INFORMATION ON A TEAM CHARTER:

A team charter is a document that defines the purpose of a team, expected outcomes
and how the team will work together for results. It is a set of agreements created when
a team forms to ensure everyone is on the same page from the start.

KEY ELEMENTS OF A TEAM CHARTER

Purpose and Key Responsibilities: the reason for the team’s existence and what
members hold themselves accountable for as a team. Purpose statements are often
more powerful when stated from the viewpoint of the customer.
Vision: a results-oriented picture of the team that describes what members commit to
achieve together sometime in the future.
Values: beliefs or principles that define what is important to team members and serve
to guide the team’s actions and decisions. They are not compromised for short term
gain or expediency. These are most useful when they are defined in terms of specific
behaviors.
Roles and Responsibilities: description of who is on the team and their functional
responsibilities.
Mutual Expectations: ground rules that clarify how team members will interact,
collaborate, support each other and give each other feedback.
Operating Procedures: descriptions of meeting structure, communication norms,
decision-making methods, conflict resolution, and reflection strategies.

*see page 2 for our team charter*

Team Member Names and Contact Info

Halle Klein - [email protected] - (647) 627-6327
Victoria Gazza - [email protected] - (647) 298-7954
Rouqian Wang - [email protected] - (416) 686-9887
Crystal Zubair - [email protected] - (647) 280-1446
Bebe Saleena Osman - [email protected] - (416) 474-5738

Purpose and Key Responsibilities

1. What is our purpose; why do we exist?

The purpose of our team is to determine how we can collaborate with each other in a setting
where we can value our different skills and strategies. We will work together to accept and
understand the goals of this project in order to have a successful outcome. As a team, we
will set clear roles and expectations of each other, and encourage each other to ask for help
when needed. We exist to display how diverse members of a team can work together to offer
new perspectives that can create a strong vision. We will share our different opinions which
will let us empower each other to make smart decisions.

2. What are our key responsibilities as a team?

As a team we will have many key responsibilities that will coordinate with each other in the
best way possible. First, we will determine our roles in this project and what needs to get
done. Next, we will communicate our areas of expertise and strength, this will allow us to
understand where our strong areas of work are. We will also meet on a regular basis to
discuss progress and answer any questions anyone may have. Lastly, we will set goals for
each team member that will motivate us to work successfully and essentially lead us to a
strong outcome.

3. What are others counting on us to do?

Others are counting on us to support each team member and to not discourage anyone’s
ideas. It is important that each team member fulfills their own task and also helps one
another when needed. It is expected that if our team experiences a conflict, we must resolve
it in a respectful manner. Others are also counting on us to actively listen to one’s ideas and
to openly communicate with each other so that there are no misunderstandings throughout
the project.

Vision
 1. What do we want to accomplish, achieve, or create as a team?

As a team, we want to accomplish every task set out of us to the best of our abilities. We can
do this by communicating with one another, helping each other when needed, and overall
working together on every group task. As a team we want to contribute to each other's
learning by sharing ideas, and solving any problems along the way.

2. What will be the impact of our collective efforts?

The impact of our collective efforts is that by the end of the course we will complete all of our
group assignments properly, and better than we could have on our own. By working together
we will break complex tasks into smaller parts and share new ideas with one another. We
hope to expand our knowledge, see other perspectives, reinforce our skills and learn new
skills, and plan and manage our time.

Values
1. What are the most important values that we will adopt to guide our actions
and decisions as a team (e.g. integrity)?

One of the most important values of our group is recognizing and understanding the
differences of one another. We value how groups come together to think, experiment with
new ideas, communicate, and make a common effort. We will encourage group members to
bring their differences to the classroom and share their differing ideas as a way to broaden
our learning. Secondly, we value unity and understand that in order for our group to be
successful, every individual must come together and do their part to help the group reach its
goal. Thirdly, we value integrity and think that all group members should behave ethically,
and do the right thing, to benefit all group members, even if another group member is not
present at the time.

2. What are the specific behaviors that describe each value? (e.g. integrity =
we do what we say we will do)

The behaviours that describe the values outlined above are: openmindedness to
different ideas and opinions, understanding, peacekeeping, integrity,
consideration for others, and being mindful of the overall benefit of the entire
group.

