Who do we need? | Scie-Citizens

Module 2 – Session 6 – Activity 1

In this activity, participants learn how to identify the people they need for their project based on the analysis of the tasks in the previous sessions. Depending on the size of the project, this can vary from only a few people to a really large team. The activity is suitable for researchers and citizens in a group or individual learning setting. Sessions #1 through #5 should be carried out beforehand.

Participants learn to plan project phases, distribute tasks among the phases and consider which people or organizations are required to complete the tasks in which phase.

Materials needed

Project plan from Session #5, Activity 3
Team planning Template: Module2_6-1-Team_Plan_Template
Team planning example: Module2_6-1-Team_Plan_Example
Digital device to edit team plan

Duration and setting

Setting: Single or group work
Execution: 60 minutes

Process description – what has to be done

Step 1 – Estimate your project phases (5 minutes)

Take the team planning template and enter the estimated dates for the three phases.

Step 2 – Enter tasks (30 minutes)

Take your project plan from Session #5, Activity 3, and enter all relevant tasks in the respective section of the team plan. Use the team planning example as a reference for possible tasks. If your project requires additional sections, add them to the document or delete the sections you do not need.

Step 3 – Highlight relevant phases (10 minutes)

Go through the table and highlight in which phase each task will be performed. This helps you to get a first impression which people you will need in which phase of the project. Highlight relevant cells with a color.

Step 4 – Enter responsible people (15 minutes)

If you already know who will take on a specific task in the project, enter the name. If a task is carried out by an external partner, enter the name of the organization. This gives you an overview of the areas or tasks for which you need to find additional team members.

Learning Outcomes – which skills are addressed?

Participants learn to plan project phases, distribute tasks among the phases and consider which people or organizations are required to complete the tasks in which phase.

How do you check the outcomes are reached?

The participants filled out the team planning template and entered people that can take over the tasks.

De-Briefing questions

Do you have the feeling that you could list all the relevant tasks?
Do you think it is feasible to fill the vacancies?
Who or what could help you to fill the vacancies?

References – further information

Baumgarten et al. (2023): How to build up big team science: a practical guide for large-scale collaborations. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.230235#d1e505 (last viewed 04/03/2024)
Brown, Iain (2023): Mastering the Art of Teamwork in Data Science: A Multidimensional Approach. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mastering-art-teamwork-data-science-multidimensional-iain-brown-ph-d- (last viewed 04/03/2024)
Lab Forward Blog: How to Build a Successful Team of Scientists. https://labforward.io/blog/how-to-build-a-successful-team-of-scientists/ (last viewed 04/03/2024)
US Department of Agriculture: Citizen Science – Chapter 3: Build your team. https://www.fs.usda.gov/working-with-us/citizen-science/ch-3-build-your-team (last viewed 04/03/2024)