Collaboration Explained: Facilitation Skills for Software Project Leaders 0-321-28677-6

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Collaboration Explained: Facilitation Skills for Software Project Leaders ByJean Tabaka ............................................... Publisher: Addison W e sle y Pr ofe ssion a l Pub Dat e: Ja n u a r y 0 6 , 2 0 0 6 Print I SBN- 10: 0 - 3 2 1 - 2 6 8 7 7 - 6 Print I SBN- 13: 9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 1 - 2 6 8 7 7 - 8 Pages: 4 5 6

Table of Cont ent s | I ndex

" Collaborat ion Explained is a deeply pragm at ic book t hat helps agile pract it ioners underst and and m anage com plex organizat ional and t eam dynam ics. As an agile coach, I 've found t he com binat ion of st raight forward advice and colorful anecdot es t o be invaluable in guiding and focusing int eract ions wit h m y t eam s. Jean's wealt h of experience is conveyed in a carefully st ruck balance of reference guides and prose, facilit at ing j ust - in- t im e learning in t he agile spirit . All in all, a superb resource for building st ronger t eam s t hat 's fit for agile vet erans and neophyt es alike." Arlen Bankst on, Lean Agile Pract ice Manager, CC Pace

" I f Agile is t he new 'what ,' t hen surely Collaborat ion is t he new 'how.' There are m any t hings I really like about Jean's new book. Right at t he t op of t he list is t hat I don't have t o m ake list s of ideas for collaborat ion and facilit at ion anym ore. Jean has it all. Not only does she have t hose great ideas for m eet ings, ret rospect ives, and t eam decision- m aking t hat I need t o rem em ber, but t he st art ling new and t hought - provoking ideas are t here t oo. And t he st ories, t he st ories, t he st ories! The best way t o t ransfer wisdom . Thanks, Jean! " Linda Rising, I ndependent Consult ant

Th e H a n ds- On Gu ide t o Effe ct ive Colla bor a t ion in Agile Pr oj e ct s

To succeed, an agile proj ect dem ands out st anding collaborat ion am ong all it s st akeholders. But great collaborat ion doesn't happen by it self; it m ust be carefully planned and facilit at ed t hroughout t he ent ire proj ect lifecycle. Collaborat ion Explained is t he first book t o bring t oget her proven, st art - t o- finish t echniques for ensuring effect ive collaborat ion in any agile soft ware proj ect .

Since t he early days of t he agile m ovem ent , Jean Tabaka has been st udying and prom ot ing collaborat ion in agile environm ent s. Drawing on her unsurpassed experience, she offers clear guidelines and easy- t o- use collaborat ion t em plat es for every significant proj ect event : from it erat ion and release planning, t hrough proj ect chart ering, all t he way t hrough post proj ect ret rospect ives.

Tabaka's hands- on t echniques are applicable t o every leading agile m et hodology, from Ext rem e Program m ing and Scrum t o Cryst al Clear. Above all, t hey are pract ical: grounded in a powerful underst anding of t he t echnical, business, and hum an challenges you face as a

proj ect m anager or developm ent t eam m em ber.

·

Build collaborat ive soft ware developm ent cult ures, leaders, and t eam s

·

Prepare yourself t o collaborat eand prepare your t eam

·

Define clear roles for each part icipant in prom ot ing collaborat ion

·

Set your collaborat ive agenda

·

Mast er t ools for organizing collaborat ion m ore efficient ly

·

Run effect ive collaborat ive m eet ingsincluding brainst orm ing sessions

·

Prom ot e bet t er sm all- group and pair- program m ing collaborat ion

·

Get bet t er inform at ion, and use it t o m ake bet t er decisions

·

Use non- abusive conflict t o drive posit ive out com es

·

Collaborat e t o est im at e proj ect s and schedules m ore accurat ely

·

St rengt hen collaborat ion across dist ribut ed, virt ual t eam s

·

Ext end collaborat ion from individual proj ect s t o t he ent ire developm ent organizat ion

© Copyright Pearson Educat ion. All right s reserved.

Collaboration Explained: Facilitation Skills for Software Project Leaders ByJean Tabaka ............................................... Publisher: Addison W e sle y Pr ofe ssion a l Pub Dat e: Ja n u a r y 0 6 , 2 0 0 6 Print I SBN- 10: 0 - 3 2 1 - 2 6 8 7 7 - 6 Print I SBN- 13: 9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 1 - 2 6 8 7 7 - 8 Pages: 4 5 6

Table of Cont ent s | I ndex

" Collaborat ion Explained is a deeply pragm at ic book t hat helps agile pract it ioners underst and and m anage com plex organizat ional and t eam dynam ics. As an agile coach, I 've found t he com binat ion of st raight forward advice and colorful anecdot es t o be invaluable in guiding and focusing int eract ions wit h m y t eam s. Jean's wealt h of experience is conveyed in a carefully st ruck balance of reference guides and prose, facilit at ing j ust - in- t im e learning in t he agile spirit . All in all, a superb resource for building st ronger t eam s t hat 's fit for agile vet erans and neophyt es alike." Arlen Bankst on, Lean Agile Pract ice Manager, CC Pace

" I f Agile is t he new 'what ,' t hen surely Collaborat ion is t he new 'how.' There are m any t hings I really like about Jean's new book. Right at t he t op of t he list is t hat I don't have t o m ake list s of ideas for collaborat ion and facilit at ion anym ore. Jean has it all. Not only does she have t hose great ideas for m eet ings, ret rospect ives, and t eam decision- m aking t hat I need t o rem em ber, but t he st art ling new and t hought - provoking ideas are t here t oo. And t he st ories, t he st ories, t he st ories! The best way t o t ransfer wisdom . Thanks, Jean! " Linda Rising, I ndependent Consult ant

Th e H a n ds- On Gu ide t o Effe ct ive Colla bor a t ion in Agile Pr oj e ct s

To succeed, an agile proj ect dem ands out st anding collaborat ion am ong all it s st akeholders. But great collaborat ion doesn't happen by it self; it m ust be carefully planned and facilit at ed t hroughout t he ent ire proj ect lifecycle. Collaborat ion Explained is t he first book t o bring t oget her proven, st art - t o- finish t echniques for ensuring effect ive collaborat ion in any agile soft ware proj ect .

Since t he early days of t he agile m ovem ent , Jean Tabaka has been st udying and prom ot ing collaborat ion in agile environm ent s. Drawing on her unsurpassed experience, she offers clear guidelines and easy- t o- use collaborat ion t em plat es for every significant proj ect event : from it erat ion and release planning, t hrough proj ect chart ering, all t he way t hrough post proj ect ret rospect ives.

Tabaka's hands- on t echniques are applicable t o every leading agile m et hodology, from Ext rem e Program m ing and Scrum t o Cryst al Clear. Above all, t hey are pract ical: grounded in a powerful underst anding of t he t echnical, business, and hum an challenges you face as a

proj ect m anager or developm ent t eam m em ber.

·

Build collaborat ive soft ware developm ent cult ures, leaders, and t eam s

·

Prepare yourself t o collaborat eand prepare your t eam

·

Define clear roles for each part icipant in prom ot ing collaborat ion

·

Set your collaborat ive agenda

·

Mast er t ools for organizing collaborat ion m ore efficient ly

·

Run effect ive collaborat ive m eet ingsincluding brainst orm ing sessions

·

Prom ot e bet t er sm all- group and pair- program m ing collaborat ion

·

Get bet t er inform at ion, and use it t o m ake bet t er decisions

·

Use non- abusive conflict t o drive posit ive out com es

·

Collaborat e t o est im at e proj ect s and schedules m ore accurat ely

·

St rengt hen collaborat ion across dist ribut ed, virt ual t eam s

·

Ext end collaborat ion from individual proj ect s t o t he ent ire developm ent organizat ion

© Copyright Pearson Educat ion. All right s reserved.

Copyright Many of t he designat ions used by m anufact urers and sellers t o dist inguish t heir product s are claim ed as t radem arks. Where t hose designat ions appear in t his book, and Addison- Wesley was aware of a t radem ark claim , t he designat ions have been print ed wit h init ial capit al let t ers or in all capit als. The aut hor and publisher have t aken care in t he preparat ion of t his book, but m ake no expressed or im plied warrant y of any kind and assum e no responsibilit y for errors or om issions. No liabilit y is assum ed for incident al or consequent ial dam ages in connect ion wit h or arising out of t he use of t he inform at ion or program s cont ained herein. The publisher offers discount s on t his book when ordered in quant it y for special sales. For m ore inform at ion, please cont act : U.S. Corporat e and Governm ent Sales ( 800) 382- 3419 corpsales@pearsont echgroup.com For sales out side of t he Unit ed St at es, please cont act : I nt ernat ional Sales ( 317 581- 3793) int ernat ional@pearsont echgroup.com Visit Addison- Wesley on t he Web: www.awprofessional.com Library of Congress Cat aloging- in- Publicat ion Dat a:

Tabaka, Jean Collaborat ion explained: facilit at ion skills for soft ware proj ect leaders / Jean Tabaka p. cm . I SBN 0- 321- 28677- 6 ( pbk. : alk. Paper) 1. Com put er soft wareDevelopm ent Managem ent . I . Tit le. QA76.76.D47T32 2006 005.3dc22 2005027650 Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Educat ion, I nc. Com plet e t he brief regist rat ion form Ent er t he coupon code A8DZ- HKYD- 3B4F- QDEK- E68B I f you have difficult y regist ering on Safari Bookshelf or accessing t he online edit ion, please em ail cust om er- [email protected] . All right s reserved. Print ed in t he Unit ed St at es of Am erica. This publicat ion is prot ect ed by copyright , and perm ission m ust be obt ained from t he publisher prior t o any prohibit ed

reproduct ion, st orage in a ret rieval syst em , or t ransm ission in any form or by any m eans, elect ronic, m echanical, phot ocopying, recording, or likewise. For inform at ion regarding perm issions, writ e t o:

Pearson Educat ion, I nc. Right s and Cont ract s Depart m ent One Lake St reet Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Text print ed in t he Unit ed St at es on recycled paper R.R. Donnelley, Crawfordsville, I N. First print ing, January, 2006

Dedication To Jim and Norm a Tabaka, m y m ent ors in hum or and love

Praise for Jean Tabaka's: Collaboration Explained " Collaborat ion Explained is a deeply pragm at ic book t hat helps agile pract it ioners underst and and m anage com plex organizat ional and t eam dynam ics. As an agile coach, I 've found t he com binat ion of st raight - forward advice and colorful anecdot es t o be invaluable in guiding and focusing int eract ions wit h m y t eam s. Jean's wealt h of experience is conveyed in a carefully st ruck balance of reference guides and prose, facilit at ing j ust - in- t im e learning in t he agile spirit . All in all, a superb resource for building st ronger t eam s t hat 's fit for agile vet erans and neophyt es alike." Arlen Bankst on, Lean Agile Pract ice Manager, CC Pace " I f Agile is t he new 'what ,' t hen surely Collaborat ion is t he new 'how.' There are m any t hings I really like about Jean's new book. Right at t he t op of t he list is t hat I don't have t o m ake list s of ideas for collaborat ion and facilit at ion anym ore. Jean has it all. Not only does she have t hose great ideas for m eet ings, ret rospect ives, and t eam decision- m aking t hat I need t o rem em ber, but t he st art ling new and t hought - provoking ideas are t here t oo. And t he st ories, t he st ories, t he st ories! The best way t o t ransfer wisdom . Thanks, Jean! " Linda Rising, I ndependent Consult ant

The Agile Software Development Series Alist air Cockburn and Jim Highsm it h, Series Edit ors Agile soft ware developm ent cent ers on four values ident ified in t he Agile Alliance's Manifest o: I ndividuals and int eract ions over processes and t ools Working soft ware over com prehensive docum ent at ion Cust om er collaborat ion over cont ract negot iat ion Responding t o change over following a plan The developm ent of Agile soft ware requires innovat ion and responsiveness, based on generat ing and sharing knowledge wit hin a developm ent t eam and wit h t he cust om er. Agile soft ware developers draw on t he st rengt hs of cust om ers, users, and developers, finding j ust enough process t o balance qualit y and agilit y. The books in The Agile Soft ware Developm ent Series focus on sharing t he experiences of such Agile developers. I ndividual books address individual t echniques ( such as Use Cases) , group t echniques ( such as collaborat ive decision m aking) , and proven solut ions t o different problem s from a variet y of organizat ional cult ures. The result is a core of Agile best pract ices t hat will enrich your experience and im prove your work. Tit le s in t h e Se r ie s: St eve Adolph, Paul Bram ble, Alist air Cockburn, and Andy Pols; Pat t erns for Effect ive Use Cases ; 0201721848 Alist air Cockburn; Agile Soft ware Developm ent ; 0201699699 Alist air Cockburn; Cryst al Clear ; 0201699478 Alist air Cockburn; Surviving Obj ect - Orient ed Proj ect s ; 0201498340 Alist air Cockburn; Writ ing Effect ive Use Cases ; 0201702258 Anne Met t e Jonassen Hass; Configurat ion Managem ent Principles and Pract ice

; 0321117662

Jim Highsm it h; Agile Soft ware Developm ent Ecosyst em s ; 0201760436 Jim Highsm it h; Agile Proj ect Managem ent ; 0321219775 Craig Larm an; Agile and I t erat ive Developm ent ; 0131111558 Lars Mat hiassen, Jan Pries- Hej e, and Oj elanki Ngwenyam a; I m proving Soft ware Organizat ions ; 0201758202 Mary Poppendieck and Tom Poppendieck; Lean Soft ware Developm ent ; 0321150783 Jean Tabaka; Collaborat ion Explained ; 0321268776 Kevin Tat e; Sust ainable Soft ware Developm ent ; 0321286081 For m ore inform at ion visit www.awprofessional.com / series/ agile

Acknowledgments " Who knows, t oday from yest erday m ay learn t o count no t hing t oo st range." Edwin Arlingt on Robinson I n m oving from m y yest erday, of no book, t o t he t oday of having t his book, I realize t hat I harvest ed guidance from a num ber of people. Wit h bot t om less grat it ude, I wish t o acknowledge t hose who helped ferry m e across t hat unknown land. I couldn't have im agined how m y life was about t o change when I m et Paul Pet ralia of Addison- Wesley at t he Agile Developm ent Conference in Salt Lake Cit y, 2003. Relent less in his annoyance and support , Paul rem ained ever firm in his convict ion t hat t his was t he right book, at t he right t im e, and t hat I should be it s aut hor. I grat efully acknowledge his vision and fort it ude. I n addit ion, I am t hankful t o Michelle Housley, Chris Guzikowski, Jesssica D'Am ico, Krist y Hart , and Rose Sweazy of Addison- Wesley for t heir pat ience and support in guiding m e t hrough t he m any edit ing cycles, schedule changes, and even t he loss of a lapt op. Your polish and aplom b cont inually guided m e t o safe harbors. Paul was craft y enough t o bring sure- foot ed sherpas t o guide m e on m y aut horship t rek. I am so very grat eful for t he consist ent , clear- voiced, and m ast erful guidance I received from m y reviewers Mike Cohn, Alist air Cockburn, Linda Rising, Tom Poppendieck, Jim Highsm it h, and Kent Beck. Each m anaged t o nudge and poke m e t hrough som e t reacherous spot s and pot ent ial pit falls while m aking sure I lived t o t ell about it . I am so honored t o have been invit ed t o cont ribut e t o Jim Highsm it h and Alist air Cockburn in t heir Agile Soft ware Developm ent Series. Walking in t he pat h of giant s, I am grat eful for t heir having cleared t he way for m e and for t heir convict ion around t his t opic. I am rem arkably blessed t o have m et Janet Danfort h, Lori Barnes, Bob Moir, Ellen Got t esdiener, and David Spann in m y salad days as a novice facilit at or. Each of t hem has provided a unique blend of experience and passion in t his field t hat has served t o inspire and m ot ivat e m e t o follow hum bly in t heir foot st eps. Sim ilarly, I 've been lucky enough t o be a recipient of ent husiast ic guidance from t he wonderful part icipant s in t he Ret rospect ives Gat hering and Yahoo! group. I n part icular: Tim Bacon, Rachel Davies, Est her Derby, Diana Larsen, and Linda Rising. All of t hese people are t he t rue guardians of collaborat ion t hrough facilit at ion, and I am honored t o be count ed in t heir ranks. For day- t o- day, on t he field of play support , I wish t o express m y t hanks t o t he st aff and pat rons of Caffe Sole coffee shop in Boulder, Colorado. Just as t he bench by t he front window has a perm anent indent at ion from m y m any early- m orning and lat e- night visit s t here, so do each of you in m e for being so genuinely int erest ed in how t he book was com ing along. I t 's done! Brilliant and support ive colleagues are never t o be squandered, and so I grat efully acknowledge m y wonderful colleagues at Rally Soft ware Developm ent . Tim Miller and Ryan Mart ens in quiet wisdom and wit h sincere support creat ed a wide swat h in which I was able t o navigat e m y life as a consult ant , m ent or, t rainer, and writ er. They have opened am azing doors for m e, and I am forever indebt ed t o t heir great fait h in m y abilit ies. Michele Sliger get s t he award as m y m ost exuberant and vocal cheerleader. She would not let m e st op writ ing! I am grat eful for her persist ence and cheer in m oving m e t o com plet e t hese m at erials and t o m ake t he book som et hing she t ruly sought t o own. My deep and heart felt grat it ude goes t o m y colleague Hubert Sm it s. I n addit ion t o being an encouraging colleague, Hubert , t hrough his det ailed and insight ful reviews and suggest ions, m anaged t o carefully provide t hat last push of support and energy m y weary brain needed t o finally see t he book t hrough. Finally, Jam i Yannet t , Brad Norris, Cindy Hagg, Richard Leavit t , and Dru Jacobs at Rally have all been

selflessly support ive, especially when I was st ressed and grum py. My deepest and m ost hum ble debt of grat it ude goes t o m y friends who bore t he brunt of m y fears, fat igue, and frust rat ion during t he writ ing and rewrit ing of t his book. Wayne and Laura Gifford, t hanks for sit t ing m e down in Kauai t o breat he in ocean air and let inspirat ion flow. Sheldon Lut t e, you so ardent ly believe in m y abilit ies, I had t o finish t he book in order t o not let you down. I hope you like it ! Judit h Oakland, I can't count t he num ber of t im es we sat t oget her t alking t hrough t he blood, sweat , and t ears t hat m ust accom pany t he creat ive process. I know t hat I couldn't have m ade it t hrough wit hout your love and guidance. To m y secret fan club, Fuzuki, Boodle, Rocky, Über- Sponge, and You Did, you will forever be in m y heart . Each of you t aught m e new and deeper m eanings of t he word " friend" t hrough your support during t his challenging t im e. And finally, m ost im port ant ly of all, I am " t o infinit y and beyond" indebt ed t o m y m ost excellent and m ost enduring friend, Alex Archaro. I know of no one else who could have so expert ly applied such liberal doses of hum or, annoyance, and love, all in t he right proport ions and at t he right t im es in order t o help m e m aint ain m y forward progress. Your st eadfast ness t o m e and m y " book report " has m ade all t he difference.

About the Author Je a n Ta ba k a is an Agile Coach wit h Rally Soft ware Developm ent , specializing in creat ing, coaching, and m ent oring collaborat ive, agile soft ware t eam s. Jean brings over 25 years of experience in soft ware developm ent t o t he agile plat e in a variet y of organizat ional cont ext s including int ernal I T depart m ent s, I SVs, governm ent agencies, and consult ing organizat ions. Having im plem ent ed bot h plan- driven and agile developm ent approaches for Sybase, Siebel Syst em s, and Qwest , as well as a variet y of sm aller vent ures, her work has spanned indust ries and cont inent s. As an agile m ent or, Jean coaches soft ware t eam s t hrough t raining and facilit at ion t o adopt agile principles and pract ices using a hybrid of t he leading agile m et hods. Wit h a passion for collaborat ion pract ices t hrough facilit at ion t echniques, she guides organizat ions in creat ing high- perform ance t eam s. She is t he co- aut hor of Physical Dat abase Design for Sybase SQL Server ( Prent ice Hall, 1995) and is a frequent lect urer and cont ribut or on t he t opic of collaborat ion pract ices in agile t eam s. A Cert ified Scrum Mast er, as well as Cert ified Scrum Mast er Trainer, and Cert ified Professional Facilit at or, she holds a Mast er of Art s from Michigan St at e Universit y and a Mast er of Com put er Science from Johns Hopkins Universit y.

Foreword The first value in t he Agile Manifest o is " individuals and int eract ion," or collaborat ion. Yet t here are precious few good resources on collaborat ion, how t o set it up, how t o m anage, m onit or, and im prove it , and even m ore rarely, how t o apply it t o a soft ware developm ent environm ent . Jean Tabaka, a t rainer of professional facilit at ors, offers us a rare view int o t he workings of collaborat ion cult ures, collaborat ive t eam s, self- organized t eam s, and collaborat ive leaderswhat it m eans t o be eit her of t he first t wo and how t o work wit h eit her of t he lat t er. I am glad t hat som eone as knowledgeable as Jean has had t he energy and t alent t o capt ure how t o build skills in t hese areas. Jean shows t he m echanics of running good m eet ings, ones t hat are welcom ed and well- run rat her t han dreaded and dull, where t he out com e is a net im provem ent rat her t han designby- com m it t ee. She describes in easy- t o- read prose how t o set up t he m eet ing room , ident ify and hold consensus, get t he m ost out of sm all work groups, brainst orm and vot e, and how t o process t he result ing inform at ion. She covers visioning, reflect ing, ret rospect ing, m anaging, conflict , and ext ending collaborat ion t o increasingly com m on but difficult sit uat ions such as dist ribut ed t eam s. My favorit e chapt er is Chapt er 19, " Guerilla Collaborat ion" : how t o help nudge a group int o profit able discussions when you are not t he leader and t he m eet ing's leader has wandered off t he pat h. Jean sum m arizes key collaborat ion sessions you are likely t o encount er. She includes t he com m on proj ect m eet ings: proj ect st art up, st at us, act ion, and ret rospect ive m eet ings. She also includes t he special kinds of collaborat ive sessions found in several of t he agile m et hodologies: blit z planning and reflect ion workshops for Cryst al Clear, Sprint planning and daily st andup for Scrum , planning and ret rospect ives for XP, and proj ect chart ering for I ndust rial XP. She present s each m eet ing's key quest ions and t hem es in a t able you can use t o prepare for t he m eet ing. Even t hough I am supposed t o know t his m at erial, I keep referring t o t hese t ables and t o her descript ions of t he elem ent s t o deepen m y underst anding and m ake sure I have not got t en off t rack m yself. These t echniques are for every organizat ion doing every kind of work. We are j ust lucky t hat Jean is bringing t hem t o t he agile developm ent com m unit y t o read first . Alist a ir Cock bu r n

Preface A Pat h of Learning

A Path of Learning When I st art ed m y career in I T back in t he 1970s, I began as an int ern for a JCL helpdesk t hat support ed a t eam of analyst s who expect ed t heir program s t o run sm oot hly ( enough) in t he m assive farm of I BM 3270s built for t hat purpose. I never m et t he analyst s I support ed; I never really knew t he business t hey were support ing. I j ust knew t hat a st ream of dat a from one syst em t hrough t ape drives t o anot her syst em had not com plet ed correct ly ( ABEND! ) and I needed t o rest art t he j ob or redirect t he st ream from box t o box as needed. The only " collaborat ion" I experienced was in t he form of direct ions from m y supervisor when I didn't know how t o solve t he problem . There were no t eam m eet ings, no t eam decisions ( except about t he sm oking policy t hat encouraged cigaret t es but banned cigars) , and no sense of t eam ownership of success. Each of t he ot her m em bers of t he " t eam " had t heir separat e set of analyst s t hey support ed, t heir own st acks of punch card carriers, and t heir personal, safeguarded m ag t apes t hey used t o m anage t heir work. I n subsequent j obs, I m oved int o ot her 3GL environm ent s, st ill working largely wit hout access t o a cust om er or ot her developers. Wit h regard t o t he developm ent t eam s, t he work was divided up by our m anager who m ade decisions about what we should be doing, how it should be done, and when it should be com plet ed. Our t eam m eet ings were weekly bug report m eet ings where our m anager would priorit ize what needed t o be done and it s due dat e. We passed work from one j ob t it le t o anot her ( analyst , t o designer, t o developer, t o t est er) , and t eam work for m e was largely rest rict ed t o one- on- one debugging sessions wit h anot her developer. But a change was beginning t o unfold about how soft ware developm ent proj ect s, t heir t eam s, and t heir m anagers could work m ore effect ively. I first dipped int o t he not ion of a learning- orient ed approach t o soft ware developm ent via Wicked Problem s, Right eous Solut ions by Pet er DeGrace and Leslie Hulet - St ahl ( Prent ice Hall, 1998) . The book becam e m y bible about what was wrong wit h phase- driven, wat erfall approaches and what m ight be right about a m ore em pirically m ot ivat ed approach. My next epiphany cam e in t he lat e 1990s wit h a visit t o t he UK where I learned of a new m et hodology being adopt ed in Europe: t he Dynam ic Syst em s Developm ent Met hod, or DSDM. What was st art ling for m e about t his m et hodology at t he t im e was it s em phasis on t im eboxes versus scope for soft ware delivery. I t t urned m y not ion of soft ware developm ent m et hodology on it s ear. Moreover, as docum ent at ion was de- em phasized, rapid effect ive face- t o- face com m unicat ion was explicit ly built int o t he approach t hrough it s facilit at ed workshops. At t his point , I m ade a conscious decision t o st eer m y m et hodology focus t oward facilit at ion pract ices t hat I could apply t o soft ware developm ent t eam s. Because I had seen t oo m any exam ples of how t eam s can crum ble in bad m eet ing cont ext s and in bad cont rol environm ent s, I want ed t o learn ways t o m ake all t he various t eam collaborat ions m ore reliable, m ore frequent , fast er, and m ore product ive. I t ook classes in facilit at ion, read books on facilit at ion, and at t ended facilit at ion conferences. I becam e a cert ified professional facilit at or, and I began t o t each facilit at ion as well as apply it . And I learned a few t hings: facilit at ion has a place in how we creat e t eam s and coax collaborat ive work from and for t hem . Addit ionally, I learned t hat facilit at ion is not about cont rol or m anipulat ion. Rat her, it is about applying t ools, t echniques, and processes in support of t eam s eager t o engage in high perform ance. Good facilit at ors list en and echo in a way t hat helps a t eam hear it self and apply it s best wisdom . Proj ect m anagers and soft ware t eam leads wit h facilit at ive skills becom e leaders who can list en and echo as t hey lead t eam s in vision and success. Today, I find m yself in t eam s t hat creat e a com m on goal, work t o com m unicat e frequent ly, and m ake decisions based on t heir collect ive wisdom . The agile m et hodologies we now consult ( Scrum , Ext rem e Program m ing, Cryst al Clear, Feat ure Driven Developm ent , and Lean

Soft ware Developm ent ) em phasize proj ect success t hrough disciplines of engineering and com m unicat ions t hat can effect ively respond t o change. I n t hese cont ext s, I recognize t he st abilizing force of collaborat ion and com m unicat ion as fundam ent al pract ices in proj ect success. Proj ect s need t eam s; t eam s need com m unicat ion. And while com m unicat ion com es in a variet y of form s from one- on- one t o very large groups, at t he t eam level of t hree or m ore people m aking decisions and act ing on t hem , com m unicat ion relies on collaborat ion. This book brings t oget her m y specific lessons about t he im port ance of applying collaborat ion in t eam s. Specifically, it cat alogues t he pract ices of facilit at ion I have learned t o use in order t o liberat e t eam s int o a variet y of inform at ion gat hering and decision m odes t hat prom ot e high perform ance. I have com e t o rely on facilit at ion not as a m anipulat ion or cont rol t echnique, but rat her as a way t o encourage part icipat ory decision m aking am ong t eam s of expert s. For m e, facilit at ion, m ore t han any ot her leadership or t eam pract ice, has proven t o be m y great est gift t o t eam s in creat ing a vision for t hem and encouraging t heir best t eam work. A num ber of colleagues have warned m e about negat ive experiences t hey've endured where a facilit at or has used his role in a m eet ing t o m anipulat e and cont rol t he t eam . That is not m y int ent here. I believe in leaders who engage facilit at ively in service t o t he t eam , not in cont rol of it . I believe in t eam s who recognize t he wisdom of a powerful leader and how such a leader's m ove t hrough various decision approaches st rengt hens t hem . A good leader absorbs a rich set of t ools in creat ing success wit h and for t heir t eam s. I n t his guidebook, I offer one subset of t hose t ools, t he facilit at ion t ools.

Overview How Have We Arrived Where We Are Today? What This Book Brings You Who Should Read This Guide? How t o Use This Guide How t he Techniques Are Present ed This I s Only t he St art

How Have We Arrived Where We Are Today? Proj ect Managers of soft ware developm ent proj ect s have cert ainly always had som e peripheral sense of t he need t o pay at t ent ion t o how t heir t eam s collaborat e, bot h wit hin t he t eam as well as across t he wide spect rum of st akeholders int eract ing wit h t he t eam . But t he evergrowing urgency around innovat ion and speedy, reliable delivery of business value t hrough soft ware has caused even t he m ost st eadfast of docum ent - and plan- driven Proj ect Managers t o seek a m ore invigorat ed em phasis on t eam collaborat ions. I n fact a group of sage souls, t he Agilist s, confirm ed a dram at ic shift in soft ware delivery approaches when t hey out lined t he Agile Manifest o. Here, t hey explicit ly t hrust t his sense of t eam and collaborat ion int o t he soft ware proj ect spot light . Squint ing int o t his bright ly lit orb, Proj ect Managers and t heir t eam s now scurry t o answer t he quest ion: How can we act ively and explicit ly est ablish collaborat ion as a fundam ent al t enet of our proj ect success?

What This Book Brings You I n t his pract ical handbook, I offer leaders of collaborat ive t eam s ( Proj ect Managers, XP Coaches, Scrum Mast ers, agile Proj ect Managers, t radit ional Proj ect Managers, and t eam leads) a guide of st ep- by- st ep facilit at ion t echniques for inst illing collaborat ion in proj ect t eam s. I review t he fundam ent als of collaborat ion in soft ware developm ent proj ect s: what t he various collaborat ion roles are, how leaders inst ill collaborat ion cult ures in t heir t eam s, what t he prim ary collaborat ion event s are, and what t he fundam ent al facilit at ion t echniques are t hat you can apply in t hese collaborat ion event s. I n short , t his book harvest s t hat int angible com ponent of t eam power and wisdom known as collaborat ion by clarifying it s fundam ent als in guidance at t he individual level, t he t eam level, and t he organizat ion level. Applying t hese basics, you can safely st eward proj ect t eam s t o new levels of collaborat ion and com m it m ent , buoying your t eam s t o consist ent ly deliver business value t hrough reliable and act ion- focused decision m aking.

Who Should Read This Guide? Collaborat ion rest s squarely on t he shoulders of each m em ber of a proj ect t eam . However, we very oft en t urn t o t he Proj ect Manager t o inst ill t he pract ice of collaborat ion in t he t eam . For t hat reason, Proj ect Managers, Scrum Mast ers, XP Coaches, or ot her t eam leads m ay reap t he m ost im m ediat e benefit from t he facilit at ion guidance provided here. Nonet heless, t he book can serve as a useful reference for t he full range of proj ect t eam m em bers. For t he roles out lined here, consider reading t his guide based on your part icipat ion in building collaborat ive t eam s: Pr oj e ct M a n a ge r s Because you can have t he m ost effect ive im pact on groom ing a t eam t o behave collaborat ively, Proj ect Managers are invit ed t o read t his book. Wit hout a st rong sense of facilit at ing collaborat ion, a Proj ect Manager m ay resort t o m anagem ent and decision st yles t hat could inadvert ent ly kill t he t eam spirit and creat ivit y. This can m ean deat h t o a t echnical t eam t hat needs t o feel em powered t o m ake decisions and t ake pride in carrying out t hose decisions. Te a m Le a ds Because you are very oft en t asked wit h owning all design and archit ect ure decisions, collaborat ion can be a real challenge. Moving from a com m and- and- cont rol st ance t o one of t eam collaborat ion in converging on key t echnical decisions m ay prove t o be a powerful paradigm shift for t echnical leads. Te a m M e m be r s Because collaborat ion relies so deeply on your abilit y t o be at t ent ive t o each ot her wit hin t he t eam , you need t o adopt collaborat ion pract ices. You becom e fanners of t he flam e of t eam wisdom and " guerilla collaborat ors" ( really! ) who can guide leads and Proj ect Managers about m aint aining a collaborat ive cult ure. Fa cilit a t or s Because t o be t ruly effect ive, you m ust bring m uch needed neut ralit y t o sm all and large t eam s alike, facilit at ion consult ant s are invit ed t o read t his book. You m ay review facilit at ion t echniques suggest ed here t hat are direct ed at soft ware t eam s want ing t o m ove away from soft ware by coercion t o soft ware by collaborat ion. M a n a ge r s Because while you m ay t hink t hat you prom ot e collaborat ion in your soft ware t eam s and wit h your business represent at ives, you m ay need t o ret hink your prem ises and your policies m oving forward. Managers have an opport unit y for growt h when t hey invit e part icipat ory decision m aking int o t heir m anagem ent st yle and t hen lead wit h t he power of observat ion and expert input .

