As the final project in their Multimedia and Design course student teams develop and present promotional campaigns for selected academic departments in the university. Each team must submit a
written report as well as designs for a poster, a brochure, and a web page. In addition, all group members
must participate in a 30-minute team presentation summarizing and explaining their research, campaign
strategies, and media designs to an audience of class members, to communication professors, and faculty
members from the Journalism Department.
Alex, Stephanie, Jovan, Amelia, and Yosef have enlisted the Nursing Department as their client.
After weeks of research, analysis, and intense discussions, the group drafts a promotional plan. Amelia
and Yosef, two liberal arts majors, develop a creative design for the poster and brochure. The same design
will also be used on the website. Jovan writes the report and brochure content. Stephanie and Alex
prepare a new layout and copy for the website. Now the group faces the task of preparing their team
presentation.
The group decides that Yosef should serve as the moderator. Jovan claims the task of presenting
the groups’ research and analysis. Amelia wants to present the poster on her own, but Yosef objects,
saying that even though he is the moderator, he wants to participate in that part of the presentation. Alex
and Stephanie watch Amelia and Yosef vie for the honour of presenting the poster. They agree to present
the website design together.
As the date of the team presentation approaches, the group realizes they are spending most of
their time trying to decide who will present the individual presentations rather than finalizing the report
and crafting the team presentation. They declare a moratorium on arguments about media and shift to
discussing the overall presentation.
“Just remember,” says Alex, “Our purpose is to get an A!”
“No,” says Amelia. “Our purpose is to present a brilliant promotional plan and set of designs to
the audience, and if we do that well, we will earn a good grade, too.”
Jovan asks the group to put aside concerns about grades and look at the presentation in a broader
sense. “Are we not supposed to demonstrate how our promotional plan and designs will help the Nursing
Department attract more majors?”
The group decides to concentrate on how to integrate their individual presentations into the team
presentation. As much as he would like to present the poster, as long as Amelia gives him credit as the
co-designer, Yosef says he will open the team presentation by explaining the overall campaign plan. Jovan
disagrees, insisting that he should do that section because he did most of the research and writing.
By now, the team is anxious. They are still arguing about who does what rather than what to do,
and everyone is talking at once. “Hold on,” says Alex, “What if we look at this as members of the Business
Department. What would they want to know? Why would they trust our judgement and
recommendations?”
Stephanie adds, “We need to consider how to ‘perform’ this presentation in a way that will
impress the Nursing Department and our journalism instructors.”
The group looks at Alex and Stephanie with gratitude. “I guess we are back to square one,” says
Jovan. The group acknowledges the need to find an appropriate approach to planning their team
presentation.
1. Which dialectic tensions are likely to affect whether the group’s team presentation is successful?
Identify and describe the tensions and explain the reasoning as to why these tensions exist.
Provide possible solutions to resolve potential tensions.
2. What is the purpose of the team and how can they achieve this purpose? Explain your answer in
detail.
3. What are some of the ways the team can enhance and establish its credibility? Explain your
answer.
4. Identify, describe, and explain the most important factors working in a team. Justify your answer.
5. Compare and contrast how your current MGMT 254 Spring 2021 team is with the Multimedia and
Design team. How are the two teams similar and how are they different? What advice, if any,
would you give to the Multimedia team to help them improve? Be specific and detailed in your
answer.