Mapping to Focus Areas
Below, you find the module's mapping to the study program's focus areas. This is done as a contribution to all relevant focus areas (in ECTS, and content-wise). This is also relevant for setting the module in relation to other modules, and tells to what extent the module might be part of other study programs.
Focus Area |
ECTS (prop.) |
Module Contribution to Focus Area |
Generating and Accessing Knowledge |
2 |
A Guided Project of this type deals with complex data on some level.
|
Architecting and Coding Software |
2 |
Participants of a Guided Project of this type will have to deal with some aspects of enterprise architecture or large-scale software architecture.
|
Empowering Business |
4 |
This type of Guided Project focuses on Empowering Business. The exact kind of contribution will be defined in the individual project description.
|
Acting Responsibly |
6 |
This type of Guided Project Goal has a sub-module promoting teamwork skills, self-management skills, problem-solving skills, and the ability to understand team dynamics in order to manage and improve team performance.
|
Designing Innovations and Products |
2 |
In a Guided Project of this type, some amount of innovation and creation is involved.
|
Managing and Running IT |
2 |
In a Guided Project of this type, the aspect of managing and running the supporting IT is an important side aspect.
|
Learning Outcome
Domain Part
(WHAT?)
Students will learn to work on a complex project in a team setting.
(HOW?)
By implementing the project, the students will learn …
- problem-solving skills,
- self-management skills,
- teamwork skills, and
- the ability for independent scientific work.
- methods and knowledge about the subject matter, by focus on practical experience.
(WHY?)
This way, the students will be able to perform, plan, and lead similar projects in a professional context.
Team Supervision Part
(WHAT?)
Students will learn to manage difficulties in heterogeneously composed teams (e.g. culturally diverse teams).
(HOW?)
The students will
- perform team building exercises and methods,
- learn about the importance of project visions,
- learn and apply group effectiveness research methods,
- deal with heterogeneity in teams, and
- apply various diagnostic tools.
(WHY?)
This way, the students will be able to deal with complex and difficult team constellations in a professional context.
Module Content
Domain Part
Supervised work of a complex task in a research and development project (possibly in cooperation with external
partners) in a team. The Lecturer defines the objectives of the project, and conducts a regular discussion
on the progress, by means of intermediate meetings between Lecturer and team in intervals of not more than three weeks.
In addition, the Lecturer agrees at least two project milestones with the team. The milestone results will
contribute in an adequate manner to the final grade. The Lecturer further agrees the form of communication and
cooperation with the team, and reflects it in regular intervals with them. The projects are systematically supervised.
Accompanying these components, the student research the relevant literature independently.
Team Supervision Part
Supervised treatment of a complex task in a research and development project (possibly in cooperation with
external partners) in a team. The Lecturer defines the objectives of the project, and conducts a regular
discussion on the progress, by means of intermediate meetings between Lecturer and team in intervals of
not more than three weeks. In addition, the Lecturer agrees at least two project milestones with the team.
The milestone results will contribute in an adequate manner to the final grade. The Lecturer further agrees
the form of communication and cooperation with the team, and reflects it in regular intervals with them.
Domain Part
The students work on documentation of the project results, research state of the art technology, use problem-solving
methods etc.
The overall grade is based on the project results, project report, presentation, and possibly other parts (at
the discretion of the individual lecturer).
Team Supervision Part
The team processes in the accompanying domain part are systematically monitored.
Process monitoring combines training and reflection components with practical experience and
the expansion of the above learning outcomes / skills. It consists of three components,
as described below.
Team building and developing sessions
Starting with an introductory workshop to work in (heterogeneous) teams, the intended outcome of the workshop is the team definition, its vision and mission statement (Team Charta). Further sessions follow according to the situational needs of the team development, designed as lectures or further workshop.
The following aspects will be covered:
- characteristics, objectives, advantages and challenges of teamwork
- key findings of group effectiveness research
- Effects of heterogeneity in teams (e.g. inter-cultural, inter-disciplinary, age and gender differences, …)
- specific requirements, diverse tools and procedures to effectively manage diversity in teams and
to achieve innovation and synergy (mapping – bridging - integrating)
- adapting communication, interaction and management (leadership) style according to phases of team development
- Procedures for the development of more effective cooperation in heterogeneous project teams.
Diagnosis and reflection on individual skills and team quality
This is done in three steps:
- Personality profile (Neo-ffi or similar) is used to investigate the influences on the team dynamics. Potential strengths and weaknesses are discussed and learning and development strategies are identified with the individual team members and the team as a whole.
(NEO-ffi, Inventory of social skills) determines which individual aspects (strengths, weaknesses)
are brought by the student for teamwork. These results are reported back to the students.
- Individual proclivities and preferences are identified with regard to their effects on team roles by using the Belbin Team Role Inventory; team members are encouraged to broaden their competencies and skills in less preferred roles.
- Team Diagnostics: The quality of work of each team is determined by using procedures of team diagnostics
(Team Climate Inventory (Brodbeck/Anderson/West) for the measurement of target and task orientation, as well as participation and confidence
in the team ; SYMLOG-adjective rating scale (Bales/Cohen) to determine mutual
interpersonal evaluations of group members). Results are collectively analyzed in a team reflection
workshop and strategies for change are identified with the group members in terms of improving collaboration in the team and individual learning and optimization opportunities.
Final Team Reflection Workshop
The workshop is designed to review all the steps, decisions and actions taken by the group and to evaluate them with regard to the goals set in the vision statement at the beginning in order to draw lessons learned.
Experiences from different teams can be exchanged here, in order to benefit and learn from other groups as well.
In addition to the above components, students are encouraged to carry out research of relevant literature independently.
Grading
Students are graded by a written exam (30%). As part the module, the students produce artefacts that also contribute
to their grade, namely a portfolio (written project report (30%) and team charter (10%)) and a presentation (30%).
Learning Material Provided by Lecturer
Domain Part
Depending on the project.
Team Supervision Part
Relevant literature and method descriptions.
Literature
Depending on the project.
Team Supervision Part
Based on the aspect of working in a multi-cultural team:
- Dyer, W G., Dyer, J. H., Dyer, W. G.; (2013). Team Building: Proven Strategies for Improving Team Performance (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
- Halverson, C. B., Tirmizi, S. A. (Eds.). (2008). Effective multicultural teams. Theory and Practice. Dordrecht, NL: Springer.
- Stumpf, S. & Thomas, A. (Hrsg.). (2003). Teamarbeit und Teamentwicklung. Göttingen: Hogrefe.