How to Use This Guide You can use t his book as a series of sm all guides on collaborat ion, depending on where your work current ly st eers you. Se ct ion I , " Se t t in g t h e Colla bor a t ive Con t e x t " I f you're asking yourself, " Why collaborat ion, why now, and why should I care?" you'll want t o read t his prelim inary sect ion. Here, you'll lay t he foundat ion upon which t his current soft ware developm ent focus on collaborat ion has been built , part icularly if you are st art ing t o adopt agile soft ware developm ent pract ices. Nam ely: W h a t is a ll t h is h oopla a bou t colla bor a t ion ? How does it relat e t o us in t he soft ware developm ent realm as a fundam ent al proj ect t ool? W h a t doe s it m e a n t o h a ve a colla bor a t ion cu lt u r e ? What is t he difference bet ween a collaborat ion- driven t eam versus a com m and- and- cont rol t eam , and how does t his im pact our t eam cult ure and t he way we m ake decisions? W h o a r e t h e le a de r s t h a t for m a n d gu ide t h e se cu lt u r e s? Given t hat we choose t o be collaborat ive, how do leaders of such t eam s ( Proj ect Manager, t eam lead, t echnical lead, or direct or) shift t heir t hinking and hone t heir skills in order for us t o succeed collaborat ively while st ill m aint aining a sense of leadership? An d w h a t do t h e t e a m s look lik e t h a t w or k e ffe ct ive ly in t h e se cu lt u r e s? How do t eam s pay at t ent ion t o t heir basic st ruct ure and behaviors in order t o cont inually engender collaborat ive values and pract ices in t heir decision m aking? Building t his collaborat ion cont ext in effect bounds t he realm wit hin which t he rem ainder of t he book's work resides. Se ct ion I I , " Applyin g Colla bor a t ion " Wit h what we have learned about collaborat ive cult ure, leaders, and t eam s, I define a set of fairly prescript ive t ools and t echniques for t eam collaborat ion. Specifically, I t arget t he various t eam m eet ings ( sm all, m edium , and gargant uan) t hat can eit her am plify or squelch collaborat ion. These prescript ions include sufficient connect ive t issue around t heir com ponent s t o build larger pat t erns for part icipat ory decision m aking. Focused, highly part icipat ory m eet ings lead t o consist ent and sust ainable t eam collaborat ion, which ult im at ely builds high- perform ing t eam s. Therefore, in t his sect ion, I 'll provide guidance on: D e fin in g pr oj e ct colla bor a t ion e ve n t s Where and when are we being called upon t o engage collaborat ively in our proj ect s? Pr e pa r in g for colla bor a t ive e ve n t s What can each of us do when we are planning a proj ect gat hering t o ensure t hat it is t ruly collaborat ive? Pr e pa r in g pa r t icipa n t s for colla bor a t ion What needs t o be done t o t end t o all part icipant s when we have a m aj or collaborat ion event in t he offing? Se t t in g t h e colla bor a t ive a ge n da Given t hat all t hese people are gat hering, how can we plan t o m ake t he best use of t heir t im e in m eet ing a specific purpose or goal collaborat ively? Th e or ga n izin g t ools Wit h a good plan, how can we ensure t hat we don't skid off t rack and t hat all part icipant s have t he abilit y t o help t he ent ire group st ay on

t arget and m eet it s obj ect ives? St a r t in g t h e m e e t in g I t 's t im e t o work, so how do we bring everyone t oget her and help t hem t o focus and t o engage collaborat ively? What st eps can we use t o gain focus on each new t opic we explore? Ga t h e r in g a n d pr oce ssin g t h e in for m a t ion Everyone has great ideas; decisions need t o be m ade; how do we bring all t he pert inent inform at ion t oget her in a useful m anner for t ooling t he t eam t o m ake it s best decisions? What can we bring t oget her for est im at ing, dialogues, visioning, and ret rospect ives? M a n a gin g t h e pa r t icipa n t s Collaborat ion can be hij acked by int ended or unint ended dysfunct ional behaviors; how do we ant icipat e t hese behaviors, address t hem , and keep t eam s fruit fully engaged wit hout dam age? Closin g t h e e ve n t Given all t he work t hat has been accom plished, how do we ensure t hat t he collaborat ions cont inue once part icipant s have left t he gat hering and are back at t heir desks? Se ct ion I I I , " Ex t e n din g Colla bor a t ion " I f you underst and all t hese collaborat ion pract ices wit h t eam s t hat are face- t o- face, you m ay st ill want t o ext end your skills t o shepherd collaborat ion int o m ore challenging realm s: Colla bor a t ion for sm a ll t e a m s How can we winnow down t he large t oolset of facilit at ion t echniques t o what is m ost useful for one- on- one or sm all t eam cont ext s? Colla bor a t ion for dist r ibu t e d t e a m s What can we do t o prom ot e collaborat ion wit h ext ended, dist ribut ed t eam s? Colla bor a t ion gr ow t h in or ga n iza t ion s How do we t ake t hese sim ple pract ices and encourage t hem out side of j ust one t eam or one group? Se ct ion I V, " Colla bor a t ive Fa cilit a t ion Gu ide s" I f you underst and all t hese collaborat ion fundam ent als and are ready t o im plem ent m eet ing agendas for specific agile soft ware developm ent approaches, t urn t o Sect ion I V. This sect ion provides a set of collaborat ive agenda form at s t o apply in generic m eet ings, Cryst al Clear, Scrum , and XP. They serve as t em plat es eit her t o apply t hese specific m et hodologies or t o build hybrid collaborat ive event s of your own. Each t em plat e answers: " What is t he purpose of t his m eet ing, who are t he m eet ing part icipant s, what are t he expect ed out put s of t he m eet ing, what is t he set of agenda it em s, and what are t he processes t hat I can apply t o help t he part icipant s m eet t he purpose collaborat ively?"

How the Techniques Are Presented Sect ions I I I and I V of t his book provide t he det ailed facilit at ion t echniques used t o creat e and m aint ain collaborat ion. Each has a form ula for delivering t hat inform at ion. For inst ance, Chapt er 11, " Defining t he St eps," defines four st eps for helping t eam s focus and creat e inform at ion: Prepare, Prom pt , Gat her, and Process. These form t he t em plat e for t he guidance in t hat sect ion. For exam ple: 1 . Prepare:

Label a flipchart clearly wit h t he t opic of t he brainst orm ( " User I nt erface Considerat ions," " What is Working Well," " Decision St rat egies," " Nam e t he Baby" ) . Explain t hat you are about t o begin a brainst orm ing where each person will be writ ing t heir responses individually on Post - it Not es. ( You m ay want t o give som e hint as t o what t he follow- on work will be wit h t heir responses, such as priorit izing, great er det ail t hrough sm all group discussion, grouping, or pros and cons t o help t hem keep t heir responses short for t he brainst orm ing.) Even if t he exercise is conduct ed in sm all groups, t here should be no discussion during t he exercise; everyone is working as an individual. 2 . Prom pt wit h t he brainst orm quest ion. 3 . Gat her:

Hit t he t im er, say " Begin," and say not hing else. End when t im e has run out . The " Process" st ep is t reat ed as a separat e t opic in Chapt er 15, " Processing t he I nform at ion," as in t his exam ple: 1 . Process:

As it em s are post ed, each part icipant is invit ed t o st art t o group it em s as appropriat e. Anyone can m ove any it em t o begin t o form groups. There are no predefined divisions; t here are no predefined cat egories; t here are no labels. All part icipant s are welcom e t o m ove post ed responses around t o form groups unt il t he t im ebox is over. Allow 20- 40 m inut es for t his exercise, depending on t he num ber of part icipant s and t he num ber of responses. Once t he t im ebox ends, or when t here are no m ore changes in groupings, you can use t he labeling approach described in t he " Facilit at or- Led Labeling" sect ion of Chapt er 15.

For t he det ailed agenda guides in Sect ion I V, t he guidance t akes t he form of a t able, as in t his exam ple:

Age n da I t e m A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: Don't bot her wit h personal obj ect ives for such a short m eet ing. Just check in wit h everyone on t he Purpose and rem ind t hem of t he t im e lim it s. For t eam s t hat have been m eet ing daily, skip t his form alit y ent irely.

B. W h a t is t h e st a t u s on t h e Act ion I t e m s w e ga t h e r e d in t h e la st st a t u s m e e t in g?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : ( No prom pt ing quest ion necessary) Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Review Com m e n t s: Use t he Act ion list from t he previous m eet ing as t he prom pt for report s. Keep report s short . Make sure t hey don't go int o problem solving or det ailed solut ion descript ion; t hat should occur in a separat e or follow- on m eet ing as appropriat e.

C. W h a t h a s be e n com ple t e d sin ce t h e la st st a t u s m e e t in g?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Think back on t he last st at us m eet ing we held on ( dat e) . We had a lot of work we accom plished since t hat t im e, as individuals and as a group. Now t ell us, what has been com plet ed since t he last st at us m eet ing?" Pr oce ss: Round Robin Com m e n t s: Use t he t im er. Capt ure any problem solving as discussions/ m eet ings t hat need t o occur aft er t he st at us m eet ing. Also capt ure who should be involved in t he followon discussions/ m eet ings. For a Daily St andup, skip t he Prom pt quest ion and go st raight t o t he Round Robin. Encourage part icipant s t o address one anot her, not you.

This Is Only the Start Aft er you've worked t hrough t he sect ions of int erest t o you, t here is st ill a lot of work ahead. Applying facilit at ive t echniques for collaborat ion on your feet , day t o dayt hat is where you'll really underst and it , absorb it int o your subconscious, and m ake it your own. As wit h any prescript ive set of t ools and t echniques, t his book sim ply serves t o encourage you t o m ake t hose first st eps down a new pat h. Choose facilit at ion t ools and pract ices t hat look im m ediat ely applicable t o you. Hone your craft around t hese pract ices. Apply t hem in sm all t eam s, sm all m eet ings, and t hen larger t eam s and larger m eet ings. Learn how t o enj oy t he benefit s from t hese t echniques even in one- on- one int eract ions. Addit ionally, keep checking in wit h your leadership st yle and t he pract ices t hat m ost com fort ably com plem ent t hat st yle. Build up your repert oire as your com fort level and your st yle perm it . Alt hough som e of t hese pract ices m ay init ially feel awkward or dist ract ing, be pat ient wit h yourself and your t eam s. Over t im e, you'll feel t eam s t rust m ore and m ore in t he usefulness of your facilit at ive st yle as t heir leader. And t hrough your guidance in collaborat ion, you and t hey can t hen reap t he rewards t hat com e wit h being highly part icipat ory, highly focused, and hence highly perform ing.

Section I: Setting the Collaborative Context Before digging int o how t o apply collaborat ion in soft ware developm ent proj ect s, we need t o set a useful cont ext in which t o bound t he work. First , we have t o agree on a good working definit ion of t he t erm " collaborat ion" so t hat we can apply an appropriat e focus t o our proj ect pract ices. Because our proj ect s don't exist in a vacuum , we also have t o look at what const it ut es a general cult ure of collaborat ion and what m akes it appealing t o our way of working. Collaborat ive cult ures rely on leaders who can underst and t he power of collaborat ion and nurt ure it s growt h in t heir t eam s. So, t o com plet e t he pict ure, we'll pull t oget her a bit of guidance about t he leaders who engender collaborat ion, and t hen t ake a look at som e of t he " DNA" t hat goes int o prom ot ing collaborat ion am ong t eam m em bers.

Chapter 1. What Is Collaboration? Wit h t he current int erest in adapt ive, m ore reliable soft ware developm ent pract ices, proj ect t eam s and t heir m anagers are t aking a renewed look at t he m any people aspect s t hat eit her cont ribut e t o or det ract from proj ect success. We are re- reading Gerald Weinberg, Jim Coplein, Tom DeMarco, and Tim List er, who have each been t hought leaders around t he roles t hat com m unicat ion, negot iat ion, and collaborat ion play in soft ware developm ent .

Collaboration, the Definition So now t hat we have progressed t hrough t he soft ware ages and have t his sense of collaborat ion beat ing a rhyt hm in our proj ect s, what is a good working definit ion of collaborat ion?

Colla bor a t e t o work t oget her especially in som e lit erary, art ist ic, or scient ific undert aking [ 1] ; t o work j oint ly wit h ot hers or t oget her especially in an int ellect ual endeavor. [ 2]

[1]Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language [2]

(Cleveland, OH: William Collins Publisher, 1979).

Merriam Webster Online Dictionary, www.merriamwebster.com.

These t wo general definit ions help t o set our focus on what is m ost useful about collaborat ion wit hin t he cont ext of soft ware developm ent : how can we usefully share ideas, inform at ion, decisions, and solut ions am ong t he st akeholders and m em bers of a proj ect ? And what is it about t his j oint work t hat creat es benefit s bot h for t he collect ed individuals of t he t eam as well as for t he organizat ions or com panies wit hin which t he t eam operat es? Through shared working, t eam s creat e a sense of com m unit y and ident it y for t heir proj ect s. They are able t o collect ively converge on a purpose and a driving challenge for t he proj ect . I n t his way, collaborat ion becom es a pract ice t hat t eam m em bers apply am ong t he m any t ools and t echniques t hat define t heir proj ect . When t eam s declare a collaborat ive im perat ive in t heir work, it is t heir pledge t o em ploy consensus- based decision approaches t hrough part icipat ory decision- m aking. They apply high- bandwidt h inform at ion gat hering coupled wit h well- form ed and well- art iculat ed priorit ies. And, t hey are guided by a leader who fost ers part icipat ion in defining t he proj ect work and who encourages open discussion around t he proj ect direct ion: it s organizat ion, it s roles, and it s deliverables.

How Collaboration Has Guided the Agile Movement I n February 2001, a group of soft ware developers and m anagers form ulat ed t he Agile Manifest o as t heir expression of what t hey had com e t o t ruly value in t erm s of successfully delivering soft ware. Their form ulat ion was st riking bot h in it s sim plicit y as well as in t he shift in priorit ies it proclaim ed:

I ndividuals and int eract ions over processes and t ools Working soft ware over com prehensive docum ent at ion Cust om er collaborat ion over cont ract negot iat ion Responding t o change over following a plan

That is, while t here is value on t he it em s on t he right , we value t he it em s on t he left m ore. Through t his sim ple set of rules, t he signers explicit ly declared collaborat ion and com m unicat ion as fundam ent al pract ices for successful soft ware developm ent , part icularly t he first and t hird declarat ions.

Individuals and Interactions over Processes and Tools How do we buoy individuals in such a way t hat t hey can m aint ain t heir sense of self while st ill int eract ing effect ively? Jorg St rübing report s t hat a very large part of a soft ware developer's work is cent ered around " negot iat ion," hence t he need for effect ive int eract ion skills: Respect t he opinions of t he ot her. Provide differing opinions in a non- at t acking m ode. Discourage com m and and cont rol or bullying in int eract ions for t he sake of m oving forward ( t here are ot her ways t o m ove forward! ) . Be able t o reach consensus wit hout any individual feeling t hat t hey had t o com prom ise t heir t rue sense of what is right .

Customer Collaboration over Contract Negotiation Define a relat ionship from t he st art t hat declares t hat t he cust om er and t he proj ect t eam are full vot ing, working m em bers in t he success of t he proj ect . The t eam learns how t o hear difficult inform at ion bot h from t he cust om er as well as from t he I T m em bers wit hout fear of recrim inat ion. They creat e a safe harbor in which t he t eam can negot iat e, disagree, diverge, and t hen converge on a collaborat ive solut ion. Collaborat ion, so powerful in it s im pact on t eam product ivit y, becam e an int egral com ponent of what would be considered a responsive, adapt ive soft ware developm ent approach. As a result , t he canonical works around agile soft ware developm ent each revere t he credo " People over process" by devot ing ext ensive insight s int o t he need for collaborat ion in any of t hese pared- down processes: Scot t Am bler's Agile Modeling: Effect ive Pract ices for Ext rem e

Program m ing and t he Unified Process , St ephen Palm er's and John Felsing's A Pract ical Guide t o Feat ure- Driven Developm ent , Alist air Cockburn's Cryst al Clear: A Hum an- Powered Met hodology for Sm all Team s , Jim Highsm it h's Adapt ive Soft ware Developm ent : A Collaborat ive Approach t o Managing Com plex Syst em s , Kent Beck's and Mart in Fowler's Planning Ext rem e Program m ing , and Craig Larm an's Agile & I t erat ive Developm ent : A Manager's Guide , t o nam e a few. While each approach has it s specifics about process and pract ices, t hey all echo a com m it m ent t o self- organizing, self- disciplined collaborat ive t eam s as a core principle t o t he successful im plem ent at ion of t hose pract ices in process. I n t his way, collaborat ion has been t he daily glue t hat agile t eam s apply in order accom plish t heir j oint undert akings.

Chapter 2. What Are Collaborative Cultures? To bet t er underst and what collaborat ion looks like in our soft ware developm ent daily work, it 's wort h com paring a collaborat ive m ode of working t o ot her m odes we m ight choose inst ead. I f we t hink of t hese general organizat ional working m odes as cult ures, we can look at t he descript ions and com parisons est ablished by William Schneider in his book The Reengineering Alt ernat ive: A Plan for Making Your Current Cult ure Work . I n t his st udy, Schneider describes four fundam ent al cult ures of workingt hat is, how t eam s m ake decisions and how t heir m anagers guide t hose decisions: Com m a n d- a n d- Con t r ol The leader is in charge and m akes decisions for t he t eam t o ensure t ight aut horit y and responsibilit y. Com pe t e n ce The t eam or proj ect relies on t he expert capabilit ies of t he few t o bring about success for t he whole. Colla bor a t ion Decisions are consensus- driven, and t he t eam works in part nership t oward success. Cu lt iva t in g Est ablishing personal and professional im provem ent for each t eam m em ber is param ount . Each cult ure has a pat t ern of leadership t hat t ends t o drive how t he groups organize, creat e t eam s, and com plet e t heir work. Each has it s st rengt hs and weaknesses. Underst anding how a collaborat ion cult ure works com pared t o com m and- and- cont rol, com pet ence, or cult ivat ing cult ures ult im at ely answers t he following quest ions: What can we hope for as t he benefit s of collaborat ion? What pit falls should collaborat ion- driven cult ures work t o avoid? What kinds of leaders work best t o prom ot e collaborat ion cult ures? How should t eam s expect t o work in a collaborat ion cult ure?

The Non-Collaborative Cultures To fully grasp t he unique world of collaborat ion cult ure, we first t ake a look at t he ot her t hree cult ures t o underst and t heir charact erist ics and how t hey dist inct ly differ from t he collaborat ion cult ure.

Command-and-Control These cult ures rely on t he abilit y of t he leader t o t ake cont rol, est ablish a firm grasp on t he problem dom ain, derive a solut ion t hrough her individual expert ise and knowledge, and t hen direct t he t eam in delivering t hat solut ion. Som e proj ect m anagem ent st yles rely heavily on t his approach, especially in plan- driven soft ware developm ent work. The proj ect m anager ( PM) defines t he proj ect plan, phases, t asks, and deliverables. This st yle leads t o PM- driven decisions about schedule, roles, and responsibilit ies. The PM owns t he proj ect success and is t he sole arbit er wit h t he business sponsor of t he proj ect , being t he int erpret er of how user request s will im pact t he proj ect act ivit ies, schedule, roles, and budget . Proj ect success t herefore rest s squarely on t he shoulders of t he m anager and her abilit y t o art iculat e, plan, m ot ivat e, organize, discipline, and execut e. As Rob Aust in and Lee Devin describe it in Art ful Making: What Managers Need t o Know About How Art ist s Work , t his is a st yle t hat guides t he work of " indust rial m aking" : highly plan- driven, highly repeat able, lowcreat ivit y product ion work. However, t his com m and- and- cont rol cult ure shreds m orale and dilut es t he m ot ivat ion of gift ed, creat ive t eam m em bers.

My Anecdote I have vivid m em ories of a past com m and- and- cont rol m anager who serves as a reason not t o choose t his m ode when at t em pt ing t o creat e high- perform ance t eam s. I n t his professional services organizat ion for a CRM I SV, our m anager required t hat all decisions of or for t he t eam go t hrough him . Despit e t he wealt h of expert ise each of us brought int o our group, we were not allowed t o j ust work wit h one anot her; no decisions were delegat ed. Each of us had m ore years of experience and m ore diverse experience in soft ware developm ent t han t he m anager, and yet he st eadfast ly m aint ained cont rol of decisions wit hout consult at ion. We becam e resent ful about his inabilit y t o absorb advice or opinions. Our work becam e less and less product ive, and his way of m ot ivat ing us t o do bet t er was t o t urn up t he heat on t hreat s of firing us. I n t he end, of course, he did fire all of us one by one, cit ing our lack of professionalism and com m it m ent . Despit e his negat ive im pact on us while working for him , our group of t eam m em bers has kept in cont act wit h one anot her and has cont inued t o build a virt ual collaborat ive com m unit y of colleagues. We cam e t o recognize, t hrough a painful real- life experience, how dam aging t his com m and- and- cont rol cult ure could be when applied in our dom ain and have each found our own niche in building m ore collaborat ive t eam s.

Competence

Com pet ence cult ures t hrive in a world t hat values t he " best and bright est ." Such corporat ions build t heir reput e and bet t heir success on t heir abilit y t o at t ract and ret ain t hose people considered t o be t he t op in t heir field. As a result , t hey necessarily prize and reward individual cont ribut ions over t eam accom plishm ent s. Unfort unat ely, building an ent ire organizat ion based on t he com pet ence of a few can be a risky proposit ion. Com pet ent individuals m ove on, leaving t heir groups or com panies wit h t he dilem m a of having t o find equally qualified candidat es t o replace t hem . I n addit ion, as problem dom ains and t eam sizes grow, t hese cult ures have a hard t im e absorbing t he increased dem ands of com m unicat ion and coordinat ion.

My Anecdote I n a part icular consult ing organizat ion in which I worked for several years, t he parent com pany prided it self on it s pract ice of hiring only t he best and bright est . New em ployees had t o j um p t hrough several dem anding hoops j ust t o get int o t he com pany, including t he com plet ion of an int ense t hree- week boot cam p as a condit ion of an offer of em ploym ent . From t he st art , we were put in com pet it ion wit h one anot her. Over t im e, I began t o see t he weaknesses in such a st rat egy. I ndividuals weren't bred t o work cooperat ively, but rat her com pet it ively; t he lowest 5% " producers" were let go every t hree m ont hs. There was negat ive incent ive t o work as a t eam . As a result , when m y part icular sub- group was called upon t o produce a special consult ing package for a new product line wit h anot her sub- group from a different business unit , not only t he m anagers but also t he em ployees had a very hard t im e let t ing go of " ownership" issues. We chose t o st ay secret ive about our work and t o cooperat e as lit t le as possible wit h t he ot her group for fear t hat t hey would t ake credit for t he ent ire proj ect . When t he final product was released, t he result s of t he infight ing and com pet it ion were glaring. The work looked disj oint ed, unorganized, and lacked a polished flow.

Cultivating Cult ivat ing cult ures t end t o creat e success by encouraging t he growt h of t he em ployees. They t arget t he healt h and welfare of each individual and creat e com m unit y by concent rat ing on personal well- being. By cult ivat ing and m ot ivat ing individual accom plishm ent and expression, t hey believe t hat t he best work will em erge. Think about religious or academ ic cult ures t hat prom ot e experim ent at ion, int rospect ion, and personal int erest s as a m eans of defining t he organizat ion and what it accom plishes. I n soft ware developm ent , t hese t end t o be highly research- orient ed organizat ions where work is defined by t he int erest and m ot ivat ions of t he individuals. Deadlines or deliverables are not as prized as t he inform at ion and learning t hat can em erge as a result of som eone's passion about a part icular t opic or dom ain.

My Anecdote My closest experience t o a cult ivat ing cult ure involved one of m y early experiences as a program m er. I was assigned t o a governm ent organizat ion whose express m ission was t o research new com put er t echnologies. Each person in t he group concent rat ed on a part icular research proj ect . For inst ance, one m em ber was devot ed t o st udying t he em ergence of t he relat ional m odel for dat abases. Anot her person was evaluat ing t he source code of t he newly writ t en Unix operat ing syst em very provocat ive! I n t his environm ent , proj ect s were defined not so m uch by purpose or by deliverable but rat her by an individual wit h a specific research int erest . I ndividuals were rewarded not for m eet ing deadlines but for bringing m ore and m ore new ideas int o t he organizat ion from ot her disciplines. Team work was only happenst ance because m ost of t he researchers j ust want ed t o work in t heir own specific dom ain.

The Collaboration Culture I n collaborat ion cult ures, t he success of t he organizat ion hinges on how t eam s form ulat e, organize, decide, and deliver. I n such organizat ions, t eam work is prized, wit h an em phasis on how individuals share inform at ion, process it , and converge on t he best t hinking. Decisions are eit her t eam - driven or m anager- driven wit h t eam consult at ion. I n addit ion, consensus plays an im port ant role in creat ing sust ainable agreem ent s about t he solut ions t hat em erge t hrough t he great er wisdom of t he group. Managers in such organizat ions believe in t he explicit and t acit knowledge of t he t eam as a fundam ent al t ool for discovering t he best solut ions and creat ing t he m ost innovat ive product s. [ 1] They m ine t he t eam wisdom in order t o t ake advant age of t eam m em bers' backgrounds and experiences, and t hey fost er an expert abilit y t o com m unicat e and coordinat e. Rat her t han working t o cont rol t heir t eam s, t hese m anagers work t o rem ove im pedim ent s and any ext ernal hindrances so t hat t heir t eam s can concent rat e on t he t ask at hand. [1]

Nonaka and Takeuchi, The Knowledge-Creating Company , 59.

I n soft ware developm ent , t hink about highly m ot ivat ed t eam s of cross- funct ional individuals who, prot ect ed by t heir proj ect m anager, can converse openly about various possible solut ions for a problem dom ain. They work t o converge on a solut ion, decide how t o com plet e t he work, and t hen deliver it . There is a t hriving sense of dedicat ion based on t he sense of com m unit y nurt ured t hrough open and frequent com m unicat ion. Such t eam s t urn out t o be highly adapt ive; t hey can absorb new inform at ion, brainst orm about it as a t eam , and creat e a solut ion.

My Anecdote I n t he early 1990s, I was fort unat e enough t o work wit h t wo different groups t hat , for m e, epit om ized t he collaborat ion cult ure. I n one group, we were a t eam of quit e diverse cult ures and personalit ies from around Nort h Am erica and Europe. Very oft en, we had t o produce work as a t eam wit h a variet y of com ponent s, from soft ware t o library services, m et hodology m at erials, and t raining m at erials t o support all t he ot her com ponent s. Our m anager was an open and encouraging leader who believed in t he expert s wit h whom he surrounded him self. So t oo, t he group m em bers had a way of valuing each ot her's area of expert ise by invit ing t he recom m endat ions of each on how t o proceed and t hen m ove int o act ion m ode. Wit h our m anager in t he lead and despit e our geographic dist ances, we built a real sense of com m it m ent t o one anot her as a m eans t o accom plish success. We explicit ly sought synergy and worked t o m aint ain it t hrough our discourse and decision- m aking. I n t he ot her group, a large soft ware developm ent t eam was on a very aggressive schedule t o produce a radical overhaul of a syst em for a financial services group. Though t he t eam didn't call it such at t he t im e, t he m ode of working was clearly a collaborat ion cult ure; we worked in a very open workspace and engaged in very wide com m unicat ion channels. The proj ect m anager, t hree t eam leads, and cust om er sat wit h t he developm ent t eam regularly in t he open space, and so would collaborat e wit h t he group day- t o- day wit h regard t o how it should solve a part icular problem or m ake a decision at a part icularly crucial crossroad. Every t eam m em ber was valued for t heir background and educat ion, as diverse as t hey

were, and each was encouraged t o part icipat e in t he decision process as best helped t he t eam .

Characteristics of the Collaboration Culture I n Art ful Making , Rob Aust in and Lee Devin describe t wo realm s of work t hat differ dram at ically from one anot her: one, t he highly prescript ive, highly cont rolled work t hat t hey refer t o as " indust rial m aking" ; t he ot her, called " art ful m aking" ( as defined t hrough t heir observat ions of t heat er groups) , em phasizes t eam s and how t hey work. I n art ful m aking, success is a result of em ergence over planning. Team s of expert s cont inually revisit a problem t o keep looking at it from different angles t o learn m ore about it . They m inim ize t he role of cont rol and supervision in order t o accom plish a goal. I nst ead, art ful t eam s work collaborat ively and m ove as a whole t oward producing som et hing. I n soft ware developm ent proj ect s, when we creat e a sense of com m unit y ( what Aust in and Devin refer t o as " ensem ble" ) and collaborat ion, we get t o harvest t he richest t alent of each of t he " players" on t he t eam . Just as t heat er groups capt ure t heir m ost creat ive knowledge about t he play, so we inst ant iat e our m ost creat ive knowledge in t he form of t he soft ware product s we deliver. Collaborat ion cult ures t herefore exhibit t hese charact erist ics of release, ensem ble, and play as t hey apply collaborat ion. They t hirst for int eract ion and full- t eam part icipat ion t o deliver result s, m aint ain a sense of int egrit y, and absorb change. They value t he power of such a cult ure and how collaborat ion can boost t hat power by helping t eam s m ove t hrough conflict int o product ivit y, t hrough indecision t o act ion, and t hrough defensiveness int o t rust .

Chapter 3. Who Are Collaborative Leaders? To prom ot e a collaborat ion cult ure, we have t o engage leaders who are ardent evangelist s of t his st yle of working. I f you are already a firm believer in collaborat ive leadership in proj ect m anagem ent and in t eam work, you m ay want t o reflect on t he pat h t hat led you t o t his part icular leadership st yle. What was it about your successful and non- successful previous proj ect s t hat influenced your st yle? And, given what we now know about t he st rengt h of collaborat ion cult ures, what leadership fundam ent als did you apply t oward collaborat ion t hat absorbed what you learned from t he past ? Many of us t ransform int o roles as leaders in soft ware proj ect s via our t echnical root s. We are schooled in and rewarded for our t echnical, not m anagem ent , capabilit ies. Our research revolves around t he ever- changing dom ain of t echnical solut ions rat her t han leadership skills. So a pat h t o leadership and part icularly collaborat ive leadership m ay prove t o be Prom et hean in size and at t ainabilit y. Wit h any luck, however, our t ransform at ion never st ops, neit her in t he t echnologies we m ast er, nor in t he professional and personal skills we pack int o our workplace t oolkit s. So given our t echnical background coupled wit h an int erest in acquiring a leadership st yle t hat prom ot es collaborat ion cult ures, it 's wort h t hinking about : How and why do non- soft ware- orient ed leaders prom ot e collaborat ion? What do facilit at ors do t hat applies t o collaborat ion? What can we in t he soft ware developm ent dom ain learn about collaborat ive leadership st yles t hat is applicable in our dom ain? I n defining how t o engage as a collaborat ive leader in soft ware developm ent proj ect s, we need only look around at t he exam ples where such leadership st yles have been used successfully in cont ext s t hat , t radit ionally, m ight not seem obvious candidat es for collaborat ive cult ures: sport s, t he m ilit ary, and corporat e Am erica.

The Sacred Hoops of Collaborative Leadership My first inspirat ion for t he collaborat ive leader cam e during m y five years living in Chicago in t he m id- t o- lat e '90s, working for a soft ware consult ing group. I t was Phil Jackson, t he coach of t he t hen- m ight y Chicago Bulls. I was so im pressed wit h his abilit y t o pull t oget her diverse, highly volat ile, highly skilled individuals and t urn t hem int o a t eam t hat could consist ent ly out perform any of t heir NBA com pet it ors. They were a j uggernaut , and t o m y way of t hinking, it was em phat ically his abilit y t o provide his players, Michael Jordan ( a.k.a. " Michael" ) , Scot t ie Pippen, Dennis Rodm an ( a.k.a. " The Worm " ) , Tony Kukoc, and t he ot hers, wit h a sense of challenge and self- discipline t hat m ade it so. What did Phil Jackson know about leadership t hat m ade him so consist ent ly successful as a coach? I found t he answer in a sm all book he wrot e about his coaching st yle, ent it led Sacred Hoops: Spirit ual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior . [ 1] Jackson t ells how he relied on Buddhism , Lakot a Sioux wisdom , and som e good com m on hoop sense t o creat e t hat sense of " t eam " t hat fueled t he Chicago Bulls t o t heir fam ous " 3- peat " of t hree consecut ive NBA t it les. Sim ple lessons from an early coach, Red Holt zm an of t he New York Knicks, guided him : [1]

Jackson, Sacred Hoops .

