2.1 Group Project Survival

Succeeding in University Group Projects团队项目

🎯 Why Group Projects团队项目 Matter

Group projects are an essential part of university education that mirror real-world software development. They teach skills in collaboration, communication, project management, and technical integration that are crucial for your future career. 团队项目是大学教育的重要组成部分,贴近真实的软件工程实践。它能训练协作沟通、项目管理与技术集成等关键能力,这些能力对未来职业发展至关重要。

graph TD A[Group Project Skills] --> B[Technical Skills] A --> C[Soft Skills] A --> D[Project Management] A --> E[Professional Development] B --> B1[Code Integration] B --> B2[Version Control] B --> B3[Testing & Debugging] C --> C1[Communication] C --> C2[Teamwork] C --> C3[Conflict Resolution] D --> D1[Planning] D --> D2[Time Management] D --> D3[Resource Allocation] E --> E1[Leadership] E --> E2[Accountability] E --> E3[Professionalism] style A fill:#e07a5f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style B fill:#81b29a,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style C fill:#f2cc8f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style D fill:#81b29a,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style E fill:#e07a5f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px

📋 Project Planning Phase

Initial Team Meeting

The first meeting sets the foundation for your entire project: 第一次会议为整个项目奠定基础:

# First Meeting Agenda:

## 1. Introduction介绍s & Expectations
- Name, program, year, technical strengths
- Previous project experience
- Availability and time commitment
- Learning goals for the project

## 2. Project Understanding
- Read requirements together
- Clarify ambiguities
- Identify technical challenges
- Discuss scope and boundaries

## 3. Roles & Responsibilities
- Project Manager/Lead
- Technical Lead
- Documentation Lead
- Testing/QA Lead
- Frontend/Backend specialists

## 4. Communication Plan
- Preferred communication channels
- Meeting schedule (weekly/bi-weekly)
- Response time expectations
- Decision-making process

## 5. Tools & Technologies
- Version control (Git/GitHub)
- Project management (Trello, Notion)
- Communication (Discord, Slack)
- Development environment

## 6. Timeline & Milestones
- Break down project into phases
- Set intermediate deadlines
- Plan for testing and debugging
- Buffer time for unexpected issues

Creating a Project Charter

# Project Charter Template

## Project Name: [Your Project Name]
## Course: COMP1531
## Team Members: [Names & Student IDs]
## Date: [Start Date]

## Project Vision
[Clear statement of what you want to achieve]

## Success Criteria
- [ ] Functional requirements met
- [ ] Technical requirements met
- [ ] Documentation complete
- [ ] All tests passing
- [ ] Demo ready

## Technical Architecture
[High-level overview of system design]

## Roles & Responsibilities
- [Name]: [Role] - [Specific responsibilities]
- [Name]: [Role] - [Specific responsibilities]
- [Name]: [Role] - [Specific responsibilities]
- [Name]: [Role] - [Specific responsibilities]

## Communication Plan
- Weekly meetings: [Day/Time]
- Primary communication: [Tool]
- Backup communication: [Tool]
- Decision-making: [Process]

## Timeline
- Phase 1 (Planning): [Dates]
- Phase 2 (Development): [Dates]
- Phase 3 (Testing): [Dates]
- Phase 4 (Documentation): [Dates]
- Phase 5 (Presentation): [Dates]

## Risk Management
- [Risk]: [Mitigation strategy]
- [Risk]: [Mitigation strategy]
- [Risk]: [Mitigation strategy]

🤝 Effective Team Communication

Communication Best Practices

graph TD A[Effective Communication] --> B[Clear & Concise] A --> C[Regular & Consistent] A --> D[Respectful & Professional] A --> E[Documented & Traceable] B --> B1[Use specific examples] B --> B2[Avoid technical jargon when possible] B --> B3[Confirm understanding] C --> C1[Weekly meetings] C --> C2[Progress updates] C --> C3[Issue escalation] D --> D1[Active listening] D --> D2[Constructive feedback] D --> D3[Professional language] E --> E1[Meeting minutes] E --> E2[Decision records] E --> E3[Progress documentation] style A fill:#e07a5f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style B fill:#81b29a,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style C fill:#f2cc8f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style D fill:#81b29a,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style E fill:#e07a5f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px

