All to often, students project teams go through times when team members are upset with each other.  Small issues tend to fester until there is a major blow up.

The best way to avoid the team from deteriorating, you should conduct periodic team reviews.  These are like the players-only meetings that athletic teams will have to get everyone back on the same track.

Here’s how to conduct team reviews:

1. Set aside 15 – 30 minutes every few meetings to conduct a team review.
2. Place the following display on a board.

3. Ask each team member to give you one plus (+) and one delta (Δ). Pluses represent something that the team does well.  Deltas represent things that the team needs to improve upon.  Alternate between pluses and deltas.
4. Select one or two deltas that the team can improve upon before the next meeting.  Discuss these as a team and add these to the list of assignments for the next meeting.
5. At the next meeting, review the improvements that have been made.

This is a very simple process that can save a lot of anguish in your project team.  It’s also a very good practice to get into for your future career..