# Team Communication

Communication is the key to success in any project! This includes communication between the customer, team members, and stakeholders.

In this course, you won't be speaking directly with the customer, but you will be communicating with your team members and other stakeholders (like your instructor and TA). It's important to communicate effectively and efficiently to ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals.

# Team Meetings

Team meetings are an essential part of any project. They provide an opportunity for team members to discuss progress, share ideas, and make decisions. Communication is most effective when it's both written and oral, so it's important to have regular team meetings.

However, meetings are expensive in terms of time and resources. They are most effective when you have a clear goal for the meeting. For each meeting:

• You should have an agenda: what are you going to discuss? This can be as simple as a set of bullet points for discussion, or as detailed as a design for a feature where you require input. A team lead will typically prepare and circulate the agenda ahead of time.
• Everyone should come to the meeting prepared to discuss topics on the agenda. This means reading any required materials, watching lecture videos etc.
• The project lead should keep the team organized around the agenda and ensure that the meeting stays on track. Make sure you accomplish what you intended to accomplish.
• Someone should be designated to take notes during the meeting. These notes should be circulated to the team after the meeting.

Here's a sample of an agenda for a team meeting¹:

# Informal Communication

It's often helpful to have other ways to communicate with your team members. This can include:

• Messaging applications e.g., Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams.
• Shared online spaces e.g., Google Docs, MS Teams channels.
• Email. e.g., your UW email account.

These tools can be used to share information, ask questions, and discuss ideas. They can also be used to share files and other resources.

These tools are extremely helpful for day-to-day communication, but they should not replace regular team meetings. They are most effective when used in conjunction with regular meetings.