Experience of Working In My Project Group

I have done numerous projects – with people I know, with people I do not know, or with people I thought I know.

For this ES 2007S project, I had a great time partnering Pei Jin and Yi Ni, who are fellow life sciences course mates. Though we are course mates, it was the first time the 3 of us were working together. I would first like to attribute the pleasant experience I had to both my active and responsible team mates.

Pei Jin helped kick start the project by consolidating our random suggestions, together with her opinions, into a comprehensive document that listed all the possible problems and solutions we could address. She did this without any prompting, and it catalysed the progress of our project.

I volunteered to draw a detailed timeline for everything we need to do before 24^th March, the day of submission. The timeline took into consideration other modules’ assignments, so as not to impose unreasonable datelines. Our team adhered closely to the timeline, except when our interview dates had to be postponed due to the rejection from our interview candidates.

After we got rejected on our first request for an interview, Yi Ni proactively researched on other possible interview candidates before proposing them to us. She emailed and followed up on it, which finally helped the team landed a chance to speak with Professor Lee.

Our team relied mostly on emails and SMS for notifying and contacting each other, while our numerous files and drafts were shared through the Dropbox platform. The wiki site, which was largely maintained by me with several updates by Pei Jin, was mainly for documentation instead of discussion. We seldom depended on the site for discussion nor files hosting because it was not intuitive enough to use or even to find our site. We met up for discussions, or through online group conferencing tools. The wiki site seemed unnecessary for a humble team of 3 like ours. However, I still find the wiki especially useful for large project groups involving near 8 or more members.

For meetings, we would set the agenda prior to the meet-up, and usually came prepared with the materials we wanted to share or discuss. This ensured that the team could work efficiently.

The work was often split up equally among us. This was done primarily to get us started on individual portions concurrently at the initial phase. Although we were supposedly responsible for different parts of the proposal, I would always make the effort to peer review each other’s work, and also volunteer to research and write on “other’s part”. My peers made similar efforts too.

Along the course of the project, it is undeniable that there were times when we do not always agree. For instance, this was more evident nearing the submission dateline when we had to reduce our content to fit the 6 – 8 pages requirement. Nonetheless, we spoke to each other with respect, and will convince each other logically of why some ideas had to be rejected, or why we need to remove or retain certain information.

I have learnt that being initiative is a key driving factor that accelerates progress. Besides, a clear timeline helps keep everyone on the same page. We should also try to keep abreast of new technology or software as they can aid us in facilitating group work. More importantly, group work essentially entails working with others. Thus, we should be aware of our interpersonal skills, such as how we express ourselves verbally or non-verbally. Showing consideration and encouraging your team mates helps pump the group morale too.

Given the few weeks to complete, this project seemed daunting at first, as we even had to consolidate survey results and conduct interviews. Hence, looking back, I am glad to have supportive team members, whom I worked cooperatively with, to complete everything together.

Reflection on Oral Presentation

6^th March 2011 11.59pm

Fringe trimmed. Checked

Attire prepared. Checked

Speech rehearsed (and rehearsed). Checked

7^th March 2011 12.15pm

Presentation commences!

By coincidence, I was once again, the first speaker for the first group to present, just like the time when I had to peer teach.

I have seriously considered all the feedbacks provided during the peer teach assignment and the mock presentation. Back then, the class pointed out that my major areas of improvement included having to appear more confident and to accentuate important points more distinctly. Hence, I have especially taken note of these while preparing for the actual oral presentation (OP).

Evaluating my performance in retrospect, I can still identify areas to work on.

I am still relatively unfamiliar with the use of proper gestures. While presenting, I was simultaneously thinking about my presentation content while deciding urgently, but silently, where I should place my hands. To think that I have all these chaos within my head despite having thought through it the night before! Thus, to prevent the unfortunate event of using gestures inappropriately or awkwardly in future, I would now consciously pay more attention to how charismatic speakers like Sir Ken Robinson and Steve Jobs (recommended by Nuri :D ) use their gestures and facial expressions to aid them.