Roles and Responsibilities

1. What are our individual skills and functional areas of responsibility?
Individually we have organizational, mediating, and artistic skills among other things.
Our current functional areas of responsibility are keeping each other accountable
and sharing the role and responsibilities of leadership. We mutually discuss and
come to an agreement and upon any conflicts that we are not able to resolve we
will put it to a vote.
 2. How do our individual accountabilities impact each other?

Individual accountability is extremely important towards the success and overall

cohesion of the group. When each team member is equally conscientious of
deadlines and have equal work expectations and ethics of themselves and
others, it allows the group to be able to work together without any negative
impact between members.

Mutual Expectations
1. What specific behaviors do we want and expect of each other?

Specific behaviours and expectations that our teams would want from each other is to first
cooperate with each other. We will collaborate our ideas and opinions with one another in
order to create a powerful outcome. Next, we will accept constructive criticism and
comments on our individual work. We will appreciate the feedback we are receiving and use
it to only make our work better. Lastly, we expect to support each other if one of us is
struggling because it is important to lend a helping hand. This will show our problem solving
abilities, and let us create a positive team attitude that will only benefit our work and
progress together.

2. What behaviors would negatively impact our working relationship?

Behaviours that would negatively impact our team’s working relationship is if we bring
outside circumstances into the work space. We want to keep our team professional and
dedicated to the responsibilities of our team. Allowing experiences and circumstances from
outside the work space will cause a distraction to all members of the team. Another
behaviour that can negatively impact our working environment is not communicating with
one another. Communication is key, we need to be able to clearly state what each of us are
doing in this team, and how we will execute this smoothly. Lastly, this is team effort which
means individual work will not be valid in this situation. We need to be able to cooperate with
each other and be able to respectfully support each other in this team setting because this
will be the only way to receive a successful outcome.

3. What is the best way to give each other feedback?

The best way to give a team member feedback is to provide constructive criticism to each
other. Constructive criticism is a clear, honest, and easy to implement feedback that should
be recognized as a new perspective that may have been overlooked before by that
individual. This is the best way to give feedback because this gives the individual an
opportunity for improvement. This feedback will be recognized in an understanding way that
allows room for growth and provides a direction for a stronger, more concise piece of work.

Operating Procedures:
Team Meetings
1. How often will we meet? For how long? When & where?

To ensure that our group stays on track, and is completing our work in a timely manner, our
group will meet once a week, and we will meet via scheduled zoom meetings in the evening.
This way everyone will be free at night to thoroughly work together.

2. How will we develop meeting agendas?

At the end of each class we will create an agenda on Google docs for the following week to
ensure we are up to date with everything that we have discussed within class. In this
document we will also have a debrief section, to keep track of our decisions and agreed-
upon actions. Team members can express their concerns in this document as well if they do
not feel comfortable to talk about it

3. Who will lead or facilitate our meetings?

At the start of every zoom meeting we will appoint a note taker, and will also have a leader
that will ensure we stay on track of schedule. The note taker will be in charge of writing key
points made during meetings, and also voice any concerns we have to the professor, or any
other external individuals outside of our group. The meeting we be a collaborative effort.

4. What are your expectations around preparedness, attendance and timelines?

We expect all team members to have good time management, be punctual, finish work
before meetings, and come to meetings prepared. This will ensure that everyone will equally
participate in the tasks given.

5. What are your expectations around team member participation?

To ensure the meeting runs as planned, we expect all members to equally participate. In
order for this to work smoothly, all members must come to class, and meetings prepared.

6. How will we keep track of our decisions and agreed-upon actions?

All decisions and agreed-upon actions will be in the Google document, and written down by
our appointed note taker. By doing this all members can refer back to the document if
needed.

Communication
1. How will we ensure everyone on the team is heard?
We will ensure that all team members are heard by making sure we allocate equal speaking
time amongst team members. We will also have a section on our Google Document file
where group members can voice their concerns or ideas. This way if someone is not
comfortable saying it within the group, they can note it in the document.
 2. What is the best way to communicate with each other and keep each other informed?
(e.g. voicemail, e-mail)
For our group the best way to communicate is through text message. We have created a
group chat on Imessage, through this chat we can easily reach all members directly on their
phone. We also have everyone’s email, through email we can share documents and files.

3. How quickly do we agree to return phone calls and e-mail?

We understand we have outside priorities as well, besides this class. Due to this we have
agreed to return text messages, and emails by the end of the day.

