Messy Housemates

Submitted by:
Sheridan David, Irene Garcia, Sandy Lui, Chelcee
Michaels, Brian Peters
Comm 1010-006
August 4, 2014


Table of Contents

Executive Summary: 2

Project Description: 3

Methods 5

Problem Question 5
Analyzing the Problem 5
Setting Criteria 7
Brainstorming Solutions 8
Analyzing Solutions 9
Implementing the Solution 9

Conclusion 10

Works Cited 12

Appendices 11 and Attached Meeting Packets
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3

Executive Summary

The report shown summarizes our groups problem solving procedures for our Team
Communication Project. This project required us to use the reflective-thinking sequence
to find a resolution to our problem. Our problem was to find a solution to keep our
housemates organized, yet still be respectful of one anothers space.

By applying the reflective-thinking sequence and using the dialogic-listening method we
were able to find a solution that benefited both parties. We then agreed on how our
problem question would be worded, investigated the problem, structured criteria to
evaluate the usefulness of prospective solutions, conceptualized feasible solutions,
scrutinized these solutions, proposed a definite resolution and set up a strategy to
implement the solution.

Our recommendation is that it would be best to establish expectations/rules at the
very beginning of the relationship for the sake of avoiding problems before they have a
chance to develop, balance participation amongst each other when it comes to house
hold tasks, and to discuss issues openly with one another. These solutions keep honesty
increased in the relationship, create a better living environment for everyone, and build
better communication skills.


Project Description

At some point in our lives we have had or will have a roommate(s). When it comes to
roommates it is a good idea to to set up rules and guidelines before they move in, so
that the expectations are presented from the beginning. This is also a god idea to keep
in mind when you yourself are looking to move in with others. If possible seeing the
current living conditions of your potential roommate(s) is a good indication of their
habits.

Often with college students rules are set in place, however as the semester moves on
and things become more involved and hectic, people get too busy and lax about
cleaning responsibilities. The dishes pile up; personal belongings get left out and clutter
communal living spaces. The everyday cleaning does not get done. If rules are not being
followed talking things over in a non-accusatory manner, involving everyones input and
ideas, setting up a schedule, and even rotating a clean captain who would be in charge
of keeping everyone on task, are ways of approaching the negligence in household
duties. If conditions reach filthiness and become unsanitary, certain health concerns can
arise, such as illness, bugs, mice and even rats.

Our group of five students in COMM 1010 has been assigned to propose a resolution
plan to the issue of living with Messy Roommates. As a group we met four times during
scheduled class time and once outside of class. We discussed the issue of uncleanness
that may arise when living with others, whether it is friends, family or new persons, and
how to approach the topic without being accusatory or harsh. In each of our meetings
participation and contribution was encouraged as well as creative and critical thinking.
The information we gathered came from talking to other people, the Internet, and the
section in our textbook Managing Conflict.

Methods

We began by preparing a Team Contract that listed the norms and roles of our group.
We then applied the reflective-thinking sequence to solve our roommate situation. The
reflective-thinking sequence (ftcsc.ag.iastate.edu) describes a process by which
problems can be investigated and solutions identified that can be applied to group or
team projects. However, one disadvantage of group or team projects is that when
students are assigned such projects, if they are not trained in a method that facilitates
collaboration, the resulting experience may simply reinforce an attitude that is
sometimes called group hate.
Below you will find a recount of our methods and discoveries for each step. Upon the
completion of our report, we then assigned points to each member based on their
contribution and participation.

Part 1: Problem Question
It was important that we kept our problem stated as an open-ended question. Leaving
the question as open-ended, will not cause us to be tempted to start with one specific
solution in mind.

Our group then agreed that the primary problem was: What is the best way to keep
our roommates organized, yet still be respectful of each others space?

Part 2: Analysis of the Problem
Before starting to suggest any solutions, it was important to understand the problem
completely. Many poor solutions have been suggested because the decision makers
didnt understand the needs of the people involved. Much time has been wasted
because decision makers didnt bother to find out what solutions have already been
tried. Studying the problem can prevent such mistakes.

As we analyzed the problem we considered its characteristics, the stakeholders in the
problem (people who might be affected), the background of the problem, and policies
that might affect the problem or our solutions. We also identified resources we could
use in finding a solution.


A. Characteristics
1. Communal Problems: The most important aspect of confronting a cleanliness issue is
timing. Try to voice your concerns about apartment-dominating mounds of clothes or
stacks of dishes early on in your tenancy with a roommate. Rather than blaming the
mess on your roommate, concentrate on finding ways to address the specific problems
that bother you. Proposing a solution rather than merely pointing out the problem is
likely to get you better results.

