Goals and Goal Types

On your Vennquest group page it's possible to create goals so that everyone knows what's coming next. But especially in the beginning groups can be a bit overwhelmed by the sheer size of possible actions. So here are a few tips on how to set a goal that really moves the group forward.

So What Should We do With Our Group?

A proven way to gain a new skill together in a group are the following steps (they will be explained below in more detail):

You get to know each other and decide what you want to do (goal type: Introduction).
You do some research and find out the things you need to know. (goal type: Research).
You present your findings to each other. Based on what you learned you can set some action goals now (goal type: Present).
You perform your action tasks. You create a first draft, you try to solve a problem and you create stuff (goal type: Create).
You discuss your progress regularly within you group (goal type: Discuss).
Rinse, repeat: Maybe you need to do more research or you move on to the next "Create" goal. This goes on until you complete your project.

See the goal types explained in more detail.

How to Set Your Group Goal in Vennquest

On your group page there's the "Group goals". Simply click on "Add goal" in the bottom left corner. Afterwards you get to the goal setting page. Here you can set the following elements of your goal:

Title

The title should give a clear idea about what you want to achieve with your goal. Be very specific about the title you chose.

Select goal type

We talk about different goal types in the sections below. Consciously choosing a goal type can help you with orientation: In which phase of the project are you currently? What is the general idea behind the goal you defined in the title?

Title

It can be useful to tag your goal with the topic it's related to. That way your goal can be found more easily later.

Goal details

Include detail about what needs to be done, make sure your goal is clear, measurable and achievable (see more).

Due Date

Add a due date to your goal to set a deadline for your task. It can help the group to be more productive if you know that you should complete the task by a certain date.

Goal Types Explained in More Detail

1. Introduction

In the beginning, it's always good to have a video call just to get to know each other. You all introduce yourselves (maybe you also wrote a short note on the group discussion board prior to the meeting). You can tell each other what you would like to accomplish with this group, you can brainstorm goals and then you can decide on what to do next.

2. Research

This goal type is all about learning. You google, you read articles and books, watch videos and talk to people who have some experience. All group members try to find good information sources to increase their knowledge about a topic. You can also distribute the workload and have each group member research one aspect of your topic.

Examples of Titles of "Research" Goals

Skill: Investing

[Research] risk metrics for Investing.
[Research] the most important metrics to valuate companies.
[Research] what can influence yields in real estate.
[Research] about basic blockchain structure.

Skill: Creating a Website

[Research] the best content management systems.
[Research] the most important factors to get high search engine rankings.
[Research] the structure of a good blog post.
[Research] the content for your privacy policy page.

Skill: Public Speaking

[Research] body language practices.
[Research] rhetorical techniques.
[Research] how to structure a speech.
[Research] specific techniques for online presentation.

3. Present

After you've done your research, you present the information that you have collected. Now you can discuss together in your group which resources were the best, you can analyze and summarize the content and decide how you're going to use it in your project. While we recommend a video call to update you on what you've found, you can also post Google Docs or upload PDFs to your group page. For links and notes you can also create a post in the Group discussion section.

Examples for Titles of "Present" Goals

Skill: Investing

[Present] different assets classes based on Return / Risk Profile.
[Present] short list of tech companies based on valuation metrics.
[Present] 15 min introduction to stock trading on Interactive Broker.
[Present] 10min about blockchain consensus mechanisms.

Skill: Creating a Website

[Present] websites with designs you like.
[Present] the 10 best search engine ranking factors that everyone could find.
[Present] a list of Wordpress plugins you want to install.
[Present] the best strategies to increase your website traffic.

Skill: Public Speaking

[Present] Real Life situations that you dealt with.
[Present] Body language techniques that you have used.
[Present] Ideas about how to increase attention of your audience.
[Present] Examples of speeches that you like.

4. Create

Time to start creating something cool! After you've learned the things you needed to know and discussed them together in your group, you're ready now to put your knowledge into practice and to apply your new skills.

Examples for Titles of "Create" goals

Skill: Investing

[Create] an ETF portfolio on Interactive Brokers
[Create] an account on Mint Personal Finance
[Create] an account on Wise to test international transfers
[Create] a schedule to visit 5 apartments for purchase

Skill: Creating a Website

[Create] a simple website on wix.com.
[Create] your first blog post.
[Create] all the metadata for your website images.
[Create] a simple analytics system for your website.

Skill: Public Speaking

[Create] debate simulation.
[Create] a short presentation in which you focus on using new rhetorical techniques.
[Create] rehearse a presentation that you need to make.
[Create] a public speaking 'tool box' to structure future speeches and presentations.

5. Discuss

You have applied your knowledge, you practiced and you created something. Now the group members can discuss their achievements. What did go well and where did you struggle? Where did we improve and what are the things we still need to learn?The groups decides what the next steps are and the circle of research - present - create - discuss repeats.

Examples for Titles of "Discuss" Goals

Skill: Investing

[Discuss] the performance of your ETF portfolio.
[Discuss] the return potential of the properties you visited.
[Discuss] the user experience with various payment apps.
[Discuss] your first impression of the new crypto wallet you opened.

Skill: Creating a Website

[Discuss] how you like the design of your websites.
[Discuss] the performance of your latest blog posts.
[Discuss] the new SEO plugin you were all using.
[Discuss] the problems you had with your hosting services.

Skill: Public Speaking

[Discuss] impressions of presentation made in the group.
[Discuss] constructive feedback from debate simulation.
[Discuss] application of techniques learned in real life situation.
[Discuss] issues that appeared during public speech.

Of course all of this is just a suggestion to help you to get ahead with your group. You can always choose your own path and course of action all by yourself and combine the goal types in a different order. You and your group pals will always know best how you want to reach your goal. So just set goal types based on your group’s needs.