Team Values and Norms

(How to Work Together as a Team)

Note: If you took Design Project Management (DPM) course, you may have received and participated in Team Values. Please use those tools, as well.

During MSD week 1, you may participate in interactive activities for the purpose of team building. This may aid in getting to know each other. Team members should review Senior Design Team Roles document (on EDGE/ Resources/ Current Downloads/ Microsoft Word Files), to consider individual roles. This document will help in gaining team structure and general team facilitation tools.

At the first meeting, team members need to agree on a basic set of guiding principles or ground rules for running meetings, participating on the project team, and resolving conflicts.

This document covers three major areas:

  1. Commit to the Project
  2. Develop Team Ground Rules
  3. Determine Meeting Guidelines
  1. Commit to the Project

Objective:To get agreement within the team on the level of commitment that each team member will be making to the project.

Method:Discuss the commitment listed below. Add to, remove, or modify the items as appropriate for your team and the project.

  • Only commit to do work that we are qualified and capable of doing.
  • Be honest and realistic in reporting the progress of the project.
  • Be proactive. Volunteer to an action before the Team Leader has to solicit it.
  • Notify the Guide of any change to the project plan that may affect us.
  • Follow through on our individual commitments to the team and accept responsibility for our actions.
  • Keep other members informed of any potential problem that may affect the team’s performance.
  • Focus on what is best for the project as a whole.
  • See the project through the successful completion.

Action: After everyone has agreed to the list of commitments, each team member should sign the list, indicating that he or she agrees to live by these commitments.
  1. Develop Team Ground Rules

Objective: To establish ground rules that will help team members recognize and use appropriate behavior, which will result in meetings that are more productive, open, and ultimately more fun.

Method:Establish ground rules for team behavior.

  • Consider meeting discussions confidential unless indicated otherwise.
  • Listen openly to other people’s points of view.
  • Encourage a divergence of opinions on all topics.
  • Allow everyone the opportunity for equal participation.
  • Help keep discussions on track.
    Avoid placing blame on someone when things go wrong. Instead, review the process and discuss how it could be improved.

Agree on how team members will give and receive feedback:

When you are giving some feedback:

  • Give constructive feedback.
  • Don’t judge or label the other person; describe a specific behavior or incident.

When you are receiving feedback:

  • Listen carefully to the other person.
  • Try to understand the other person’s point of view.

When Planning and Solving Problems (technical and team processes).

  • Always use data (to the degree possible) or consensus, where necessary. (Don’t be a bully or be bullied. Understand the other person’s issue or problem.

When Brainstorming Sessions. (Brainstorming may be planned, such as Concept Development, or may occur totally unplanned, as when trying to Debug a project subsystem. That is, brainstorming may occur in the lab or in the hallway.

  • Encourage everyone to participate.
  • Never criticize ideas.
  • Think of ideas that are unusual or creative.
  • Come up with as many ideas as possible in the time allowed.
  • Build on other team members’ ideas.
  1. Determine Meeting Guidelines
  • Objective. Agree on how team meetings will be structured and what procedures the team will use to keep meetings on track.
  • Method: Agree on the basic structure for team meetings. Add to or modify the items listed below, according to team member suggestions.

Meeting Structure
Project meetings will be held every ______(every Sunday, Tuesday, Friday)
Meetings will be called by ______(Team Lead or delegate)
Agendas will be issued by ______(list team members, may wish to rotate this)
Guide’s Status Weekly Report will be issued by ______(list team members, may wish to rotate this). Keep on EDGE Team Project so team members can review and update, as needed.
Meetings will begin and end on time.
The scribe will issue minutes with XX days of the meeting.
The Team Leader will update Action Item List within XX days of the meeting.

Meeting Procedures

Team Leader may facilitate meetings or perhaps delegate to team member or rotate through each team member. This may offer everyone experience and give the Team Leader a stress break!

Follow the agenda and assigned times.

Add unresolved issues to the issues list at every team meeting. For each issue, assign someone to the resolve it and set a target date or completion.

As with facilitating meetings, the team may decide to rotate other meetings tasks. You may have experienced this during one of your Co-op quarters.

Propose topics or items to include on the agenda for the next meeting.

Evaluate each Team Meeting. Did we meet our objectives? Did we follow our own guidelines? Did we follow the agenda? Often forgotten or not planned but is CRITICAL for team success.

Use Data and Consensus Based decision making tools in team meetings. Ask you Guide for tools, if necessary.

Issues List

From EDGE Resources, copy Action Item/ Item List. Update at the start and at the end of each Team Meeting. Give the person at least two days to respond to the action or issue to be solved. Always assign a date for status and completion. Track the closure of issues to form a history log of the Team’s progress.