Reflection On Team-based Research Project Proposal

It has been quite awhile since I last worked on a group project and perhaps due in part to that, this team-based research project proposal has indeed been an enriching experience that has imparted useful skills that would no doubt be beneficial in the working environment. Not only have I gained some mastery as to writing a professional report, I have also learnt to communicate with others in a more effective manner and to lead a team in coming up with a project proposal. In addition, this project has imbued me with the sheer importance of getting a message across clearly. From experience, I know that it is quite possible for text messages and emails to be misinterpreted at times, resulting in misunderstandings and reduced efficiency.  To pre-empt these potentially costly mistakes, I decided to hold face-to-face meetings and discussion sessions, and I made it a point to make or ask for clarifications whenever in doubt. Patience was vital, especially since my team mates and I had different working styles, and it was the first time any of us had taken part in such a project. Therefore, at the crux of the great working alliance that we built was the fact that we took the time and effort to understand each other better, allowing us to reconcile our differing working styles.

Being part of a team, in essence, means that every member has a crucial part to play. It was fortunate that my team understood that.  I must say that I was really glad to have been grouped with such hardworking and diligent team mates who not only carried out the tasks allocated to them with great efficiency and to the best of their abilities in spite of their various other commitments and projects, but also took the initiative to do more than their share.

As for carrying out online research for information, it was important to find reliable sources and get information that was relevant and specific to the issue that we aimed to tackle; too much vague and irrelevant information only resulted in unnecessary confusion. I have also learnt that substantiating my hypothesis and results with valid and reliable secondary data is crucial in ensuring its credibility.

In preparation for the oral presentation, I adopted a positive, spontaneous and receptive attitude and listened actively to others’ opinions and suggestions and incorporated the constructive comments and ideas offered. It was such flexibility and openness to feedback that enabled me to take the project to greater heights.

Finally, I would like to thank my group mates, Jade, Yi Rui and Kok Soon for giving me the support I needed as a project leader and for the time and effort they put into the project. Without them, this project definitely would not have amounted to much. I really appreciate their contributions and am honoured to have worked with them.