Activity 1.4.5.1: Building your Team Contract
Guidelines
This is a group work activity, in which all the members of your group are required to participate:
● Communicate with your teammates to set up a time to meet (online or in person).
● When you get together, choose someone to chair the meeting.
● As a group, read the entire activity and discuss the requirements before completing it.
● As you work through this activity, brainstorm, and note down ideas from group members.
● Take turns to speak / contribute.
● When you are done with this team contract, email it to your tutor and ensure that every member has a copy
At the end of this activity, you should have completed the following:
Part 1: Group Members, Team Roles, and Team Rotation Strategy
❏ Completed contact details
❏ Describe different team roles
❏ Complete the team rotation strategy
❏ Set up appropriate platforms to facilitate communication, e.g., WhatsApp group, Google Drive Folders etc.
Part 2: Team Agreement
❏ Complete team values
❏ Participation Ag,reement
❏ Communication Policy and Procedures
❏ Decision Making
❏ Conflict Resolution
Part 1: Group Members, Team Roles, and Team Rotation Strategy
Step 1: Team Members’ Contact Details
NAME AND SURNAME | PREFERRED NAME | CONTACT NUMBER | |
CAITLIN BAIA | CAITLIN | 0604961429 | 2544590@students.witsac.za |
ORATILE MATLHATSI | ORATILE | 0721998739 | 2429279@students.wits.ac.za |
FORTUNATE ZAMA | FORTUNATE | 0814452729 | 2540962@students.wits.ac.za |
KHADIJA ESSACK | KHADIJA | 0614746957 | 2573292@students.wits.ac.za |
RUTH MARCELYNE AUMA ODHIAMBO | RUTH | 0638441318 | 2428616@students.wits.ac.za |
KAGISO MATJEKE | KAGISO | 0607569626 | 2591766@students.wits.ac.za |
Step 2: Team Roles
In each of your group work tutorials, you will need to clearly define which role a team member must play. Examples of team roles are leader, scribe/note taker, editor, one responsible for submission etc. For there to be clear role definition, identify and describe the roles that are important for your team to function well:
ROLE | DESCRIPTION |
LEADER | Organising meetings and ensuring attendance. Deciding on or prioritising the session’s task. Reasonably delegating work to each group member. |
ASSISTANT | Encouraging engagement during sessions by involving group members. Ensuring good teamwork thorough communication and listening. Creating a space for group members to share thoughts. |
EDITOR | Editing work while looking for areas of improvement. Communicating with tutor to ask for feedback on work. Providing constructive criticism to group members on work done. |
SUBMISSION AGENT | Submitting necessary assignments on time. Ensuring work is completed in a timely manner and is not overdue. |
TIME KEEPER | Ensuring team is working efficiently during meetings. Ensuring meetings take place during pre-decided times. |
SCRIBE / NOTE TAKER | Typing up work and sending documents to group. Taking notes of what happens during meeting, including questions, ideas, or problems. |
Step 3: Team Role Rotation Strategy
You may choose to complete this section last, once you have a clearer understanding of your group working and communication strategy. This is not a set rotation plan but is a good way to allow people to take different roles in your team meetings.
Step 4: Team Communication Strategy
In addition to the timetabled group work sessions, how often will the group meet? Think about what is practical and appropriate for your needs.
This will change based on the amount of work that needs to be covered. However, once a week is the baseline.
These details for each session (date, venue, time) will be discussed prior.
What tools, software, applications and platforms will your group use to work and communicate?
WhatsApp group chat
Student Emails
MS Teams
Shared online documents
Part 2: Team Agreement
Step 1: Team Values
List the values you hold as a team to facilitate working together. Examples of values are: respect, integrity, etc.
Our team values are:
Step 2: Participation
List how your team members will participate.
As a team we jointly agree that every member commits to participating in the following ways:
Step 3: Communication Policy and Procedure
As a team, you should be clear about how you will communicate. Describe your communication policy and procedures.
Example: “All formal correspondence should be issued via email and should include all team members.”
communication policy and procedure:
Communication will take place on the Whatsapp group containing all team members for day-to-day communication.
Sending of work will take place on student email address and should include all team members.
Information discussed will remain private.
Step 4: Decision making
Describe how decisions are made and finalised by the team.
Example: Majority vote, Group leader, Process owner.
Decisions will be made by majority vote with all group members taking part.
Step 5: Conflict Resolution
5.1: What approaches or guidelines will your team apply to avoid conflict?
Being respectful in communication, and every member of the group will hold to team values. We will include every member of the group so that no one is left out. Ensure communication and be fair in your requests. Stick to our commitments and roles by remaining accountable and honest, and communicate any problems beforehand. Being mindful of group member’s time.
5.2: What is the procedure to communicate when a conflict occurs?
Discuss it within the group, and if it is not resolved consult the tutor as mediator.
5.3: What is your team's approach to resolving conflict?
Example: “The team will appoint one or two members to mediate/arbitrate”.
conflict resolution approach:
Appoint team members to mediate or arbitrate. Communicate problems in a simple way without harsh language. When conflict occurs and if necessary, take a break to calm down and process your emotions.
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