Business meeting of a software developing company

People: junior developers, senior developers, analysts, managing director, executive secretary, sales and marketing manager, personnel manager, finance director.

Place: offices in Vinnytsia, Lviv, Kyiv.

Time: Tuesday 11 a.m.

In the role play «Business meeting of a software developing company» students take part in the videoconference playing different roles. The subject of the meeting is choosing the platform for which their company will develop application programs: 1) Android, 2) Linux, or 3)Windows. Each student has his/her position in the company, defends some point of view and must make a two-minute convincing speech in the videoconference. (This task can be fulfilled after studying texts about operating systems. Time for playing is 30 min).

Preparation: 1) learn the useful expressions

2) divide the roles among students

3) students make written notes as to a) useful expressions they will need, b) option they will support, c) reasons they will give for their choice.

Useful expressions

Getting started

Let's get started.

Talking about discussion items

The first thing we need to discuss is...

The first item on the agenda is...

The first thing on the list is...

First, we need to talk about...

Presenting Options

We have several alternatives:

Moving on

Let's move on to the next topic.

We need to move on.

The next item (of business) is...

Stalling the Discussion

Wait a minute. We haven't discussed...

Not so fast. We haven't (yet)...

Asking for Clarification

What do you mean by....

I don't quite follow you.

Could you clarify that?

Could you elaborate on that?

Making a Suggestion/Proposal

I think we should...

Maybe we should...

I suggest...

Why don't we...

How about...

We could...

Giving Feedback

(I think) that's a good idea.

Good idea/point.

I agree.

I disagree. I think...

Sorry. I don't agree with you.

I don't think that's a good idea.

Asking for Opinions

What do you think, George?

What's your opinion on that, Martha?

Any thoughts on that?

Any ideas?

Checking for Consensus

Do we all agree (on that)?

Summarizing

In summary,

The conclusion is...

So, we've decided to...

Closing the meeting

That's all for today.

That's it then. (informal)

Think up a new device

Work in pairs. Think up a new computer device. Discuss its construction, purpose and functions. Then, you must prepare instruction manual for your device. One of you writes description of the construction. Another one writes how it works. Present your invention to the group.