Welcome to the Group Contract! This agreement sets clear expectations and responsibilities for our group work, ensuring a smooth, productive, and enjoyable experience for all members. Discussing and agreeing on these points before we start will help us avoid misunderstandings and foster a collaborative environment. The best way to do this is to choose a member of the group to write things into the contract. You can also upload the document in Google Docs or Dropbox.
The group contract is available in different formats here:
Word:
PDF:
Part 1: Get to know each other | ||||
Topic to discuss | Purpose | Example | Write here | Completed (Yes/No) |
Introduce yourself:
| To get to know each other's backgrounds. By not being complete strangers, can make things a lot easier. | “I’m Alex, a third-year marketing student. I’m from London, and I have experience working in groups for exams and projects.” | Now write this for each of the group members |
Part 2: Logistics | ||||
Topic to discuss | Purpose | Example | Write here | Completed (Yes/No) |
How do we communicate? | To get aligned on which communications platform you prefer to use. Remember, to create a group chat on the platform you choose before doing anything! | “We have chosen to use WhatsApp as a chat communication tool, and we use Zoom for online group meetings.” | Now write this for each type of communication (written and online meetings) … | |
Where do we meet and on which specific dates/times? | To have specific times of the week that is reserved for working with the group. Find some slots that works for everyone and as a pro-tip, you can make a calendar invitation to these meetings! | “We have decided to meet each Monday afternoon from 2 to 4 PM and again on Thursdays from 8 to 10 AM. The Monday meeting will be on campus, and the Thursday meeting will be on Zoom.” | Now write which days you’ve agreed on meeting and the location for the meetings… |
Part 3: Roles and Responsibilities | ||||
Topic to discuss | Purpose | Example | Write here | Completed (Yes/No) |
What are the roles and responsibilities of each group member? | To ensure effective group functioning by clearly allocating roles and promoting balanced contribution and accountability among members. Remember, to take this up to reconsideration in case a member isn’t thriving in the role they have been given, | “Group Leader/Conductor – Name of group member: The Group Leader/Conductor will be overseeing project progress and ensuring deadlines are met. Group Facilitator – Name of group member:“The Group Facilitator will be the one responsible for creating a group chat and, if necessary, book meeting rooms for our meetings. Group Editor(s) – Name of group member(s):The Group Editor will be responsible for Quality Checking and reviewing all work for accuracy and consistency.Group Idealist – name of group member: The idealist in a group brings innovative and creative ideas, while ensuring they are practical and aligned with the group's goals. Group Note-taker – Name of group member:The role of the group note-taker, is to take notes during lectures/classes and make them available for the group. The notes will be made in a Google Docs shared document, so the group always can access the notes.” | Now, outline the different roles and responsibilities of each member of the group… |
Part 4: Goals and expectations | ||||
Topic to discuss | Purpose | Example | Write here | Completed (Yes/No) |
What is the purpose and goal for this group? | To get aligned what you are working on achieving within this group so there are absolutely no misunderstandings on what you are working towards. | “The purpose of this group is to make a report about Tesla’s Marketing Strategy which we’ll then present in front of the class .” | Now, write what the goal of your group is… | |
What expectations do we have for each other? | To set a clear expectation frame of what you can and should expect from each other. | “In this group, we agree that we come well-prepared for group meetings and that we have completed the tasks we’ve divided out at the previous meeting. We also agree to take this group work seriously and will work effectively towards our goal, so we also have time to do other things together besides studying. Finally, if a group member is somehow hindered in participating in a group meeting, the group member has to inform the group at least 24 hours before the meeting. It's then the group members responsibility to ensure, that the member is updated.” | Now, write what your expectations for one another are.
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What are the consequences if a member does not live up to the expectations agreed in this contract. | To make the most out of the group, it’s crucial that members live up to the agreements in the contract, and if a member somehow doesn’t do this, what should the consequences be? | “We’ll of course do our very best to live up to our agreements in this contract, but in case a member continuously violates this we must reconsider if the member should be part of the group. If issues persist, arranging a meeting with a course tutor or project supervisor to discuss the problems and find solutions.” | Now write what you as a group think the consequences for violating the agreements of this contract should be… |
Part 5: Conflict Resolution | ||||
Topic to discuss | Purpose | Example | Write here | Completed (Yes/No) |
How to we solve conflicts in the group? | As previously mentioned, conflicts are a completely natural thing that arises when collaborating. Therefore, you can now establish a fair and effective method for handling disagreements within the group, ensuring that conflicts do not hinder progress and are resolved constructively. Remember no conflict (or question) is too small within a group, so remember to communicate this to the rest of the group if something is bothering you. Even though it sometimes can seem frightening, don’t be afraid to open up to the group about this. | “In case of a disagreement, each member will have an opportunity to present his or her viewpoint. We will then try to find a compromise solution. If a compromise can't be reached, we will vote on the decision, with the majority ruling." | Now, write how you would prefer to resolve potential future conflicts… |
2. Confirmation of Agreement
We now agree to the terms and conditions outlined in this Group Contract. We commit to upholding our responsibilities, adhering to the agreed-upon guidelines, and working collaboratively towards our goals:
Name of course/education | Group Number | Members of the group | Date | Agree (Yes/No) |
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