Sia Report Management

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We were all committed in this project. We were able to practice prioritising. Some of us have additional commitments like CCAs on certain days where we had discussions. These group members did their best to make up for it by completing extra tasks and catch up with the rest of the group on what they had missed out. This was effective as we were able to complete our assignments with everyone having equal amount of tasks to complete.

Good communication in the team ensured that every member received the correct message which was being conveyed. For example, all of us spoke in a common language, English, throughout all of our discussions so that our only Malay group member, Maisyarah would feel included and understood us. This was also a form of practice for us in our future work life as English is a universal language that would be used in all businesses, and we become more sensitive towards others’ feelings.

With flexibility, there were times when we did not have a clear defined goal and hence, we just accepted the other ideas proposed without thinking of its viability. However, we were able to overcome this by completing tasks with the end in mind. For example, we had one group meeting in which the objectives were not clearly stated. We ended up being not so productive. Some of the group members were not free to attend the group discussion but we needed everyone’s presence in order to continue on with the discussion. This resulted in a minor conflict. The group members who were not present then apologised and the matter was quickly resolved. From there, we were able to complete our task together as a group harmoniously.

- COMMUNICATION

2.1 Did your group members communicate effectively during CA1, CA2 and/or CA3? Describe the communication process your group experienced. Give specific examples of your group to support your answer.

In all three CAs, we communicated effectively as a team in all the tasks Mr Cheong had assigned for us. For instance, the first task in CA1 he assigned us was the “Balls and Balloon Games”. We interacted systematically and made sure that the balls landed into the designated baskets provided.

Suppose Jia Zhen was the receiver (i.e shooter) and the rest of us were the senders, we took turns to convey the message (i.e provide directions) as to how she could aim the balls into the baskets. We chose a couple of channels of communication, i.e speaking and using hand gestures to guide Jia Zhen. She tried to decode the message that we were trying to imply. She also asked questions to clarify if she did not understand. The balls went into the baskets, proving that the message was a success.

In the Balloon Challenge, we interacted simultaneously as to how we could protect the balloon from bursting. Each of us took turns to provide reasons as to which of the provided materials should be used to make the protective layer. Through the feedbacks of everyone, we knew what materials to use and what should not. Our leader, Shermaine then instructed us of our individual roles. Thus, our balloon was well protected. Our group scored better than the average for the challenges.

Another example would be the tutorials that we were assigned to complete. We suggested ideas and performed well as a team. Mr Cheong even told us that he liked our presentation and skit.

Particularly in CA2, our group finished all the mind maps without encountering any arguments. Before the commencement of doing our mind maps in class, as a group, we made drafts to serve as references. Thus, we were able to finish ahead of time. We distributed the work evenly and decided that two members will work on one mind map each. Mr Cheong was initially not very pleased with our dull mind maps. Hence, we improvised the information which we had and added vibrant colours to it. This made our CA2 assignment informative and attractive. Mr Cheong even praised us for enjoying the process of CA2 and putting in a lot of effort in this assignment. It was a great experience for all of us.

All in all, team spirit and enthusiasm was demonstrated in all CAs. Some of us even provided feedbacks for one another on how this report can be further improved (i.e more examples and more detailed explanations).

2.2 What were the different directions of communication flow used by your group? Describe and explain.

Our group used downward communication and upward communication.

Downward Communication is communication from a leader to a team member. It is used to inform, direct, coordinate and evaluate group members. Our group leader, Shermaine would inform us on our roles and deadlines of the tasks. This increased the efficiency and reduced confusion among our group. We would seek advice if we had any struggles with our tasks. We would solve it by appointing another member to share the workload or having group discussions online to solve the issue.

Next, upward communication is used when one has doubts. For example, Ming Xia informed our group leader, Shermaine when she was unsure of what to do for the CA2 mind maps. As such, being a leader, Shermaine explained the requirements to MingXia in detail and she understood her tasks better.

2.3 What were some of the barriers to communication and how did your group overcome these barriers. Give specific examples in relation to your group.

Unclarified assumption was what our group overcame. We became more aware of the language used and content of message when speaking which ensured that everyone understood the message conveyed. For instance, Maisyarah was speaking to Shermaine about her thoughts on which items should be selected to protect the balloon, but Maisyarah assumed that Shermaine understood entirely. However, it was otherwise. This resulted in a minor argument. We overcame this by setting a rule that we should not be afraid to clarify when we are unable to understand and when someone speaks, they should convey the message completely.

Emotional barrier was important as well. Everyone in the team had not worked with one another before and we all have different personalities. Some were outgoing while some were more reserved. During the first PBL game activities, all of us were rather shy with one another. The emotional barriers we faced caused us to be less contributive. We overcame this by being more engaging and friendlier so that everyone felt comfortable being around one another. During discussions, we would prompt the less outspoken members on their opinions so that every member would be able to share their thoughts.

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