I've been assigned a group project from my AP computer science class, and I am required to work with three other people. I've never talked to them before, I have no idea their skill level, and all I have is their email address. The assignment, summed up, is this:

"As a team you will complete a minimum of three Modules to a Class...."

I going to try and become "Team captain" because none of them have attempted to contact each other but I am curious: how to go about this? I've emailed them and asked them if there are any methods of communication they prefer over emailing each other, but once we actually start the project I'll have to figure out who is doing what.

What should I do? How do I "take charge" and lead three people that I've never met?

Here is an excerpt of the actual assignment:


  Therefore you will need to discuss the various roles each team member
  will take in this project early in the week.  You can communicate via
  Pronto (or Blackboard IM), email, a wiki, a google group, blog or any
  other method that you see fit. If a group member does not engage the
  group by the end of week let your instructor know and they will
  provide additional guidance.
  ...
  Also due at the end of a project will be a team evaluation in which you will rate each team members contribution to the completion of this project along with a suggested grade.


Edit: Many people suggested that I meet them in a coffee shop, or something like that. Only problem is, all of us are in different states. I also figured out one of them isn't allowed to use Facebook/Skype/twitter, so I have to resort to messaging them over yahoo messenger and emails.

The leader of this project will be the person who steps up and takes charge at the beginning.

This applies to most things in life - not just software development. When everybody else is running around like chickens with no heads, the person who thinks things through, steps forward and says, "This is what we're going to do and this how we're going to do it." is usually the person looked to as the leader for the rest of the project. Bear in mind that by doing this you are taking responsibility for the ultimate success or failure of the project.

You want to lead this project? Here's a couple of things you can start doing right away to make a big impact.


Use a project management tool like Trello and send invites to everybody and start assigning parts of the project out to people.
Generate a bug database and start adding tasks and bugs - again, just start assigning.
Set up a version control repository and check in a good initial chunk of code that everyone can work from. Refuse to deal with any other form of code control.
Offer to help people get going with development by showing them how to use the version control system and bug database.
Send out weekly emails detailing the status of the project and the progress of the previous week.


None of these steps are particularly hard, or time consuming, but they will be huge time savers down the road. Furthermore, it will get your team talking to each other, and get them used to seeing you in charge.