Le sson on e : Don't let angeror heavy obj ect s t hrown from overpassescloud t he m ind. Le sson t w o: Awareness is everyt hing. Le sson t h r e e : The power of We is st ronger t han t he power of Me. These lessons form ed t he basis of what lat er drove Jackson t o choose a facilit at ive, nonaggressive leadership st yle wit h t he Bulls. He t ook it as his personal responsibilit y t o build a highly int egrat ed and self- organizing t eam t hat could define it s own pat h t o success. The sam e responsibilit y is in t he hands of our soft ware proj ect m anagers, t echnical leads, and ot her t eam leads. Proj ect success ( and failure) m ay lie heavily on t he shoulders of t he proj ect leader. But it is his abilit y as a leader t o personally inst ill t rust , vision, and challenge along wit h collaborat ion st yle t hat is t he t rue m easure of t he proj ect success. Soft ware t eam s, st eered by collaborat ive coaches, leaders, and m anagers, learn t o act in collaborat ion t o produce t he best result s. They nat urally engage in part icipat ory decisionm aking, self- organizat ion, and self- discipline as t eam norm s.

The Collaborative Military Leader I f an NBA coach isn't a com pelling m odel for collaborat ive leadership, consider t he case of Capt ain D. Michael Abrashoff. When colleague Mike Cohn learned of m y int erest in furt hering t he cause of collaborat ive leadership for soft ware developm ent t eam s, he direct ed m e t o Capt ain D. Michael Abrashoff's book, I t 's Your Ship: Managem ent Techniques from t he Best Dam n Ship in t he Navy . I m agine a U.S. Naval capt ain prom ot ing t he benefit s of t eam s and collaborat ion. I n his book, Abrashoff recount s his com m ission as capt ain of t he USS Benfold, an aging supply ship t hat had st ruggled t o reliably perform it s m ission for t he US Navy; discharge and accident rat es were high, m orale and " re- ups" were low. Abrashoff's solut ion t o t his plague was t o t urn t o his crew for advice. He accum ulat ed a log of t heir recom m endat ions and t hen t racked t he ones t hat proved beneficial. As servant t o his com m and, Abrashoff was able t o achieve t he im possible, " t urning t he ship around" t o one wit h t he lowest accident rat e in t he naval fleet coupled wit h one of t he highest " re- up" rat es. How did he do it ? He m aint ained his role as leader but t urned t o t he crew for part icipat ory decision- m aking. He sought t heir advice and becam e t he inst rum ent t hat t ooled t heir success. When I read his 11 lessons, I t hought about how collaborat ive leaders in soft ware developm ent can sim ilarly balance " com m and" wit h collaborat ion: [ 2] [2]

Abrashoff, It's Your Ship .

1.

Take com m and.

2.

Lead by exam ple.

3.

List en aggressively.

4.

Com m unicat e purpose and m eaning.

5.

Creat e a clim at e of t rust .

6.

Look for result s, not salut es.

7.

Take calculat ed risks.

8.

Go beyond st andard procedure.

9.

Build up your people.

1 0 . Generat e unit y. 1 1 . I m prove your people's qualit y of life.

Good to Great Corporate Leaders Building t he case for collaborat ive leaders, I decided t o t urn t o anot her im probable source: corporat e Am erica. Surely, com m and- and- cont rol m anagers are t he backbone of t ruly great organizat ions. Or are t hey? I n his book Good t o Great : Why Som e Com panies Make t he Leap…And Ot hers Don't , Jim Collinsbrings t oget her research and result ant findings around t he universal charact erist ics t hat dist inguish com panies able t o bridge t he gap from being j ust a good com pany t o becom ing a t ruly great com pany. Collins and his research t eam zeroed in on t hree fundam ent al pract ices of t hese successful com panies: Disciplined People, Disciplined Thought , and Disciplined Act ion. Despit e t he group's deliberat e prej udice t oward quant it at ive analysis ( com pensat ion, business st rat egies, financial rat ios, and acquisit ions) , t hey discovered a st art ling golden t hread: t he key underlying charact erist ic of great com panies was t he person t hey cam e t o refer t o as t he " Level 5 Leader." That is, as Collins describes it : …a paradoxical blend of personal hum ilit y and professional will. They are m ore like Lincoln and Socrat es t han Pat t on or Caesar. [ 3] [3]

Collins, Good to Great , 13.

I n ot her words, Hum ilit y + Will = Level 5 Leader = Great Com panies. When asked about how t hey were so successful in t urning average businesses int o wildly successful ones, each of t he 11 CEOs int erviewed was quick t o deflect any credit or praise. As Collins point s out : The great irony is t hat t he anim us and personal am bit ion t hat oft en drive people t o posit ions of power st ands at odds wit h t he hum ilit y required for Level 5 leadership. Good t eam s, like good com panies, rely on m anagers who can deliver hum ilit y and leadership t o t heir t eam s. Neit her com m and- and- cont rol nor st rong- handed personal am bit ion can creat e t eam s we can t rust and upon whom we can rely. As t he Swiss say about leaders and t heir st yles: " The fish always st art s st inking at t he head." I ndeed. I am convinced t hat , like Phil Jackson, Michael Abrashoff, and Jim Collins's Level 5 leaders, we need good fish leading our soft ware developm ent proj ect s in order for us t o apply collaborat ion successfully and profit ably.

Collaborative Leadership Through Facilitation Lessons The collaborat ive leader inst inct ively m oves t o a m anagem ent st yle t hat elevat es t he t eam wisdom t hrough t he use of a facilit at ive m anagem ent approach. As a profession, facilit at ors work as guardians for t eam s. They m anage a collaborat ive process t hat guides decision- m aking, consensus building, and product ive t eam out put s such as work processes, soft ware, User St ories, design m odels, or t eam chart ers. A facilit at or owns t he process, not t he decisions for which t he process paves t he way. A facilit at or who m oves out of m anaging process int o owning decisions does so inappropriat ely and count er t o t he int ent of t he role. All decisions m ust be owned by t he t eam . Probably m y favorit e source of reference for collaborat ion and facilit at ion is Sam Kaner's canonical work, Facilit at or's Guide t o Part icipat ory Decision Making . To quot e Kaner: A facilit at or's j ob is t o support everyone t o do t heir best t hinking. [ 4] [4]

Kaner, Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making

, 32.

And t his is why facilit at ion skills play such an im port ant role for proj ect m anagers in agile soft ware developm ent . A facilit at or hones skills such as list ening, paying at t ent ion, encouraging int eract ion, asking quest ions, and providing an environm ent in which t rust and collaborat ion t hrive. This is how t hey prom ot e t he best t hinking of t he people around t hem . Proj ect m anagers who apply facilit at ion t echniques in t heir leadership st yles prom ot e t he best t hinking of t heir t eam s; t hey build a sense of ownership int o t he t eam . I n ret urn, t hey enj oy t he benefit of get t ing t he best decisions and work from t he t eam as a result of being able t o count on t he best from each individual.

Collaborative Leadership in Service Think about how agile approaches such as Scrum , XP, and Cryst al guide us in how t o be Scrum Mast ers, coaches, or proj ect m anagers of our soft ware developm ent proj ect s. There is a clear need for us t o be m ore in a role of shepherd or guardian rat her t han com m ander or cont roller. Collaborat ion in agile soft ware proj ect s doesn't j ust occur wit hin t he t eam m em bership; it relies on appropriat e nurt uring from t he leadership down and from wit hin t he t eam out t o t he cust om ers. I n t his cont ext , t hen, it is appropriat e for soft ware proj ect m anagers t o ponder t he not ion of leader as servant t o t he t eam : t he servant leader. Ent er Robert K. Greenleaf, t he grandfat her of t he business m ovem ent of organizat ional em powerm ent and aut hor of Servant Leadership: A Journey int o t he Legit im at e Nat ure of Power & Great ness . [ 5] Greenleaf accum ulat ed his recom m endat ions about servant leadership t hrough his decades of service as an AT&T execut ive and as a not ed lect urer, result ing in his founding of t he Cent er for Applied Et hics. Thought leaders no less t han Pet er Senge and St even Covey have t urned t o Greenleaf's writ ings for direct ion in defining growt h- orient ed and collaborat ion- driven cult ures in m odern business. We t oo can t ake advant age of Greenleaf's insight for how t o build t eam s as powerful yet serving leaders. [5]

Greenleaf, Servant Leadership .

Who Is the Servant Leader? Sim ply st at ed, t he servant leader as leader drives t o serve t he group first . Leadership evidences it self in servant leaders t hrough t heir use of power; t hat is, in a posit ion of st rengt h, t hey det erm ine t hat t he great est power t hey can wield is in service t o t heir t eam s as leader. For t echnical leads, t eam leads, and proj ect m anagers who have used power t o cont rol versus serve t eam s, t his paradigm shift can seem ant it het ical t o t heir role. Ult im at ely, however, as evidenced in t he agile soft ware developm ent cont ext , a shift t o t his alt ered st yle of leadership reaps t he great est rewards. How do proj ect m anagers in agile soft ware developm ent proj ect s exhibit t heir service t o t eam s? Ken Schwaber in Agile Proj ect Managem ent wit h Scrum addresses t his dilem m a of a proj ect m anager schooled in form al proj ect m anagem ent . I n Scrum , t he collaborat ive leader ( Scrum Mast er) m akes t he shift from having aut horit y t o being a facilit at or; he or she shift s from a m ode of having aut horit y t o delegat e inst ead t o a role of being personally responsible. [ 6] [6]

Schwaber, Agile Project Management with Scrum , 30-31.

Sim ilarly, in Ext rem e Program m ing Explained: Em brace Change , Kent Beck describes t he role of t he proj ect m anager in an XP proj ect as som eone who facilit at es " com m unicat ion wit hin t he t eam , increasing cohesiveness and confidence. The power gained from being an effect ive facilit at or exceeds t hat of being a cont roller of even im port ant inform at ion." [ 7] [7]

Beck, Extreme Programming Explained , 77.

Thus, t here is a nat ural coupling bet ween servant leadership and agile soft ware developm ent . Agile t eam s succeed when t heir leaders are at t ent ive t o incorporat ing service and facilit at ion int o t heir leadership st yle, t hus fost ering collaborat ive, em powered t eam s.

Characteristics of the Collaborative Leader as Servant

So what are servant leader at t ribut es t hat we can apply in our soft ware developm ent proj ect s? Greenleaf highlight s 10 m ain charact erist ics or st rat egies wort h considering: 1.

Goa l Se t t in gHave a larger aim , a great er purpose, t hat guides you wit h equanim it y in how you work wit h your proj ect t eam . A broader goal st eers collaborat ion when t act ical sit uat ions t hreat en t o underm ine it .

2.

Pr in ciple of Syst e m ic N e gle ct At t ent ive leaders have a knack for highly focused priorit izat ion of what needs t o be done. This feeds direct ly int o t he t im eboxed, priorit ized m ode in which agile t eam s m ust work. When I work wit h agile soft ware developm ent t eam s, I lure t hem away from t he m any dist ract ions t hat can derail t hem . Wit h m y belief in priorit izat ion and m y fervor for t im eboxed act ivit ies, I subversively guide t he t eam t o apply t heir own useful syst em ic neglect .

3.

List e n in gServant leaders hone t heir abilit y t o use list ening as a m eans t o lead. They gat her answers t hrough t he quest ions t hey offer t he t eam and t hrough t he expert ise t he t eam brings. XP Coaches and Scrum Mast ers walk around and list en t o who is not com m unicat ing and t hen facilit at e t he useful and necessary com m unicat ion, whet her it is wit hin t he t eam or wit h out side cont ribut ors. They pay at t ent ion when a solut ion is recom m ended, and t hey guide t heir t eam s in evaluat ing recom m endat ions wit h t hem .

4.

La n gu a ge a s a Le a de r sh ip St r a t e gyWe m ust be art iculat e, if for no ot her reason t han t o grasp t he goal of t he group and t o evangelize it early and oft en wit hin t he t eam and beyond. When we are walking around t o m ake sure ot hers are com m unicat ing, we apply our own effect ive, non- dest ruct ive language t o help ot hers com m unicat e effect ively.

5.

Va lu e sCollaborat ive leaders, like servant leaders, have t he at t ribut e of being responsible, in t hat t hey are responsible for building, not dest roying. I bring m y sense of values t o t he t eam each t im e I com m unicat e wit h t hem . And m y values include t he convict ion t hat t he t eam creat es it s own sense of values.

6.

Pe r son a l Gr ow t h Servant leaders cont inually educat e t hem selves, not only on t heir work, but also on pat hs of personal growt h. More t han any ot her soft ware developm ent approach, t he agile m et hodologies each st ress t he need for values t hat include balance of life. Agile m anagers and coaches read from diverse disciplines t o bet t er equipm ent t hem selves in t echnical set t ings ( such as Abrashoff, Jackson, and Kaner, for exam ple) and bring t heir personal values int o t he t eam s as t ools t o support t heir t eam s.

7.

W it h dr a w a lThis leadership st rat egy t ies in wit h our abilit y t o apply syst em ic neglect : knowing when t o let go, when t o t rust t he inst inct s of t he t eam . A leader wit hdraws t o force t he t eam t o t urn inward and seek it s own st rengt hs. Team s t hat st ay t oo reliant on t heir m anager m ay never learn t he power of collaborat ion and t he effect iveness of collect ive ownership. When leaders wit hdraw, t hey encourage t eam s t o seek t heir own int ernal useful m ent ors and nat ural drivers.

8.

Tole r a n ce of I m pe r fe ct ion Collaborat ive leaders learn t o let go of t heir own sense of " perfect ion" or " right " and rely on t he t eam 's guidance for what is best . The t eam , not t he leader, resolves what m ust be done and what t he best solut ions are. The leader uses power t o guide t hrough quest ioning and list ening in order t o help t he t eam set t he proper goal for accom plishm ent .

9.

Be in g You r Ow n Pe r son This has been a great lesson in t erm s of m oving from a st rict plan- and- cont rol view of proj ect m anagem ent int o a m ore facilit at ive, collaborat ive approach. How I lead, how I im plem ent t hese servant st rat egies has always com e back t o who I am and how m y personalit y works wit h proj ect t eam s. Each of us t akes in t hese collaborat ion st rat egies and defines how t hey can work m ost effect ively for us and t hen apply t he t echniques accum ulat ed from ot hers t hat help us rem ain whole.

1 0 . Acce pt a n ce The final st rat egy of t he collaborat ive leader as servant : accept ance. A servant leader in dut y t o t he t eam and t he t eam 's goal learns t o t olerat e her own sense of im perfect ion and t o offer t his gift of accept ance t o each t eam m em ber. Because agile soft ware developm ent t eam s are so int er- reliant and cross- funct ional, t his sense of accept ance m ust flow from t he leadership down t o each individual. Accept ance greases t he skids of collaborat ion.

Pulling It All Together As you consider your leadership role in collaborat ive soft ware developm ent proj ect s, revisit t hese lessons from Phil Jackson t o Robert Greenleaf. Addit ionally, t hese st rat egies need not apply j ust t o t he leader. Team m em bers act ing as servant s t o t he t eam can support servant leadership in a guerilla fashion, in t he guise of servant s as followers. They groom t heir servant leaders, guiding t hem t o em brace collaborat ion t hrough t heir insist ence and exam ples. Ret urning t o t he t opic of personal growt h, here is one m ore source for guidance on basic pract ices of a collaborat ive leader. The Tolt ec wisdom as capt ured in Don Miguel Ruiz's book The Four Agreem ent s: A Pract ical Guide t o Personal Freedom reinforces at a very personal level what a servant each of us can be t o ourselves and t o t eam m em bers wit h four sim ple guidelines:

1 . Be im peccable wit h your word. 2 . Don't t ake anyt hing personally. 3 . Don't m ake assum pt ions. 4 . Always do your best . How you absorb any of t hese four guidelines int o your role as a leader depends on your part icular leadership st yle. How will you prom ot e collaborat ion in t eam s? How will you nurt ure t he sense of t rust necessary for collaborat ion t o t ake place? What t ools will you use? And how will you " be you" as you shift your m anagem ent focus? Decide which of t hese various leadership m odels ( sport s, m ilit ary, corporat ion, service) you can absorb now int o your own st yle. Revisit Robert Greenleaf's guidance from t im e t o t im e and check in t o your t rue sense of service t o your t eam as t heir facilit at ive, collaborat ive leader. Maint ain som e Tolt ec life lessons as you m ake collaborat ion decisions m oving forward. Above all, cont inue t o check in wit h your t eam s t o learn what t hey need from you in order t o build and nurt ure t heir collaborat ion cult ure.

Chapter 4. What Are Collaborative Teams? Collaborat ive leaders who underst and t heir responsibilit ies as collaborat ion guardians for t heir t eam s apply facilit at ive guidance about how t o creat e, prom ot e, and sust ain broad part icipat ion and decision- m aking am ong t eam m em bers. So, as leaders do t his, what are t hey ult im at ely t rying t o engender? I n t his chapt er, I want t o answer t hese quest ions: what defines a t eam , how can a disparat e group of individuals becom e a high- perform ance collaborat ive t eam , how can we ident ify groups of individuals who can m ost readily creat e a collaborat ive and product ive t eam cult ure, and finally, what does t hat collaborat ive t eam look like once all t he ot her t eam glue has set ?

What Defines a Team I n t heir book The Wisdom of Team s: Creat ing a High- Perform ance Organizat ion , Jon Kat zenbach and Douglas Sm it h provide a wonderful grasp of what t eam s are and why we should care. Through t heir research and years of experience, t hey uncovered som e fundam ent als about t eam s. A t eam is m ore t han j ust a working group. A t eam is …a sm all num ber of people wit h com plem ent ary skills who are com m it t ed t o a com m on purpose, perform ance goals, and approach for which t hey hold t hem selves m ut ually account able. [ 1] [1]

Katzenbach and Smith, The Wisdom of Teams , 45.

Agile soft ware developm ent t urns individuals int o t eam s by prom ot ing values such as t hose associat ed wit h Ext rem e Program m ing: com m unicat ion, sim plicit y, feedback, courage, respect , and so on. These t eam s evolve t hrough a st rong sense of purpose, perform ance, and discipline; t hey t end t o one anot her as individuals while dem anding t he best of one anot her. And as Scrum and Cryst al Clear em phasize, t eam s engage t hrough self- organizat ion and t hrough shared com m it m ent t o t heir com m on goal, respect ing each ot her's past proj ect experiences t o creat e t he successes of t heir current proj ect . Team s creat e t rust and eschew bet rayals. When t eam s are able t o t ruly adopt t he agile principles and values as guided by t heir collaborat ive leaders, we wat ch t hem m ove along what Kat zenbach and Sm it h refer t o as t he " The Team Perform ance Curve" ( see Figure 4.1) . They m ove t hrough t heir nascence as a pot ent ial t eam int o a real t eam , ult im at ely em erging as a high- perform ing t eam .

Figu r e 4 .1 . Th e Te a m Pe r for m a n ce Cu r ve ( Re pr odu ce d by pe r m ission fr om Jon Ka t ze n ba ch a n d D ou gla s Sm it h , Th e W isdom of Te a m s: Cr e a t ing a H igh- Pe r for m a nce Or ga niza t ion ( N e w Yor k , N Y: H a r pe r Collin s, 1 9 9 3 ) , 4 5 ) . [ 2 ]

[2]

Katzenbach and Smith, The Wisdom of Teams , 84.

How Teams Evolve to High-Performance Trust , sharing, self- organizat ion, and m ut ual account abilit y, all t hese t hings t hat define t he high- perform ing t eam at t he t op of t he Team Perform ance Curve, sprout and bloom as a result of what Bruce Tuckm an has defined as t he " Form ing, St orm ing, Norm ing, Perform ing" m odel of t eam work, as depict ed in Figure 4.2. I n short , t eam s can only reach t he Perform ing phase of working by first passing t hrough t he ot her t hree growt h m odes. A t eam m ust first Form and go t hrough t he charact erist ics of how such a t eam works, before it can progress t o St orm ing, t hen Norm ing, and t hen finally t o Perform ing.

Figu r e 4 .2 . Th e For m in g, St or m in g, N or m in g, Pe r for m in g M ode l. [ 3 ]

Alan Chapman, "Bruce Tuckman's 1965 Forming Storming Norming Performing team-development model," http://www.businessballs.com/tuckmanformingstormingnormingperforming.htm. [3]

Here are charact erist ics of each of t hese t eam m at urit y phases: For m in g Group m em bers are learning how each of t hem works and are t rying t o figure out who will play what role in t he t eam . Such t eam s need st rong facilit at ive leadership and guidance t o keep t hem on t rack. St or m in g The j ockeying for power and cont rol begins, and t eam m em bers express disagreem ent , dist rust , and prej udice as t hey form alliances. Divergence is t he prim ary charact erist ic of a St orm ing t eam , and so t he group leader m ust be adept at conflict m anagem ent in order t o shepherd t he t eam t hrough t his phase of discom fort . N or m in g Team m em bers now have a sense of consensus and t he abilit y t o m ake decisions. They t rust one anot her about how t o delegat e work t o sub- t eam s. The leader exert s less and less influence and act s m ainly as a facilit at or. Conflict s are resolved quickly and wit hout dist ruct ion. Pe r for m in g The t eam now can focus it s full at t ent ion on t he perform ance challenge; t eam cult ure is healt hy and self- m anaging. The t eam can self- navigat e it s work wit hin a larger vision or st rat egy. All t he charact erist ics of a Kat zenbach- Sm it h high- perform ing

t eam are in place: t rust , sharing, m ut ual account abilit y, self- organizat ion, and com m it m ent .

What Teams Do to Evolve Given t hat t eam s m ust be able t o pass t hrough t hese st ages in order t o becom e m at ure enough t o be high- perform ing, what act ually m oves t he t eam along t hat pat h? I n Facilit at or's Guide for Part icipat ory Decision- Making , Sam Kaner describes t his growt h in t erm s of how t eam s m ove from divergence t o convergence. This m odel of divergence and convergence can serve as a sim ple m ap wit h regard t o how you begin working wit h a new t eam , and how you creat e a safet y net for t he t eam t o m ove across t he t ight rope from Form ing t o high perform ance. During divergence, t eam s exhibit widely varying viewpoint s and opinions; m em bers m ay find t hem selves in direct conflict wit h one anot her. While a t eam is st ill Form ing, t his divergence is m ild; it provides an opport unit y for t he leader and m em bers t o gat her dat a on how t hey t hink and act as individuals. As t he group work cont inues, t he divergence act ually expands. The t eam is now in St orm ing. This is where conflict is rife and can be dest ruct ive. The t eam ent ers what Kaner calls " The Groan Zone." I t is hard for m em bers t o im agine how t hey are ever going t o work t oget her! St rong facilit at ion and conflict resolut ion guidance are required t o buffer t he t eam t hrough t his t um ult and discom fort . Table 4.1, " Divergent Thinking versus Convergent Thinking," list s som e ways t o ident ify where your t eam m ay current ly be working. [ 4] [4]

Kaner, Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making

, 6.

Ta ble 4 .1 . D ive r ge n t Th in k in g ve r su s Con ve r ge n t Th in k in g D ive r ge n t Th in k in g

Con ve r ge n t Th in k in g

Generat ing alt ernat ives

Evaluat ing alt ernat ives

Free- for- all discussion

Sum m arizing key point s

Gat hering diverse point s of view

Sort ing ideas int o cat egories

Unpacking t he logic of a problem

Arriving at a general conclusion

Not ice t hat divergent t hinking has m any posit ive charact erist ics; we need t o gat her diverse point s of view and unpack t he logic of various problem s and various solut ions. What get s m essy is when a t eam can't t hen m ove int o t he solut ion or convergent m ode: t aking t he alt ernat ives and t urning t hem int o a solut ion or conclusion. That is t he essence of St orm ing, and t hat is where divergence t hat is not solut ion orient ed no longer plays a valuable role. So t hink about your soft ware proj ect s. Com ing up wit h creat ive new solut ions clearly requires t hat t he t eam be able t o converse fluent ly in divergence. But if t eam m em bers t urn alt ernat ives int o defensiveness or obst inacy about t heir part icular t echnical solut ion, t eam creat ivit y and product ivit y are ult im at ely squashed. ( Lat er in Sect ion I I I , " Ext ending Collaborat ion," I 'll cover what t o do when t hese dysfunct ional behaviors t hreat en a t eam 's abilit y t o act convergent ly.) What Kaner and ot her facilit at ors have learned in working wit h t eam s as t hey navigat e t heir way t hrough divergence int o convergence is t hat t his dynam ic can neit her be ignored nor forced. I n his book Adapt ive Soft ware Developm ent : A Collaborat ive Approach t o Managing

Com plex Syst em s , Jim Highsm it h em phasizes t his need t o fost er divergence and convergence specifically in soft ware developm ent t eam s. Team s t hat com e t oget her t o develop soft ware are in realit y com plex adapt ive syst em s and as such m ust learn t o reside com fort ably at " t he edge of chaos." They are neit her com placent and inert , nor chaot ic and accident al. Rat her, t hey m ust reside act ively and explicit ly in j ust t he right am ount of anxiet y t o keep t he t eam convergent yet challenged. [ 5] [5]

Highsmith, Adaptive Software Development , 126.

My Anecdote I am very oft en brought int o organizat ions as an agent of change. I am asked t o bring agile principles and pract ices t o t he organizat ion, usually by providing t raining, t hen m ent oring and consult ing wit h one or m ore proj ect t eam s at a t im e. Fairly consist ent ly, t hese t eam s are highly divergent when I com e int o t heir group. They m ay have been convergent and able t o work well t oget her before m y arrival. But because I represent a new way of doing t hings t hat m ay seem dangerous or at t he very least uncom fort able for t he t eam , m y m ere presence as t he agent of change can t hrow t he group int o divergence. ( Som et im es t hey quickly regain convergence by deciding t o gang up on m e t o m ake t he agile approach fail! ) I n t hese early t rainings and m eet ings wit h t hese new t eam s, I t end t o encount er a bit of resist ance, frust rat ion, annoyance, doubt , defensiveness, and general m alaise. All of t hese uncom fort able " feelings" can t hen evidence t hem selves in a variet y of divergent behaviors. No one want s t o agree on anyt hing; everyone want s t o quest ion and cont radict som e aspect of any of t he decisions m oving forward. The t endency is for t hem t o want t o spiral away from t he change and from m y involvem ent . What t hey don't know is t hat I recognize t his " Groan Zone" and I know how t o sit in it wit h t hem . I encourage t heir expression of what is t roubling or painful. I list en t o t hem and docum ent t heir issues, risks, and concerns. And j ust by doing t his ( being wit h t hem , list ening, docum ent ing t heir voices) , I wat ch for any signs t hat t he opinions are get t ing dest ruct ive or dam aging and pull t hem back by using m y " Managing t he Meet ing Part icipant s" t echniques and " Managing Conflict " t echniques. I help t hem begin t o list en a bit m ore as we m ove on wit h one anot her int o new ways of working as a t eam . I reinforce t o t hem what is t rue about what t hey are saying and how t heir opinions are no less valid j ust because I believe t hat we can com e t o agreem ent s about how t o apply agile pract ices in t heir proj ect s. I n sm all com panies or large com panies, in sm all t eam s or large t eam s, in single t eam s or m ult iple t eam s, I have been a wit ness t o and part ner in t his process. I have wat ched t eam s work over and over again t hrough t his " goo" t o a m om ent where t hey relax int o t heir knowledge, power, and collaborat ion. They are able t o express variet ies of ideas wit hout falling int o accusat ion or confront at ion and t o st ay convergent .

These are som e of t he lessons about t eam s and divergence t hat have helped m e fost er collaborat ion in newly form ing t eam s: When beginning work wit h a group, don't t rust som eone else t o t ell you t hat a t eam is already working in a very convergent , collaborat ive m ode; wat ch t he t eam for any clues t hat an underlying current of dist rust m ay st ill be flowing.

Make sure you build t im e int o your m eet ings for t eam m em bers t o openly diverge: evaluat e t he reference m at erials, exam ine your approach, check t he preparat ions, and quest ion t he at t endance. As a group sit s in t he discom fort t hat such discussions evoke, do not fall back on com m and- and- cont rol as a m eans t o m ove forward; t rust in t he wisdom of t he t eam . Aggressively believe in t he t eam 's abilit y t o find consensus by cont inually bringing t heir suggest ions and solut ions back t o t hem and asking t hem t o form ulat e a useful consensus. Don't let anyone t ell you ot herwise.

How Teams Falter So, what is happening when a t eam never m akes it out of divergence? Or, what if t hey have m oved t hrough divergence int o convergence ( wit h healt hy product ive conflict ) , and t hen have revert ed t o t he discord of divergence ( wit h dest ruct ive, unproduct ive conflict ) ? Wit h a bit clearer sense of what t eam s are and what condit ions nurt ure t hem int o t he high perform ance of t rue collaborat ion, t hink about how our soft ware developm ent organizat ions at t em pt t o coax m ore product ivit y out of t eam s: t eam m em bers m ay be m at rixed ( borrowed across m ult iple organizat ions) , m ult iplexed ( assigned t o m ult iple proj ect s at t he sam e t im e) , dist ribut ed ( not co- locat ed) , or all t hree. As organizat ions creat e t hese shift ing organism s of individuals, t hey cripple a t eam 's abilit y t o becom e high perform ing; t eam s t end t o keep St orm ing in divergence. I n agile soft ware developm ent t erm s, t his m eans t hat t eam s cannot be consist ent ly and reliably responsive t o change. As I have wat ched various I T organizat ions st ruggle wit h econom y and scale, here is what I have not iced about t he im pact such policies have on t eam collaborat ion dynam ics: Re m ove a m e m be r When we rem ove even one m em ber from a high- perform ing t eam , it im pact s m ore t han j ust t he depart ing m em ber; t he ent ire t eam m ust st op t o evaluat e: how will t hat person's role be absorbed by t he rest of t he t eam , did t he person leave under difficult circum st ances, and does t his m ean a shift in power, influence, or cont rol? Add a m e m be r When a new person j oins a high- perform ing t eam , sim ilar quest ions arise: will t he new m em ber respect t he exist ing working relat ionships, st andards, and cont ract s wit hin t he t eam , what new st andards will need t o be put in place t o accom m odat e t he new person, and what power does t his person assum e as t hey j oin t he t eam ? Ch a n ge t h e t e a m 's goa l/ pu r pose A t eam t hat has m ade com m it m ent s t o a part icular perform ance challenge has form ed it s int ra- t eam cont ract s and account abilit y based on t hat challenge. When t his changes, quest ions em erge: What is t he new com pelling reason for t he t eam t o exist , what will be t he useful roles t o organize around in order t o m eet t hat challenge, and how can we best form ulat e our com plem ent ary skills around t he new goal? Any of t hese changes in t eam m akeup can result in an unfort unat e st ring of consequences for t he t eam dynam ic. They m ay m ove back t o divergent behaviors and not com e back out in a healt hy m anner. This m eans t hat t hey have regret t ably abandoned t heir high- perform ing m ode and have once again assum ed a Form ing m ode. And finally, once back in Form ing, t his t im e t hey m ay not be able t o successfully navigat e t heir way t hrough St orm ing all t he way t o Perform ing.

What We Can Do Let 's revisit m at rixing, m ult iplexing, and dist ribut ing as organizat ional st rat egies and propose pract ices t hat can reduce t he negat ive im pact s such st rat egies can have on collaborat ion: Apply ret rospect ives and reflect ions t o reest ablish t eam norm s. Agile m et hodologies rely on a heart beat of ret rospect ion on t eam pract ices in order t o learn and adapt . When new m em bers are m at rixed int o a t eam , or exist ing m em bers are m at rixed out of a t eam , hold a reflect ion or ret rospect ive for all m em bers t o t rack a past , present , and fut ure t im eline of proj ect m ilest ones. The ret rospect ive helps t he ent ire t eam reflect on it s pract ices: what has worked, what is wort h alt ering, and what new pract ices could be adopt ed from t he new m em ber. Engage in a proj ect chart ering event t hat t aps all m em bers t o declare how t he group will work and what it s st andards of behavior, qualit y, st at us report ing, and problem solving will be. Pay part icular at t ent ion t o t he dem ands t hat t he m at rixing, m ult iplexing, or dist ribut ion m ay im pose. Be m indful of exist ing t eam s t hat had been self- organizing and m ut ually account able but suffered as a result of reshuffling. Hold a new chart ering event and reint roduce a m ore facilit at ive and engaged leadership st yle, one t hat can explicit ly guide t he t eam t hrough t he Form ing and St orm ing t hat will need t o t ake place in order t o usefully absorb t he t eam changes. Hold daily short st at us m eet ings t o ensure t hat all resources m eet wit h one anot her and share inform at ion about t heir current com m it m ent s at least once a day. Even 15 m inut es can creat e enough of a rhyt hm of cont act t hat m em bers begin t o build som e sense of com m unit y and t rust . ( I will cover t echniques for all of t hese collaborat ion pract ices in Sect ion I I I and Sect ion I V.) St rive t o preserve t he sanct it y of t he t eam from m aj or deliverable t o m aj or deliverable. I n Scrum , a 30- day Sprint t o com plet e a set of pot ent ially shippable funct ionalit y begins wit h a com m it m ent by t he developm ent t eam , t he Product Owner, t he t eam coach ( Scrum Mast er) , and all st akeholders t hat t he t eam will not be alt ered during t he 30 days. When a resource is a com m only shared resource ( Technical Publicat ions, Usabilit y, Archit ect ure) , com m it individuals t o no m ore t han t hree proj ect s at a t im e. Ensure t hat t hey can com m it t o fixed durat ions of well- est ablished t eam work, such as t he 30- day Sprint defined in Scrum . Only change t heir work assignm ent s as necessary and only on t im ebox boundaries. Engage a high degree of facilit at ion in t he t eam m eet ings t o help t eam s m ove t hrough conflict int o product ive decision m aking. I n dist ribut ed t eam s, self- organizat ion is hard t o achieve; t rust t ends t o be equally elusive. St rong facilit at ion in local m eet ings as well as in video, web, or t eleconferences can draw out t he useful discussions and inform at ion sharing t hat im prove t rust and account abilit y, which t hen encourages useful selforganizat ion. Plan regular m eet ings t hat bring all sub- groups of t he t eam t oget her t o play out t heir diverse roles and opinions. Explicit ly pay at t ent ion t o conflict and encourage t he const ruct ive int erchanges t hat help t eam m em bers learn about one anot her and est ablish a sense of t rust despit e dist ances and infrequent cont act .

