1. 1 Chapter 3 Defining The Problem: Project and People Skills

2. 2 Today’s Menu! Project Management: making sure goals are met with quality, on time and within budget Project Management: making sure goals are met with quality, on time and within budget Communications: both written and oral between team members, and between the team and the external world Communications: both written and oral between team members, and between the team and the external world.. during the problem definition phase, and beyond..

3. 3 3.1 Project Management 3.1.1 Discussing and Defining Project Expectations  A team’s future success relies on:  Sharing a common and clear vision  Learning about each other’s skills  Following a reliable design process  Careful planning and management of resources  General expectations:  To work hard & productively  For all to participate  To produce quality work  To meet deadlines  To apply acquired engineering skills  To learn about technical aspects of the design topic

4. 4 3.1.2 Coordinating Schedules and Planning Meetings  Plan when & where you’ll have your meetings  Take the time to find your team’s limits  When planning for meetings:  Suitability of times & places for everyone (café)  Create additional incentives for coming (coffee!)  Avoid distractive places (not café)  Establish specific starting and ending times  Specify objectives of meetings (agenda)  Establish ground rules for meetings (part of the working agreement) of the working agreement)

5. 5

6. 6 3.1.3 Establishing a Working Agreement  The Norms of behavior are related to “what” and “how”  They could be formed either implicitly or explicitly  Defining a working agreement specifies how a team will work together  A working agreement should cover aspects of:  Communications: Means & protocols  Participation: working together to achieve common goals  Decision making & conflict resolution  Roles & responsibilities for each member  Ground rules for meetings  Professional & ethical conduct between meetings  Must be signed by all members

7. 7

8. 8

9. 9 3.1.4 Adhering to Your Working Agreement  Invest the time to establish meeting’s structure (e.g. timekeeper-facilitator, note taker)  All team members should be encouraged to serve as secondary facilitators (i.e. be inclusive)  The team must assess itself based on the work agreement previously set  The team must build its interpersonal skills (especially those that require improvement)

10. 10 3.2 Communications 3.2.1 Active Listening and Probing Skills Being an active listener means:  Paying attention  Focusing on understanding not on responding  Attempting to move a conversation forward by showing understanding  Helping others clarify and expand their ideas  Showing support  Probing for more information

11. 11

12. 12 3.2.1 Active Listening and Probing Skills (cont’d) Types of responses:  Evaluative responses – this’ll never work..  Reflective responses – feel some apprehension..  Supportive responses – interesting idea!  Probing responses – and you mean by this what?  Summarizing responses – we’ve all agreed on..

13. 13

14. 14 In Summary, The golden triangle of project management outcomes: on time, within budget and with quality The golden triangle of project management outcomes: on time, within budget and with quality To achieve that: a common vision, mutual understanding and effective management of resources helps To achieve that: a common vision, mutual understanding and effective management of resources helps Meetings must be needed, have an agenda, facilitated and minute-d, conclude within time and with new action points (R) Meetings must be needed, have an agenda, facilitated and minute-d, conclude within time and with new action points (R) A written working agreement that covers various aspects of project management (e.g. meeting rules) must be signed and actually executed A written working agreement that covers various aspects of project management (e.g. meeting rules) must be signed and actually executed Active listening: how to help it happen Active listening: how to help it happen Different types of responses and how some could be more constructive than others! Different types of responses and how some could be more constructive than others!

15. 15 Today’s Menu Communication: both written and oral between team members, and between the team and the external world Communication: both written and oral between team members, and between the team and the external world Collaboration: gradual development of smooth cooperation resulting in effective and efficient team performance Collaboration: gradual development of smooth cooperation resulting in effective and efficient team performance.. during the problem definition phase, and beyond..

16. 16 3.2.2 The Laboratory Record Book 3.2.2 The Laboratory Record Book  usually, it is a preprinted laboratory note  with consecutive page numbers  designed to prevent tampering  can serve as legal evidence in a court of law  but may be a three-ring binder that designers can add materials to, at any time

17. 17

18. 18

19. 19 3.2.3 Composition Skills  Why does it matter?  Engineers are responsible for educating society about the technologies of the future.  Other reasons: ??  Three broad categories (define) Grammar, spelling and punctuationGrammar, spelling and punctuation Structure, organization and developmentStructure, organization and development Style, syntax and dictionStyle, syntax and diction Make sure to Develop your own unique style Develop your own unique style Keep sentences short and clear Keep sentences short and clear Select the right (simpler) word Select the right (simpler) word If possible, tell a story If possible, tell a story

20. 20

21. 21

22. 22 3.3 Collaboration  Teams always take time to mature  Typical phases of team development include: Forming Forming Challenging Challenging Accepting Accepting Collaborating. Collaborating.

23. 23 3.3.1 Overview of the Four Stages of Team Development Forming; Forming; Getting to know each other and starting to think as part of a team Getting to know each other and starting to think as part of a team Challenging; Challenging; Rubbing against each other leading to conflicts that can be kept constructive  Rubbing against each other leading to conflicts that can be kept constructive  Accepting; Accepting; Accepting differences and forming a unifying vision and a commitment to realizing it (a.k.a. a “working agreement”) Accepting differences and forming a unifying vision and a commitment to realizing it (a.k.a. a “working agreement”) Collaborating; Collaborating; Working harmoniously, each according to his/her strengths for the benefit of the team Working harmoniously, each according to his/her strengths for the benefit of the team

24. 24

25. 25

26. 26.. And finally, collaboration

27. 27 In Summary, Work towards the drawing of a written Working Agreement to manage team resources effectively & efficiently (as well as pleasantly!) Work towards the drawing of a written Working Agreement to manage team resources effectively & efficiently (as well as pleasantly!) Keep a record (lab book) of all materials necessary for the ultimate creation of the (required) Project Folder Keep a record (lab book) of all materials necessary for the ultimate creation of the (required) Project Folder Work through your team’s forming phases- don’t avoid conflicts; manage them constructively, the aim being Integrative Harmony Work through your team’s forming phases- don’t avoid conflicts; manage them constructively, the aim being Integrative Harmony