Setting Team Expectations

Congratulations! If you are visiting this page you are probably now paired with a design team and ready to get started working on your engineering design project. You will be spending a lot of time with your team. You will also be relying on your team members to carry out parts of the project on their own. Your team members will be relying on you too! It is important that your team trusts one another to carry out this project. Therefore establishing ground rules for how you want to work, communicate, and resolve conflicts together is critical to the success of your project.

Below you will find suggestions for establishing a team contract and tools for managing your project.

Team Contract

This team contract was originally developed by the Illinois Leadership Center. It has been adapted over time for Bioengineering Design.

Sections of the team contract (feel free to adapt this outline for your needs):

1. Get to Know Each Other.

2. Clarify the Group’s Purpose and Goals. Discuss personal expectations.

3. Team Community Guidelines.

4. Time Commitments, Meeting Structure, and Communication.

5. Determine Individual Roles and Responsibilities.

6. Address Conflict and Accountability among Members.

7. Timeline.