4. How and what will we communicate to our key constituents?

We will communicate to our key constituents by email. Emails are an appropriate and
professional way to reach out. We will also schedule Zoom meetings, and have in person
meetings with our constituents. Through email, we will ask our key constituents questions,
and will communicate key points, and important dates.

5. What is the best way to communicate with our stakeholders, faculty mentors,
supervisors? Who will take the lead? How will these communications be shared
amongst the team members?
We will use email to communicate with our stakeholders, faculty members, and supervisors.
Emails are professional and a common way of communication. We will appoint one person
to communicate, this will decrease any confusion as we do not want to send multiple emails,
from different people. All team members will be added in the email to see what is being said.
Additionally the main communicator will have a designated time to speak during scheduled
group meetings to pass down new information in regards to our stakeholders, faculty
mentors, and supervisors

Decision-Making
1. What will be our primary decision-making method? (e.g. consensus)

Our group’s primary decision-making method will be a combination of voting and

Consensus. We all strongly agree that that every voice deserves to be heard and
want to create conditions that will bring forth a very positive, safe, and uplifting
environment to encourage our best work. For this reason, we have decided to shy
away from commanding or consulting as we absolutely convinced that this will lead
to unjust task assignment and overall unhappy attitudes.

2. What decisions will we make on our own? & 3. What decisions will require
agreement among all team members?

We have chosen to combine question 2 and 3 as our answers may overlap with
one another and as a result, may read as repetitive. We agree that very minute
tasks (i.e. font style) can be decided independently and do not require a group
 consensus. However, we feel that in order to put forth our best work and ensure
each group member is content, the majority of decisions will be agreed upon all
team members before starting any task or assignment. This is precisely why we
have chosen the voting and consensus style strategies as our ways to divide,
conquer, and succeed in our future work together.

Conflict
1. How will we resolve disagreements?

Before starting any task or assignment, our team has planned to define what
acceptable behavior means and looks like in the group setting context. We feel that
this initial step is significant because if we are all harmonious and in agreement with
what behaviors are appropriate, this can reduce or even eliminate potential conflicts
from occurring through setting the standard and tone for our work environment.

Moreover, as disagreements are a natural part of the group experience, we have

created a practical list of strategies that we can use to aid with conflict resolution:
- Do not let problems fester (if something is bothering a group member, we
plan to be honest and address the issue)
- Discuss conflicts openly and attempt to view the problem from a neutral
stance
- Allow group members uninterrupted time to share their perspectives and
feelings
- Get to the root of the problem and summarize concisely what the issue is
- Bring all involved members together to talk
- Identify realistic solution(s) to the problem
- Continue with observing follow up on the conflict to see if group members are
satisfied with the outcome

2. How will we handle if we do not follow through with our agreements?

Our group does not believe in penalizing one another when an individual does not
follow through with our agreements as this can create a hostile and negative work
environment. We plan to confront the problem head on by initiating a private
conversation and we have agreed to be mindful of our body language and/or tone
put forth as our intentions are never to hurt someone or make someone feel poorly
about themselves or their work. The goal of the conversation is to point out the
certain behaviors or lack of work that are impeding our group’s success and
morale. If patience, understanding, and multiple conversations fail to address the
issue at hand and fail to achieve the desired outcomes, it may be very possible that
Professor Celia steps in for some further guidance. As we are all mature adults, we
do not envision this happening and feel confident to be able to resolve any issues
on our own accord.

Reflection
1. How will the team debrief its meetings?
The team will have a recap at the end of each meeting to ensure that each group
member is on the same page, and if there are group members who were not
present, we will designate one person to take notes and debrief them separately
after the meeting.

2. How will the team debrief its deliverables?

As a team, we plan to go over each of our deliverables together before submission
and discuss any edits or changes made until the entire team is satisfied with our
product, at which point we will appoint one person to submit the deliverable.

3. How will the team debrief its process?

The team will have a discussion at the beginning of each project detailing the
process we will use to carry out the project and ensure that the deliverables are
sent out in a timely manner with all members of the team having contributed to it.

4. How will the team debrief individual learning goals and progress?
The team will debrief individual learning goals and progress periodically through the
group chat we made as well as in weekly meetings.

5. How and when will we evaluate our team performance?

We will evaluate our team performance if ever an issue arises in the group as well as
whenever we meet up to discuss our progress on projects. As a team we will
ensure that everyone is on task and evaluations will mainly be made in the case
of an issue arising.