Once t hese collaborat ion challenges are acknowledged, it is wort h periodically revisit ing st rat egies wit h regard t o how t hey creat e or t ear down t he scaffolding t hat support s highperform ing t eam s.

Personalities in High-Performance Teams When som e of t he early adopt ers of agile soft ware developm ent were st riving t o explicit ly draw out collaborat ion as a key elem ent of t he approach, t hey knew t hey had t o pay at t ent ion t o t he individuals t hat m ake up t he t eam s. How do different individuals' working st yles clash or congeal as a t eam is form ing? Their search led t hem t o William Moult on Marst on's DI SC m odel of t eam roles in which four basic roles m odel t he way individuals t end t o part icipat e in a t eam : D You can t hink of t his person as prim arily m ot ivat ed by dom inance and drive. They are always headed t o a goal, like a horse t o t he st able. I This is t he " influence" role of t he t eam . They are pum ped up around t he " what ifs" of t he proj ect , all t he possibilit ies no m at t er how wild or eccent ric. They are opt im ist ic and expressive about alt ernat ives and new visions. S Team s need som eone t o act in a very reliable, very " st eadfast " role. This person t hrives on building relat ionships in t he t eam , finding accord in what appears t o be discord, cont ribut ing a very st able, sym pat het ic role t o t he t eam . C What would a soft ware developm ent t eam do wit hout som eone driven by det ail and analysis? This " conscient ious" role is checking out all t he fact s and figures for t he t eam , keeping t he t eam on t he st raight and narrow wit h regard t o process, t est ing, and st andards. ( You can learn m ore about DI SC profiling at www.discprofile.com .)

My Anecdote When I had first learned about t he DI SC m odel, I had a hard t im e believing t hat it could provide useful insight t o how I worked in t eam s or how ot hers worked wit h m e. Here is how m y t hinking changed: I evaluat ed which role I t ended t o play in a t eam . As a soft ware developer, I was absolut ely driven by a love of analysis and det ail, and st icking wit h a t ask t o do t he very best j ob possible I could wit h it . That is what float ed m y boat ! So, one t hing for sure, I was not a driver, t he D role. Even m ore revealing, I had t o adm it t hat being around D personalit ies really bot hered m e. I could see t hat I was a C wit h som e S t endencies in t hat I worked t o be support ive of ot her t eam m em bers in order for us t o be successful. To m e, D personalit ies were pushy people who didn't really underst and t he value of m y analysis and at t ent ion t o det ail and who preferred t o j ust have visions and give orders. Not m y st yle at all! Then, I recalled which t eam s I 'd worked in t hat were successful and collaborat ive. They t urned out t o be t eam s in which we were able t o em brace all four roles and value each role's cont ribut ions. We t ended t o m ove const ruct ively t hrough divergence t o convergence, support ed one anot her during st ressful t im es and t hrough difficult decisions, and delivered soft ware t hat we were proud of and t hat was valued by t he cust om er. We even chose t o st ay t oget her aft er t he proj ect was over in order t o work t oget her again.

I m balanced DI SC t eam s have a specific " sm ell" t o t hem , based on t he dom inant personalit y role in t he t eam . Unfort unat ely, t hese lopsided sm elly t eam s are m ore com m on t han not in t hat we t end t o gravit at e t o like- m inded and like- act ing individuals as we form ulat e t eam s. We are driven by fear ( " I don't want t o have t o deal wit h t hese ot her personalit y t ypes; it 's t oo uncom fort able." ) and bad reasoning ( " Dealing wit h t hese ot her personalit ies will sim ply ruin m y work in t he t eam ." ) . And so we end up wit h t eam s prim arily m ade up of drivers, or of influencers, or of sym pat hizers, or of calculat ors. Here are som e of t he sm ells you m ay find fam iliar: A D e spe r a t ion of D r ive r s: These t eam s believe t hey have all t he solut ions and want t o j ust get on wit h it , m oving at light ning speed, wherever it m ay t ake t hem . They are desperat e t o j ust keep m oving at any cost .

My Anecdote I ran across such a t eam when working in m et hodology developm ent for a soft ware developm ent consult ing organizat ion. ( This part icular organizat ion had a t endency t o hire D personalit ies, believing t hat only people wit h very high drive could work effect ively in a consult ing environm ent .) While our group t ended t o be very result s- orient ed, we didn't t end t o produce very high- qualit y work or very det ail- orient ed deliverables. Decisions were m ade based on speed and who had t he st rongest or m ost dom inat ing personalit y in t he group. Team m eet ings t ook on an incendiary feel wit h frequent power st ruggles, grandst anding, and lit t le collaborat ive out put . The t eam seem ed t o be const ant ly running as fast as it could, st raight int o brick walls and t hen on t o t he next great idea or init iat ive. To m e, t he t oken C personalit y in t he group, it felt as t hough we never com plet ed anyt hing t o a useful level of det ail. We were const ant ly st art ing new t hings, working int ensely under t ight deadlines t o com plet e t he work, and t hen declaring vict ory and m oving on wit hout finishing t he work. I n t his environm ent , I was viewed as " slow, t oo det ailed, t oo caught up in qualit y," or in ot her words, a classic C personalit y. I was soon " vot ed off t he island" ( m oved t o a different group) and was glad of it .

An I n fe st a t ion of I n flu e n ce r s: This t eam is m ore prone t o hypot hesizing and cheerleading t han producing result s. They becom e infect ed wit h ideas but can't m ove t hem int o act ion.

My Anecdote I cam e across t his odd collect ion of folks in a developm ent proj ect I worked on years ago in a very large governm ent organizat ion. We couldn't keep focused and had no sense of drive t o a goal, reward, or com plet ion. As m at hem at icians, scient ist s, and researchers, we enj oyed any opport unit y t o debat e and brainst orm . But , t he lack of progressive result s was m addening. So, while we were eager t o have everyone get along and t o cont inually rework t he problem st at em ent in m assive requirem ent s docum ent s, we had t rouble really m aking any product ive progress ( a.k.a. working soft ware) . We had a hard t im e st aying focused long enough t o really grasp t he det ails of t he soft ware in order t o m ove forward wit h it and were inst ead m ired in endless concept ual design m eet ings. Because I was j ust st art ing out in t he soft ware indust ry when I was associat ed wit h t his t eam , I didn't realize how ut t erly im m obilized we were; I couldn't yet gauge what product ivit y and accom plishm ent looked like. Lat er, when I m oved t o a privat e com pany in which we developed shrink- wrapped soft ware under t ight deadlines, I finally realized what had been so dysfunct ional about t he group.

A Sw a r m of Sym pa t h ize r s: These t eam s suffer from an inabilit y t o m ake decisions, largely because no one is willing t o t ake a st ance for fear of t he decision leaving som eone out . They sit in a m ode of const ant ly reworking t heir solut ion and t alking t hrough all t he im plicat ions. Or, t hey sim ply have a hard t im e focusing on work. They concent rat e m ore on how t he t eam is doing, and how each individual is " feeling" in t he t eam .

My Anecdote As a facilit at ion consult ant , I 've been brought int o such organizat ions in very wellest ablished businesses as well as in st at e and federal governm ent inst it ut ions. Groups sit in int erm inable m eet ings t rying t o get decisions from a group of users about st rat egies or requirem ent s. Decisions com e very slowly, only t o be ret ract ed and revisit ed t he next t im e t he group reconvened because som eone's opinion hadn't been considered, or anot her person hadn't been consult ed. We couldn't get t he group t o st ick wit h a decision for fear of leaving som eone out .

A Ca coph on y of Ca lcu la t or s: On t he surface, t his m ight be considered a developer's dream t eam : t he highly com pet ence- and engineering- driven t eam , awash in t he analysis of det ail and t he grasp of every com plexit y of every solut ion. We like being left alone t o poke around in a variet y of solut ions, m aking sure t hat we get everyt hing " exact ly right ." The problem is, we m ay not be driving t o a solut ion and m ay never t ruly t ake advant age of t he power of t he t eam 's t ot al knowledge.

My Anecdote I have found m yself in such a t eam on m ore t han one occasion, one t eam in part icular in support of elect rical engineers engaged in chip design. We really had t rouble st icking wit h a funct ional design decision because it never felt quit e det ailed enough. And when we did finally m ove int o coding ( back t hen we were heavily st eeped in a st rict wat erfall process of det ailed problem explicat ion before m oving t o any solut ion developm ent ) , we spent a great deal of t im e reworking our solut ions in great det ail before m oving int o t he t est ing phase for fear of having produced anyt hing t hat m ight not have grasped every possible com plexit y and nuance of t he solut ion, whet her specifically request ed or not . Our delivery schedules were cont inually ext ended wit hout t he cust om er ever providing us any feedback.

Team s t hat can com bine t he best of each of t hese DI SC charact erist ics and risk t he discom fort of not being surrounded by " t heir own" t urn out t o have a unique gift of converging and collaborat ing t o produce what is called " Best Thinking." The t eam is a com plet e organism wit h all it s working part s in synch t oward t he sam e goal. When such a group has t he guidance t o m ove t hrough divergence int o convergence, t hey creat e t he m ost powerful, t he m ost highperform ing of com m it m ent s.

My Anecdote I had j ust j oined a m et hodology t eam of seven people where I was t he newest em ployee but had been asked t o lead t he t eam . As I began t o work wit h various m em bers of t he group, I soon recognized t hat , while I had m uch m ore experience in agile soft ware developm ent , I had t he least experience of anyone on t he t eam wit h t he part icular indust ry we were support ing. I also began t o learn t hat t he t eam was in som e peril: No one t rust ed anyone else in t he t eam , and t hey devalued each ot her's work and perspect ives; t heir individual working st yles kept colliding. The collaborat ive nat ure of t he group was act ually fairly phony. My first j ob as a facilit at ive leader was t o wrest cont rol of t he decision- m aking away from t he Drivers on t he t eam and give it back t o t he ent ire group. I engaged in frequent inform at ion gat hering and brainst orm ing exercises t hat encouraged equal voice t o all m em bers of t he t eam , in part icular t he I nfluencers and Sym pat hizers who had been silenced by t he Drivers. I engaged t he part icipat ion of t he Calculat ors t o collect , m aint ain, and creat e large inform at ion radiat ors of group decisions, and I m ade sure t hat we t racked all cont ribut ions wit h equal vigor. I n addit ion, I reached int o m y servant leadership handbook and applied " release" and " t olerance of im perfect ion" t o let go of m y own Calculat or sense of what " accept able" or " done" was. Over t im e, what em erged was one of t he m ost cohesive groups wit h which I have ever worked. By dropping our self- prom ot ing, and inst ead encouraging t he best t hinking in each cont ribut or, we began t o really support one anot her and value t hese individual DI SC differences. We learned t o laugh a lot at our weaknesses inst ead of being defensive or at t acking. And, we produced great work because we were able t o pull from t he best t hinking of each t eam m em ber.

The Collaborative TeamIt All Comes Together Now, wit h a good sense of what a t eam is, and who t he individuals are t hat m ake up t hose t eam s, a collaborat ive t eam holds t he following set of charact erist ics:

1 . They are self- organizing versus role- or t it le- based in organizat ion. 2 . Team s are em powered t o m ake decisions versus being dict at ed t o by an out side aut horit y. 3 . Mem bers t ruly believe t hat , as a t eam , t hey can solve any problem . 4 . Mem bers are com m it t ed t o success as a t eam versus success at any cost . 5 . Trust versus fear or anger m ot ivat es t he t eam . 6 . They aggressively engage in part icipat ory decision m aking versus bending t o aut horit arian decision m aking or succum bing t o bullying for decisions. 7 . Decisions are consensus- driven versus leader- driven. 8 . Team s m aint ain an environm ent of const ruct ive disagreem ent versus falling int o dam aging conflict or no conflict at all.

1. Self-Organizing Teams Colla bor a t ive t e a m s a r e se lf- or ga n izin g ve r su s r ole - or t it le - ba se d in or ga n iza t ion . I n m y experience wit h agile soft ware developm ent t eam s, one observat ion I have m ade revolves around how such t eam s seem t o be able t o self- organize. Sim ply st at ed, t hese t eam s survey t he skills of each m em ber of t he t eam and t hen allow t he m ost useful t eam st ruct ures t o evolve. As Pet e McBreen st at es it : Hierarchical organizat ions do not work for soft ware developm ent . The com m and and cont rol m odel of scient ific m anagem ent is out m oded for knowledge workers. I t is not relevant when t he em ployeesnot t he m anagersprovide t he knowledge, skill, and abilit y t o creat e soft ware applicat ions. [ 6] [6]

McBreen, Software Craftsmanship , 70.

I n his book Adapt ive Soft ware Developm ent , Jim Highsm it h has helped us underst and how com plex adapt ive syst em s by t heir very nat ure rely on t he concept of em ergence of roles and t eam in which …proj ect m anagers should becom e m ore focused on defining a m ission and building relat ionships t han on prescribing t asks. [ 7] [7]

Highsmith, Adaptive Software Development , 121.

And, t hat : …as t he com plexit y increases in t he environm ent in which a business or soft ware developm ent t eam operat es, cert ain kinds of relat ionships produce bet t er result s.

A highly facilit at ive leader encourages t his organizat ional discovery, let t ing t he roles em erge as m ost beneficial for t he t eam . Self- organizing and self- disciplining t eam s decide t heir own t eam norm s and capt ure t hese in t heir proj ect chart er. Mem bers are able t o bring t heir past experiences int o t he group and m ake a t eam declarat ion about t heir m et hodology, t heir t ools, t heir best pract ices, and fram ework. They decide how t hey will m ake decisions, how t hey will resolve conflict , how t hey will assign work, and how t hey will give and elicit feedback.

My Anecdote I n one XP t eam in which I worked, none of us were all t hat t hrilled wit h providing t he role of " t racker; " it was a dreaded yet necessary t ask for our dist ribut ed t eam . As a result , we t ook on a rot at ion approach in which each m em ber was asked t o com plet e t wo it erat ions of t racker dut y per rot at ion. Ult im at ely, one t eam m em ber in part icular rose t o t he surface as t he m ost com fort able wit h t his j ob of collect ing velocit y inform at ion, updat ing it , and report ing t he st at us t o t he t eam and t o t he out side st akeholders. This arose out of an abilit y t o exam ine our skills and com fort s and t hen m ake t he best decision for t he t eam .

2. Empowered Teams Colla bor a t ive t e a m s a r e e m pow e r e d t o m a k e de cision s ve r su s be in g dict a t e d t o by a n ou t side a u t h or it y. Collaborat ive t eam s operat e t hrough a sense of em powerm ent wit h regard t o t he decisions t hat t hey m ake and t he pat hs t hey choose t o success. These t eam s define success based on input from all t eam m em bers. They build a sense of t eam t hrough t heir com m it m ent t o one anot her as well as t heir sense of com m it m ent t o t he t eam 's challenge. Because em powerm ent doesn't occur by accident , t hese t eam s rely on t he proj ect m anager or coach t o act as t he facilit at or and guardian of t heir power. Em powered t eam s can only discover t heir power under t he careful guidance of a collaborat ive leader: The leader fully believes in t he t eam 's abilit y t o do it s work and believes t hat t he t eam will m ake bet t er decisions as a t eam t han he alone could do.

3. Teams of Vision and Success M e m be r s of a colla bor a t ive t e a m t r u ly be lie ve t h a t , a s a t e a m , t h e y ca n solve a n y pr oble m . This is probably t he great est com m it m ent a t eam m ust m ake in order t o be a t ruly collaborat ive group; t hat is, each of t he t eam m em bers believes t hat ult im at ely t he t eam can solve any problem . I n fact , t here m ust be a firm convict ion t hat t he t eam will always be bet t er at solving a problem t han an individual alone. The t eam also grasps t he usefulness of t he individual expert s in t he group. Through it s self- organizat ion, t he t eam recognizes when cert ain t asks should be perform ed by one individual, or when decisions should be delegat ed t o specific individuals or sub- groups of t he t eam .

4. Committed Teams I n a colla bor a t ive t e a m , m e m be r s a r e com m it t e d t o su cce ss a s a t e a m ve r su s

su cce ss a t a n y cost . Collaborat ive t eam s build a sense of t eam t hrough t heir com m it m ent t o one anot her as well as t heir sense of com m it m ent t o t he t eam 's challenge. This charact erist ic of a collaborat ive effort is vit al in order for t he t eam t o reach it s ot her resolve in it em # 3: t hat ult im at ely t he t eam can solve any problem present ed t o it . Team com m it m ent can only occur when t he m anager pract ices release and allows t he t eam t o own it s decisions. The collaborat ive leader fost ers t he t eam 's com m it m ent by let t ing go of t he cont rol and forcing t he t eam t o t ake cont rol and responsibilit y. She facilit at es com m it m ent from t he st art by escort ing t he t eam t hrough it s St orm ing int o t he Norm ing t hat leads t o Perform ing. A com m it t ed t eam is a Perform ing t eam . This is capt ured by Kat zanbach and Sm it h, as follows: Wit hin t eam s, t here is not hing m ore im port ant t han each t eam m em ber's com m it m ent t o a com m on purpose and set of relat ed goals for which t he group holds it self j oint ly account able. Each m em ber m ust believe t he t eam 's purpose is im port ant t o t he success of t he com pany. [ 8] [8]

Katzenbach and Smith, The Wisdom of Teams , 44.

5. Teams of Trust Tr u st ve r su s fe a r or a n ge r m ot iva t e s t h e colla bor a t ive t e a m . Pet e McBreen capt ures t his in Soft ware Craft sm anship: The New I m perat ive when he explains how soft ware craft sm anship act ually leads t o collaborat ive developm ent , which ult im at ely leads t o t he best solut ions: The key difference wit h soft ware craft sm anship is t hat developers and users will underst and one anot her bet t er and can assist each ot her in m aking t he necessary t rade- offs. Som et im es hard choices need t o be m ade, but t hese decisions are m uch easier when an underlying relat ionship of t rust and respect exist s. [ 9] [9]

McBreen, Software Craftsmanship , 54.

So, what are t he charact erist ics of a t rust ing, highly funct ional t eam ? Each m em ber of t he t eam cont ribut es value t o t he decisions of t he t eam . The t eam fully believes t hat t he wisdom of t he t eam as a whole is always great er t han any one individual. Managing non- cont ribut ing m em bers is as im port ant as m anaging dom inat ing m em bers. Mem bers firm ly believe t hat all t eam m em bers int end t o act in good will. Mem bers cont inually work t o im prove t heir abilit y t o act wit hout fear, anger, or bullying.

6. Participatory in Decision Making Colla bor a t ive t e a m s a ggr e ssive ly e n ga ge in pa r t icipa t or y de cision m a k in g ve r su s be n din g t o a u t h or it a r ia n de cision m a k in g or su ccu m bin g t o bu llyin g for de cision s. Collaborat ive t eam s arm t hem selves wit h t he powerful t ools of inform at ion sharing, negot iat ion, and part icipat ion in order t o m ake well- inform ed, t eam - driven decisions. Sociologist Jörg St rübing writ es about t he negot iat ion of decision- m aking in soft ware proj ect s in his paper " Designing t he Working Process What Program m ers do beside [ sic]

Program m ing." He not es t hat t his highly part icipat ory negot iat ion for decision m aking is a fairly consum ing part of a developer's t ot al workload. St rübing charact erizes t his as: …a process of const ant assim ilat ion of given const raint s, requirem ent s, rest rict ions, and opport unit ies. Thus, " doing" ( " Tat igkeit " ) in t his respect im plicat es act s of int erpret at ion, redefinit ion and adapt ive reconst ruct ion of t asks. [ 10] [10]

Strübing, "Designing the Working Process," 3.

I n ot her words, t eam s rely heavily on negot iat ion for t heir knowledge t ransfer and decision m aking t hroughout t he whole program m ing process. Collaborat ive t eam s explicit ly accept t his at t ribut e of t heir work and em brace it , whet her in one- on- one com m unicat ions or in group set t ings.

7. Consensus-Driven I n colla bor a t ive t e a m s, de cision s a r e con se n su s- dr ive n ve r su s le a de r - dr ive n . So what does it m ean t o be consensus driven? First , a sim ple definit ion of consensus: " I can live wit h t hat and support it ." Consensus does not require t hat all t eam m em bers m ust agree wildly on all t opics. But , it does m ean t hat no one has been com prom ised and no one disagrees vehem ent ly wit h t he recom m endat ion. Here are a few exam ples of st at em ent s I have heard people m ake wit h regard t o a m ist aken sense of consensus: " We have t o run all our m eet ings wit h consensus, or else…" ( This is t hreat , not consensus.) " You have t o agree wit h us t o m ove on." ( This is com prom ise, not consensus.) " I insist on consensus in m y t eam s." ( This is com m and- and- cont rol, not consensus.) " Since no one cares, I guess we have consensus t o do opt ion A." ( This is nonpart icipat ion, not consensus.) Collaborat ive t eam s use consensus not as a weapon but as a t ool t hat lends focus, clarit y, and broad vision int o decision m aking. Collaborat ion via consensus is t he key t o powerfully binding and enduring decisions. To reach consensus, t eam s need t o recognize t heir conflict s and work t hrough t hem t o evaluat e t heir alt ernat ives and converge on a solut ion. But j ust as each of us has our own working m ode in collaborat ion ( as in t he DI SC m odel) , so we each have our own m ode of m anaging conflict . And t his variet y of conflict resolut ion m odes plays a pivot al part in how we act collaborat ively. The Thom as- Kilm ann conflict m ode inst rum ent ( TKI ) , shown in Figure 4.3, provides useful insight int o t hese conflict resolut ion st yles. We bring t hese conflict m odes wit h us int o our t eam s eit her t hrough fam ilial influences or t hrough what seem ed t o have creat ed success in previous professional environm ent s. [ 11] Through t he TKI , you can evaluat e your level of cooperat iveness in com parison t o your level of assert iveness: [11]http://www.cpp.com/detail/detailitem.asp?ic=4813.

Non- assert ive, non- cooperat ive personalit ies work t hrough conflict by avoiding it . Non- assert ive but very cooperat ive personalit ies act in an accom m odat ing m ode t o resolve conflict .

The person who is uncooperat ive and very assert ive resolves conflict by com pet ing for t heir posit ion. I ndividuals who have som e abilit y t o cooperat e while rem aining som ewhat unassert ive engage in a com prom ising conflict . The very assert ive and very cooperat ive person uses t he collaborat ing m ode of conflict resolut ion.

Figu r e 4 .3 . Th e Th om a s- Kilm a n n con flict m ode in st r u m e n t ( TKI ) , Re pr odu ce d w it h pe r m ission fr om Th om a s a n d Kilm a n n , Thom a sKilm a nn Conflict M ode I nst r um e nt ( TKI ) .

We benefit our t eam s m ost when we recognize our individual st yles of conflict resolut ion and explicit ly learn t heir posit ive and negat ive im pact on our decision- m aking m ode wit hin our t eam s. A collaborat ive leader nurt ures a collaborat ive t eam by wat ching t hese m odes play out and by helping t hem m at ure int o a cooperat ive and assert ive t eam m ode.

8. Relying on Constructive and Useful Disagreement Colla bor a t ive t e a m s m a in t a in a n e n vir on m e n t of con st r u ct ive disa gr e e m e n t ve r su s fa llin g in t o da m a gin g con flict or n o con flict a t a ll.

When a t eam has t ruly m oved t o a collaborat ive conflict resolut ion st yle, it is able t o t hen t ake full advant age of const ruct ive and useful disagreem ent . The t eam is able t o quickly negot iat e t hrough t he variet y of alt ernat ives surrounding a decision, t ake t he offerings, and craft one offering t hat t akes t he best pieces of each. Mem bers agree t hat t he result ing recom m endat ion t ruly m eet s t heir needs in a useful way. And t hey are able t o reap t he rewards of t heir alt ernat ives and recom m endat ions wit hout dest ruct ive conflict or worse, t eam dissolut ion. So as a t eam m oves t hrough divergence and t heir nat ural t endencies t oward avoidance, com pet it ion, com prom ise, or accom m odat ion, it s m em bers are able t o m ove int o convergence t hat powerful collaborat ing m ode of m anaging t heir conflict s wit h healt h and growt h. They are able t o pay at t ent ion t o a variet y of opinions, dig int o t he dirt and disagreem ent of t heir viewpoint s, and em erge wit h t he richest , best t hinking of t he t eam behind t heir decisions. I n short , t hey are a t ruly collaborat ive t eam .

Section II: Applying Collaboration The collaborat ion t oolkit present ed in t his sect ion provides a set of fundam ent al t echniques and pract ices for building highly part icipat ory t eam int eract ions in m eet ings of all sizes and shapes, wit h a variet y of purposes and any num ber of out com es. I have relied on t hese collaborat ion guidelines in m y work as a proj ect m anager, as a consult ant , and as a facilit at or for all sizes of t eam s. I n sm all t eam cont ext s, I learned t hat once I becam e adept at applying a st rict set of rules around collaborat ion, I was able t o relax t he am ount of planning and form alit y and rely inst ead on m y inst inct s. I expect t he sam e will be t rue for you. As you read t hrough t he chapt ers in t his sect ion, you'll see a high order of discipline and rigor t hat m ay at first feel unnat ural and a bit const raining. Most of t hese fairly form ulaic guidelines are derived from experience in bringing t oget her large proj ect t eam s, up t o 120 people for som e large program s. I n t hese cont ext s, I relied heavily on highly repeat able pract ices t hat could be cust om ized for t he part icular occasion. Over t im e, I recognized t hat t he discipline required t o be facilit at ive in t hese larger t eam cont ext s m ade m y sm all t eam work and m y one- on- one work m ore collaborat ive, m ore focused, and m ore part icipat ory. So as you read, t hink about how you t oo will absorb t he discipline, apply t he guidelines, and t hen creat e a st yle t hat is t ruly your own. My set of collaborat ion t ools and t echniques can be divided int o t he following cat egories of collaborat ion work: How t o define collaborat ion event s in a proj ect How t o prepare yourself for collaborat ion How t o prepare part icipant s t o be as product ive as possible How t o plan a collaborat ive m eet ing agenda How t o prepare t he environm ent What t echniques t o use t o gat her and m anage inform at ion from collaborat ive t eam s When and how t o engage t eam s in conflict resolut ion How t o help part icipant s leave bad behaviors at t he door How t o help a t eam build a bridge from t he m eet ing's decisions and out put s back t o t heir desks

Chapter 5. Defining Project Collaboration Events The t rue t est of collaborat ive soft ware t eam s lies in t heir abilit y t o m ove t hrough decisions, com plet e work, deliver soft ware, all wit hout causing undue dam age t o t he fabric of t he t eam . How t eam s m ove from decisions t o act ion speaks volum es about all t he ot her t opics visit ed t o t his point : t he facilit at ive, servant st yle of t he leader; t he collaborat ive, self- organizing nat ure of t he t eam ; and t he inherent respect and t rust built int o bot h t he t eam - level com m unicat ions and t he one- on- one com m unicat ions. I n 2002, Grady Booch surveyed developers worldwide about how t hey were engaged in t heir variet y of proj ect dom ains. I n his survey, Grady discovered t hat developers t ended t o spend 10% of t heir day in " product ive m eet ings" and an addit ional 7% of t heir day in " useless m eet ings." [ 1] A full 17% of a developer's day, t hen, is in t hese collaborat ion and decisionm aking opport unit ies for great success or dism al failure. Meet ings are failures when part icipant s leave t he m eet ing feeling no product ive result s were achieved; or, t hat t he result s t hat were derived were accom plished wit hout t he full engagem ent of t he part icipant s. I n short , t hese useless m eet ings do not engage collaborat ion and part icipat ive decision m aking. [1]

Booch and Brown, Collaborative Development Environments , 7.

To t alk about m eet ings as a m eans t hrough which a t eam com m unicat es in it self or wit h it s st akeholders or ext ernal influencers, it is good t o st art wit h a basic sense of what t hese collaborat ive event s are. You can t hink of m eet ings as falling int o five basic cat egories:

1 . The St at us Meet ing " We need t o find out what is going on." 2 . The Planning Meet ing " We need t o plan what we will do next ." 3 . The Working Session " We need t o com plet e work." 4 . The Ret rospect ion Meet ing " We need t o learn about how we did." 5 . The Meet ing That Shouldn't Have Happened " We always m eet at t his t im e; t hat is t he purpose of t he m eet ing."

Status Meetings I f you t hink about t he variet y of st at us m eet ings you at t end wit hin t he course of a proj ect , you m ay have st um bled across one or t wo t hat you knew were j ust not working for you. Wit hout put t ing a finger on it , you know t hat t he m eet ing j ust wasn't serving a purpose for you. Here are som e st raight forward guidelines about how t o recognize a bad st at us m eet ing, how t o recognize a good one, and what t o do t o ensure t hat your fut ure st at us m eet ings reside in t he lat t er cat egory, not t he form er.

Characteristics of a Bad Status Meeting Proj ect st at us m eet ings are oft en m ist akenly run as cat chall m eet ings. As such, t hey can quickly st art t o sm ell of a num ber of bad behaviors. I m agine being in t he following st at us m eet ing: One or t wo people in t he t eam st art t o delve int o a det ailed design problem about t he product ion environm ent versus t he developm ent environm ent . The proj ect m anager begins t o discuss budget issues wit h t he client . The t est er engages in a discussion wit h t he deploym ent t eam about what will be aut om at ed versus m anually t est ed. Three program m ers pull out t heir lapt ops and begin t o work on a bug from t he previous day's work. Many side conversat ions ensue. As t he proj ect m anager goes around asking each person t heir st at us, t hey respond " Not hing new." What m akes t his a bad st at us m eet ing? I n t he case of t he first four behaviors, t he t eam has devolved int o sm all problem - solving groups and st opped paying at t ent ion t o t he st at us nat ure of t he m eet ing. They probably aren't hearing what ot hers are t rying t o say about t heir current problem s. Or, in t he case of t he last t wo it em s, t eam m em bers have checked out of t he m eet ing because t hey aren't really sharing inform at ion, or t he m eet ing is t aking t oo long, or t hey sim ply don't feel heard or underst ood and are left wondering " Does m y st at us even m at t er t o t his proj ect m anager?" The good news? The problem - solvers clearly know wit h whom t hey should be working t hrough t heir problem s; t hey've sought t hem out and are engaging in conversat ion. The bad news? They are doing it at t he expense of t he ot hers in t he m eet ing, t aking up t heir t im e while t hey seek out det ail on t heir problem dom ain and pot ent ial solut ion dom ain. Their eagerness as soft ware professionals t o solve problem s has becom e a back- breaker for st at us m eet ings.

Characteristics of a Good Status Meeting So, t o hold a highly effect ive st at us m eet ing, a t eam t akes on a very clear code of conduct :

1 . The purpose of t he m eet ing is t o share inform at ion, not t o solve problem s

All

1. part icipant s engage in t he inform at ion sharing. This m eans list ening t o ot hers' inform at ion as well as sharing t heir own. I f you don't need each ot her's st at us, t hen you eit her didn't need t he m eet ing in t he first place, or t he t eam isn't act ing in a m ode t hat declares " The decisions of t he t eam are always bet t er t han a decision by an individual." 2 . The m eet ing is leader- m anaged This is usually t he proj ect m anager or coach, t he person who is playing t he role of t he " process owner" as well as t he role of " inform at ion owner" ( not t he decision owner) . I t is her j ob t o call t he m eet ing, ensure inform at ion is shared, and m ake sure t hat t he m eet ing abides by an inform at ion- only m ode. But don't confuse m anaged wit h owned; in a t rue st at us m eet ing, t he t eam m em bers own t he m eet ing and are report ing t o one anot her, not t he m anager. 3 . The m eet ing has only t wo out com es St at us m eet ings produce a st at us account ing, eit her inform al or det ailed, and opt ionally, an act ion plan. The inform at ion sharing in t he m eet ing m ay st im ulat e t he need for act ion aft er t he m eet ing, such as follow- up sessions, request s for m ore inform at ion, or request s for added part icipant s who can cont ribut e needed proj ect st at us.

