2-1 Form Project Teams

There are many factors that can affect the success of a project team, but two general factors are: 1. Selecting the right team 2. Having the right team approach

Selecting the right team means having a balanced team — a team that has enough in common but is also diverse enough.

Something that your team will want to have in common is at least one gaming motivation. If your team members don't have any top gaming motivations in common, it will be challenging to design a game that everyone is interested in creating. Teams with a common motivation or mission usually produce better results.

Your team should be diverse in terms of each person's interests, skills, background, and ideas. If everyone on the team wants to create the art for the game but nobody wants to program the game, you've got a problem. If everyone on your team thinks exactly alike, you'll be able to decide things easily, but your team might not consider all the possibilities. Diverse teams are like different pieces of a puzzle that fit together to form a complete picture. Diverse teams usually produce better results.

Having the right team approach means being able to effectively communicate and collaborate with each other.

An important first step in communication and collaboration is simply getting to know your team members better. This can help lead to empathy, respect, and trust — which are a foundation for better communication and collaboration.

Another important step is having a shared understanding of everyone's responsibilities. Create a team agreement that identifies the rules and roles that you've all agreed to follow.

Maintaining effective communication and collaboration is an ongoing process throughout a project. It's not always easy, but adhering to your team's core rules will help guide you through any issues that might arise. Teams with mutual respect and clear responsibilities usually produce better results.

YOUR TASK

1. Identify your team preferences, and then form into project teams based on the process determined by your teacher, which will take into account (among other things):

   • Number of People per Team

   • Overlap in Top Gaming Motivations

   • Complementary Interests in Team Roles

2. One person from the team should create a shared workspace for your team project that each team member can access. For example, create a Team Drive or a shared folder on Google Drive.

   • All electronic files related to the project should be saved in the shared workspace. Be sure your files are clearly named and logically organized, so it's easy to find information when you need it.

   • All physical documents related to the project should ideally be stored in the classroom (e.g., in a large envelope or folder). Your teacher will identify a location and procedure for storing and accessing these materials.

3. Conduct a team interview to learn more about each of your team members:

   • As a group, interview one team member at a time.

   • Assign someone to ask the questions.

   • Assign someone to record the answers.

   • Any other team members should be listening.

4. Complete a team agreement that identifies your team's rules and team members' roles.