problem solving.
Share the ‘Skills Inventory’ with each
other.
Socialize to build friendship and
respect.
The Team –
be honest with each other
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What does each team member
consider a personal win?
– A top notch performance that’s worth an
A+++
– A pretty decent job that keeps my GPA up
– No worse than a C
– As long as I don’t fail
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Get to know what other demands are
on everyone’s time.
Summary of strategies
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Define the skills you will need.
Do a skills inventory.
Keep in mind the five ‘C’s’.
Choose the team members.
Build team chemistry.
Be honest with each other.
There’s a lot more
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This is a very brief summary of
strategies to make a more effective
team.
I would be glad to meet with any
individual or any teams to go into
more depth on any of these topics.
How can I help?
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I am a coach, not an advocate.
You have to solve your own problems.
I can help you define the problem in
actionable terms.
I can suggest strategies to resolve the
issue.
How do you get in touch
with me?

By appointment.
– Blake.Cherrington@comcast.net
– blake.cherrington@ile.gatech.edu


We can meet in my office (4th Floor
Management Building, or Starbucks),
or over here.
I’m usually on-campus on
Wednesdays, but I can come in on
other days.