Standup/Status/Daily Scrum Meeting The st andard agenda for a daily st andup or st at us m eet ing consist s of t hree quest ions answered by every part icipant :

1 . What did I do yest erday? 2 . What do I plan t o do t oday? 3 . What is get t ing in m y way? Think of t hese t hree quest ions as t he daily read- out of t he t eam m em bers' com m it m ent t o one anot her: What did I com m it t o do for all of us yest erday, what am I going t o com m it for t he t eam t oday, and what m ay be prevent ing m e from m eet ing m y com m it m ent t o t he t eam ? While t hese are t he st raight forward, de rigueur set of quest ions, you m ay want t o add one or t wo ot hers t o specifically spur your t eam wit h respect t o it s useful, act ionable st at us inform at ion. For inst ance, Craig Larm an adds t wo addit ional quest ions int o his m eet ings:

4 . Have any addit ional t asks been ident ified for t his Sprint / I t erat ion ( in t he Sprint Backlog) ? 5 . Have you learned or decided anyt hing new of relevance t o som e of t he t eam m em bers? [ 2] [ 2]

Larm an, Agile and I t erat ive Developm ent : A Manager's Guide

, 121.

These t hree basic agenda it em s sit wit hin a larger guiding cont ext for a successful st at us m eet ing: Make sure t he right people are at t ending ( " Whose inform at ion do we need t o m ove forward as a t eam ?" ) . Make sure t hey underst and t he purpose of t he m eet ing ( " We deliver inform at ion t o t he rest of t he t eam ; we don't solve problem s in t his m eet ing." ) . Make sure t hey underst and t he agreed- upon const raint s set by t he t eam ( " We st and during our m eet ing." " We allow t wo m inut es for each st at us report ." " We charge a fine if you arrive lat e." ) .

Practical Guidance for Status Meetings Team s very oft en need som e guidance in discipline around let t ing go of problem solving in t heir st at us m eet ings. Table 5.1, " Techniques for Efficient St at us Meet ings," provides a few helpful hint s t hat can bring a t eam t o value t he very efficient st at us m eet ing.

Ta ble 5 .1 . Te ch n iqu e s for Efficie n t St a t u s M e e t in gs Te ch n iqu e

Ex pla n a t ion

St art on t im e

People st raggling int o a st at us m eet ing five m inut es aft er it has st art ed is a killer, part icularly when you consider t hat t he goal is t o keep t he m eet ing concise and focused on inform at ion sharing. I n one proj ect , we inst it ut ed a 25- cent fine for anyone who showed up even 30 seconds aft er t he st art t im e. Most im port ant ly, we did t his very good- nat uredly, let t ing t he offender know how m uch we appreciat ed t heir cont ribut ion t o t he beer fund! Before long, offenders who knew t hey were going t o be lat e would walk in t he door t ossing t heir quart er int o t he m iddle of t he t able ahead of t hem as a declarat ion of t heir " sincere" apology t o t he t eam !

Keep t he m eet ing short

Our t eam s work on t he 15- m inut e rule. Any st at us m eet ing over 15 m inut es long is a st at us m eet ing " gone bad." To help m aint ain t his m eet ing t im ebox, we began wit h a t im er and st rict ly allowed only t wo m inut es per at t endee st at us. Period. We had t wo or t hree verbose cont ribut ors who, despit e t heir init ial grum piness wit h t he t im er, learned t o get t o t he m eat of t heir st at us wit hout t he wandering fluff t hat used t o creep int o t o t heir report s. Adopt a t im er early on. Have it be t he enforcer. No except ions.

Have t he m eet ing every day

This keeps t he st at us m eet ing as short as possible. I n one proj ect in which I worked, as we approached a m aj or deadline, we resolved t o have t hree quick st at us m eet ings a day: 7: 15 am , 11: 00 am , and 4: 00 pm . Why? Because t he t eam felt it needed t o find out t he answers t o our t hree st at us quest ions t hat oft en in order t o m ake quick decisions about what t o do for t he im pending deploym ent . Addit ionally, we had becom e adept enough in holding t hese quick checkins t hat we didn't see t hem as a burden or wast e of t im e. Rat her, t hey were liberat ing in t hat , t hrough a quick m eet ing wit h our sponsors and st akeholders, we could go back t o our work and m aint ain a very clear focus on our t asks wit hout a const ant st ream of int errupt ions or m ult iple, uncoordinat ed changes. While daily m eet ings are t he recom m endat ion, som e t eam s resolve inst ead t o m eet only t wo or t hree t im es a week due t o logist ics, t im e zone conflict s, or very est ablished work pat t erns. I n t hese cases, ask t he t eam what works best for t he m em bers.

Post t he t hree quest ions

Yes, t hese are well- known and easy t o underst and. But any t im e a t eam m akes a decision about how it will conduct it self in a m eet ing, post it on t he wall, especially for t his daily m eet ing t hat can so easily go off course. When you post t he t hree quest ions, all m em bers of t he t eam can help keep t he m eet ing st ay on t rack by point ing t o t he quest ions.

Post any ot her agreed- upon procedures

This m ay include St art t im e/ End t im e, fines for lat eness, and any ot her prot ocols of t he t eam ( " We st and," " We sit on t he floor," " We have t hree people who have t o call in from anot her cit y," " Thursday is donut day," " You arrive lat e, you sing" ) .

Collect act ion it em s

Besides st icking t o t he purpose of t he st at us m eet ing by adhering t o t he t hree quest ions, t he second great est t ool in m anaging a st at us m eet ing is t o m aint ain an Act ion List . Post an Act ion List on a flipchart or whit eboard wit h t hree colum ns: W h a t What act ion m ust be done W h o Who needs t o own t his t o ensure it get s done W h e n By what dat e/ t im e m ust it be done Here is where t he t eam holds ont o t he various problem - solving discussions t hat ot herwise could t ake over a st at us m eet ing. You can t hink of t his list as a set of daily lit t le User St ories: a placeholder for fut ure discussions. Keep t he act ions very t im e relevant , som et hing t hat can be com plet ed before t he next st at us m eet ing. One person owns every it em / act ion/ discussion, no m at t er how m any people need t o be involved. The Act ion List t hen becom es a good rem inder for t he t eam in t he next day's st at us m eet ing: " We said we were going t o do t hese t hings yest erday. Did we get t hem done? What is st anding in our way?"

Apply guerilla t act ics

While a st at us m eet ing is led by t he proj ect m anager or coach, t he t eam as a whole should t ake ownership of t he success of t he st at us m eet ing. Wit hout heavy- handedness, t eam m em bers can keep each ot her t o t he purpose, t he t im e lim it , and t he capt ure of act ion it em s. This works far bet t er t han t he leader being forced t o be t he heavy hand. ( You'll learn m ore about guerilla facilit at ion/ collaborat ion in Chapt er 19, " Guerilla Collaborat ion," along wit h t he basic t echniques for prom ot ing collaborat ive decision m aking in t eam s.)

When your st at us m eet ings are running sm oot hly, and you feel t hat t he t eam is gelling, don't be afraid t o int roduce som e addit ional inform at ion sharing int o t he st at us. I t 's an everyday m eet ing and can get boring easily.

Status Meeting Flourishes Here are som e flourishes you can add t o st at us m eet ings t o spice t hem up once t he t eam is est ablished in t he discipline and ready for som e diversit y: Every day, st art t he m eet ing wit h a song t o see who can guess t he art ist / t it le. That person get s a free coffee/ soda for t he day, or t he collect ed quart ers for t he week.

One proj ect m anager used Beat les t unes unt il he st art ed running out ! Each person t akes t urns bringing in a j oke once a week. On one proj ect , our proj ect m anager was from Nort h Dakot a, so he decided t o school us on Lena and Ole j okes about an old Norwegian couple in t he upper Midwest . We couldn't handle m ore t han one a week! Declare a t eam t hem e and creat e nam es for each ot her based on t he t eam t hem e so t hat t he st at us can st art t o reflect t he t eam nicknam es. I n one t eam , we used fish and developed an ent ire collect ion of fish nam es and fish cult ure references t hat t hen began t o pepper our st at us inform at ion. We had Olle Musselskipper, Virgil Crabscubber, Molly Flukehausen, Penelope Fish- washer, and Noodles ( yes, it is a fish cult ure reference! ) give t heir st at us. When new m em bers j oined t he t eam , we st art ed using charact ers from " Finding Nem o" t o augm ent t he rost er: Peach, Nem o, Marlin, Bubbles, Gil, and Dory. I n t he " What did I do yest erday?" report , encourage t eam m em bers t o point out som eone in part icular t o t hank t hem for som et hing t hey had done t he day before. I n our proj ect , we referred t o t his as " Great s and Gift s." To com plim ent som eone was t o give t hem " a great ." And t o help t hem underst and som et hing t hat t hey could have done different ly/ bet t er was t o give t hem " a gift ." Using t his in our st at us m eet ings helped us t o pay at t ent ion daily t o how we were act ing as a t eam . Take t urns bringing in food, or once a m ont h, t urn t he m eet ing int o a breakfast . Our favorit e donut shop in Denver is " LaMar's Donut s," so once a m ont h, t he client sponsor would load up on " LaMar's" and orange j uice t o bring t o our m eet ings. These m eet ings last ed longer t han 15 m inut es, but no one m inded!

Planning Meetings Planning m eet ings com e in a variet y of packages and can occur at any of t he st ages of a proj ect 's lifecycle. For inst ance, you can t hink of a proj ect ret rospect ive conduct ed at t he end of a proj ect as a planning m eet ing: I t helps a t eam collaborat ively accum ulat e knowledge about t he inner workings of t he proj ect t hat is t hen used t o plan how t o shut down t he proj ect , how t o engage proj ect t eam m em bers, and how t o plan fut ure proj ect s. A planning m eet ing m ay t ake several days when st rat egizing for t he st art of a very large developm ent effort t o encom pass m ult iple t eam s dispersed across m ult iple geographies delivering a wide num ber of funct ions. Or it m ay t ake 10 m inut es, such as when planning t he act ivit ies for t he day of a four- person developm ent t eam . Planning m eet ings and working sessions have m uch in com m on in t hat t he purpose of t he m eet ing is t o produce som et hing: a work product , a plan, a st rat egy, a deliverable, a process, or som et hing sim ilar. Like t he st at us m eet ing, t he planning m eet ing has a very specific purpose and can appear a bit m ore rest rict ing t han t he working session in t hat it s int ended out com e or product is st rict ly t he plan. And like a st at us m eet ing, t he planning m eet ing can so easily be t aken off course, lose it s purpose, not produce t he m uch- needed work of t he t eam , and frankly annoy t he heck out of all at t ending. This m eans t hat as t he proj ect t eam com es t oget her for a planning m eet ing, you should help t he m em bers adhere t o som e sim ple caut ions and guidelines ( see Table 5.2) .

Ta ble 5 .2 . Pla n n in g M e e t in g Ca u t ion s a n d Gu ide lin e s Pla n n in g M e e t in g Ca u t ion

Gu ide lin e

Avoid e x t e n de d st a t u s sh a r in g This should have already been done prior t o t he m eet ing, in ant icipat ion of it . Don't wast e part icipant s' t im e wit h st at us. Com bining st at us sharing wit h a planning session can easily disheart en part icipant s int o believing t hat t hey aren't really t here t o get t o t he planning.

I f you m ust share st at us, m ake it short and specific t o t he purpose of t he planning t hat is t o t ake place in t he m eet ing.

M a k e su r e in for m a t ion sh a r in g is spe cific t o t h e pu r pose of t h e pla n n in g Don't use t he m eet ing as an excuse t o inundat e t he t eam wit h inform at ion t hat is not necessary in order for t he planning t o proceed.

Com plet e as m uch inform at ion sharing ( archit ect ure design, use cases, obj ect class guidance, business m odel, et c.) as possible prior t o t he m eet ing. Addit ionally, m ake sure it is specific t o t he purpose of t he planning t hat is t o t ake place in t he m eet ing.

Pla n , don 't bu ild Soft ware t eam s seem t o be nat urally drawn away from planning scope or design or schedule and inst ead drawn int o t he det ail of t he solut ion dom ain. We are nat ural problem solvers and we love t o get our hands around a solut ion! Unfort unat ely, t his can derail a planning m eet ing. So while t he t eam m ay have creat ed som e int erest ing ot her art ifact s while m oving off purpose, t he plan it self will ult im at ely be hast ily drawn ( if at all) and pot ent ially not represent t he best t hinking of t he full t eam .

I f t he planning session needs t o include som e det ailed diving int o t he solut ion ( such as a quick spike) , t im ebox it and m ake sure it is specific t o t he purpose of t he planning t hat is t o t ake place in t he m eet ing.

D on 't fin ish a pla n w it h ou t de fin in g a ct ion s t o su ppor t it Creat ing a plan and not execut ing against it is t he great est killer of ent husiasm for any fut ure planning m eet ings.

Build an act ion around t he im plem ent at ion of t he plan where t he act ions have an owner and a dat e and are specific t o t he purpose of t he planning t hat is has t aken place in t he m eet ing.

Clearly, t he overarching guidance for a planning m eet ing is t o m ake sure t hat all work, all discussions, all inform at ion sharing, and all follow- up act ions are specific t o t he planning int ended. St icking t o t he purpose engenders collaborat ion in such a wonderfully subt le way. When you st ick t o t he purpose of t he planning m eet ing, or any m eet ing, you: I nst ill t rust in t he t eam t hat you are not hij acking t he m eet ing for your own " agenda." Encourage t he t eam t o fiercely own t he purpose and m ake sure t hat t hey help each ot her m eet t he purpose. Declare t hat you are not wast ing t he t eam 's t im e by inj ect ing ot her inform at ion or act ivit ies t hat don't shepherd t hem t o t heir purpose. Provide t hem clear inform at ion t hat can help t hem decide whet her t heir gat hering would be bet t er served by alt ering t he purpose or by ending t he m eet ing ent irely. As wit h st at us m eet ings, t he t eam m ust police it self t o st ick t o t he purpose and t o not allow t he m eet ing t o be derailed int o solving end- product issues, business issues, resource issues, or any ot her issues deem ed t o reside out side of t he dom ain of t he planning. Be aware! You are not alone. Planning m eet ings very oft en wrest le wit h how t o set and m aint ain t he boundaries of t he planning: what issues reside wit hin t he problem dom ain and t herefore m ust be addressed, what issues reside wit hin t he solut ion dom ain and t herefore m ust be addressed, and what issues are m oving us away from planning and int o working in a way t hat dist ract s versus support s t he planning? ( Lat er, I 'll cover som e t echniques for m anaging t hese risks about t he issues before t he t eam ever set s foot in t he planning m eet ing. Using t hese collaborat ion t echniques for boundary placem ent and conflict resolut ion will ult im at ely be som e of your m ost powerful collaborat ion t ools.) Following are som e of t he planning m eet ings I see in very collaborat ive soft ware developm ent environm ent s. While you m ay t hink of ot hers m ore à propos of your part icular work environm ent , t hese give you a t ast e of what I m ean by planning. ( Lat er in Sect ion I V, " Collaborat ive Facilit at ion Guides," I 'll delve int o t he very specific guidance t hat can boot st rap you t oward conduct ing your own version of each of t hese planning m eet ings.)

Project Chartering Meeting I n Agile Proj ect Managem ent : Creat ing I nnovat ive Product s , Jim Highsm it h describes a proj ect planning m eet ing t hat kicks off t he Envision phase of t he proj ect . Agile proj ect s and non- agile proj ect s alike have an opport unit y t o set t he proj ect in m ot ion on a posit ive foot ing by using such a m eet ing as a planning device. I n t his m eet ing, t eam m em bers and st akeholders com e t oget her t o define a com m on vision for a proj ect and t he plan t hat can sust ain t he t eam in t hat vision. Here are som e elem ent s of a collaborat ive proj ect chart ering m eet ing: Who are t he m em bers of t he proj ect t eam for t his proj ect ? What is t he product vision box t hese m em bers can define for t he associat ed product ? What is t he elevat or t est st at em ent t hat can guide t his product vision? What is t he scope of t his proj ect wit hin t his product vision? What is t he one- page proj ect dat a sheet t hat describes t his proj ect ? Who will be included in t he proj ect com m unit y? What are t he com m unit y values t hat support t his proj ect ? How will t he t eam deliver t he product in t his proj ect cont ext ?

Scrum Sprint Planning Meeting The biggest planning event in t he Scrum proj ect is it s Sprint Planning Meet ing, where t he proj ect t eam convenes t o est ablish t he key charact erist ics of t he Sprint t o com e. I n t he pract ical guide for t his m eet ing locat ed in Sect ion I V, you'll see a det ailed agenda can very clearly support t his purpose. Here is an exam ple overview of what such an agenda would hold: Who is t he product owner for t his Sprint 's Product Backlog? Who is in t he proj ect t eam for t his Sprint ? What ot her st akeholders m aint ain " skin in t he gam e" of t his Sprint ? What is t he full set of it em s in t he Product Backlog t o be considered for t his Sprint ? What is t he lengt h of t his Sprint ? What concerns does t he t eam have about t he Product Backlog and t he lengt h of t he Sprint ? Based on t hese concerns, what changes m ust be m ade t o t he Product Backlog? What is t he final priorit y of t he it em s in t he Product Backlog? What priorit y it em s from t he Product Backlog are being placed in t he Sprint Backlog? Given t he it em s placed in t he Sprint Backlog, what are all t he risks t o be m anaged during t he Sprint ? How shall t he proj ect t eam report it s progress and risk m anagem ent during t he Sprint t o

t he St akeholders? While t his agenda m ay at first blush appear m assive or t oo defined, it act ually can act as a powerful liberat ing t ool for t he Scrum t eam . I t clearly leads t he m eet ing part icipant s t hrough planning a com plet ed, priorit ized Sprint Backlog wit h proj ect roles est ablished, risks ident ified, and st at us report ing agreed upon. There is no doubt about t he purpose of t his m eet ing; anyone at t ending t he m eet ing could im m ediat ely t ell if t he t eam is not m eet ing it s purpose. And, t hrough t he use of t echniques for collaborat ion t o be det ailed in t he lat er chapt ers, each decision along t he pat h t o m eet ing t he purpose of t he group is reached via part icipat ion by t he ent ire t eam and t hrough consensus building. This is a collaborat ive planning m eet ing.

The XP Release Planning and Iteration Planning Meetings Ext rem e Program m ing uses it s powerful Planning Gam e as a m eans t o inj ect various st ages of planning t hroughout a proj ect 's life. I t prom pt s business decisions about dat es, scope, and priorit ies and t echnical decisions about est im at es. Team s engage init ially in Release Planning about what Kent Beck and Mart in Fowler refer t o as one t urn of t he business crank. [ 3] The Release Plan t hen reveals a series of developm ent cycles t hat support m id- course correct ions along t he pat h t o t he release. Each of t hese ident ified it erat ions t hen has it s own planning m eet ing. [3]

Beck and Fowler, Planning Extreme Programming , 22.

Release Planning Meeting The purpose of t he Release Planning m eet ing is t o ident ify, est im at e, and priorit ize t he user st ories t o be considered for t he com ing release, as well as t o confirm proj ect roles and a proj ect chart er for how t he t eam will engage it self during t he release. An agenda t hat drives t o t hat purpose would have som e of t he following elem ent s: Who are all t he m em bers of t he t eam t o be engaged in t his release? What are t he roles of each of t he m em bers of t he release t eam ? What are all t he User St ories t o be considered by t his t eam for t his release? What are all t he issues associat ed wit h t he pot ent ial list of User St ories for t his release? Given t hese issues, what are t he est im at es for t he User St ories t o be considered for t his release? Given t hese est im at es, what is t he priorit y of t he User St ories t o be considered for t his release? Given t hese est im at es and priorit ies, what is t he recom m ended lengt h of t he t im e- box for t his release? Given t hese priorit ies and t he release lengt h, what are all t he ot her considerat ions for select ing t he final set of User St ories for t his release? What is t he final priorit ized, est im at ed set of User St ories for t his release? Given t his set of User St ories and t he lengt h of t he release, how m any it erat ions will be in t he release? How shall t he proj ect t eam m em bers report progress on t he release and it s I t erat ions? Here again, a very det ailed agenda leaves no doubt t o anyone at t ending: We are planning an XP release. These are t he com ponent s of our plan.

We know our purpose and so will also know if we waiver from it . Lat er, when I t ouch on guerilla collaborat ion, you'll learn t he incredible power t hat a det ailed agenda lends t o a proj ect t eam in self- m anaging it s way t hrough a planning m eet ing, or any m eet ing. The t eam m em bers, in t heir roles as " servant followers," keep each ot her on t ask and also keep t he servant leader honest about t he level of collaborat ion being sought when m oving from agenda it em t o agenda it em . Radiat ing t his agenda inform at ion so clearly and openly becom es one of t he m ost subt le yet powerful collaborat ion t ools t he planning m eet ing can have.

Iteration Planning Meeting The purpose of t he I t erat ion Planning m eet ing is t o ident ify specific t asks and owners of t he t asks for t he subset of user st ories t o be com plet ed in t he it erat ion along wit h t he init ial user accept ance crit eria. An I t erat ion Planning m eet ing agenda can t ake t he following form : Who are all t he m em bers of t he t eam t o be engaged in t his it erat ion? What are t he roles of each of t he m em bers of t he it erat ion t eam ? What are all t he User St ories t o be considered by t his t eam for t his it erat ion? What are all t he issues associat ed wit h t he pot ent ial list of User St ories for t his it erat ion? Given t hese issues, what are t he det ailed t asks t o be associat ed wit h each of t he User St ories in t his it erat ion? Given t hese det ailed t asks, what are t he est im at es for t he User St ories t o be considered for t his it erat ion? What are t he accept ance t est s associat ed wit h each of t hese det ailed, est im at ed User St ories? Given t hese st ories, t asks, and t est s, what are all t he concerns about t he lengt h of t his it erat ion? Who are t he owners of each of t he t asks and t est s t o be com plet ed in t his it erat ion? What is t he final priorit ized, est im at ed set of User St ories wit h t heir t asks, t est s, and owners t o be com plet ed in t his it erat ion? How shall t he proj ect t eam m em bers report progress on t he it erat ion? Three ot her t ypes of planning event s can be used t o drive t he flow of a proj ect from a highlevel view t o an it erat ion view: Agile Pr a ct ice s Pla n n in g M e e t in g How will we apply agile approaches? Bu sin e ss Scopin g M e e t in g What is t he business vision? Tim e box / Sch e du le Pla n n in g What will we com plet e in t his t im ebox?

Agile Practices Planning Meeting I n an Agile Pract ices m eet ing, t he ent ire t eam evaluat es it s approach t oward using agile soft ware developm ent pract ices as a st ruct ure of it s overall pract ices. The t eam 's goal is t o produce a report of it s recom m endat ions and t o out line a plan for t he developm ent effort .

A sim ple approach t o t he planning t hat occurs in such a m eet ing includes t he following it em s for considerat ion: What is t he business scope for t his proj ect ? What is a high- level view of t he proj ect t eam st ruct ure? What is a high- level view of t he t echnical st ruct ure of t he proj ect ? Given t he scope and t eam m ake- up and t echnical st ruct ure of t he proj ect , what are all t he possible agile pract ices t hat can be suit ably applied t o t his proj ect ? What concerns are t here about im plem ent ing t hese pract ices? What support ing pract ices can be applied t o m it igat e t hese concerns? Given t hese concerns and support ing pract ices, what is t he final set of agile pract ices t he t eam will apply for t his proj ect ? A ret rospect ive m eet ing conduct ed about t his t opic helps t he t eam t o revisit it s original recom m endat ions and adapt t hem according t o how t hey have worked or not worked t o support t he developm ent effort .

Business Scoping Meeting I n t his m eet ing, a t eam of business line represent at ives or product m anagers m odels t he business processes t o be aut om at ed ( including funct ions, users, and inform at ion sources) and evaluat es t he associat ed risks and const raint s in order t o est ablish overall proj ect priorit ies. The goal is t o produce a proj ect scope and vision t hat can guide subsequent planning m eet ings wit h t he full developm ent t eam . Not ice t hat t he m eet ing's goal, it s last agenda it em , is t he full com m it m ent of t he business t eam t o support t he overall vision of t he proj ect . To com plet e t his work, you can t hink of a plan progressing as follows: What is t he overall vision for t his product / proj ect ? What are all t he business funct ions t o be support ed in m eet ing t his vision? Who are all t he users t hat int erface wit h t hese business funct ions? What are all t he inform at ion sources associat ed wit h t hese business funct ions? Given t hese funct ions and int erfaces, what are t he m aj or cat egories of funct ions t o be scoped for t his proj ect ? What is t he priorit y of each of t hese m aj or cat egories? Who will be t he business represent at ive for each of t hese m aj or cat egories? What is t he t ot al com m it m ent of t he business t o t his scope and set of cat egories and represent at ives?

Project Working Sessions Working m eet ings have an overall flow t hat revolves around bounding t he work, m anaging t he collect ion of dat a about t he work, declaring useful groupings or priorit izat ions about t he dat a for furt her considerat ion, declaring recom m endat ions for t he work, producing t he work, and t hen det erm ining act ions relat ed t o delivering t he work and report ing on it t o appropriat e part ies. Design m eet ings are a good exam ple of t his work m eet ing flow.

Design Meetings Design m eet ings, like planning m eet ings, afford a t eam t he opport unit y t o t ap int o t he wealt h of t eam resources in order t o creat e a whole great er t han t he sum of it s part s. I n a com plex design decision, no one person can represent t he ent ire t eam 's expert ise wit h regard t o t echnology, cost , t im e, risks, and so on. Sim ilarly, t he benefit s a design m ay afford t he t eam in reducing t echnical debt m ay not be clear t o a t est er, but t he t est er in t urn m ay be able t o provide t est environm ent inform at ion t hat can help t he t eam reach a m ore appropriat e alt ernat ive. What is t he scope of our design work? What are all t he risks t o consider in defining t he design alt ernat ives? What are all t he t echnical benefit s t o consider in defining t he design? What are all t he budget ary considerat ions in defining t he design? What are all t he t im e const raint s t hat m ay im pact design decisions? Given t his inform at ion, what are all t he design alt ernat ives wit hin t he prescribed scope? What are t he benefit s of each alt ernat ive? What are t he concerns associat ed wit h each alt ernat ive? Given t his inform at ion, what is t he recom m ended design?

Requirements Modeling Sessions Ellen Got t esdiener in Requirem ent s by Collaborat ion: Workshops for Defining Needs provides a set of m odels ( see Tables 5.3 and 5.4) t hat can be used for requirem ent s gat hering, based on t he int ended focus of t he work as well as t he int ended view for a given t eam . Wit h t hese m odels, Ellen creat es collaborat ive agendas t hat guide t eam s t hrough requirem ent s working sessions. As t hey help t he t eam focus on t heir purpose, t he m odels gat her and record t he collect ive t eam wisdom . I n essence, Ellen's m odels est ablish t he working m ap of agenda it em s t hat will guide t he t eam t o m eet it s purpose: [ 4] [4]

Gottesdiener, Requirements by Collaboration , 30, 33.

Ta ble 5 .3 . Re qu ir e m e n t s M ode ls by Focu s Focu s

Re qu ir e m e n t s M ode l

Who

Act or m ap Act or t able Prot ot ype St akeholder classes User int erface navigat ion diagram

What

Cont ext diagram Dom ain m odel Glossary Relat ionship m ap

When

Event t able St at echart diagram s

Why

Business policies Business rules Decision t able, decision t ree

How

Process m ap Scenarios Use cases Use case m ap Use case packages

Ta ble 5 .4 . Re qu ir e m e n t s M ode ls by Vie w V ie w

Re qu ir e m e n t s M ode l

Behavioral

Act or m ap Act or t able Cont ext diagram Process m ap Prot ot ype Relat ionship m ap St akeholder classes Use cases Use case m ap Use case package User int erface navigat ion diagram

St ruct ural

Dom ain m odel Glossary

Dynam ic

Event t able St at echart diagram s

Cont r ol

Business policies Business rules Decision t able, decision t ree

So, one of t hese requirem ent s workshops m ight have t he following set of agenda it em s: What subset of t he overall syst em scope are we defining? What are all t he requirem ent s wit hin t hat funct ional scope? For each of t hese requirem ent s, what are all t he focal aspect s of t he requirem ent t hat need t o be furt her defined? Given t hese focus guidelines, what is t he recom m ended set of m odels t o use in defining t he requirem ent s? For t he defined subset of scope, what are all t he useful views t o define in laying out t he syst em ? Given t hese views, what are t he recom m ended m odels t o use in com plet ing t he requirem ent s definit ion? What are our next st eps in com plet ing t hese m odels?

Agile Modeling Design Meeting I n his book, Agile Modeling: Effect ive Pract ices for Ext rem e Program m ing and t he Unified Process , Scot t Am bler does a nice j ob of helping bot h Agilist s and non- Agilist s alike learn how t o engage in highly effect ively m odeling for bot h t he planning of t heir proj ect s as well as for t heir design. To t hink about what a planning session m ight look like in t his cont ext , a t eam can m eet t o collaborat ively det erm ine exact ly how it will t ake advant age of m odeling as a powerful m eans of art iculat ing and gaining consensus in t he variet y of proj ect dom ains. What is t he scope of t he funct ions t o be delivered in t his syst em ? What are all t he requirem ent s wit hin t hat funct ional scope? What cat egories do t hese requirem ent s fall int o wit hin t hat scope ( business, user, syst em , funct ional, non- funct ional, dat a, securit y, archit ect ure, et c.) ? What are all t he possible m odels t hat m ight be useful for capt uring each of t hese cat egories of requirem ent s? For each of t he ident ified cat egories, what is t he best m odel t o use in capt uring requirem ent s wit hin t hat cat egory? What are t he highest - priorit y m odels needed wit hin each of t hese cat egories? For each of t he high- priorit y m odels in each cat egory: What is t he prim ary focus of t he m odel? What is t he cont ext wit hin which t his m odel will sit ? What quest ions will t he m odel solve? Who needs t o part icipat e in defining t his m odel in order t o answer t hese quest ions? What represent at ion will we use for t he m odel? Given t his represent at ion, what new issues, risks, or quest ions have arisen as a result of building t he m odel?

Self-Organized, One-on-One Meetings One- on- one com m unicat ions m ake up t he yeom an's chunk of t hat work t hat St rübing refers t o as t he const ant assim ilat ion of given const raint s, requirem ent s, rest rict ions, and opport unit ies t hat goes on in developm ent t eam s. Agile proj ect s in part icular derive great st rengt h from t he cont inuous one- on- one collaborat ions t hat build t he sufficient , cont inuous, and j ust - in- t im e det ail of t he proj ect . Team s use one- on- one m eet ings t o quickly engage in inform at ion exchange, so t hey need skills in how t o accum ulat e inform at ion, evaluat e t he inform at ion, and m ake decisions wit h t he dat a in a way t hat builds upon t he convergence and t rust of t he overall t eam . I n one- onone m eet ings, such as pair program m ing, cust om er accept ance, or t est definit ion, t he part icipant s m ust bot h be servant leader and servant follower; each m ust st rive t o ensure t hat decisions represent t he best of t heir overall t hinking. I n any of t hese one- on- one collaborat ions, you can check in wit h yourself and your colleague by asking:

What is t he purpose of our m eet ing? What different ideas or recom m endat ions does each of us have about our purpose? What are t he pros and cons of our recom m endat ions? How shall we proceed wit h our work? What act ion it em s rem ain from our work? While t his m ay appear rest rict ive and form ulaic, I have seen it work fairly effect ively in helping pairs know when t hey are st aying focused and knowing when t hey are not on t rack. I n several com panies in which I have eit her worked or consult ed, it has becom e our t eam norm t o sit down and have our first quest ion always be: " What is t he purpose of our m eet ing?" This works part icularly effect ively wit h m anagers who like knowing t hat t he m eet ing has a specific focus, despit e t heir unfort unat e t endency t o not st ay focused!

Retrospection Meetings Reflect ion workshops and ret rospect ives have been t he unsung heroes of soft ware developm ent process im provem ent , t eam building, and collaborat ion- building event s. Despit e t heir unsung past , t hey now enj oy great er and great er im port ance in agile soft ware developm ent proj ect s. These m eet ings are pivot al t o how t eam s can cont inue t o bond as a t eam , im prove t heir skill set , adapt t heir proj ect delivery approach, and cont inue on t heir pat h from divergence t o convergence. Conduct ing such event s collaborat ively is key t o t heir success and t heir posit ive im pact on t he t eam . There is no finer expert in t his work t han Norm Kert h as art iculat ed in his Proj ect Ret rospect ives: A Handbook for Team Reviews . Norm 's work leaves no doubt about t he im port ance of collaborat ion in a ret rospect ive from st art t o finish: how you plan t he ret rospect ive by surveying t he sponsor as well as t he at t endees, how you prepare for t he ret rospect ive by invit ing highly collaborat ive int eract ion and explicit ly planning for it , and how you conduct t he ret rospect ive by const ant ly checking in wit h t he group about what is working in t he workshop and adapt ing t he experience t o ensure t heir t rust and part icipat ion.

Iteration/Release Retrospective I nt egrat ing learning int o t he proj ect flow brings reflect ion direct ly int o how t he t eam works. Using som e Jim Highsm it h guidance, you can t hink about not j ust collect ing t he dat a, but also evaluat ing, as a t eam , how you would grade yourselves m ilest one- by- m ilest one using a Team s Self- Assessm ent Chart . [ 5] [5]

Highsmith, Agile Project Management , 221.

What were t he m aj or m ilest ones of t his release? What worked well in t his release? What were som e " Ah Ha! " m om ent s in t he release? What was frust rat ing for us in t he release? What were our m aj or dist ract ions in t he release? What do we st ill not underst and? How well do we t hink we did? Based on t hese m ilest ones, " Ah Ha" m om ent s, and concerns and frust rat ions, what are our recom m endat ions m oving forward?

