Effective Meetings and Project Evaluation

J. Fernando Vega-Riveros, Ph.D.University of Puerto Rico

Department of Electrical and Computer Engeineering

ICOM5047Design Project inComputer Engineering

Reflection

What is your experience with face-to-face, phone, fax, e-mail and handwritten communications?

Under what conditions you prefer each?

What is your experience with Web-based information exchange-Net meetings, instant messaging, Web discussiones. How well do these work for you?

From Smith, K. A. Teamwork and Project Management 2nd Ed. McGraw-Hill 2000

Meetings

Do meetings fulfill your expectations?

If so, explain how.

If not, why do meetings fail to meet your expectations?

How to run a meeting: The three step process

Before• Plan• Clarify meeting purpose and

outcome• Identify meeting participants• Select methods and purpose• Develop and distribute agenda• Set up room

How to run a meeting: The three step process

During• Start: check-in, review agenda,

set or review ground rules, clarify notes

• Conduct: cover one item at a time, manage discussions, maintain focus and pace

• Close: summarize decisions, review action items, solicit agenda items for next meeting, review time and place for next meeting, evaluate the meeting, thank participants

How to run a meeting: The three step process

After• Follow-up:

• distribute or post meeting notes promptly;

• file agendas, notes and other documents;

• do assignments

Interactive Skills Assessment and feedback

Behaviors to observe• Initiating

• Proposing• Building

• Reacting• Supporting• Disagreeing• Defending/attacking

• Clarifying• Testing understanding• Summarizing• Seeking information• Giving information

• Process• Shutting out• Bringing in

Peer assessment: Constructive feedback

Acknowledge the need for feedback Give postive feedback (give negative only if

expicitly requested) Understand context Know when to give feedback Know how to give feedback Don’t use labels Don’t exagerate Don’t be judgemental Speack for yourself Talk first about yourself, not about the other

person Phrase the issue as a statement, not a question Restrict your feedback to things you observed Help people hear and accept your compliments

when giving positive feedbak