2. Relationship Management: Talk to your roommate directly when something is
bothering you. Dont discuss it behind their back because this can cause a breakdown in
trust between you. Be direct. Be clear about what is bothering you. If you dont tell your
roommate that there is a problem they wont be able to do anything about it.
Remember that communication works two ways: talking and listening. Neither one is
effective without the other. Respect each others differences. Everyone has different
values, lifestyles, expectations, and communication styles. Get to know each other and
establish common ground. It is easier to solve a problem with a friend than a stranger.

B. Stakeholders
In this subject we talk about persons, groups of effected categories with this problem.
How does this issue impact different verity of groups. The different types of groups
there are available.
1. College students: Not having the capacity to have a studying environment to
work hard to receive good grades or try to learn and mature. Have a clean space
to study is highly important and necessary to achieve completive grades.
2. Family members: when a rooms mate family member it is important to be
respectful to them and make them feel welcome and a messy room is not
welcoming nor fear to the roommate and its family members being considerate
of things like that is necessary because every room mate should be able to invite
or have their family visit regardless others lack of cleaning it wouldnt be fear to
others.
3. Culture: once again being considerate of others is significant, keep in mind that
being all from the same culture individuals has different preferences and
customs. Furthermore if there is a lot of diversity it is important to be clean for
others because they may have different ways of doing things for example eating
in the floor with a rag instead of a table if the grown is unsanitary they wont be
able to eat as they have always done it according to their culture.
4. Children: having children can be difficult with sharing the space with others
because kids dont always understand to clean up after themselves or not to
touch others belongings. But therefore being respectful to others and respecting
there space.
5. Health: if someone is living in an unsanitary environment it is highly possible to
get an infection and get sick. If someone is sick they wont be able to clean,
work, or attend classes and do their homework. When one person gets sick from
a dusty and dirty environment there rest of the four roommates will eventually
get sick as well and that would begin a horrible cycle.
C. History or background
1. Setting up clear expectations: It is e4asier to know what to do when you already
have an idea or expectation to follow and know what to do and what not to do.
2. Set up guidelines: This gives a strict knowledge on what to do and how to do it
to avoid any type of problems because its all in the guide.
3. Job chart: this as well forms an expectation and task to complete for each
member and they must complete it and follow it strictly because they all came
to an agreement and its an expectation as well as a guideline.
4. Compromising: finding something each individual likes or dislikes to do to
facilitate the working environment and preferences of one another.
D. Policies/ politics
1. Hiring someone to do the cleaning: If each student honestly doesnt have time to
clean because they work and they are very concentrated in receiving good
academic grades the possibility of hiring someone may be a great option.
2. Monthly expectations and inspections: a list of things will be expected to do for
everyone to complete and an inspection will take place to insure that everyone
did what they were supposed to.
3. Good communication with roommates: to reduce or eliminate problems its
always great to communicate and talk things out if there is an issuer even better
before it becomes an issue.
4. Written up contract: for everyone to know and be aware of their responsibilities.
Key is making agreements before moving in with other members.
E. Resources
1. Parents: that may have kids that do share their homes in college or possibly they
have experience this as they were going to college and they can give helpful
advice.
2. Friends: that has had this experience or has a friend that is living under these
conditions may have helpful feedback on what to do in certain cases.
3. Television: observing others that are sharing rooms can be very helpful to
observe the obstacle they encounter and how they solve it.
4. Internet: has plenty of articles and endless information on cases of messy
roommates.
5. Dorm leaders: may have a lot of experience because they have gone thought it
all and been a leader to guide and make sure everything is in order.
Part III: Criteria
It is highly important to set up criteria to evaluate before actually coming up with
solutions but instead possible solutions or ideas that can lead us there.
A. General Goal
1. Our general goal is to set up guidelines, contracts, charts, and leaders to
eliminate messy environments and problems.
B. Specific Criteria
1. Applying principles of effective communication that we are learning in
the class.
2. Be achievable within our four-week time frames.
3. Have no coast unless someone decides to hire someone to clean for
him or her.
4. Engaging one other with no tension and always with positive tone.
5. Everyone agrees on tasks.
6. Balancing participation and responsibilities.
7. Keeping discussions on task and always being respectful.
8. Ask questions to receive a better understanding.
9. Enhance the value of everyones comments.
10. Pay attention to cultural factors and necessities.
Part IV: Brainstorm Possible Solutions
Our group brainstormed possible solutions to our messy roommate problem.
Our group contributed many ideas, even if they were crazy. The brainstorming method
wanted us to be creative when coming up with solutions, so our group did not reject any
ideas we came up with.
Listed below are some ideas our group came up with. Some of our group ideas might
overlap each other.
1. Make a chore chart for all the roommates.
2. Come up with a compromise between the roommates.
3. Have punishments if roommates did not do their chores.
4. Set guidelines before moving in with roommates.
5. Move out if the messy roommates do not change.
6. Have a monthly cleaning captain to make sure the cleaning gets done.
7. Have a contract between the roommates.
8. Kick the roommate out that will not clean.
9. Call the roommates parents.
10. Install cameras to have evidence.
11. Assign roommates each a bin for their belongings.
12. Rotate chores so it is fair between the roommates.
13. Have someone do a chore they enjoy doing and stick to it.
14. Have a calendar or schedule to help be organized.