Meeting Structure

# Effective Meeting Template

## Weekly Stand-up (15-30 minutes)

### 1. Quick Wins (5 minutes)
- Share progress from last week
- Celebrate small victories

### 2. Current Status (10 minutes)
Each member answers:
- What I accomplished this week
- What I'm working on now
- Blockers or challenges I'm facing

### 3. Plan for Next Week (5 minutes)
- Individual goals and tasks
- Coordination needs
- Resource requirements

### 4. Issues & Risks (5 minutes)
- Technical challenges
- Timeline concerns
- Resource constraints

### 5. Action Items (5 minutes)
- Clear assignments with deadlines
- Follow-up items
- Next meeting schedule

## Meeting Documentation
- Designate a note-taker (rotate weekly)
- Share notes within 24 hours
- Track action items in project management tool
- Follow up on missed commitments

⚔️ Conflict Resolution Strategies

Common Conflict Types

Technical Disagreements

  • Architecture decisions
  • Technology choices
  • Coding standards
  • Implementation approaches

Interpersonal Issues

  • Workload distribution
  • Communication styles
  • Time management
  • Quality expectations

Conflict Resolution Process

# Step-by-Step Conflict Resolution

## Step 1: Acknowledge the Conflict
- Recognize when there's a disagreement
- Don't ignore or avoid the issue
- Address it early before it escalates

## Step 2: Understand Perspectives
- Listen actively to all parties
- Ask clarifying questions
- Seek to understand before being understood

## Step 3: Identify Common Ground
- Find shared goals and interests
- Focus on project success, not personal preferences
- Acknowledge valid points from all sides

## Step 4: Generate Solutions
- Brainstorm multiple options
- Encourage creative problem-solving
- Consider compromises and alternatives

## Step 5: Evaluate and Decide
- Assess options against project requirements
- Consider technical merits and feasibility
- Make a decision and move forward

## Step 6: Document and Learn
- Record the decision and rationale
- Update processes to prevent similar conflicts
- Learn from the experience

Preventive Measures

# Preventing Conflicts Before They Start

## 1. Clear Roles & Responsibilities
- Define who is responsible for what
- Establish decision-making authority
- Create accountability mechanisms

## 2. Regular Check-ins
- Weekly progress meetings
- One-on-one conversations
- Early warning systems for issues

## 3. Written Agreements
- Team charter document
- Coding standards
- Communication protocols
- Quality expectations

## 4. Professional Boundaries
- Respect personal time and availability
- Clear communication channels
- Professional language and behavior

## 5. Escalation Path
- Define how to handle unresolved issues
- Identify when to involve course staff
- Know when to seek external help

⚙️ Technical Coordination

Version Control Best Practices

# Team Git Workflow

## Branch Strategy
main: Protected, production-ready code
develop: Integration branch for features
feature/*: Individual feature branches
hotfix/*: Emergency fixes

## Daily Workflow
1. Pull latest changes
   git pull origin main

2. Create feature branch
   git checkout -b feature/your-name/feature-name

3. Work in small chunks
   git add .
   git commit -m "Clear descriptive message"

4. Keep branch updated
   git pull origin main
   git merge main

5. Push and create PR
   git push origin feature/your-name/feature-name

## Code Review Process
- All code must be reviewed before merging
- At least one team member approval required
- Automated tests must pass
- Documentation must be updated

## Integration Guidelines
- Integrate frequently (daily if possible)
- Resolve conflicts immediately
- Test integration thoroughly
- Communicate breaking changes

Code Quality Standards

# Team Coding Standards

## Code Style
- Follow language conventions
- Use consistent indentation
- Write meaningful variable names
- Add comments for complex logic

## Testing Requirements
- Unit tests for all functions
- Integration tests for critical paths
- Manual testing checklist
- Performance testing for heavy operations

## Documentation Standards
- README with setup instructions
- API documentation
- Code comments for complex logic
- User guide for final product

## Quality Checklist
- [ ] Code follows style guide
- [ ] All tests passing
- [ ] No security vulnerabilities
- [ ] Performance acceptable
- [ ] Documentation complete
- [ ] Code reviewed by teammate

