Team Collaboration
Our team came together from different backgrounds to create a website highlighting a universal problem: AIDS orphans. Each team member had a specific role, but also used his or her personality strengths to inspire each team member. We all worked together to brainstorm and make a site outline, and then assigned specific tasks relating to team members based on their strengths and interests. Our team also had to work together during difficult times; it was hard to organize meetings which everyone could attend, and everyone had to encourage each one another to meet deadlines and manage time effectively. Most of our communication was over the Internet, which is an effective tool for communication, but can never replace real-life gatherings. We also learned to encourage team members rather than criticize them if they were falling behind with their share of the work.
Jessica and Rachel designed the website using Paint Shop Pro X. They collaborated with graphic designer, Nik, to come up with the color scheme. Throughout the process, Jessica and Rachel combined their extensive knowledge of XHTML to put together the different aspects of the websites. Jessica, Rachel, and Nik used their personal skills to collaborate to design the website, which sometimes required compromise. They looked at the website from the point of view of designers, focusing on the graphic and interactive appeal.
The primary researchers and writers for the website were Jeff, Keia, and Krista, who used their data retrieval and analytical skills to write the content of the website. They focused on creating a variety of topics and writing them in an informative way for the visitor to understand. Each was also responsible for writing to photographers to ask permission to reprint their photographs on our website to put faces to our issue. Furthermore, Keia and Krista used their organizational skills to plan and coordinate meetings and interviews. Jeff used his knowledge of the Internet and passion for online media to discover powerful videos regarding AIDS orphans, which served to inspire the team and our website. Our team established strong relationships which helped both to bring our website together and to form lifelong friendships.
Our whole team also developed many new skills and a heightened awareness through the process of creating a website. We learned how to communicate effectively with other team members and how to hold each other accountable for completing our parts of the website. We experienced how it is possible to combine our own unique talents into a unified website, and challenged ourselves to work hard and take innovative approaches to our project. We also became especially attached to our cause (AIDS orphans) and sincerely feel like this website will help to raise awareness for this issue. We were humbled by the dehumanizing lifestyles which AIDS orphans are often forced to live and have a new appreciation for our own lives and families. We all intend to continue to spread awareness for AIDS orphans and to support efforts to help AIDS orphans once our website is published.