Think about the last time you were stuck on a hard problem.
Who did you call?
If you hesitated—or couldn't think of anyone—this is the most important part of the course for you.
Who in this class do you actively avoid working with? Who makes you uncomfortable? Those are often the people you'd learn the most from talking to.
This structure gives you permission to initiate conversations you might otherwise avoid. It replaces the uncertainty of "should I approach this person?" with a norm that makes connection expected. You're not being awkward—you're doing what professionals do.
Structured peer conversation opportunities happen throughout the semester—some in-class activities, some connected to your partner and group work, some self-initiated. The form below lets you log conversations whenever they happen. The goal is building real relationships, not hitting a quota.
Each sprint develops a specific skill essential for collaborative problem-solving. These aren't soft skills—they're the capabilities that separate good individual contributors from people who can actually build things together.
Which of these four skills do you already do well? Which one makes you uncomfortable? That's the one you need most.
Deep partnerships develop when you return to the same person over time—they start to genuinely understand how you think and can give you real feedback because they know your work. Broad connections expand your perspective and give you access to different problem-solving approaches. The best professional networks have both depth and breadth.
Sprint 1 includes a brief check-in with the professor. Come prepared to discuss what you're working on and what you're finding challenging. This is support, not evaluation.
Imagine it's 5 years from now. You're stuck on a hard problem at work. Who do you call? The relationships you build this semester could be that answer.