Sprint Demo and Review Meeting What com m it m ent s were m ade by t he t eam for t his Sprint ? What funct ionalit y can be dem onst rat ed from t hese com m it m ent s ( st ories) ? What is t he st at e of t he rem aining com m it m ent s ( st ories) ?

Based on what we have j ust seen, what have we learned about t he proj ect scope? Based on what we have j ust seen, what have we learned about t he Product Backlog priorit ies? Based on what we have j ust seen, what have we learned about our est im at es for t he next Sprint ? What pract ices in t his Sprint helped t he t eam ? What got in t he way of t he t eam during t his Sprint ? Based on t hese observat ions, what are t he t eam 's recom m endat ions for t he next Sprint ?

Reflection Workshop Alist air Cockburn has inst it ut ed t he idea of m id- course ret rospect ion t hrough t he Reflect ion Workshop in t he Cryst al Clear m et hodology. This quick look back by t he t eam helps it t ake a quick healt h check while st aying focused on t heir priorit ies and goals: What pract ices would we want t o keep or do again? What are our ongoing problem s? What problem s can we fix or escalat e? What convent ions or pract ices can we int roduce now t o address t hese problem s? What t hree or four new t hings would we like t o t ry? What is our act ion plan for inst it ut ing t hese recom m endat ions?

Project Retrospective Proj ect ret rospect ives occur t o help a t eam ponder it s work and it s st yle of working wit hout having t o report quant it at ive proj ect result s as is oft en connot ed by t he t erm " proj ect review." As a result , Norm Kert h oft en refers t o t hese proj ect reflect ions as post part a, suggest ing a sense of birt hing som et hing new int o t he world from t he developm ent proj ect . Ot hers refer t o t hem as post m ort em m eet ings, referring t o t he " aft er deat h/ end" of t he proj ect view t aken in t he m eet ing. Each of t hese t erm s helps a t eam underst and t he int ent ion: t o pause, t hink about what has happened and how it has happened, and learn. While Norm describes a num ber of powerful assum pt ions and support ing handout s t hat can guide a product ive proj ect ret rospect ive, here is a basic flow of agenda it em s t hat t akes advant age of t hat prelim inary m at erial and creat es an overall reflect ion on t he proj ect : Who were all t he proj ect t eam m em bers, st akeholders, and any ot her influencers or inform at ion resources? What is your definit ion of success for t he proj ect ? What are all t he significant art ifact s you have collect ed from t he proj ect ? What is t he effort dat a associat ed wit h t his proj ect ? What was t he t im eline for t his proj ect ?

What is all t he inform at ion we can m ine from t he t im eline? Based on our work, what are our appreciat ions for our colleagues on t his proj ect ? What are our m essages about t he proj ect ? Based on our t im eline, inform at ion, and m essages, what are our recom m endat ions from t his proj ect ?

The Meeting That Shouldn't Have Happened Unnecessary, unplanned, ill- run, unfocused, and non- act ion- driven m eet ings are pot ent ially som e of t he m ost com m on and hence highly dest ruct ive of t he m eet ings we encount er in soft ware developm ent proj ect s. They are t im e consum ing and disrupt ive. They dist ract and annoy t eam m em bers and creat e dist rust about m eet ings in general. You m ight t hink of t hem as " collaborat ion- killing wolves in sheep's clot hing." They drain a t eam 's energy and very oft en reinforce t he t eam 's sense t hat t he proj ect is not really a collaborat ive effort at all. They underm ine any sense t hat t he t eam is t ruly self- organizing and focused on act ion. I have a colleague, Bob Moir, who argues t hat every m eet ing m ust " build a bridge" bet ween t he developer's desk and t he m eet ing it self. That is, any t eam m em ber at t ending t hat m eet ing m ust clearly see a benefit for being in t he m eet ing versus rem aining at her desk. Leaving t he m eet ing, each part icipant m ust carry som et hing back t o her desk ( an act ion, or a m eet ing out put , or a shared piece of inform at ion, or a decision) t hat direct ly im pact s her work. Wit hout t his clear " bridge," part icipant s see no need t o be in a m eet ing or t o act ively list en and part icipat e. I f you can't build a bridge bet ween a m eet ing and each at t endee's desk, you m ay be creat ing t he dreaded m eet ing t hat shouldn't have happened.

My Anecdote I n one com pany I visit ed providing som e collaborat ion consult ing, t here was a sign above each m eet ing room door: " I f you have not received a purpose and agenda for t his m eet ing, please t urn around and ret urn t o your desk." The com pany was det erm ined t o weed out t he m any m eet ings t hat shouldn't have happened.

Chapter 6. Preparing Yourself as the Process Owner The work of collaborat ion in each of t he defined collaborat ion event s st art s wit h a very facilit at ive and service- orient ed guide, som eone t ooled and schooled t o help a group of proj ect m em bers engage as a t eam . I f you are assum ing t his role, you have a few sim ple t asks and pract ices t o t est and validat e your responsibilit ies in t his role. You m ay first want t o refresh yourself in t he " Servant Leader" inform at ion provided in Chapt er 3, " Who Are Collaborat ive Leaders?," about t he work of Robert Greenleaf. His charact erist ics of a servant leader form a solid cont ext in which t o prepare yourself t o act as facilit at or in your soft ware proj ect event s.

Establishing Your Convictions About Collaboration Before applying any of t he pract ical t ools relat ed t o collaborat ion event s such as m eet ings or workshops, t he collaborat ive leader est ablishes a very clear convict ion about t he use of part icipat ory decision m aking in how t he t eam proceeds. When you t ake on t he role of collaborat ive servant leader, or if you are a t eam m em ber guiding a leader by being a servant follower, your convict ions about t he realit y of collaborat ion and it s usage play a key part in any m eet ing's success. Think about your role as follows: You m ust firm ly believe t hat t he people gat hered for t his m eet ing are t he right people. You m ust believe t hat , as t he right people, t hey can and will produce t he desired out com es t hat m eet t he purpose of t he m eet ing. Wit hout your firm convict ion in t his t enet of m eet ing planning, any st resses you encount er around t he planning of t he m eet ing or t he flow of t he m eet ing will result in bad decision m aking on your part . Once you believe t his, you'll discover a basic set of pract ices t hat can keep you honest in your work: St ay posit ive Fost er self- organizat ion Ask quest ions Encourage inform at ion sharing Drive t o consensus Make everyt hing else highly visible Take away t he blam e I n surveying each of t hese pract ices, you'll discover t hat language and at t it ude play a pivot al role. As you evaluat e each of t he pract ices, consider your own use of language in your leadership st yle. I s it calm ing, encouraging, rewarding, m ot ivat ing, and posit ive? Or is it m eant t o agit at e, confront , punish, or cont rol? Paying at t ent ion t o your facilit at ive t one plays a role in each of t hese pract ices.

Stay Positive Facilit at ive leaders earn t heir t eam 's t rust t hrough cont inual reinforcem ent t hat t he t eam , not t he leader, owns it s decisions. When facilit at ing a collaborat ion of t eam m em bers, your j ob is t o rem ain, not j ust neut ral, but posit ive about t he t eam 's abilit y t o own it s out com e. This m eans t hat you choose a role of process owner, not decision owner, in an encouraging and m ot ivat ing m ode. I n all t he preparat ion and planning, in all t he act ual work of t he m eet ing, and in t he follow- up from t he m eet ing or workshop, your single responsibilit y is t o ensure t hat t he t eam has a neut ral collaborat ive environm ent in which t o produce t heir best work. Owning t he process, not t he decisions, can be a challenge when, as t he collaborat ive leader, you bring your own set of skills, knowledge, and prej udices t o t he t able. You'll know t hat you have seriously m oved t o a t ruly collaborat ive st yle of decision m aking when: You value t he opinions of t he group m ore t han your own. You provide process guidance t hrough posit ive encouragem ent inst ead of cont rolling dict at orship. You provide your opinion only as an expert cont ribut or and only wit h t he perm ission of t he group ( m ore on t his lat er) . You don't use your opinion t o sway t he out com e of t he m eet ing. You enlist ot hers t o dog your neut ralit y and ensure it is engaged t hroughout t he m eet ing.

My Anecdote Very oft en, when I am brought in as a consult ant t o help organizat ions t ransit ion t o m ore agile approaches, one of t he first roles I assum e besides agile m ent or is facilit at or of t heir init ial planning m eet ings, t heir daily st andup m eet ings, and t heir first ret rospect ive. When I originally began m y work as a facilit at or of large process m eet ings, I concent rat ed very hard on t he neut ralit y aspect of m y role in t hese m eet ings. Over t im e, and t hrough t he observat ions of ot hers, I learned t hat , m ore t han j ust neut ralit y, m y role was t o init iat e and m aint ain a posit ive at t it ude about t he group and it s work wit hin t he process I was providing t hem . This was no less t rue for one group I was facilit at ing t hrough t heir first I t erat ion Planning m eet ing. The developers were get t ing very annoyed t hat t hey were being asked t o t hink about t heir work as m ore t han j ust one large code base. And t he t est ers couldn't see why t hey should even part icipat e in t he m eet ing. As I worked t o help t he t eam look at t heir work in t erm s of a backlog, em ot ions were get t ing high about t he frust rat ions and confusions and t he inevit able disagreem ent s. Tim e and again, t he group challenged m y convict ion about t he process, t heir knowledge, t he work at hand, and t he feasibilit y of really doing it all. I rem ained st eadfast ly posit ive about t heir abilit y t o do t he work and t he efficacy of t he approach. No m at t er how negat ive t he com m ent s were, I st uck wit h m y posit ive viewpoint and t ended t o t he process while guiding t he part icipant s t hrough t heir decisions.

During a break, one of at t endees cam e t o m e and said: " How can you rem ain so calm and posit ive in t his m eet ing? Not hing seem s t o upset you! I could never do what you do! " I answered her as I answer anyone in t hese sit uat ions: " But you are t he ones doing t he hard work here! You are t he ones who m ust m ake t he hard decisions and t hen form an act ion plan around t hose decisions. I am j ust here t o help you along t hat pat h. And I have every fait h t hat you are t he right people t o do t his."

Team s learn t o let t heir dist rust and cynicism m elt away by having a facilit at ive leader m aint ain neut ralit y about t heir decisions while holding a posit ive convict ion about t heir abilit y t o m ake t hose decisions. Through t he early divergence and st orm ing t hat t eam s m ust endure, t hey lose fait h t hat t hey can const ruct ively resolve t heir conflict s and creat e a sust ainable pact . Rem aining neut ral in t hese st orm s provides com fort t o a t eam t hat t hey really do own t he fut ure and t hat t hey really can solve problem s wit hout being herded int o a decision. I t is probably one of m y great est t hrills as an agile m ent or t o st eward t eam s as a neut ral guide t hrough t hese st orm s. When I am in a facilit at ive role, I am a servant t o t he t eam . I am very clear wit h m yself t hat I st and m y ground of neut ralit y t hrough any st orm .

Foster Self-Organization Self- organizat ion does not m ean wit hout flow, or form , or cont ext . Nor does it m ean leaderless. To fost er self- organizat ion m eans t o: Encourage t eam s t o figure out t he best way t o com plet e t he defined work. Encourage decision m aking fit for t he occasion. Rem ind t eam s t o use t heir chart er as t heir guide. Team s t hat self- organize t hrough t he discom fort of Form ing and St orm ing as guided by a t rue leader becom e t he t ruly high- perform ing t eam s. As t hey Form and St orm , t hey creat e t heir own sense of t eam , a profile of fluid roles t hat works best for t he t eam and it s m ission. Such t eam s work in t hat convergent m ode of working t hat support s t he useful crit ical decisions t hat m ust be m ade; t hey adopt collaborat ive agreem ent s t o craft and em brace m ore sust ainable decisions. Each t im e you, as t he collaborat ive leader, specifically st ep out of a decision and encourage t he t eam t o own it , you can m ore effect ively st ep in when difficult decisions m ust be m ade. When is t he right t im e t o st art fost ering self- organizat ion? From t he very incept ion of t he t eam , you encourage t eam ownership of it s roles and st ruct ure. How you m anage yourself and your m ode of leading t he t eam cont inually drives t his m essage hom e. So, while it is im port ant t o be a visible process owner as t eam s are Form ing and St orm ing, you have am ple opport unit ies wit hin t hat cont ext t o m ove t he t eam int o self- organizat ion. You st ep out of decisions t o encourage self- organizat ion. You st ep in when t he divergence t hreat ens t o wound t he t eam . You creat e a safe environm ent in which t o poke and prod t he t eam int o form ulat ing it s ident it y, m aking t hem slight ly uncom fort able but st ill m aint aining a buffer of safet y. Then you m ove back in t o reflect t heir accom plishm ent s as a t eam t o t hem . How do you urge t eam s int o self- organizat ion? Like lit t le foxt rot st eps, use early, quick wins t o help t he t eam build up som e st eam around t heir abilit ies as a group. I n short , have t hem own a series of well- focused decisions from t he st art . This leads t o ease of t eam well- being when lat er t ackling t he com plex and pot ent ially cont ent ious issues t hey will likely encount er. Here are a few st eps t o t ake along t he self- organizat ion pat h: From t he st art , confirm your role as process lead, not as t eam m anager; t his rem inds t hem t hat t hey m ust t ake t he lead on cont ext and decisions. Use a st ronger facilit at ive role at t he beginning when t he t eam st ill needs t o learn about how t hey wish t o self- organize; give t hem st ruct ured work t o do and don't int erfere wit h t heir way of doing t he work and t he conclusions t hey draw. Let t he t eam t ake over m ore and m ore process responsibilit ies once t hey have successfully navigat ed t hrough t he pot ent ial dest ruct ive conflict s t hat can arise early on. Force t eam m em bers t o address one anot her in m eet ings by avoiding eye cont act wit h t he current speaker. When you t urn away or t oward ot her m em bers of t he t eam , you force t he speaker ( or speakers) t o address t he rest of t he t eam , not you. ( Colleague Mike Cohn t alks about going so far as t o pick up a m agazine and read it during t he daily st and- up m eet ing t o force t eam m em bers t o address t heir st at us and issues t o one anot her, not him ! ) Early on, lead t he t eam in short brainst orm ing exercises t hat allow t hem t o exhibit and

confirm t he breadt h of t heir experience as well as flex a lit t le m ent al m uscle. Ask for recom m endat ions early on about sim ple t eam prot ocols; t his forces t he t eam t he t urn t o one anot her for decisions and recom m endat ions.

My Anecdote I n one exam ple of applying t hese t echniques, I had been asked t o help a crossfunct ional group of approxim at ely 20 product owners and t echnical st aff est ablish a set of high- level requirem ent s for a new cust om er support websit e. The group had m et several t im es and had not been able t o produce any work. The m eet ings inevit ably ended up in finger point ing and frust rat ion. Addit ionally, I discovered t hat t he m eet ings were being organized and run by one of t he product owners who was very cont rolling and had a very specific end in m ind for t he m eet ings. From t he st art , I asked t he group for several recom m endat ions about how t o run t he m eet ing: what will our ground rules be, when will we end t he m eet ing, when should we have a break, and how long should t he break be? When t hey were able t o agree on t hese sim ple t hings, I could see t hat t hey liked owning t heir m eet ing and having t he abilit y t o m ake decisions as a group. My next order of business was t o have t hem sit in groups of t hree t o brainst orm t he purpose for t he group. Again, t hey learned quickly t hat t hey had a lot in com m on, a num ber of overlapping int erest s and goals. The m ood cont inued t o light en. Aft er several addit ional such exercises, I finally had t hem reach int o t he difficult work t hat t hey had not been able t o wade t hrough in t he earlier m eet ings. Working in sm all groups, each wit h a specific aspect of t he cust om er support equat ion t o det ail, t hey self- organized about how t o com plet e t heir work: who had what expert ise; what t hey should define; and how t hey should define it . At t he end of t he t im ebox for t his sm all group work, t hey were t hen able t o all com e t oget her and self- organize as a whole t o produce t he first cut at an end- t o- end high- level view of t he syst em . They were ecst at ic t hat t hey had act ually all agreed on som et hing and t hat t hey had done t he work t hem selves wit hout coercion or railroading.

Ask Questions Probably one of your m ost powerful t ools in shepherding a t eam int o self- organizat ion and int o high- perform ance is t o use language as a t ool. Posit ive feedback, reflect ive list ening, and clear and precise language all are vit al com m unicat ions aids. Quest ions posed t o t he t eam capt ure t he sum m at ion of t hese useful language t echniques for com m unicat ing wit h t he t eam . Quest ions confirm t hat t he t eam , not you, owns it s answers, it s expert ise, it s dest iny. This doesn't m ean you never answer quest ions! Rat her, you carefully gauge t he usefulness of resolving an issue versus having t he t eam resolve it for t hem selves. Your quest ions draw t he t eam int o owning it s inform at ion and t he decisions m ade wit h t he inform at ion. And as you hone your skill as a quest ioner, you will discover t hat you rely less and less on your own problem - solving m ode and m ore and m ore on your t eam . Quest ions in general serve t o: Get t he t eam t o m ove t heir t hinking out of j ust one m indset ( t ypically a dest ruct ive or negat ive one) . Encourage t he t eam t o leave old t hinking behind. Make a pat h t oward new and different t hinking. You can also engage in quest ioning for m ore specific purposes such as when a t eam is j ust Form ing and m em bers are pot ent ially st ill dist rust ful of one anot her. These quest ions com e in a variet y of form s and are used for a variet y of purposes: Get t hem t o t ell each ot her inform at ion ( " Can you t ell us m ore about why t hat is t rue?" " How does t hat change your priorit y?" ) . Find out som et hing t hey don't know ( " What new inform at ion do you have about t his issue?" ) . Have t hem t hink about an idea you m ay have as well ( " Have you considered t his opt ion? " ) . Yes, t his is sneaky, but som et im es you'll see a t eam is really m issing som et hing useful for t heir t hinking. Asking a quest ion allows t hem t o decide whet her your inform at ion is useful or not . I f t hey rej ect t he idea you present in your quest ion, drop it . Bring ot hers int o t he discussion ( " Who else has som e insight s int o t hat ?" ) . Keep a t eam on t rack wit h t he decisions t hey are m aking ( " I s t his discussion necessary in order for us t o m ake t he decision we need t o m ake?" ) . I had a colleague years ago who used t o consist ent ly rein in t he rest of t he t eam during discussions by asking " I s t his discussion m ore int erest ing t han it is useful?" We discovered t hat , when he was in t he m eet ing, our discussions becam e m uch m ore usefully focused. Get t o t he underlying goo of a conflict ( I have learned from a num ber of facilit at or friends t o use " The Five Whys" or a variant when helping t eam s see what is really m oving an issue around in conflict . Ask " And why m ight t hat be t rue?" for each answer som eone gives you unt il you have delved int o five levels of " why" for t he part icular issue or viewpoint . The Five Whys help you and t he t eam learn what is going on deep in an issue wit hout j um ping t o em ot ion or conclusions.) .

My Anecdote I love being a t eam coach in new t eam s, part icularly when t hey seem at cross purposes wit h one anot her. I t gives m e a chance t o act st upid, and I do t his so well! " The Five Whys" was part icularly useful when I had a group of t hree t est ers t rying t o get t he at t ent ion of t he Product Owner and t he developers about t he im pact of t est ing on t he delivery of a cert ain set of ident ified funct ions. While t he funct ions seem ed easy enough t o develop, it t urned out t hat , in order t o fully t est each funct ion, a num ber of com plex environm ent s had t o be set up wit h different configurat ions of plat form s, servers, and dat a. As t he m eet ing facilit at or, I j ust kept asking " And why is t hat ?" of t he t est ing t eam unt il we got t o t he level of det ail and t he root cause t hat helped everyone in t he room underst and what was m aking t hem frust rat ed and concerned. I n t hat epiphany, t he Product Owner reevaluat ed her list of priorit ies by including t he t est ing const raint s and t herefore t he increased est im at e of work t his effort would t ake t o be t ruly " done."

Encourage Information Sharing When you pose quest ions t o a t eam , you not only keep yourself out of t he decision; you also encourage t he t eam t o own t heir dat a and t heir decisions by sharing m ore and m ore inform at ion wit h one anot her. You are out of t he loop, so you are no longer t he bot t leneck t o inform at ion sharing. I n agile soft ware developm ent m et hodologies, face- t o- face com m unicat ions are preferred over any ot her form of com m unicat ion. These com m unicat ions are m eant t o creat e a broad and ready access t o t he wealt h of inform at ion t hat st eadies and propels a t eam successfully t o deliver syst em s and product s. Team m em bers becom e m ore effect ive in t hese face- t o- face com m unicat ions when t hey have been schooled by a leader who applies neut ralit y and quest ioning in order t o share inform at ion. I n addit ion, collaborat ive leaders school t heir t eam in how t o quickly accum ulat e t he dat a needed t o m ake and reinforce decisions t hat m ove t he t eam forward. Team - wide, you can encourage inform at ion sharing t hrough a num ber of facilit at ive pract ices: Use brainst orm ing t o accum ulat e a great deal of creat ive and unst ruct ured inform at ion before having t he t eam com e t o a decision. For large am ount s of dat a, keep t he inform at ion as com pact as possible; rely on quick priorit izing and cat egorizing of t he inform at ion t o m anage it and t o focus t he t eam . Capt ure list s of inform at ion, such as a Product Backlog or priorit ized list of requirem ent s, by guiding t eam s in m ore st ruct ured inform at ion gat hering t hat helps t hem hold ont o inform at ion unt il it is needed. Use t he variet y of quest ion t ypes defined in t he previous sect ion, " Ask Quest ions," t o draw out m ore and m ore inform at ion. Monit or t he conflict s t hat shut down inform at ion sharing and inst ead guide t eam m em bers t o engage in convergent t hinking as t hey accum ulat e dat a. Make all inform at ion and all subsequent decisions highly visible t o all t eam m em bers eit her t hrough wall chart s or highly accessible passive and act ive inform at ion port als. I n one- on- one int eract ions: Challenge t eam m em bers t o be sure t o gat her t he useful fact s wit h one anot her at t he right level of det ail before m aking a decision t hat im pact s t he ent ire t eam . Encourage m em bers t o use " The Five Whys" t o est ablish a solid foot ing for furt her decisions. Guide m em bers t o post t heir inform at ion and decisions for t he ent ire t eam t o see.

My Anecdote We have a t echnical publicat ions person on one of our t eam s who is a persist ent and pesky presence in all our planning m eet ings and debriefs. Because she is a fully engaged m em ber of t he t eam , we in essence pay her t o keep us clear, careful, and at t ent ive in how we share inform at ion. She has m ast ered t he quest ioning art form and applies it liberally wit h t he variet y of t eam m em bers involved in t he proj ect . During a part icular Release Planning m eet ing for a m aj or change in t he product look- and- feel, her quest ions about workflow helped bot h t he product owner and t he developm ent t eam see inconsist encies bet ween t he product funct ionalit y and t he roles t hat were being defined in t he newly defined securit y access rules.

Drive to Consensus Because consensus plays such an im port ant role in est ablishing t he t ruly sust ainable agreem ent s t hat buoy a high- perform ing t eam , t he collaborat ive leader m ust believe in it and drive t o it . Using quest ions and encouraging inform at ion sharing, st aying neut ral, and reinforcing self- organizat ionall of t hese t echniques set t he st age for a t eam t o believe in and apply consensus as t heir num ber- one m eans of reaching decisions. As t he collaborat ive leader, you have an im port ant role in consensus by perform ing a check on t he t eam 's current posit ion about an issue. Through a t eam consensus check, you: Find out where t he group's passions are about a t opic. Fost er t he inform at ion sharing t hat can clarify t he issues about t he t opic. Det erm ine t he level of com m it m ent t he group is willing t o offer t o a recom m ended decision. Engage in conflict m anagem ent when t here is m ore t han one recom m ended solut ion or when com m it m ent is t oo low on t he recom m ended decision. Help t he t eam see how quickly t hey can m ake decisions and how t hese decisions don't have t o leave anyone behind.

Consensus CheckThe Fist of Five The " Fist of Five," t aught t o m e by m y colleague Janet Danfort h, has proven t o be a quick and sim ple t echnique t o help t eam s gauge t heir com m it m ent t o a decision. I t is m y favorit e way t o bot h help a t eam keep m oving forward wit hout leaving anyone behind, while also helping t he t eam underst and when it really shouldn't m ove forward wit hout furt her discussion on a t opic. Here is how t he Fist of Five works:

1 . Tell t he t eam t hat you would like t o check on where t hey are wit h regard t o t he recom m ended solut ion/ decision. 2 . On t he count of t hree, each part icipant holds up his or her hand in a vot e as follows: Five fingers m eans: I love t his idea. I wish I had t hought of it m yself. I t is t he best we can possibly do. Four fingers m eans: I am really happy wit h t his and glad we cam e up wit h such a solut ion. Three fingers m eans: I can live wit h and support t his decision. Two fingers m eans: I have reservat ions about t his solut ion and would have t rouble support ing it . One finger ( which is always t he index finger! ) m eans: I have grave m isgivings about t his course of act ion and can neit her live wit h it nor support it . I do not t hink we should m ove forward.

3 . When all m em bers hold up t heir vot e, look for any vot es of t wo fingers or one finger. 4 . I f t here are none, t hen t he t eam is done. The decision is capt ured as such, and t he t eam m oves forward wit h it s rem aining work. 5 . When m em bers do oppose a decision enough t o vot e wit h one or t wo fingers, you'll need t o engage in conflict resolut ion t echniques t o help t he ent ire t eam evaluat e recom m endat ions and alt ernat ives t hat can lead t o a t eam - wide consensus of t hree fingers or higher. This guidance is covered in Chapt er 18, " Managing Conflict ."

Make Everything Else Highly Visible Too m any proj ect m anagers and t eam leads believe t hat t he success or failure of t heir t eam s relies on t heir st rong presence, even when t hey t ruly believe in t he power of a collaborat ive cult ure. There is a subt le art involved in m aking everyt hing else visible about t he proj ect , not yourself. I n order t o encourage consensus in inform at ion sharing, you m ust preserve your neut ralit y and rem ove your ego from t he t eam success, which in effect m akes t he process and decisions of t he t eam highly visible inst ead of yourself. To ensure t hat you reduce t he power of your presence in a t eam , you can: St and t o t he side, not in t he front of t he room , during m eet ings, part icularly when a great deal of discussion is t aking place. Sit down when som eone else is providing inform at ion t o t he rest of t he t eam ; t his reinforces t hat person's ownership of " t he floor." Leave t he room in order t o force t he t eam t o address one anot her as t hey m ake t heir decisions. Post all decisions on t he walls as t hey are m ade so t hat t he t eam does not rely on you t o m aint ain t he decisions. When t he t eam really underst ands t he process of collaborat ion, have m em bers t ake t urns being t he neut ral leader of t he t eam m eet ings for planning, dem onst rat ing, brainst orm ing, and so on. Think of all of t his as a form of collect ive code ownership; it is essent ially collect ive process ownership. No one person owns t he process when each t eam m em ber rot at es t hrough t he role in a self- organizing t eam . And if you engage in pair leadership in order t o m ent or t eam m em bers about t he leadership role, you ensure t hat t he t eam can always proceed wit hout you. You build in your own obsolescence!

Take Away the Blame ("It's My Fault") Your final j ob as a collaborat ive leader is t o safeguard t eam s from a blam ing m ent alit y so t hat t hey can t ransform int o an act ion m ent alit y. To accom plish t his, you should shepherd t eam s from a pract ice of discussing blam e t o a pract ice of discussing solut ions. Early in t he t eam life, you can engender a non- blam ing m ode by t aking t he blam e yourself. ( There is a quot e in t he Ext rem e Program m ing com m unit y " I t 's Chet 's fault ! " because of Chet Hendricks's st ance on t his issue in his early XP proj ect s. Chet knew t he power of t aking away t he blam e. [ 1] ) [1]

Jeffries, Anderson, and Hendrickson, Extreme Programming Installed , 194.

As t he process owner and leader, t aking away blam e becom es easy. You can t ake blam e for not having paid at t ent ion t o t he process, not having addressed an issue, not having rem oved an im pedim ent , not having brought in t he needed resources, or not having list ened t o t he t eam when concerns were raised. You m ay also t ake blam e for not having asked enough quest ions. You do all t his by sim ply saying, " I t 's m y fault ." And when a problem seem s t o be fairly direct ly linked t o one individual or group of individuals, t he servant leader t akes t he blam e, seeks solut ions from t he t eam m em bers, and t hen addresses t he responsible individuals in privat e as appropriat e. When you t ake away t he blam e in t his way, you safeguard t he t eam from self- dest ruct ion. You also confirm t o t hem t hat t hey have t he power t o do am azing t hings. Taking away t he blam e is your t est am ent t o t he t eam t hat you t ruly and wholly believe in t heir abilit y t o do t he work t hey have been gat hered t o do. I f som et hing goes wrong, it is not t heir fault ; t hey are doing t he very best t hat t hey can under t he circum st ances. You dissolve t he fault and liberat e t he t eam from worrying any furt her about t he blam e. ( This is so effect ive t hat I 've discovered t hat in grabbing t he blam e first , t here usually isn't enough left t o go around for anyone else! ) So, when som et hing goes wrong, and you t ake blam e, you confirm t hat you and t he collaborat ive process are always at t he service of t he t eam . And a wonderful t hing happens. As you adm it t hat you m ay have been at fault , ot hers feel m ore and m ore open t o accept t heir own responsibilit y for issues or problem s t hat m ay arise. The t eam learns t hat t aking ownership is possible wit hout suffering t he dest ruct ion of blam e. Rat her t han drive alt ernat e behaviors t hrough guilt , t he group encourages const ruct ive behaviors t hrough encouragem ent . Your abilit y t o act out of hum ilit y and servit ude t o t he t eam invit es ot hers t o do t he sam e. Blam e is no longer an arrow in t he t eam 's quiver of t ools; t hey m ust inst ead t urn t o inform at ion gat hering, respect , and problem solving t o succeed. Take away t he blam e, and you will discover t hat any num ber of t eam issues dissolve: Dest ruct ive conflict decreases Dysfunct ional behaviors lessen Dist ract ions disappear A leader who rem oves blam e while fost ering self- organizat ion and t eaching consensus st eers a t eam int o t he high- perform ance t hat necessarily brings success for all t he t eam m em bers.

Chapter 7. Preparing Participants for Collaboration I n m y work wit h large proj ect t eam s or wit h product t eam s com posed of m ult iple proj ect t eam s, I have learned t he im port ance of paying at t ent ion t o t he part icipant s long before t hey walk in t he door for a m eet ing. This chapt er provides a set of guidelines and form ulas t o t hink about when preparing such t eam s for t he large m eet ings t hat m ove t heir work forward. As you read t his guidance, t hink about how you can t ake t he form alit y here and m assage it , relax it , in order t o apply it t o sm all t eam cont ext s. Pay at t ent ion t o t he int ent of t he pract ices as you t hen m ove t o alt er t hem for your specific t eam cont ext s.

What It Means Get t ing a t eam off on t he right collaborat ive foot for an event or m eet ing requires som e preparat ion work on your part prior t o t he m eet ing. To help t eam m em bers underst and t he collaborat ive int ent of t he work and t o encourage t heir ent husiast ic part icipat ion, you'll want t o find out a few useful t hings about each person's involvem ent . Addit ionally, you'll want t o arm each part icipant wit h any inform at ion t hat can usefully prepare t hem t o act ively part icipat e. Finally, you'll want t o address t he logist ics necessary t o sm oot hly pave t he way for t he act ual event . When you prepare t eam m em bers in t his fashion, you help t hem believe t hat t hey own t he m eet ing before t hey ever arrive in t he room . You prepare part icipant s for collaborat ion by: I nt erviewing t he sponsor Det erm ining t he part icipant s Surveying t he part icipant s Set t ing t he list of at t endees Set t ing t he expect at ions

Interviewing the Sponsor I n workshops, design m eet ings, ret rospect ives, or planning m eet ings, you m ay be t he proj ect m anager who is calling t he m eet ing wit h a specific end in m ind ( for exam ple, " We need a design decision," " We need com m it m ent from t he execut ive leadership," or " We have t o declare a go/ no go on deploym ent of t he lat est build." ) . I n anot her scenario, as proj ect m anager, you m ay have been asked by t he cust om er or st akeholders t o hold a planning m eet ing t o kick off t he proj ect . Or, because t he proj ect m anager has subj ect m at t er expert ise t hat requires her t o act ively part icipat e in t he m eet ing, you m ay have been asked t o help t he t eam by facilit at ing t he m eet ing. I n any of t hese scenarios, your first order of business is t o clearly ident ify, " Who is t he sponsor of t his m eet ing, and how can I ensure t hat t his person get s what t hey need from t his m eet ing?" The sponsor is t he person ( or t he group of people) who has t he m ost t o gain or lose as a result of t he m eet ing's out com es. I n a sense, t hey are t he part y t hat needs t he collaborat ion t o t ake place and t o succeed: They need som e piece of inform at ion, or a st rat egy, or a decision, or a com m it m ent from t he part icipant s. For prelim inary planning m eet ings, such as a Release Planning m eet ing, t his is an execut ive or senior person represent ing t he client group in t he developm ent proj ect . They have secured t he funding and t he com m it m ent from t he business t o proceed wit h t he developm ent effort . I n addit ion, t hey've m ade predict ions, assurances, or prom ises about t he value t he proj ect can deliver. For t he Release Planning m eet ing in an Ext rem e Program m ing proj ect , t he sponsor m ight be t he cust om er who needs t o learn how t he t eam can define a high- level view of t he next product release. I n a ret rospect ive, it m ight be t he proj ect m anager who want s t o learn m ore from t he t eam about how t o proceed wit h best pract ices in t he fut ure. I n collaborat ive, high- perform ing t eam s, t he " sponsor" is very oft en t he ent ire t eam ; t hey have a specific need t o have you very obj ect ively m anage t he m eet ing agenda for t hem t o ensure t hat t hey st ay on t rack for t heir purpose. You m erely own t he process t hat get s t hem t o t heir purpose t hrough t he m eans ( agenda and pract ices) t hat can ensure t heir success. To hold a successful collaborat ion, ask yourself or t he sponsor:

What is t he purpose of t his m eet ing?

