Creating a Group Compact

Overview

Teaching: 15 min
Exercises: 20 min

Questions

• How can we set up a new group research activity to have a positive experience for all members?

Objectives

• Students learn about how to establish group expectations, dynamics, and communication

Background

The Group Compact is meant to help define expectations of the group relationship. It helps us think about goals, responsibilities, best practices, and will hopefully allow everyone to have a fulfilling and enjoyable time during their participation.

Activity: Reflect on actions in “Introduction to Citrination” module

Work together to develop content in the following suggested categories below. Sample questions to consider are provided to start the conversation. Consider this as simply a guide because you will want to adapt the Group Compact framework to meet your needs.

Consider what you develop to be a living document, meaning we want input from everyone as we continue to work together to further define and refine how the education group is run.

Group Goals:

• What goals are we trying to achieve with our participation in Skunkworks?

Group Communication:

• How will we communicate with each other?
• When/where will we meet as a group?
• How can I ask for help? What is the best way to ask questions?

Research Training and Professional Development:

• What types of training materials will be provided?
• How are the students expected to interact with the training materials?

Group Member Responsibilities:

• How will we work together?
• What are the student’s responsibilities in group meetings and outside of meetings?
• What roles will the group mentor fulfill? If there is both a group mentor and faculty mentor, how are their roles defined?

Work Hours/Attendance:

• How many hours a week are students expected to devote to Skunkworks activities?
• What are my responsibilities for participating in the group?

Conflict Resolution:

• How can we minimize conflict or deal with it early before it becomes a big problem?
• If our attempts to resolve conflict don’t work, what do I do next?

For an example of a group compact document see the Fall 2021 Eduation Group Compact

Reference: W.C. Crone, Introduction to Engineering Research, Morgan & Claypool Publishers (2020).
(Note: This book is available as a free PDF download from the university library.)

Key Points

• Establishing a group compact can enable group participants to engage with each other productively and positively.