Part V. Solution Analysis
It is finally time to analysis the solutions based on the criteria our group
suggested in Step III. First we chose our top 5 solutions. Our group did this by
combining our similar solutions. Then our group eliminated our solutions we
liked the least. Our group then agreed which ones were the best 5.
A. Narrowed List of Solutions:
1. Have a chore chart between the roommates.
2. Come up with a compromise between the roommates.
3. Have punishments when the roommates do not clean.
4. Set guidelines before you move in with roommates.
5. Move out if the problem does not get resolved.
6. Have a monthly cleaning captain to make sure the roommates clean.
B Chart:
Our group drew up a chart (shown in Appendix 2) so we could evaluate
each proposed solution in terms of each criterion. Our group listed each solution
across the top, and each criterion down the left side. For each criterion, our
group ranked each solution on a scale from 0 (does not meet this criterion) to 5
(meets this criterion very well.) Our group then totaled up all the points to get an
idea of which solution might best satisfy our criteria. Our group realized, of
course, that this chart is a helpful guide (COMM 1010 WebCT page, 2010). So it is
still up to our group to work out the best solution, perhaps combining elements
from some of our suggested solutions.
Final Solution:
Solution 4 received the highest score, but our group did not just base this
solution on the numbers. The reflective thinking sequence showed our group that we
should use intuition and common sense as well as logic. Our group used the numbers as
a guide, but we still talked about each one, to make sure our group had not missed
anything in our number analysis.
This solution excels over the others because:
1. It will make sure all the roommates are on the same page before
moving in.
2. It will minimize conflict between roommates.
3. It will make roommates realize if they want to move in.
4. It will solve more then one problem unlike the other solutions.
D. Possible Negative Consequences:
Our group next considered possible negatives of our proposed solution. As with
any solution, our group recommended approach could have some potential negative
consequences. It could start fights between the roommates. It can break friendships. If
the negative consequences never change the solution would be to move out.

Conclusion

The issue of Messy Roommates and dealing with it in a relaxed yet firm manner is
essential when living with anyone. A messy living environment can be stressful on
those involved. There can be health concerns if the messiness turns to filth and
unsanitary conditions. Setting up straightforward rules and guidelines from the
start, involving everyone and their input, chore charts, the rotation of someone in
charge of tasks, and remaining firm yet not harsh can alleviate any stressful
occurrences. How you handle the situation will determine the outcome. It is
important to remember this fact when dealing with others.








Criterion and Solutions
Clean
Captai
n
Schedules
/
Chore
Chart
Compromis
e
Consequence
s
Move-In
Guideline
s
Mov
e
Out
Total
s
Attention to
Cultural
Factors
4 4 4 2 4 1 19
Positive
tone/no
tension
3 5 4 5 5 3 25
Keep
Discussion
on Track
4 3 3 3 4 4 21
Everyone
Agrees to
Tasks
4 5 4 5 5 1 24
Balance
Participatio
n

5 5 3 3 5 1 22
Totals 20 22 18 18 23 10 111





Sandy
Chelcee
Irene
Brian
Sheridan

Works Cited
Adler, R. &. (2010). Managing Conflict. In Communicating At Work (pp. 125-135). Boston:
McGraw Hill.
aptsherpa. (2006, January 2). Roommate Problems: How to Deal with Messy Roomates.
Retrieved July 31, 2014, from http://ohmyapt.apartmentratings.com/messy-
roommates.html
Staff, C. M. (2010, April 20). Dealing With Messy Roommates. Retrieved July 31, 2014, from
http://www.collegemagazine.com/editorial/91/dealing-messy-roommates