You can also reflect on t hese support ing quest ions t o provide furt her insight int o t he m eet ing's goals: What do you want t o accom plish t hrough t his m eet ing? What problem s do you int end t o address in t his m eet ing? What benefit s do you hope t o reap? What organizat ional issues do you wish t o address? What is t he current sit uat ion of t he group? What is t he fut ure st at e desired?

What Is the Purpose of This Meeting? Of all t he quest ions you m ight ask about a m eet ing, t he m ost im port ant is "What I s t he Purpose of This Meet ing?" Even for your own m eet ings ( you are calling a planning m eet ing wit h your t eam , or you want t o hold a proj ect ret rospect ive, or you need t o hold a refact oring m eet ing) , t his big yet sim ple quest ion prom pt s you t o clearly define for yourself t he sole and singular purpose of t he m eet ing. I t keeps you focused and honest . To figure out t he purpose of t he m eet ing, pose t he following scenario and quest ion t o t he sponsor ( or yourself) :

" I m agine t hat t he m eet ing has j ust ended." " You are walking out t he door of t he m eet ing, and you t urn t o your colleague and say, 'I am so happy wit h what t he group has accom plished in t his m eet ing! '" " What was it t hat t he group accom plished t hat m ade you so happy?"

When you are able t o answer t his quest ion, t hen and only t hen do you have t he t rue purpose of your m eet ing. But beware! You m ay discover even at t his point t hat your m eet ing is in peril of failure. Here are a few indicat ors t hat your m eet ing's purpose m ay st ill be a bit t oo fuzzy t o warrant gat hering your t eam : You can't art iculat e t he purpose in a single st at em ent ( yes, it is a design m eet ing, but you haven't yet form ulat ed wit h t he t eam how t he design should be capt ured, what t he scope of t he design is t o be, or what agreem ent s are expect ed t o em erge as a result of t he design discussion) . You have t oo m any t hings you want t o accom plish in one m eet ing and t hey don't really relat e t o one anot her. You don't know t he purpose because t he real reason you are having t he m eet ing is because your direct or t old you t o have it . You hadn't really planned on an out com e; you j ust want ed t o get t oget her t o t alk wit h your t eam . You always have t he m eet ing because it is your weekly m eet ing; t hat is it s purpose. So, how will you know when you are on t he right t rack for defining your m eet ing? You'll know you have a clearly st at ed purpose when: I t can be st at ed in t he following way: " The purpose of t he m eet ing is t o ............." where you can fill in an act ion ( " creat e," " define," " select ," " produce" ) followed by an out com e ( " process definit ion," " it erat ion scope," " Product Backlog," " set of use cases," " concept ual obj ect m odel" ) . I t represent s t he out com e t hat would convince you ( or whoever is t he m eet ing's sponsor) t hat t he m eet ing has been a success.

Determining the Participants Once you have a clearly art iculat ed purpose, you can now det erm ine who t he int ended part icipant s are. To guide a t eam in working collaborat ively, help t hem value t heir t im e by being clear about a purpose and how each part icipant can cont ribut e t o t hat purpose. Begin by det erm ining: W h o pla n s t o a t t e n d Usually t here is an init ial set of at t endees you or your sponsor has in m ind. W h o n e e ds t o a t t e n d These list s don't necessarily coincide! You m ay learn t hat som e nam ed at t endees have no clear reason for at t ending, while som e key roles m ay be m issing represent at ion. W h y t h e y a r e a t t e n din g Just as you focus a m eet ing on a clear purpose, focus t he list of at t endees on why each is at t ending and how he or she is cont ribut ing. I n short , a successful collaborat ive t eam has all t he right people in t he room in order t o m ake a sust ainable, act ionable set of decisions.

My Anecdote I was involved in t he planning of a very large Release Planning m eet ing and began by int erviewing t he execut ive sponsor about her purpose and obj ect ives. So far, so good. I t hen st art ed asking about t he at t endee list , explaining t hat I needed t o be able t o int erview at t endees about t heir needs wit h regard t o t he m eet ing. I n t alking wit h t he execut ive sponsor, I st art ed t o learn t hat t he at t endee list was m assive! At t endees seem ed t o fall int o one of t hree cat egories: t hose people who had subj ect m at t er expert ise and could drive decisions, t hose people whose m anagers had dem anded t hat t hey be allowed t o at t end, and t hose people whom t he execut ive sponsor felt she had t o invit e for fear of offending anot her group. I n t hese lat t er t wo groups, I could see t hat no one was em powered t o m ake decisions; people were required t o at t end, and yet t heir at t endance didn't ensure t hat t hey could m ake decisions. To get t he sponsor's at t ent ion about t his problem , I t ried t o delve int o what each of t heir roles would be in t he planning. This was unclear. I kept ret urning t o t he st at ed purpose of t he m eet ing and it s int ended benefit s. I n t his cont ext , I urged her t o reevaluat e t he role of each part icipant . I worked wit h t he m eet ing sponsor for a week t o help her edit t he list and m ake t he purpose of at t ending t he m eet ing very clear and very direct ed. Ult im at ely, we m anaged t o reduce t he at t endee list by alm ost 50% .

Surveying Participants Wit h t he purpose of t he m eet ing defined, and a list of at t endees out lined, you can now survey part icipant s t o prepare t hem for t he collaborat ion. Wit hout t his st ep in your preparat ion, you run t he risk of having unpleasant surprises in your m eet ing. Perhaps som eone who has been invit ed does not want t o at t end because of a personal issue wit h t he sponsor. Anot her person t hought t he m eet ing was for a com plet ely different purpose. Yet anot her person believes t hat t he purpose is com plet ely wrong and needs t o be alt ered. You survey part icipant s t o rem ove t hese surprises and m eet ing challenges before t hey happen. To help part icipant s learn about t he m eet ing and t heir part icipat ion: Ga t h e r t h e ir pe r son a l obj e ct ive s When int erviewing part icipant s, st at e t he purpose of t he m eet ing and t hen ask t he part icipant a quest ion sim ilar t o t he one you asked when art iculat ing t he purpose wit h t he sponsor. This will help you learn what each part icipant 's real reason for at t ending m ight be and how it aligns wit h or cont radict s t he st at ed purpose:

" I m agine t hat t he m eet ing has j ust ended." " You are walking out t he door of t he m eet ing, and you t urn t o your colleague and say, 'I am so happy I at t ended t his m eet ing! I got exact ly what I want ed out of it ! '" " What was it t hat t he m eet ing accom plished t hat m ade you so happy?"

Fin d ou t h idde n a ge n da s Look at t he personal obj ect ives and ask t he part icipant furt her quest ions: What do you believe your role t o be in t he m eet ing? What do you t hink m ight get in t he way of accom plishing t he m eet ing purpose? Le a r n w h a t t h e on goin g ba t t le s a r e This is what m y friend Janet Danfort h calls " get t ing t he canary t o sing." As Janet t alks about it , t here is always som e dirt lurking som ewhere in a group t hat is set t ing out t o go t hrough som e m aj or collaborat ive event such as a st rat egy m eet ing or kickoff m eet ing. Som eone will event ually " spill t he beans" and let you in on what hasn't been working in t he group. This is valuable inform at ion in your planning! When you find out t hese pot ent ial disconnect s prior t o a m eet ing, you can plan t he problem s away in how you set up t he agenda, seat t he part icipant s, and plan act ivit ies. Don't skip t his st ep! Very quickly, you will learn: How m uch Form ing st ill needs t o occur in t he group What sort of St orm ing is already going on What dam age has been sust ained as t he group has been dealing wit h it s divergence What act ivit ies m ay help t he group m ove from j ust Norm ing int o Perform ing

How m uch t o let go of very defined act ivit ies if t he group is already Perform ing

Setting the List of AttendeesParticipants and Observers Having surveyed t he full cadre of pot ent ial part icipant s, you can now winnow or expand t he list as appropriat e for t he m eet ing purpose. Your int erviews m ay have revealed one or m ore people who don't have a clearly defined role in t he m eet ing. They m ay not even know why t hey have been asked t o at t end. Part icipant s who at t end a m eet ing but do not have a clear raison d'êt re in t he m eet ing are dist ract ing. As part ially engaged at t endees, t hey have t he power t o deplet e your and t he t eam 's energy. They m ay have a hard t im e det erm ining t heir useful role during t he group's Form ing st age. And as a group m oves int o it s St orm ing phase, figuring out how t o work t oget her, t hese at t endees wit hout clear focus can creat e confusing and pot ent ially dest ruct ive dynam ics for ot hers. I n t heir m eet ing " ident it y crisis," t hey get uselessly caught up in t he conflict s t hat can arise and m ay even creat e conflict s in order t o have a role in t he m eet ing, albeit a dysfunct ional one. These are t he people you need t o help underst and t hat t heir cont ribut ions are best applied elsewhere. Your int erviews m ay have also revealed t hat som e of t he at t endees plan t o j ust " observe." A seasoned facilit at or will t ell you t hat t here is no such t hing as som eone who j ust observes a m eet ing. I nevit ably, t he observer has an observat ion t o share. I f som eone claim s t hat t hey are j ust an observer in your m eet ing, provide t hem wit h t his helpful set of guidelines: You m ay not speak t o part icipant s during t he m eet ing. You m ay not speak t o ot her observers during t he m eet ing. You m ay not ent er and exit t he m eet ing at will. You m ay not work on your own work during t he m eet ing; t his includes your lapt op, your iPaq, your PDA, your Blackberry, your dayt im er, or your cellphone. I f you st ill have observers undaunt ed by t hese guidelines, check in a bit furt her wit h t heir int ent ions wit h t he m eet ing: Fin d ou t w h y t h e y t h in k t h e y n e e d t o obse r ve This m ay t ake asking, " The Five Whys," but do it . Their answer can give you inform at ion about t he polit ics or t he power of t he group. Fin d ou t if t h e ir pr e se n ce ca n be de t r im e n t a l t o t h e t e a m 's colla bor a t ion Observers oft en t end t o be from m anagem ent or st akeholder roles. I f t hey are not direct ly providing expert ise and are not direct ly t aking responsibilit y in t he m eet ing, t heir presence m ay only serve t o squash t he t rust of t he t eam about t heir work. I n m ost of t hese cases, you should be able t o ascert ain t he t rue role of t he at t endee. I nvit e t hem t o at t end in a part icipat ory fashion or, wit h approval from t he t eam , welcom e t hem as an observer and rem ind t hem of t he ground rules t hat will guide t heir " good observer cit izen" behavior.

Setting the Expectations You've set t he purpose, int erviewed t he part icipant s, and finalized t he list of at t endees. You now have one m ore crucial t ask in preparing part icipant s for t he m eet ing. You need t o help t hem underst and what will be expect ed of t hem and what can t hey expect in t erm s of t heir ownership of t he m eet ing decisions and act ions.

Their Preparation for the Meeting A m eet ing m ay not be able t o m eet it s purpose wit hout t he part icipant s having com plet ed som e hom ework prior t o t he st art of t he m eet ing. You can learn about exact ly what t hat prework should be based on your int erviews wit h t he sponsor and t he various part icipant s. As you survey t hese people about t heir roles and personal obj ect ives, pay at t ent ion t o assum pt ions t hey m ay have about what has t aken place prior t o t he m eet ing. Learn what t he part icipant s are expect ed t o know. This m ay lead t o hom ework concerning: Re a din g t o do Short en your m eet ings and keep t hem focused by having at t endees com plet e any lengt hy reading prior t o t he m eet ing. Don't allow m eet ings t o be used for reading and reviewing det ailed docum ent s; ext ensive reading kills focus and m om ent um . Require reading a priori and use t he m eet ing for m aking part icipat ory decisions about t he m at erial. M a t e r ia ls t o br in g I f t he group is expect ed t o m ake st rat egic decisions about t he upcom ing release of a product , be sure t hat som eone has dat a about what has been defined so far, what has been com plet ed t o dat e, what t he effort was concerning t hat work, and what t he known risks and issues are relat ed t o t he work ahead. Qu e st ion n a ir e s t o com ple t e Som e m eet ings need feedback from t he part icipant s even before t hey arrive at t he m eet ing; m ake sure part icipant s know t his, com plet e it , and provide it . Pr e se n t a t ion m a t e r ia ls t o pr e pa r e For individual cont ribut ors, such as subj ect m at t er expert s, who need t o present group- wide, high- level m at erial, encourage t he use of brief, focused present at ions. Support t he present at ion wit h m at erials ( handout s, wall chart s, post ed files) t hat can be used for reference guidance in subsequent decision processes. I f t he m at erial is not expect ed t o be used as a guide lat er in t he m eet ing, quest ion it s applicabilit y t o t he purpose of t he m eet ing.

Their Role in the Meeting The m eet ing purpose isn't t he only t hing t hat shapes an at t endee's part icipat ion. Prior t o t he m eet ing, help part icipant s learn t he work of t heir m eet ing role by addressing: Th e su bj e ct m a t t e r e x pe r t ise Each part icipant should be very clear about t he expert ise he brings t o a m eet ing. This m eans arriving equipped wit h inform at ion in his area of expert ise t hat can guide t he t eam as it converges on t eam decisions. Th e t im e com m it m e n t A well- run, highly collaborat ive m eet ing relies on full part icipat ion by all at t endees. Make sure all part icipant s underst and t he t im e com m it m ent t hey face, especially for very large st rat egy m eet ings, Release Planning m eet ings, or ret rospect ives. Discourage " in/ out " behavior. When at t endees are com ing

in and out of a m eet ing, t his does m ore t han j ust dist ract t he ot her part icipant s; it m akes a st at em ent t hat t he t ransient part icipant s find t he m eet ing less im port ant t han ot her work t hey are doing. ( For part icipant s who have t o t im e slice t heir involvem ent , bring t he quest ion t o t he ot her m eet ing part icipant s about t he im pact on t he m eet ing's purpose. Team m em bers should t hen decide how t he m eet ing should proceed.) Th e " m a ch in e r y" of a colla bor a t ive m e e t in g When t eam s rely on collaborat ion for decision m aking, t hey are expect ed t o engage fully in all inform at ion gat hering, processing, and consensus checks. This requires part icipant s t o st ay focused t hroughout t he m eet ing and t o believe in t he power of t he t eam t o m ake t he best decisions. And t his requires t hat you ensure t hat t hey are well schooled in t ools and processes for consensus building and consensus checking. Th e scope of t h e ir a u t h or it y I n som e collaborat ive m eet ings, t eam s m ay be m aking t he final set of decisions t hat drive t he next act ions in a proj ect . However, som e m eet ings are m eant t o have a t eam creat e a recom m endat ion t o anot her individual or anot her t eam . I n t hese sit uat ions, you should help set expect at ions prior t o t he m eet ing about t he t eam 's scope of aut horit y. Will t he t eam own t he decision? Are t hey j ust being consult at ive? Will t hey be asked t o facilit at e ot hers in m aking t he decision?

The Potential Consequences When looking at a m eet ing purpose and t he roles of t he at t endees, find out whet her t he m eet ing m ay bring up pot ent ially negat ive consequences t o som eone in t he m eet ing. Knowing t his inform at ion in advance can help you m anage t he discom fort or dysfunct ions t hat m ay arise due t o difficult revelat ions or decisions t hat com e t o light : I s t he t eam in a go/ no go for t he next phase of t he proj ect ? Are resources being reallocat ed due t o m issed deadlines? I s t here discord am ong t he business owners t hat could cancel t he proj ect ? Are t here concerns about t he role of t he archit ect ? Has t he QA t eam been t arget ed for out sourcing? When you discover t hese consequences, det erm ine how t hey m ay com e out in t he m eet ing and who specifically m ay be im pact ed. Develop an agenda t hat clearly m anages t he flow of inform at ion t oward t hese decisions. Apply a m ore engaged facilit at ive role, as in a Form ing m ode. Ensure t hat t he right at t endees are engaged in t he m eet ing t o deal wit h t he decisions and t he act ions t hat t hese decisions bring about .

Chapter 8. Setting the Collaborative Agenda You are now about t o ent er int o t he rocky t errain of conduct ing a highly collaborat ive m eet ing: planning t he m eet ing agenda. The goal of t his chapt er is t o provide you wit h a grounded set of essent ials t hat will guarant ee you product ive, collaborat ive m eet ings at t he out set . So, while t he planning, analysis, and j uggling det ailed here m ay seem arduously lengt hy, pulling t his m ode of t hinking int o your sense of your m eet ings will be well wort h t he effort . Read t hese guidelines in t erm s of t he larger proj ect m eet ings you m ust lead. Then m ake adj ust m ent s for how t o use t he guidance in sm aller t eam s. Underst anding t he work necessary t o build a large, focused agenda has helped m e be m ore cognizant of t he value of focus and order in sm all t eam m eet ings.

How Much Planning Is Enough? Here is a good rule of t hum b: You'll need t o apply t wo days of planning for every day of a highly effect ive m eet ing. That m eans t hat t o plan a highly collaborat ive t wo- hour m eet ing, you should set aside four hours of planning t im e.

My Anecdote The first t im e I shared t his brut e force calculat ion wit h a classroom of XP developers and coaches, I expect ed im m ediat e brist ling at t he idea of so m uch planning t im e j ust t o have a collaborat ive m eet ing. On t he cont rary! One at t endee lit up at t he idea. I n short , his view was, if som eone expect ed him t o devot e a full day of his t im e in a Release Planning m eet ing, he'd want t o know t hat som eone had spent a good am ount of t im e m aking sure t hat he wouldn't be wast ing his t im e.

Once we go t hrough t he set of essent ials you need t o address in planning a very collaborat ive m eet ing agenda and all it s sub- part s, you'll underst and why a 2: 1 rat io of planning- t oexecut ion is advised. This m ay look like a lot of BDUF ( big design up front ) t hat could be perceived as overkill. But , t he goal of such planning is t o ensure t hat when your t eam ent ers t he room for t hat m eet ing, t hey have t he best opport unit y t o m ake t he m ost effect ive, m ost sust aining agreem ent s as a t eam . Therefore, when we ask t eam s t o engage in m eet ings, we show our respect for t heir t im e by being fully prepared, ready t o feed t ools of focus and collaborat ion int o t heir decisions. The highly product ive int eract ions we set in m ot ion t hrough t his 2: 1 rat io of planning versus m eet ing t im e help t eam s m ove int o t hat self- organizat ion m ode of operat ing t hat creat es high- perform ance. Such posit ive t eam - orient ed result s t hen encourage m ore and m ore collaborat ion and great er high- perform ance in what a friend calls a " virt uous circle." As a facilit at ive, collaborat ive m eet ing leader, set t ing a good agenda is j ust plain hard work. I nsufficient or near- sight ed planning can lead t o m eet ings wit h poor agendas, such as t he following: An agenda t hat doesn't drive t o a clear purpose An agenda wit h no clear desired out com e An overcrowded agenda An agenda t hat does not allow for open discussion and disagreem ent No agenda at all Any of t hese can easily underm ine all your ot her work in nurt uring a collaborat ive t eam . For t his reason, you'll discover t hat t he yeom an's port ion of your m eet ing planning will revolve around creat ing a useful, act ionable agenda. Consider t he service you provide a t eam in creat ing a focused view of t heir role in a m eet ing. Your planning for t heir success is evidence of your servant leadership in act ion. Coupled wit h

t hat plan, your abilit y t o t hen hear t he t eam when t he plan needs alt erat ion m ay be your st rongest t ool in gaining t rust from t he t eam . And when a t eam gains t rust concerning t his int erplay of plans, feedback, and change, it nat urally m oves t hrough St orm ing behaviors int o t he power t o consist ent ly creat e st rong, sust ainable, part icipat ory agreem ent s. Thus, rat her t han being m anipulat ive or a creat ivit y killer, an effect ive, inform ed, well- planned agenda creat es t he nut rient - rich environm ent in which t hese agreem ent s can em erge.

Steps for Planning the Agenda Set t ing an effect ive, highly collaborat ive agenda requires a good bit of planning and list ening well in advance of t he m eet ing. You'll have t o resolve: What is t he purpose of your m eet ing? What deliverables/ out com es will support your purpose? What are t he quest ions t hat lead t o t hose out com es? What is t he nat ural order in which t hese out com es should be accom plished in order t o m eet t he purpose? What process approach should you use for accom plishing each out com e? How m uch t im e should be allocat ed for each out com e's process? Given t he t im e allot t ed, can t hese out com es be produced t o m eet t he purpose?

What Is the Purpose of Your Meeting? A m eet ing's purpose drives it s ent ire agenda; t hat is, if t he agenda doesn't drive t o t he defined purpose, you have t he wrong agenda. Recall t hat t he m eet ing purpose com es from quest ioning t he m eet ing's sponsor ( whet her it is you or som eone else) about t he out com e of t he m eet ing and t hat it conform s t o t he following crit eria: I t can be st at ed as: " The purpose of t he m eet ing is t o ............." where you are able t o fill in an act ion ( " creat e," " define," " select ," " produce" ) followed by an out com e ( " process definit ion," " it erat ion scope," " Product Backlog," " set of use cases," " concept ual obj ect m odel" ) . I t represent s t he out com e t hat would convince you ( or whoever is t he m eet ing's sponsor or set of sponsors) t hat t he m eet ing has been a success. As an exam ple, you m ay find t hat your t eam needs t o figure out a way t o capt ure t he GUI design. Several possible set s of art ifact s could be used t o do t his; t eam m em bers in prior proj ect s have used lot s of approaches. And while you could j ust pick a set and m ake t he decision, you are bringing t he t eam t oget her t o decide. Leaving t he m eet ing wit h a clearly defined, agreed- upon set of design art ifact s would really float your boat ! Your m eet ing purpose t hen is: To select t he art ifact s t he t eam will use t o capt ure t he GUI design Hold ont o t his st at em ent . I t is t he lit m us t est you will apply frequent ly while planning your agenda t hat ensures you haven't gone off t rack.

What Deliverables/Outcomes Will Support Your Purpose? You can t hink of t he next st ep in agenda building as analogous t o som e of t he engineering pract ices brought int o XP t eam s:

Te st - dr ive n de ve lopm e n t Knowing what t he ult im at e out com e needs t o be for your agenda ( t he purpose) , you work backward from t hat purpose in order t o derive an agenda. As you build t he agenda, you keep checking it against t he t est : " Does t his agenda sufficient ly drive t o m y m eet ing purpose?" Never build an agenda wit hout a com m it t ed, clearly st at ed purpose against which t o t est it s validit y. YAGN I As you build your agenda it em s, keep checking in t hrough t he sim ple t est : " I s t his agenda it em necessary for m y m eet ing t o drive t o it s purpose?" I f you can't answer in t he affirm at ive, t hen t he agenda it em m ay fall int o t he crippling YAGNI cat egory: You Aren't Going t o Need I t . Overpacking an agenda, incorporat ing t oo m any it em s t hat have not hing t o do wit h one anot her, forcing in it em s t o sat isfy polit ical sit uat ions: These are all deat h t o a workshop where t rue t eam work has t o be accom plished. St ick wit h a YAGNI , low- fat approach t o designing your agenda. Pa ir pr ogr a m m in g Build an agenda wit h t he help of anot her set of eyes. We t ook on t his pract ice in one com pany where we were aggressively t rying t o reduce t he t im e and resources dedicat ed t o large planning m eet ings. None of us finalize a Release Planning m eet ing agenda wit hout at least t wo ot her colleagues looking at it t o validat e t he approach. We learned so m uch from one anot her in t his way. Fr e qu e n t r e fa ct or in g Your agenda will have t o t ake shape t hrough it erat ive scrut iny. Even t hough t he purpose or final expect ed out put m ay not have changed, your work will lead you t o cont inually reinvest igat e what m ust be produced in order t o m eet t he out com e, in what order t he it em s should be produced, and how you expect t o help t he t eam produce t hem . Addit ionally, once you are in your m eet ing, you'll discover t hat refact oring will cont inue as you and your t eam learn what will be m ost effect ive for part icipat ory decision m aking about t he m eet ing purpose. As a rem inder, pay at t ent ion t o your int ent ion when det erm ining t he m eet ing's out put s and deliverables. Your goal is t o det erm ine t he set of agenda it em s t hat can help you facilit at e your t eam in achieving t hese goals. Rem em ber, you aren't deciding what t he cont ent of t he out com es should be, or what t he decisions will be. Rat her, you are clearing a pat h t hat can guide your t eam t o creat e t he desired cont ent or t o m ake t he useful decisions. I f your planning st art s t o define t he deliverables as well as t he specific cont ent , you've t aken a wrong t urn and need t o revisit your role as servant leader. For t he exam ple purpose: To select t he art ifact s t he t eam will use t o capt ure t he GUI design consider t hat t he t eam m ust have a list of art ifact s from which t o choose t he final set of art ifact s. To get t hat list , you m ight want t o find out all t he possible art ifact s for design t hat t eam m em bers have used in t he past . Then find out from t he t eam what art ifact s t hey felt had worked well versus what art ifact s hadn't worked well. You m ay also want t o ask t hem what ot her considerat ions or risks m ight help t he t eam select it s set of art ifact s ( for inst ance, t hey m ay t ell you t hat t im e or skill set s or t he dist ribut ion of t he t eam should im pact t he final decision; let t hem t ell you) .

What Are the Questions That Lead to Those Outcomes? I n t he exam ple provided, you've ident ified four pot ent ial int erm ediat e st eps t o help t he t eam com e t o it s final decision on t he set of art ifact s used t o capt ure t he design. When you have done t his, sim ply st at e each st ep as a quest ion. For exam ple: " What are all t he possible design art ifact s we could use?" St at ing t he agenda it em s as quest ions t hat t he t eam will answer reinforces your role as a

servant t o t he t eam : You ask quest ions in order t o provoke t heir t hought s, inform at ion, and decisions rat her t han st at ing what you want . An agenda it em st at ed as a quest ion m akes it clear t o everyone reading t he agenda t hat " At t his point in t he agenda, we are going t o produce what ever is necessary in order t o answer t his quest ion." There can be no doubt about what t he t eam has been drawn t oget her t o do. Applying t his quest ion approach, you would end up wit h an agenda t hat looks like t he following:

Age n da I t e m A.

Opening

B.

What are all t he possible design art ifact s we could use for t he GUI design?

C.

Based on past experience, what are t he benefit s of t hese design art ifact s?

D.

What are t he downsides t o t hese design art ifact s?

E.

What ot her considerat ions should be used in select ing t he set of design art ifact s for t his proj ect ?

F.

What is t he set of design art ifact s we will use for t his proj ect ?

G.

Close

( I 'll t alk about t he Opening and t he Close agenda it em s in a lot m ore det ail lat er. For now, use t hem as placeholders in defining your overall agenda.) I n t his agenda, we know exact ly what is going on each st ep of t he way. When you begin t o build agendas wit h your own quest ions, follow t his rule about t he det ail: Use m ore words, not less. Because words are t he hooks part icipant s use t o keep t hem engaged in t he m eet ing or bring t hem back int o t he m eet ing, m ake t hem rich and clear. I n cont rast t o t he previous agenda, consider an agenda form ulat ed as follows:

A. I nt roduct ion B. Discussion on Art ifact s C. Close

Sim ply st at ing Discussion on Art ifact s as an agenda it em gives no guidance t o t he t eam regarding what t hey will be doing wit h t he art ifact s discussion ( defining t hem , producing t hem , select ing t hem , grading t hem , archiving t hem ) , why t hey are dealing wit h art ifact s in any way t hat will benefit t hem , or how t hey'll know when t hey've adequat ely addressed art ifact s. I t offers no guidance concerning " How will we know when we are done?" or " Have we been successful in our m eet ing?" Ret urning t o t he seven- st ep agenda exam ple, t hink about your react ion t o it . I f you are used t o t he lat t er exam ple of only t hree, short agenda it em s, t he seven- st ep agenda can look

cont rolling, nit - picking, and overly det ailed. But as you get good agenda, and how a good agenda buoys you and your discover t hat t he det ail becom es a st rong ally t o all of you. m eet ing, t he agenda is very clear about what is happening t o happen in t he m eet ing.

int o t he flow of what defines a t eam t hrough a m eet ing, you will At any given m om ent in t he in t he m eet ing and what is going

So, a collaborat ive leader builds t hese clear, det ailed, word- rich st eps int o an agenda in order t o do t he following: Validat e and reinforce t he purpose of t he m eet ing Help t he t eam see how t hey are going t o accum ulat e all t he inform at ion t o m ake t heir decisions Guide t he t eam in self- governing how it st ays focused in t he m eet ing Assure t he t eam t hat t hey creat e t he decisions t hrough t heir work in t he m eet ing Maint ain a posit ion as a servant t o t he t eam by present ing quest ions for t heir considerat ion ( lat er, we'll invest igat e how you can also cont ribut e t o t he t eam as a subj ect m at t er expert while st ill allowing t hem t o own t he final cont ent and decisions of t he m eet ing) Help t he t eam det erm ine when and how t he agenda should be alt ered

My Anecdote I have learned t o be very clear about t he specific st eps it t akes t o fulfill a m eet ing purpose, so m y agendas do t ake on a look of det ail and m any words. And indeed, I have received som e really negat ive react ions from people not used t o t his det ail. I was once set t ing up t he agenda for a Release Planning m eet ing for a client , and a colleague of m ine, not used t o t his very direct ed and word- rich st yle of agenda building, looked at m y agenda and declared t hat he would never at t end such a m eet ing. His im pression was t hat it j ust looked t oo cont rolled, t oo m anipulat ing, and t oo boring. But I had seen how he ran m eet ings and knew t hat he t ended t o not st ick t o t he m eet ing purpose. Moreover, at any given point in his m eet ings, one never knew if t he m eet ing was on t arget for at t aining t he purpose of t he m eet ing. I n cont rast , I had run lot s of Release Planning m eet ings in t he past , and I had seen what t he very det ailed agenda hanging on t he wall was able t o do. As would happen at t im es in such m eet ings, if som eone was called away from t he m eet ing, he could com e back and ask any part icipant , " Where are we now in t he m eet ing?" Anyone could point t o t he agenda on t he wall wit h all it s guidance and would quickly cat ch t he newly ret urned colleague up on exact ly what t he group was doing. I n anot her group, I had been asked t o help t he group define a high- level product st rat egy ( vision) . Early in t he course of t he m eet ing, t he group det erm ined t hat while t he agenda was indeed leading t o t he purpose, t hey hadn't prepared adequat ely prior t o t he m eet ing in order t o m ove int o any useful, collaborat ive decisions about t he plan. We st opped t he m eet ing, gat hered around t he agenda, zeroed in on t he t rouble spot , and reworked t he quest ions and t heir order, building a set of new det ailed word- rich agenda it em s t hat would guide t hem in doing t he work t hey hadn't yet done. The rem aining quest ions from t he original agenda were

t hen preserved for t he m eet ing we planned t o have t he following week; we already knew exact ly what we would be doing and how we would do it . Wit hout t he original det ailed agenda as a guide, t he group would have not been able t o so quickly rebuild a useful roadm ap t o a purpose t hey felt t hey could achieve in t he t im e allocat ed. When we left t he m eet ing, t he t eam 's sponsor t old m e it was one of t he m ost product ive m eet ings she had ever seen t he group hold.

What Is the Natural Order in Which These Outcomes Should Be Accomplished in Order to Meet the Purpose? A good agenda set s a focused, unclut t ered pat h t o a m eet ing's purpose. I t is t he m ap t hat guides st eps t hrough a nat ural progression of Discovery t o Explorat ion t o Decision . Select ing t he proper order of agenda it em s helps you discover if your agenda is redundant , cont radict ory, or assum pt ive in set t ing t he int erm ediat e it em s for achieving t he purpose. For inst ance, do you need t o define t he t raining environm ent in order t o define GUI design art ifact s? Does debat ing t he pros and cons of t he com pany's st andardized archit ect ure cont ribut e t o t he t eam 's decision on GUI design art ifact s? I nvest igat ing how t o m axim ize t he use of t he com pany st andard m odels or discussing t heir pros and cons m ight be m ore appropriat e. I n applying t he Discovery Explorat ion Decision roadm ap t o t he exam ple m eet ing purpose, you can see how t he it em s cam e t o be ordered as t hey were. First , t he agenda leads t he t eam t hrough t heir current experience and what t hey know ( Discovery ) . Then t he t eam invest igat es what m ight be useful versus what m ight not be useful, as well as any ot her considerat ions t hat could im pact t heir sense of t he value of a part icular art ifact or set of art ifact s ( Explorat ion ) . Finally, t he last agenda it em represent s t he quest ion t hat m ust be answered in order t o m eet t he purpose of t he m eet ing ( Decision ) . Wit h an est ablished order of agenda it em s, you now have t o det erm ine what approach you will use in each of t he agenda it em s in order t o ensure t hat it direct s t he t eam t hrough a collaborat ive com plet ion of t he it em . Each phase of t he agenda roadm ap has process approaches geared t oward accom plishing t hat work, as list ed in Table 8.1, " Agenda Types and Their Process Approaches."