Furthermore, I should still conscientiously improve on my intonation or pronunciation.

I have also noted improvements made along the whole course of this module. Being more aware of my tendency to speak rather hastily now, I had comfortably paced and voiced myself, to deliver my speech in suitable fragments during the final OP. This helped to create emphasis and pauses that prevent my audience from drowning in a sudden deluge of information. Efforts were also made to ensure that my audience feel included by maintaining constant eye contact with everyone across the room. Besides, when referring to my charts and pictures on the slide, I would point and turn back before speaking to my audience, and not the screen.

Nuri had interestingly pointed out in his blog post, how Steve Jobs makes a great presenter (or salesperson). So before I end my reflections, I shall share with everyone another speaker: Sir Ken Robinson. He can present topics of certain gravity with appropriate humour, and we can note his use of pauses too!

I am grateful for all the feedbacks the tutor and the class have provided. I look forward to share and learn from the other groups who shall be presenting next week!

Intercutural Observation

The shoes faced the outside of the house.
That was how my shoes were when I was leaving Natsumi and family's house.

The Japanese’s emphasis on hospitality goes to the extent of minor details. Most families will actually rearrange their guests' shoes when they are not noticing, to face the outside of the house neatly. So when their guests are leaving, they can easily slip into their shoes with comfort and ease. No words are exchanged, but from these gestures, I will always feel warm and welcomed. While that is the Japanese’s culture, they are not offended if Singaporeans do not do likewise.

We have our own ways of doing things, and it may not be the same as the Japanese's. Often these are habits that perpetuate though generations, and we pick up subconsciously from our society. Though the Singaporeans and Japanese are both Asians, our different backgrounds put us into different situations and mould us with different mindsets and habits. When one part of the world does it one way, but the other does another, it precipitates intercultural differences.

However, things can become tackier when we are unaware of certain etiquettes to abide by, which may mislead others to think that we are unprofessional or rude. On a study trip I went in China, seminars were scheduled to start at 8am. The Singaporean delegates usually gathered at 8am and prepared everything within 20 minutes. Since we had gotten our presentation materials prepared before the Chinese officials seemed to have settled down, we believed that everything was progressing fine.

Never did we expect that some Chinese officials were slightly disappointed by our time management. On the 3^rd day, we were assembled in a classroom and were berated by an official from China’s Ministry of Education. At one point, we even had to repeat after him the time which he believed we should be ready. By stating 8am, he had expected materials to be ready at 8am exactly.

I was greatly taken aback. So were many other Singaporeans. The forceful manner which we were disciplined was slightly uncomfortable initially. This was especially when our concept of hierarchical back home, has increasingly been relaxed. Teachers and mentors seldom raise their voices, and if they did, most will actually apologise afterwards. Students are also given much freedom to voice or explain their opinions, instead of a one-way conveying of instructions.

However, we soon learnt that some of the officials from the education ministry, were previously from the Chinese military, and they were candidates which the government selected carefully into the job. In retrospect, I can understand the Chinese’s culture to embrace such manner of discipline and communication. It could be their way, at the nation's current phase of development, to manage a larger population and to ensure that plans can definitely be executed successfully.

Thus, we understood that the Chinese official had no malicious intent towards his guests from abroad. We adapted quickly to the situation, and did it how the Romans like it in Rome -- all materials were subsequently prepared by 7.50am.

There are various dimensions to intercultural differences. It seemed that if the more formal business norms are not observed, the implications may be quite severe. In formal settings, we can avoid unintended misunderstandings by clarifying with people who are more aware of the local culture. In less formal settings, we could usually close an eye to minor intercultural differences as we understand that everyone has their own culture of doing things. However, if we pay a little attention to what our foreign guests are usually doing, and reciprocate it in a similar manner, it might display our consideration and generosity, and thus further reduce the wall between individuals.

So, if we are staying in Japan and have guests over to our house, we might want to place their shoes to face the outside of the house too!