20.20:Resources: Difference between revisions
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==<center>Library resources</center>== | ==<center>Library resources</center>== | ||
===Finding information=== | |||
#from MIT Libraries for [http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/courses/fall2007/3.091/ 3.091] | |||
#from MIT Libraries for [http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/courses/fall2007/2.009/ 2.009] | |||
===Organizing the information you find=== | |||
#[http://libraries.mit.edu/help/refworks/index.html RefWorks] | |||
#[http://libraries.mit.edu/help/zotero/ Zotero] | |||
==<center>Poetry</center>== | ==<center>Poetry</center>== | ||
Revision as of 12:29, 4 February 2008
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People
Instructors: Drew Endy and Natalie Kuldell
20.902/20.947:
Presentation information
Team building resources
adapted from The Team Handbook by Peter Scholtes
found here
Glossary of useful terms for team building and teamwork is here
Brainstorming sessions
Do's and Don'ts for a brainstorming session:
- do write all ideas down. Someone can be group scribe or the team members can take turns.
- don't hold back ideas, even ones that seem silly. The more ideas the better and everyone should be encouraged to freewheel.
- don't discuss ideas during the brainstorming session. There will be time for discussion later
- don't judge or criticize ideas. Remember the goal is to get as many ideas on the table as possible.
- do piggyback on the ideas of others. If someone's idea inspires a related one, make sure to share that.
Successful brainstorming sessions require that everyone be clear on the goal so take a minute at the start to review the topic and then give everyone a minute or two the think about it. Once ideas get called out, it's important that everyone enforce the rules for brainstorming. Your group might want to appoint a referee or facilitator who might say things like, "no discussion now...next idea?" Once the ideas have been collected, your team may be ready for further discussion on their details, for a straw vote, or for some other means of culling the list.
Working through common team problems
Great teams make the most of individual strengths and minimize individual weaknesses, but you and your teammates are still human and problems can arise even on the most functional of teams. Some common problems and some solutions are:
- floundering: most often felt at the start and end of a project, this lack of direction arises from teams that are unclear on the task, uncomfortable with eachother or overwhelmed.
- try to review the problem, define what's needed to move on, set aside time to make checklists and talk about them
- bullying: when a person wields a disproportionate amount of influence.
- try to appeal to a higher authority (e.g. more senior team leaders or instructors), set and enforce rules of teamwork such as those for brainstorming.
- blabbermouth: when a person takes a disproportionate amount of "air time."
- try to structure discussions so everyone must speak (e.g. go around the table for 1' statement), practice gatekeeping techniques (e.g., "yes we've heard this for you and now we have to hear what others think")
- wallflower(s): when a person won't speak or contribute to the team
- try to structure discussions so everyone must speak (e.g. go around the table so 1' statement), divide tasks into individual assignments or reports, practice gatekeeping techniques (e.g. "what's been your experience with this aspect of the project?")
- unsupported "facts": when self-assured statements are offered without legitimate supporting evidence, often offered in such a way as to make further questioning on the topic seem impolite.
- try these follow up approaches: "is that opinion or fact?" "how do you know that to be true?""OK but can you get us some data to follow up?"
- haste: an impatience to decide or do something, often dismissing contrary ideas
- try to restate longterm goal, set and enforce rules of teamwork such as those for brainstorming, confront the "rusher" using some constructive feedback, appeal to a higher authority (e.g. more senior team leaders or instructors)
- discounting: when a team members ideas are dismissed or minimized
- try to remind team that everyone's ideas matter and all should be considered, talk off-line with person showing dismissive behavior, structure inclusive times when all ideas are volunteered and considered (e.g. "before we move on, are there things we need to spend more time on?")
- digressing: tangents that lead to irrelevant discussions
- try to work from a written agenda, direct conversation back to relevant subject (e.g. "we've gotten pretty far from our goal of X...")
- feuding: when two team members disagree and disagreement becomes the sole platform for their work
- try to avoid putting these two on one task, contract a working arrangement for the two who are battling, appeal to a higher authority to mediate (e.g. more senior leaders or instructors)
Library resources
Finding information
Organizing the information you find
Poetry
Not long ago when biology meant
looking and prodding and fixing what’s bent
there were armies of scientists working away
to list what they found
and to know life’s display
But not all was well as they tried to discover
how life could be programmed since some but not other
experiments worked and each person designed
their template for learning
as they were inclined
“Share!” said the engineers “and try to remember
that others will use your work only whenever
the tools you develop are standard and simple
think of most screwthreads and
think of the wheel.
Maybe in this way life by design
could work out of the box and others will find
lots of interesting ways to build up from the bottom
making useful new parts
then new systems. No problem!”
By combining devices in new and fun ways
the biologists builders could spend their workdays
learning what’s out there and making new widgets
to responsibly meet
the needs of our planet.