⏰ Time Management & Deadlines

Project Timeline Planning

graph TD A[Project Timeline] --> B[Planning Phase] A --> C[Development Phase] A --> D[Testing Phase] A --> E[Documentation Phase] A --> F[Presentation Phase] B --> B1[Requirements analysis] B --> B2[System design] B --> B3[Technology selection] C --> C1[Core functionality] C --> C2[Feature implementation] C --> C3[Integration] D --> D1[Unit testing] D --> D2[Integration testing] D --> D3[User acceptance testing] E --> E1[Technical documentation] E --> E2[User documentation] E --> E3[Final polish] F --> F1[Demo preparation] F --> F2[Presentation slides] F --> F3[Practice runs] style A fill:#e07a5f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style B fill:#81b29a,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style C fill:#f2cc8f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style D fill:#81b29a,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style E fill:#e07a5f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px style F fill:#f2cc8f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px

Dealing with Time Pressure

# Time Management Strategies

## 1. Break Down Tasks
- Divide large features into smaller tasks
- Estimate time for each task (be realistic)
- Add buffer time for unexpected issues
- Prioritize critical path items

## 2. Daily Progress Tracking
- Use project management tools
- Update progress daily
- Identify blockers early
- Adjust plans as needed

## 3. Agile Adaptation
- Hold short daily stand-ups
- Re-prioritize based on progress
- Be willing to cut features if needed
- Focus on minimum viable product

## 4. Crisis Management
- If behind schedule:
  1. Assess remaining work
  2. Identify must-have features
  3. Reallocate resources
  4. Communicate with team
  5. Consider asking for extension

## 5. Burnout Prevention
- Take regular breaks
- Don't work excessive hours
- Maintain work-life balance
- Support team members' wellbeing

🎬 Project Presentation & Demo

Preparing Your Demo

# Demo Preparation Checklist

## Technical Preparation
- [ ] Ensure all features work reliably
- [ ] Test demo on presentation machine
- [ ] Prepare backup solutions for technical issues
- [ ] Have offline version if internet-dependent
- [ ] Test screen recording software

## Content Preparation
- [ ] Create compelling demo script
- [ ] Prepare slides that complement demo
- [ ] Practice timing (aim for 10-15 minutes)
- [ ] Prepare for technical questions
- [ ] Have backup plans for demo failures

## Team Coordination
- [ ] Assign speaking roles
- [ ] Practice transitions between speakers
- [ ] Prepare answers to expected questions
- [ ] Dress professionally
- [ ] Arrive early to set up

## Demo Script Template
1. **Introduction介绍** (1 minute)
   - Team members and roles
   - Project overview and goals

2. **Problem Statement** (1 minute)
   - What problem you're solving
   - Why it matters

3. **Solution Overview** (2 minutes)
   - High-level architecture
   - Key features and functionality

4. **Live Demo** (5-7 minutes)
   - Show main features
   - Highlight technical achievements
   - Demonstrate user experience

5. **Technical Deep Dive** (2-3 minutes)
   - Interesting technical challenges
   - Innovative solutions
   - Lessons learned

6. **Conclusion & Q&A** (1-2 minutes)
   - Summary总结 of achievements
   - Future work possibilities
   - Questions from audience

Handling Demo Emergencies

# Demo Emergency Strategies

## Technical Failures
- Have screenshots/video backup
- Prepare verbal description of features
- Use diagrams to explain functionality
- Be honest about technical issues

## Time Management
- Practice strict timing
- Know what to skip if running short
- Have abbreviated version ready
- Focus on most impressive features

## Difficult Questions
- Prepare for expected tough questions
- It's okay to say "I don't know, but..."
- Be honest about limitations
- Focus on what you learned

## Team Coordination
- Have clear backup speakers
- Use non-verbal cues for support
- Help team members if they struggle
- Present as united team

🔄 Post-Project Reflection

Team Retrospective

# Retrospective Meeting Guide

## What Went Well
- Technical achievements
- Effective collaboration
- Successful problem-solving
- Positive team dynamics
- Lessons learned from successes

## What Could Be Improved
- Technical challenges
- Communication issues
- Time management problems
- Resource constraints
- Process inefficiencies

## Action Items for Future Projects
- Technical practices to adopt
- Communication improvements
- Better planning strategies
- Tools to use next time
- Skills to develop

## Personal Growth
- New technical skills learned
- Improved soft skills
- Leadership experience
- Project management abilities
- Career preparation

## Team Feedback
- Constructive feedback for each member
- Recognition of contributions
- Suggestions for improvement
- Appreciation for teamwork

📋 Summary总结

💭 Thinking Thinking & Practice Practice思考与实践