With the internet becoming more and more useful and convenient, many people have to work in groups online. This may seem intimidating, but there are several tips and strategies for working in a group online that can make this process easy and interesting. This article will provide you with several tips and strategies for working in a team or group online.
When working in a forum based online team it is extremely important to use appropriate threading. It is easy for all of the different aspects of each assignment to get confused. For example a team member may posted a thread titled working team charter, and this is a good way to word it so it does not get confused with the finished charter. Clear and concise thread titles are imperative.
Copying email and other outside forms of communication into an online forum is important because this way there is an official copy of communication. I think this can be helpful because it will provide a record of correspondence if there is conflict in the future.
Creating a team or group charter is very helpful when working in an online group because a charter helps manage the team process because it is like signing a contract. In order to create a team charter the entire team should state their intentions and obligations to the group. It is also important to include personal contact information and to create deadlines. When the team charter is finished make sure everyone reads the final group copy and signs it.
The charter sets the rules and obligations of team members, and the charter is something that everyone in the group creates and has to okay before it is finished. This way no one can go back on things they agreed to in the charter later because they help make the charter. I also think it will help the team process because it allows us to see what type of people we are working with, and this will allow us to utilize each others' skills while working in a group.
Google wave is a beta program that is very useful when working in a team, and it allows all members of the online group to see whatever is contributed in real time. With this program you can post images, text, and other forms of media. It is also very helpful for online groups because you can edit and comment on all parts of the work or wave in real time. This allows communication in a team which is imperative.
Stickam and other online video chat programs are a great way to communicate with your team. This allows you work on a project all at once in a conference style. These sites are usually free to join, and they are easy to use.
There are many tips that can help when working in a group online, and online team situations are becoming very popular. These strategies will assist you in your next online team project, and these tips will help ease your nervousness as well.
