Team Work makes the Dream Work
Im sure you have heard this saying plenty times before. If you did, you were in the right places and at the right time. When different talents and abilities come together, bigger and better solutions are made. What you can achieve with one, you can achieve ten times more with two. And so on.
So what does teamwork mean?
Definition: The combined action of group of people, especially when effective and efficient.
As you can see the interconnected gears in the last picture (below the google definition) represents how each persons function is to the aim of working together. If one gear slows down or isn’t efficient, the rest slow down as well. On the contrary if the central gear speeds up, so do all (a.k.a team leader).
I will be sharing with you the keys of making the best out of working in a team and group projects, specifically when it comes to building apps with fellow developers. Here are the steps and keys to an ideal group work and collaboration:
Step 1: Setting Aim
The most important step where the structure and idea come to material. Firstly choosing the leader of the project is integral. In any instance it is best to choose the most senior and experienced person in the group to lead. Then optionally comes the facilitator; the person who assists the leader and makes sure everything is in order. Now that the structure is set, it is time to brainstorm the aim and goals of the project.
{Key}: If you know your abilities, you can go ahead and tell the team where you would be the most effective. This makes a bold statement in your part and at the same time you get to put in your best work in the project.
Step 2: Communication
Break the ice and get comfortable with your team members. This brings openness and transparency in the team which helps with moving the team forward. Any issue or topic that relates to the team and your input should be addressed relevantly and timely. Wether if it’s something that has come up that will keep you away from the table for a certain time or finding information that could improve a procedure in the project. Be vocal and let the team leader or the team know. There are many handy apps out there that help in keeping in touch with your team members. Slack and Zoom and the current hot communication platforms being used for work and collaboration.
{Key}: Keep your messages concise and to the point. Clarity in your words and messages will always be appreciated by the other team members and even people in general. Especially when asking questions.
Step 3: Delivery
Mapping out your responsibilities will help you to efficiently deliver your part. This will aid you to keep track of your assigned work and progress. Make sure to calculate how much time will be needed for each step so you can work steadily and in a progressive pace.
{Key}: Whiteboards and notes are big helpers. Jot down your own expected deadlines for each task so you don’t fall behind in your part. Also making a list of sources which you want to refer to in case of a bug/error or difficulty will help you save your time.
Step 4: Synchronization
In order to be a team that is in unison, working in level headedness is critical. being in update about the team progress will help you to be in the flow of the project. When it comes to software development, knowing what part of the software your team is working on is important because it avoids overlapping code and work. LiveShare is an add-on feature on VSCode that lets you work on the same file as your co-worker simultaneously. Github is another highly functional platform to use for software projects. Here is a page from learn.co that briefs you about the Github commands to upload and download changes made to a particular project.
{Key}: As mentioned earlier, keep in touch with your team mate who is directly working with you about your work so there will be no room for work overlapping and miscommunications. If an issue arises on either side, it will be solved faster if both teammates look for the solution together.
Step 5: Patience
This very virtue is the most valuable one of all. It goes both ways. If you feel like you don’t know as much as your teammate, no worries, not everyone knows exactly the same set of information. Be open to searching for answers and learning on every step of the project. Similarly, if your teammate is confused, ask them on what they would like help on. Teaching is one of the best ways of learning. Karma comes back, one day you might be in the same place and expect help from your teammate! And when you are in a position of being the project leader, it takes a special set of patience in order to lead and direct.
{Key}: There are hurdles and obstacles in every phase of life. But no problem exists without its solution. All it takes is patience and the effort to find the answer. So keep googling and swimming through pages of stack overflow!
In conclusion
As we live in an ever so globalized age, knowing how to work with others is a fundamental skill to have in order to succeed. The best part of working with people is the different perspectives and ideas you learn from them. Different cultures, backgrounds, personalities is what makes this world a beautiful place. There is nothing we can’t overcome when we work together.
So, who’s your #DreamTeam?
Here’s a link to my LinkedIn Profile. Let’s get connected.
