Group Projects

When doing technical writing, one must sometimes work together with others to create a finished product. There are many types of writing that can be done collaboratively, such as wikis and Google Documents. This collaboration can be useful in many ways, but also has several disadvantages that group members should be aware of. Effective and successful group projects will most likely involve conducting meetings and using social media.

Advantages

 * With more people, there is a greater diversity of knowledge which can help create more thorough and accurate products.
 * There is also a wider range of skill sets available to be contributed to the project.
 * There is better prior audience feedback due to the fact that there are multiple people reading over the project as they contribute to it.
 * Communication skills can be improved as one interacts with colleagues.
 * New colleagues can be integrated to the environment.
 * Everyone can learn from each other while teaching each other.

Disadvantages

 * It can be more time consuming due to meeting/discussion times and the time needed to actually piece together everyone's contributions.
 * Groupthink, which is when people put conformity above critical thinking, can occur.
 * Differing writing styles and ideas can lead to contradictions and disrupt the flow of the overall project.
 * Unequal workloads can happen.
 * If a group member feels left out, he or she may not contribute to best of his/her abilities.
 * Disagreements can create obstacles both during the project and afterwards in future projects.

Collaboration
With many members from various backgrounds and ways of thinking and working, it is imperative for everyone to have good collaborative skills and understanding.

Gender
Men and women generally have different approaches to group projects. Therefore, the dynamics of group work can differ depending on the gender ratio. Men tend to show more competition and are more likely to take on the role of group leader. Women tend to be good listeners, value consensus, and are more empathetic.

Culture
Depending on the cultural backgrounds of each group member, a member can respond and contribute differently. They might be unwilling to admit that they are confused or lost, may not be as open to receiving or giving criticism, may find it hard to integrate themselves into a group working environment, or they may try to avoid performing new tasks. Things that some take for granted may not be true for others. Therefore, one must be open-minded and not be quick to jump to conclusions when working in groups.

Conducting Meetings
Meetings are important in order for group members to come together and formulate ideas. In order for a project to be completed successfully, effective listening, clear organization, and diplomacy is needed.

Social Media
Apart from personal use, social media outlets, such as Facebook and Twitter, can be utilized to gather information and feedback for the project, as well as to communicate quickly and effectively with group members.