Important roles in a group

In many group projects, it can help if you give each other different roles, such as chair, secretary and timekeeper. How a role is assigned may depend on who wants it, who is most qualified or who needs the most training.

Key roles can be defined for each meeting, while others can be more variable and initiated by different group members. The roles can be rotated. Often you decide for yourselves how explicit the division of roles is if it needs to be clarified during the project. Afterwards, the organisation and work should be discussed.

Leader/Chair

Leads the meeting, is responsible for clarifying the purpose and agenda, introduces the different items, summarises discussions and decisions.

Secretary

Takes notes at meetings, keeps track of what has been decided and who does what, and when the next meeting will take place. Distributes the notes to all group members.

Shaper/Person responsible for follow-up

Follows up on how members are doing between meetings, that everyone is doing what they are supposed to, and that everything is on schedule. Reports this at each meeting.

Timekeeper

Has an overview and raises awareness of how much of a scheduled meeting time has been allocated to different sub-tasks, so that each sub-task is given a reasonable or predetermined amount of time.

Process advisor

Sees what is happening with the group process, sees and gives feedback on whether participants are getting stuck in an argument and whether any participant is being restricted.

Investigator/Team-worker

Comes up with things or knows someone who has information. Works. This role is shared by all group members.

Inspired by G. Gibbs (1994) Learning in Teams. A Student Manual (Oxford Brookes University).