The Wheel Model
The ‘Wheel Model’ has been developed to promote successful group functioning by presenting a framework for understanding the complexities of group collaboration. This analogy uses the different structural components of a wheel (written in red) to represent the different variables known to impact on group work (written in black).
When each of these ‘components’/variables are thoughtfully attended to the ‘wheel’/group runs ‘smoothly’/works well. The model also serves as a reflective tool for group analysis by linking the structure of the ‘wheel’/group to its ‘performance’/functioning. When one or more of the ‘wheel’s components’/group’s variables is retarded or missing, then the ‘wheel’/group can become dysfunctional resulting in limitations to its optimal performance.
