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Team Formation

Each team must have strictly 5 members. You have the freedom to choose your own teammates, but the process requires you to be proactive. Take initiative, reach out to classmates, and have open conversations about your interests, technical backgrounds, and goals. At the same time, be considerate and inclusive.

What Makes a Team?​

The composition of your team can significantly impact project outcomes. A functional team fosters collaborative learning by facilitating knowledge exchange, sharing expertise, and increasing motivation. Conversely, a dysfunctional team may struggle to complete even the most basic tasks. Common student grievances regarding teamwork include unequal workloads caused by freeloaders or dominant individuals who take control, as well as members who work independently rather than collaboratively.

Forming Teams​

When forming or joining a team, keep the following in mind:

  • Project area/idea – Is this a topic or problem space you are genuinely interested in contributing to?

  • Technical background – Do you feel confident with (or excited to learn) the technologies likely involved?

  • Other factors – Any additional considerations important to you (e.g., collaboration style, schedules, or personal learning goals).

Also, consider the following:

  1. Choose a topic that makes a good OOSE semester long project. Some factors to take into account here are as follows:
  • the idea must go above and beyond CRUD and being simple wrappers around existing APIs,
  • it should be neither too trivial nor overly complex/ambitious.
  • choose something you feel genuinely passionate about.
  • the project should address a real problem with real potential users — not just a hypothetical scenario!
  1. Find a team where you are a good fit. Consider:
  • Your personal interests.
  • Your technical skills.
  • Your work schedule and availability.
  1. Ensure technical readiness as a team: when choosing your technology stack, make sure the group collectively has the necessary technical proficiency. There isn't enough time in OOSE to learn multiple brand-new technologies from scratch and still deliver a feature-rich product.
Commitment to Your Team

When you join a team, you are making a commitment for the entire semester. This means:

  • You must attend all class sessions (specifically "Team Meeting" days)
  • You are expected to stay with your team for the duration of the project.
  • You must communicate regularly and effectively with your teammates.
  • You are responsible for contributing your fair share toward the team's mission—the successful completion of the project.

Please note: Once you join a team, you cannot switch later in the semester. Make sure you consider your decision carefully before finalizing your team.

Give Your Team a Sensible Name and Register it!​

Once your team is finalized, choose a NAME for your team! Next, go to this link and register it by filling out all sections of the form carefully and thoroughly! We will then provision a repository for your team within the couse github organization.