From the beginning, I was confident the group would work out well. Our first conversation, to pick the subject around which we would base our reference collection, was good humoured and productive. Opinions were clearly expressed and alternative ideas were aired freely. We seemed to hit it off from the start and to this day I consider it my favourite project group.
Having churned around several options, we decided in the end to go with Lindsay’s suggestion to build a reference collection on Irish Traditional Music. It was a great idea, not least because it was a subject that a novice (like me) could find their way into without too much difficulty. The fact that Lindsay was well versed in the topic also provided a measure of reassurance.
Another crucial factor in the emerging group dynamic was Fintan’s excellent project management skills. He always seemed to have the relevant background documents printed out and at the ready, and was comfortable suggesting tasks for different members. This helped to avoid indecision and allowed us to develop a coherent strategy in terms of research, interview work and writing tasks. Overall, I’d say we were a well organised group.
As the project progressed, we realised we had completed quite a lot of background research so decided to slow down and focus on other projects. I think we probably lost a little momentum as a result, but not so much that things got out of hand. We called a meeting to assign tasks and discuss how we wanted to draw the various threads of the project together. As ever, the energy levels were high and I was pretty confident we’d have everything done on time and to a high standard.
We were all eager to contribute on an equal basis, or as close to it as was feasible, and I reckon we were successful in this regard. There was never a suggestion that any individual was failing to pull their weight, and people were willing to collaborate on tasks where cooperation seemed more likely to produce a better outcome.
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