Team Training Techniques for TU Delft Project Groups:
How to Collaborate Effectively

You know the drill. A group project, five people, and after three weeks everyone’s wondering: who’s actually doing what? Communication is awkward, deadlines are missed, and the atmosphere gets tense. Sound familiar?

Good collaboration doesn’t happen automatically. It’s a skill. And like any skill, you can learn it.

At MoTiv, we’ve been guiding project groups and student boards at TU Delft for years. We see what works, what doesn’t, and where teams get stuck. On this page, we share what we’ve learned, and how we can help your team.

Where do things usually go wrong?

Most teams start with enthusiasm. But somewhere along the way, cracks appear. These are the challenges we encounter most often:

Unclear expectations Nobody knows exactly what’s expected of them

Poor communication Assumptions instead of conversations

Unequal distribution Some do everything, others do little

Avoided conflicts Frustrations that aren’t expressed

No feedback Problems persist

Different work styles What works for one doesn’t work for another

The good news? All these problems can be solved. Not with more rules or stricter deadlines, but with better collaboration.

What makes a team effective?

After years of guiding teams, we see the same ingredients in successful groups:

Psychological safety

Team members dare to speak up, admit mistakes, and ask for help. Without fear of rejection or criticism. This is the most important predictor of team success.

Clear roles and expectations

Everyone knows what’s expected of them, and what they can expect from others. Not written in a document nobody reads, but discussed and understood.

Open and direct communication

Problems are discussed when they’re small, not when they’ve grown into frustrations. Giving and receiving feedback is a habit, not an exception.

Shared goals

The team knows not only what they need to do, but also why. There’s a shared purpose that goes beyond “finishing the project.”

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Tip: At the start of your project, schedule a conversation about work styles and expectations. Not about the content, but about how you want to collaborate. It’ll save you a lot of trouble later.

What can MoTiv do for your team?

We offer guided team sessions, fully tailored to your situation. No standard trainings with PowerPoints, but interactive sessions where your team actually gets to work.

Kickoff session

For teams just starting out

Get to know each other on a deeper level
Discuss work styles and expectations
Lay a foundation for good collaboration
Make agreements about communication

Mid-term reflection

For teams already underway

Evaluate how collaboration is going
Discuss what’s working and what could improve
Resolve underlying tensions
Renew focus for the rest of the project

Conflict facilitation

For teams that are stuck

Neutral guidance for difficult conversations
Surface underlying issues
Work toward concrete solutions
Restore trust in the team

Board training

For student boards

Start your board year with a strong foundation
Learn effective meeting and decision-making
Develop leadership skills
Build a tight-knit team

Free for TU Delft students

All our team sessions are free for student groups and boards. We come to you, or you come to us at Voorstraat 60. Sessions typically last 2-3 hours.

→ More information about team training

What do other teams say?

We had a kickoff session at the start of our bachelor project. It helped us express expectations we would never have discussed otherwise. In hindsight, this was the best thing we did for our project.

— Bachelor project team, Mechanical Engineering

Halfway through our board year, communication broke down. MoTiv helped us make the underlying frustrations discussable. After that, everything went much smoother.

— Study association board

Practical tips for better collaboration

Can’t wait for a session? Here are things you can apply tomorrow:

Start with a check-in

Begin every meeting with a quick round: how is everyone doing? Not just about the project, but personally too. It takes two minutes and changes the atmosphere.

Express expectations

What do you expect from your teammates? And what can they expect from you? Discuss this explicitly, preferably at the start of the project.

Give feedback in the moment

Don’t wait until the evaluation at the end. Say it when something goes well, and when something could be better. Small and frequent beats big and late.

Take a team moment

Regularly schedule a moment to reflect: how is our collaboration going? Not just what we’re doing, but how we’re doing it.

🎯

The golden rule: Address problems when they’re small. Small irritations grow into big conflicts if you ignore them. Discuss it now.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a team session last? Usually 2-3 hours, depending on your needs. We fully tailor the duration and content to your situation.

Do we need to have problems to request a session? No, quite the opposite. The best sessions are preventive: at the start of a project or board year, when you want to lay a strong foundation.

Can we get a session for our bachelor project? Yes. We regularly guide bachelor project teams, master project groups, and other project teams at TU Delft.

What if not everyone on the team wants a session? That’s a signal in itself. Sometimes it helps to first talk with part of the team about what’s going on. Get in touch, and we’ll think along.

Is it really free? Yes. All MoTiv services are free for TU Delft students, PhDs, and staff.

Schedule a session

Ready to take your collaboration to the next level?

Get in touch to schedule a session or discuss what your team needs.

support@motiv.tudelft.nl · 015-200-6060

→ More information about team training at MoTiv

Good collaboration is a skill. And like any skill, you can learn it. We’re happy to help you get started.

Team Training Techniques for TU Delft Project Groups: How to Collaborate Effectively