Stages in Planning and Conducting a Group Project

The successful planning and completion of an online project will progress through a number of stages. The role of the facilitator will change from stage to stage.

Successfully conducting purposeful activities with a group online requires careful planning and communication of expectations.

The size of a group and the frequency of required messages will determine the overall volume of mail all members will be required to read. Planning should anticipate what volume of daily or weekly messages makes sense. Planned activities must be able to reach closure within the allowed number of postings.

When planning an activity with people you don't know personally it is important to be clear about how decisions will be made and exactly what type of input you require from them.

Stage one would be to post the general goal of a project and invite online brainstorming with a due date whereupon you will synthesize the suggestions and either make a decision or ask for a vote. Closure on this first stage must be made without it dragging on beyond a reasonable time.

The second stage would be planning the time frame and structure of the activity right down to how many exchanges fit with the desired decision making, what the specific outcomes or product will be, and when the activity is formally over. Typically each member of the group will be assigned a particular task during this stage. How and when success will be measured needs to be clear to all concerned.

(Note that in the Lilian Katz article, stages one and two above are considered part of her first phase. For an online project, it makes sense to think of stages one and two as distinctly different stages of the project.)

The third stage will be largely one of getting the job done. At times the members of the group will be working individually and at times collaboratively. The facilitator will take a back seat during this phase, perhaps keeping in touch with the group leader to assess whether the agreed upon time frames are being met and that the project is on track.

The final stage of the project will be the culminating activity. The product that has been created is displayed or presented in one way or another for the rest of the class. One obvious way to present an online project is in the form of web pages.

High attrition is common in online activities. Developing a one-on-one social relationship via phone conversations or email is the best strategy. Timely, regular feedback to all group members regarding whether they are meeting the group leader's expectations is very important. Questions might be directed to specific members to help draw them into a discussion. The group leader must direct the mix and balance of goals, ideas, decisions and social dynamics as the project progresses. Individual differences are sometimes enhanced online, particularly for those intimidated by expressing themselves in writing or by technology itself. Take caution in that both positive and negative messages tend to be amplified in the online medium.