Ta ble 8 .1 . Age n da Roa dm a p Ph a se s a n d Th e ir Pr oce ss Appr oa che s Age n da Roa dm a p Ph a se

Pr oce ss Appr oa ch

Discovery

Brainst orm ing, List ing, Cat egorizing, Surveying, Researching

Explorat ion

Pros and Cons, List ing, Priorit izing, Sm all Group Discussion, Debat e, Visioning, Quest ions and Answers

Decision

Round Robin, Priorit izing, Mult i- vot ing, Recom m endat ions, and Alt ernat ives

( I 'll go int o m ore det ail on each of t hese approaches in Chapt ers 12 t hrough 16. For now, underst and t hat you'll want t o select a t echnique for each agenda it em from your t oolkit of collaborat ive t echniques in order t o com plet e t he work.)

Ret urning t o t he exam ple agenda, you m ay t hink about set t ing up t he accom panying processes as follows:

Age n da I t e m

Pr oce ss

A. Opening

Walk t he Walls, I nt roduct ions

B. What are all t he possible design art ifact s we could use for t he GUI design?

Brainst orm ing

C. Based on past experience, what are t he benefit s of t hese design art ifact s?

List ing, Pros

D. What are t he downsides t o t hese design art ifact s?

List ing, Cons

E. What ot her considerat ions should be used in select ing t he set of design art ifact s for t his proj ect ?

Sm all Group Discussion

F. What is t he set of design art ifact s we will use for t his proj ect ?

Mult i- vot ing

G. Close

Re- cap

How Much Time Should Be Allocated for Each Outcome's Process? Pulling t oget her each agenda it em and t he process t o be used for accom plishing it , you now need t o apply a first best guess at t he t im e needed for each process you int end t o im plem ent . Going back t o t he exam ple of t he design art ifact s m eet ing, here are t he agenda it em s, t heir processes, and possible t im ings for each:

Age n da I t e m

Pr oce ss

Tim e Allot t e d

A. Opening

Walk t he Walls, I nt roduct ions

10 m inut es

B. What are all t he possible design art ifact s we could use for t he GUI design?

Brainst orm ing

20 m inut es

C. Based on past experience, what are t he benefit s of t hese design art ifact s?

List ing, Pros

15 m inut es

D. What are t he downsides t o t hese design art ifact s?

List ing, Cons

15 m inut es

E. What ot her considerat ions should be used in select ing t he set of design art ifact s for t his proj ect ?

Sm all Group Discussion

20 m inut es

F. What is t he set of design art ifact s we will use for t his proj ect ?

Mult i- vot ing

20 m inut es

G. Close

Re- cap

10 m inut es

This design art ifact s m eet ing exam ple now represent s a 90- m inut e m eet ing at it s opt im um ( i.e., no process overflows it s allot t ed t im ebox) .

Given the Time Allotted, Can These Outcomes Be Produced to Meet the Meeting Purpose? The t rut h about highly part icipat ory m eet ings is t hat collaborat ion and group- wide inform at ion sharing by t heir nat ure beg for cushions and buffers around t he part icipat ion. And t hat m eans t im e. You've invit ed inform at ion flow. Your t eam needs t im e t o t ake in all t he useful inform at ion from one anot her in order t o equip t hem t o m ake t he best decisions for t he ent ire t eam and for t he proj ect . Addit ionally, you are helping t he t eam Form , St orm , Norm , and Perform . Finally, when st art ing out in planning m eet ing agendas, we have no dat a ( " yest erday's weat her" ) t o help us gauge how well we est im at e t im ings. Think of t hese process est im at es as you would velocit y est im at es in Ext rem e Program m ing: Your planning and est im at es im prove as you and t he t eam learn how you work t oget her and how you t end t o arrive at decisions. Therefore, when defining t he m eet ing t im e, apply t he following axiom : Pr oce ss Tim in g Ax iom # 1 : Tim ings are a guide only; assum e t hey will change. Building in som e cushion around your t im ebox est im at es is part icularly im port ant as a t eam is st ill act ing divergent ly ( Form ing and St orm ing) . Once t he t eam m oves t o a convergent m ode of operat ion, your t im eboxes will be m ore st able and require less buffering. To build in slack for t he sam ple agenda, you should allow t wo hours for t he m eet ing. Had you planned on t hat m uch t im e? Are t he part icipant s prepared t o devot e t his m uch t im e t o t he m eet ing and t o be 100% part icipat ory for t hat t im e? Do t he out side st akeholders and sponsors underst and t he im port ance of allot t ing t his m uch t im e t o t he m eet ing? This is oft en a hard lesson when building very part icipat ory approaches for decision m aking. Failing t o allot enough t im e for t he m eet ing can cause t he following unint ended consequences or " D" - st ruct ions: D ist r ust The t eam will feel railroaded int o m aking a decision and end up dist rust ing t hat t hey t ruly own it . D e t a ch m e n t I f t he t eam really didn't own t he decision in t he first place, t hey m ay build a sense of apat hy about any fut ure m eet ings and j ust m ent ally det ach from t he whole process. D ive r ge n ce A convergent , perform ing t eam can easily m ove back int o a divergent , st orm ing t eam if t hey cannot work t hrough conflict in a safe environm ent . Lack of t im e t o work t hrough conflict m akes your m eet ing environm ent unsafe.

Managing the Work of MeetingsKeeping an Agenda Backlog The Scrum m et hodology advises t he m aint enance of a Product Backlog t hat t eam s consult from Sprint t o Sprint . You can use t his approach t o m aint ain an " Agenda Backlog" over t he course of a proj ect as a t eam m oves from m eet ing t o m eet ing. When t eam s run out of t im e in working t oward a m eet ing purpose, t hey m ay chose t o revise t he agenda, rest at e t he purpose, and t hen m ove on. Som et hing m ust be done wit h t he left over agenda t opics. Maint aining an Agenda Backlog provides t he resilience t o change agendas wit hout abandoning useful work. The backlog docum ent s t he int ent of t he t eam t o ret urn t o it s unfinished business.

My Anecdote A group of us in one com pany had a st andard m eet ing every t wo weeks t o com e t oget her for an hour and discuss what we were doing wit h our proj ect s in t erm s of applying agile principles and pract ices. The idea was t o share ideas, com e up wit h recom m endat ions, and t hen det erm ine any useful follow- up act ions. We quickly discovered t hat we had a growing list of it em s we could address in our gat herings, t hough we had t o st ay t im eboxed in how long our m eet ings could last . We began an Agenda Backlog t hat we m aint ained from m eet ing t o m eet ing t hat helped us m anage what we want ed t o discuss, what our priorit ies were, and what should be covered in t he next m eet ing ( i.e., our highest - priorit y it em s from t he backlog) .

I n Chapt er 9, I 'll cover t he use of an Act ion Plan as an organizing t ool t hat can help you m anage work t hat should follow a m eet ing. Updat ing t he Agenda Backlog can be one such act ion it em .

Chapter 9. The Organizing Tools The Underlying Com m unicat ion General Guidance About Organizing Tools Meet ing Purpose Agenda Ground Rules Parking Lot Decisions Board Act ion Plan Com m unicat ion Plan ConsensusI Can Live wit h That and Support I t Ot her Organizing Tools

The Underlying Communication I n real est at e, as t hey say, it 's all about " Locat ion, locat ion, locat ion." I n collaborat ion, we m ight borrow t his m ant ra t o say inst ead t hat it 's all about " Com m unicat ion, com m unicat ion, com m unicat ion." Wit h t his in m ind, com m unicat ion for any workshop or collaborat ive m eet ing relies heavily on what I refer t o as t he organizing t ools you apply t o ensure effect ive com m unicat ion. Alt hough t eam s can benefit from any num ber of inform at ion radiat ors or billboards during a m eet ing, t he organizing t ools discussed here are a specific class of inform at ion device for m anaging t he m eet ing. Organizing t ools form a life raft of underlying com m unicat ion for collaborat ive m eet ings, a fram ework around which t he rem aining t rappings of t he m eet ing are hung. They radiat e basic m eet ing inform at ion t o sust ain and guide t he t eam and t he leader when t hey m ight ot herwise eit her veer off t rack or begin t o sink int o non- effect ive, non- collaborat ive m odes of work. As such, t hey need t o be useful, inform at ive, legible, direct ive, and easily visible anywhere in t he m eet ing venue and at any t im e during t he m eet ing. For inst ance, m aint aining t he agenda or a " Parking Lot " on one person's lapt op will not do. Even if t he lapt op im age is proj ect ed on a large screen, it very oft en proj ect s only one screen at any point in t he m eet ing, t hus hiding ot her organizing t ools t hat need t o be cont inually available for reference. As I describe a basic set of organizing t ools, you'll see how t he clarit y, usefulness, and direct iveness of your t ools will guide your preparat ion and use of t hem . I f your organizing t ools provide fuzzy or vague inform at ion t hat is eit her non- direct ive ( it is t oo general or t oo com plicat ed) , unclear ( it is hard t o read) , or non- useful ( it m ay be int erest ing but not useful t o your m eet ing's purpose) , you risk sinking your t eam 's collaborat ion ship before it is out of dry dock. This chapt er t akes a close look at organizing t ools in t erm s of how t o capt ure and exhibit t hem and what const it ut es a good basic set of t ools. The specific t ools covered here are: Meet ing Purpose Agenda Ground Rules Parking Lot Act ion Plan Decisions Board Com m unicat ion Plan Consensus Ot her Tools

General Guidance About Organizing Tools Before exploring t he various organizing t ools individually, t here is som e basic guidance t hat applies t o all of t he t ools. Think about t hese guidelines as you t hen proceed t o learn about t he specifics of each t ool.

Choosing the Medium Clarit y of your organizing inform at ion relies not only on t he words t hrough which you choose t o convey your inform at ion, but also t hrough t he m edium you choose t o m ake t he inform at ion available. Select your m edia based on how t o best m ake t hese organizat ional rem inders available anywhere and anyt im e in t he m eet ing set t ing. Here are a few st andard vehicles for delivering t he m eet ing organizat ional inform at ion t o t he t eam : Flipch a r t s These large sheet s of paper provide persist ent , highly visible access t o t he organizat ional backbone of your m eet ing as you display t hem around your m eet ing area. Using a separat e sheet of paper for each organizing t ool helps t hat part icular com m unicat ion st and out and m akes it m odular so t hat it can be m oved, updat ed, or rem oved independent ly of any ot her m at erials. The Post - it st yle flipchart , wit h self- adhesive at t he t op, m akes t he paper easy t o hang and m ove around as needed. I f you do need t o use t ape for non- st icky flipchart paper, use art ist 's t ape, a whit e t ape slight ly t hicker t han m asking t ape; it st icks m ore reliably and is m ore easily rem oved from walls. Flipchart s roll up nicely for t ransport ing back t o where you com plet e t he " as spoken" docum ent at ion of t he m eet ing. Flipch a r t PLUS Can be post ed and read anywhere; m axim izes use of wall space. Flipch a r t M I N US St ill needs t o be t ranscribed; requires st icky not es or t ape for post ing inform at ion on it . St ick y W a ll A large sheet of parachut e fabric sprayed wit h an adhesive specifically designed for t his purpose. St icky walls creat e a bright focal point upon which t o display any inform at ion such as t he organizing t ools. I nform at ion can be post ed on t he wall using regular 8x11 paper, or index cards, or even large flipchart sheet s. No t ape or addit ional adhesives are needed for post ing new inform at ion; a m aj or benefit , t hough you st ill have t o t ape up t he fabric it self. Mixing up t he colors of paper on t he st icky wall can help define what inform at ion is being displayed ( green paper for " Ground Rules," orange paper for " Act ion I t em s," beige paper for " Parking Lot ," et c.) . St ick y W a ll PLUS Holds any st yle of paper; easy t o pack and carry. St ick y W a ll M I N US Requires upkeep, lim it s use of wall space, and m ay require use of m ore t han one in order t o m aint ain all t he m eet ing post ings. Bu t ch e r Pa pe r Available in art shops, t hese rolls of whit e paper on a wall form a large canvas upon which t o writ e or post inform at ion. The paper, m easuring four feet wide, can be cut t o any lengt h, and so it could hold all t he basic m eet ing inform at ion on one

sheet , dividing up it em s by drawing a border around each sect ion. But cher paper is ideal for creat ing large reference radiat ors t hat need t o present great det ail t o a large group while also creat ing a sense of a cont inuum of inform at ion ( such as an exist ing t im eline, m ap, or series of m odels) . Bu t ch e r Pa pe r PLUS Displays large spreads of dat a; can hold lot s of det ail; t akes m axim um advant age of wall space. Bu t ch e r Pa pe r M I N US Hard t o hang and t ransport ; st icky not es fall off easily. W h it e Boa r ds These are ubiquit ous in I T set t ings and are a nat ural inform at ion radiat or t o use in collaborat ive m eet ings. You can quickly capt ure t he organizat ional inform at ion you need and change it as t he t eam alt ers it s reference needs t hroughout t he m eet ing ( add a ground rule, rem ove a ground rule, add an it em t o t he Parking Lot , et c.) . Whit eboards work well for ad- hoc, sm all m eet ings wit h low form alit y and quick t urnaround. W h it e Boa r d PLUS Easy t o use; saves paper; support s dynam ic input . W h it e Boa r d M I N US Usually not large enough t o post all organizing t ools; can't be m oved around t he room for bet t er viewing; inform at ion m ay st ill need t o be t ranscribed. Ele ct r on ic W h it e boa r ds One giant st ep above regular whit eboards, you can use t hese whit eboards bot h t o m ake inform at ion highly visible t o t he t eam during t he m eet ing and t hen easily and readily available t o t he t eam aft er t he m eet ing. Because of t heir abilit y t o capt ure dynam ic inform at ion for lat er docum ent at ion, elect ronic whit eboards are probably best saved for gat hering dat a during t he m eet ing versus displaying t he fairly st at ic organizing inform at ion. Ele ct r on ic W h it e boa r d PLUS Dynam ic updat ing support ed; easy t ransform at ion t o soft copy. Ele ct r on ic W h it e boa r d M I N US Expensive and usually not large enough t o post all organizing t ools. Pr oj e ct ion s A lapt op proj ect ion ont o a large wall or screen allows even very highly det ailed inform at ion t o be displayed in m eet ings. PC proj ect ions serve t he organizat ional backbone best when t hey bring com plex, det ailed reference dat a ( such as previously capt ured use cases, design m odels, exist ing funct ionalit y, dem os) int o t he m eet ing for easy access by all. Pr oj e ct ion PLUS Very large form at can be useful for providing inform at ion t o a large m eet ing; creat es focus around t he it em being proj ect ed; support s dynam ic updat ing. Pr oj e ct ion M I N US Lim it ed abilit y t o post m ore t han one reference it em at a t im e.

Fit to Print The basis for det erm ining t he set of organizing t ools you'll use in your m eet ings relies on your answer t o t he following quest ion:

" What references do m y t eam and I need readily available t o us in order t o collaborat e effect ively in achieving our m eet ing purpose?"

I n ot her words: How can we st ay on t rack? How can we st ay focused? How can we rem ain product ive while invit ing divergence? How can we avoid dam age? How can we st rive t oward consensus in m aking our decisions? How can we carry our collaborat ion back from t his m eet ing t o our work? The suit e of defined t ools list ed at t he beginning of t he chapt er form s a good st art ing point upon which you can build and elaborat e as you and your t eam s learn what works best for your m eet ings. Here are a few guidelines wit h regard t o what you use and how you use it :

1 . I n for m a t ion m u st be cle a r ly le gible fr om a n y pa r t of t h e m e e t in g ve n u e Use bold, dark colors on light backgrounds t o creat e t he organizing t ools. Pract ice writ ing legibly and large; t his is an acquired skill, and it is wort h having in your hip pocket . My Pet Peeve: conduct ing a m eet ing wit h m any flipchart s for organizing t ools or inform at ion gat hering, but wit h m arkers t hat are t oo light and wit h handwrit ing t hat is t oo sm all and very sloppy. This is not inform at ion sharing; t his is inform at ion t aunt ing. 2 . I n for m a t ion m u st be a va ila ble fr om t h e be gin n in g of t h e w or k sh op t o t h e e n d of t h e w or k sh op This is inform at ion persist ence and one reason t hat lapt op proj ect ions will not do as t he support ing m edium for t he organizing t ools t hat help t o drive a m eet ing. Have all t ools ready and displayed in t he m eet ing before part icipant s arrive. Keep t hem displayed unt il aft er t he m eet ing is over. 3 . Re fe r t o t h e or ga n izin g t ools t h r ou gh ou t t h e m e e t in g These are your life raft and t he t eam 's life raft . Everyone needs t o be able t o gaze at or ponder t he inform at ion t hey hold as t he m eet ing progresses so t hat should t he m eet ing need clarit y, resuscit at ion, or re- direct ion, im m ediat e aid is available. Wit h t he aid of t he organizing t ools, your t eam and you can quickly declare: " This is what we have been doing. This is what we need t o be doing. This is how we can get t here." This guidance also refers t o any work accum ulat ed by t he t eam during t he course of t he m eet ing. Keep all chart s on t he walls and visible for t he durat ion of t he m eet ing. Don't cover chart s up wit h ot her chart s. I n addit ion, do not j ust flip chart s on t he flipchart st and once you have addressed t hem ; pull off a chart when it is done and hang it visibly for fut ure reference. Always hang all inform at ion.

Driving the Message Home Organizing t ools creat e an environm ent of com fort for your t eam . They creat e a bount y of inform at ion and reference t hat each m em ber can apply as needed t hroughout t he m eet ing.

Helping t eam m em bers learn t he value of t hese devices st art s wit h you and how you present t he m at erials t o t he t eam . You gain t he t eam 's t rust and int erest in t he organizing t ools by using your voice and body language as a focus for t hem : At t he st art of any m eet ing, go t hrough t he t ools one by one, explaining how you will be using each during t he m eet ing. As you refer t o each t ool at t he beginning of t he m eet ing, t ouch it while you are t alking about it . This sim ple t echnique has such power in creat ing a connect ion bet ween t he t ool and t he m em bers t hrough you. When you physically associat e yourself wit h each t ool, you are t elling t he t eam t hat you t rust t he value of t he t ool and t hat you are asking t hem t o t rust in t he t ool as well. For any t ool wit h m ult iple it em s ( such as t he Agenda or Ground Rules) , go t hrough each it em one- by- one, reading it com plet ely word- for- word, t ouching it as you read. Again, t his physical and vocal m essaging creat es focus for t he t eam around how you are using t he t ool. When you have explained t he purpose of t he t ool and how you expect t o use it in t he m eet ing, always ask perm ission t o use t he t ool. This solidifies t he sense of t rust you creat e wit h your voice and body language in present ing t he t ool. I f t here are any obj ect ions, find out what is driving t he obj ect ions or concerns. Give t he group guidance about why you are using t he t ool t o help t hem wit h t heir m eet ing, t hen ask t he group for guidance on how t o respond t o t he concern. I f t heir concerns persist , ask t hem for t heir t rust and prom ise t hat you will check in wit h t hem at som e specific point in t he m eet ing about how t he t ools are working for t hem . Each t im e you need t o rely on a specific t ool during t he m eet ing t o help t he t eam refocus or reengage, you should again m ove physically t o t he t ool and t ouch it . Here, you are helping t he t eam t rust t hat you are not abusing your privilege as t heir servant leader and t hat t he t ools are t heir power in t he m eet ing.

Meeting Purpose Chapt er 8, " Set t ing t he Collaborat ive Agenda," covered how t o set t he m eet ing purpose in order t o est ablish t he m eet ing agenda and hence all t he collaborat ion processes for conduct ing t he m eet ing. Because of it s fundam ent al im port ance t o t he m eet ing ( it is t he sole reason for having t he m eet ing) , it is t he first organizing t ool t o post for t he part icipant s. When you have t he purpose clearly visible in your room t hroughout t he m eet ing, you are est ablishing wit h every part icipant : Why t he m eet ing has been convened Why t hey have given up t im e back at t heir desks t o part icipat e in t he m eet ing Why t heir part icipat ion is vit al What should be t he driving force behind every discussion and decision in t he m eet ing How t o t ell if t he m eet ing is off t rack I n t hese ways, it is pot ent ially t he m ost powerful weapon any m eet ing leader can give a t eam t o m anage it self in t he m eet ing.

Meeting Purpose to Start and Guide the Meeting When conduct ing a m eet ing, eit her wit h your own t eam , or as an out side facilit at or for anot her t eam , always insist t hat t he "Meet ing Purpose" is hanging very legibly and clearly in t he m eet ing room prior t o t he st art of t he m eet ing. At t he very st art of t he m eet ing during t he " I nt roduct ion" or " Welcom e" part of t he agenda, use your physical presence wit h t he " Purpose" t o set t he m eet ing in m ot ion. Follow t he general guidance about how t o t hen present it t o t he t eam . When you are guiding a t eam in working collaborat ively, one of t he hardest t asks placed upon your shoulders is t o help t hem det erm ine if and when t hey are in danger of going off t rack or " down a rat or rabbit hole." Collaborat ion is brought t o it s knees when individuals lose sight of t heir goal and have t o st ep back from decision m aking int o debat e about what t hey really want t o be doing. Som e discussions, while being int erest ing and st im ulat ing, m ay j ust not be useful. A clearly st at ed purpose delineat es t he int erest ing from t he useful in a far m ore direct way t han any ot her device. At any point in t he m eet ing, anyone can refer t o t he purpose as t heir guide for, " Are we st ill on t rack? I s t his discussion m ore int erest ing t han it is useful?"

My Anecdote I n m y days as a spelunker, we very oft en had t o be careful about " going down a rat hole" on our caving t rips. On any given expedit ion, we would have a dest inat ion in m ind ( a part icular room or cham ber of t he cave) . But because we t ended t o not have det ailed m aps of how t o proceed wit hin a given cave, t he group would very oft en find various nooks and crannies, also known as " rat holes," t o explore along t he way. Rat holes could swallow som eone up so t hat t hey were lost , couldn't be seen, or, worst of all, couldn't be heard. Or, t oo m any people going down t oo m any rat holes could t ake t he expedit ion off course eit her by heading in a different direct ion or by proceeding t oo slowly t o our dest inat ion. Therefore, we m ade a pact going int o any cave t hat any " diversion" from our end goal in t he cave required at least t wo people t o agree t o it . Addit ionally, som eone else had t o know where t he pair was going in case t hey weren't heard from aft er a given lengt h of t im e. This prevent ed severe " rat - hole- it is" : t oo m any det ours in t he t rip or t oo m uch risk or danger for t he crew. I n Release Planning m eet ings wit h new t eam s, I t alk about t he "Meet ing Purpose" as m y " ant i- rat - hole" device. I invit e t he ent ire t eam t o be t he addit ional eyes needed before proceeding wit h any t opic t hat m ay be a rat hole for t he purpose. The group m ust m ake an explicit decision t o " go down a rat hole" and also decide how long t o explore t he rat hole before com ing back up for air. ( By t he way, rat holes in caving are nam ed rat holes for a reason. A rat m ay be at t he ot her end of t he t unnel, as I learned one t im e when leading an explorat ion in a narrow channel. Think about t hat when your m eet ings st art down a rat hole! )

Given t he power of t he " Meet ing Purpose," keep checking in wit h it t hroughout t he m eet ing t o help t he t eam st ay focused. You can use quest ions about t he Purpose in t he following ways ( while t ouching t he post ed Purpose) t o check in on t he current t raj ect ory of t he m eet ing: " I s t he current discussion helping us achieve t his Purpose?" " Does t he current conflict need t o be resolved in order for us t o m eet t his Purpose?" " I s a consensus- driven decision necessary on t his t opic in order for us t o m eet t his Purpose?" " Are we st ill on t rack t o m eet our Purpose?" Post ing t he " Meet ing Purpose" t hroughout t he m eet ing also helps t he t eam explicit ly rat her t han accident ally change why t hey gat hered. Again, t hink about t he rat hole. I f you suspect t hat t he t eam is m oving from t he originally int ended purpose t o a new, perhaps m ore useful purpose, go t o t he post ed Purpose, place your hand on it , and ask: " Has t he Purpose of our m eet ing shift ed in a useful enough way t o explicit ly change t he purpose of our m eet ing?" " Can anyone help m e redefine t he Purpose based on t he discussions t hat t he t eam is now in?" " Should we revise t he Purpose based on t he current t opics, or should we put t he current t opics in t he Parking Lot and resum e our work t oward t his post ed Purpose?" Never assum e t hat only you know whet her t he Purpose is correct . Never assum e t hat you can

change t he Purpose for t he t eam . Never assum e t hat you can force t he t eam t o st ick t o t he post ed Purpose. Always guide t he t eam t o m ake an explicit t eam decision about t heir purpose for t he m eet ing, and use t he post ed " Meet ing Purpose" as your organizing t ool around t his discussion.

Agenda I n preparat ion for a collaborat ive m eet ing, you've est ablished t he purpose, and you have out lined an agenda in your facilit at ion guide. Therefore, your next life- saving organizing t ool is a post ed Agenda. Wit h t he post ed Purpose, it creat es a consist ent , focused guide for t he t eam about t he m ap of act ivit ies t hat can lead t hem t o m eet t he Purpose. The post ed Agenda est ablishes t hat t here is a clear pat h t o t he Purpose, and t hat you are act ing as t he t eam 's servant t o guide t hem along t hat pat h. While it m ay not necessarily be t he only pat h possible, t hrough t he pre- m eet ing int erviews, you have helped t he t eam accept it as a " good enough" pat h t hat can guide t he t eam t o t heir collect ive goal. Always post t he Agenda for clarit y about your roadm ap. Always believe t hat you have done your hom ework about it s usefulness in bringing t he t eam t o it s Purpose for m eet ing. Always help t he t eam use t he Agenda t o t heir great est advant age.

No Agenda Is Infallible Part of being t he process owner is knowing when t he Agenda no longer serves t he t eam . Displaying t he Agenda invit es scrut iny of it and change in it in order t o bet t er serve t he t eam in m eet ing it s purpose. When you clearly advert ise your roadm ap, you invit e t he t eam t o help you st ay on t he pat h and t o recognize when a change or det our is warrant ed; t hat is, t he t eam helps you cont inuously evaluat e t he value of t he planned Agenda. You can t est t he fallibilit y of your agenda by asking: I s it not driving t o t he purpose? Are t he wrong part icipant s in t he room for reaching t he purpose wit h t he post ed Agenda? Has t he t eam 's work revealed a flaw in t he Agenda t hat will not drive t o t he Purpose? Has t he t eam 's work revealed a flaw in t he Purpose t hat warrant s a change in t he Agenda? A post ed Agenda invit es observat ion around t hese quest ions. When t hose observat ions incit e dissension, t he post ed Agenda is j ust doing it s j ob: I t is helping t he t eam com m unicat e about how t hey explicit ly believe t hey need t o work t oget her t o m eet t heir Purpose.

My Anecdote I had been working wit h a group of represent at ives from a variet y of business organizat ions who were int erest ed in est ablishing som e com m on pract ices about how t o define high- level program s t hat would ult im at ely secure funds for XP proj ect s. The group want ed t o learn from one anot her what work would be necessary and adequat e for t heir various business t ypes t o be able t o set t he XP proj ect s in m ot ion in as agile a m anner as possible. Working ext ensively wit h t he execut ive appoint ed as t he m ain cont act for t he t eam , I had craft ed an agenda t hat could lead t hem t hrough som e brainst orm ing about t heir current pract ices and som e considerat ion of t heir concerns, obst acles, and const raint s. I t would t hen lead t hem t o defining a process, it s deliverables, t he roles involved, and a few ot her dat a point s t hey had want ed t o collect . When we cam e t o t he m eet ing, I had post ed t he Purpose and t he Agenda on t he m eet ing room walls, and I gained consensus t hat t hese were our goal and pat h for t he m eet ing. But when we st art ed int o t he brainst orm ing, it becam e apparent t hat a large assum pt ion about t he definit ion of a " program " proved not t o be widely accept ed. The m eet ing was in danger of collapsing under t he frust rat ion and annoyance of an inappropriat e assum pt ion. ( This was a com m on occurrence in t he group's past and t he reason t hat I had been invit ed in t o help plan and facilit at e t he m eet ing.) I n t his case, however, we had a well- defined Purpose post ed, and we had an Agenda t hat we could evaluat e st ep- by- st ep. Wit h t hese organizing t ools, we were able t o m ake a declarat ion as a t eam about what it em s in t he Agenda were st ill useful t o com plet e, and what would be t he new Purpose of t he m eet ing. The t eam agreed t hat , in t he t im e allot t ed, t hey felt t hat t he new Purpose was well wort h pursuing and t hat t he alt ered Agenda would get t hem t here. At t hat point , I t hen proceeded as t heir servant t o guide t hem t hrough t he newly defined agenda. The m eet ing ended on a high not e wit h great ent husiasm about t he work t hat t he t eam was able t o accom plish. For t he first t im e in t heir m ont hs of m eet ing, t hey were eager t o reconvene t o pick up t heir work and m arch t o t he next deliverable in t he vision.

A few " lessons learned" : Never assum e t he Agenda is 100% correct . ( I n Proj ect Ret rospect ives , Norm Kert h provides st rong advice about when and why we invoke t his agenda resiliency.) Never change t he post ed Agenda wit hout t he explicit approval from t he t eam in it s it em s and wording. Always challenge t he t eam about t heir abilit y t o m eet t he post ed Agenda. Always challenge t he t eam about eagerness t o change t he agenda. And, always post any changes. To m aint ain a balance of resiliency and order, rely on all of your organizing t ools and your observat ions. Team s j ust learning t o engage collaborat ively in m eet ings m ay be t oo quick t o abandon an agenda. ( This seem s t o be a t endency of t echnical t eam s unused t o relying on an agenda as a m eans t o com plet e work.) They m ay st ill be in divergence m ode and unable t o see any pat h t o success, m uch less t he pat h as defined in t he post ed Agenda. They m ay also be dist rust ful of your int ent ion t o act as t heir servant and m ay want t o t est your int ent ions for t hem . Don't let t hese divergent t eam s abandon t heir Purpose or t heir Agenda wit hout clear and valid reasons. I t is your j ob as t heir servant t o help t hem invest igat e t heir concerns and t hen m ake appropriat e part icipat ive decisions. You'll probably want t o guide t hem in an explicit exercise t o brainst orm about what doesn't work about t he agenda so t hat t hey can be explicit about t heir concerns and air t hem openly. Be sure t his exercise is t im eboxed; have t he t eam t ell you how m uch t im e t hey'd like t o consider t he problem s before a decision is called for.

Posting the AgendaWhat Does It Look Like? What const it ut es a good Agenda post ing? Post t he Agenda direct ly wit h t he Purpose. Post every it em in t he Agenda word for word . ( Rem em ber t hat every it em in t he Agenda ot her t han " A. Open" and " X. Close" is st at ed as a quest ion t hat leads t o som e specific out put .) Post t he Agenda it em s but do not post t im ings ( e.g., 30 m inut es for it em B. and 45 m inut es for it em C.) . Your init ial est im at es on t im ings need t o have som e ebb and flow t o t hem t hroughout t he course of t he m eet ing. Also, t hough you have a plan for how you are going t o guide t he t eam t o answer each agenda it em quest ion, do not post t he process you will use t o help t he t eam answer t hat quest ion. The process t hat you int end t o use for each it em m ay be t oo verbose or t oo dist ract ing and m ay change on t he fly as your m eet ing progresses. Keep your Agenda post ing st raight forward and t o t he point , but be sure t o m aint ain very clear language about exact ly what is t o occur wit h each agenda it em . Here is an exam ple:

AGEN D A A.

Opening

B.

What are all t he possible design art ifact s we could use for t his proj ect ?

C.

Based on past experience, what are t he benefit s of t hese design art ifact s?

D.

What are t he downsides t o t hese design art ifact s?

E.

What ot her considerat ions should be used in select ing t he set of design art ifact s for t his proj ect ?

F.

What is t he final set of design art ifact s we will use for t his proj ect ?

G.

Close

Ground Rules This organizing t ool, along wit h t he Parking Lot , m ay be t he m ost m isunderst ood and abused of all t he t ools designed t o provide collaborat ion guidance t o a t eam . My facilit at ion guru Janet Danfort h has been m y savior about m y own Ground Rules abuse and has set m e on t he st raight - and- narrow pat h of how t o use t his organizing t ool in service t o t he t eam . Wit hout t his fundam ent al shift in percept ion about Ground Rules, t eam s will resent t hem , abandon t hem , and lose any sense of t heir usefulness for collaborat ive work. Ground Rules should be t he t eam 's declarat ion of it s self- governance. They are not a disciplinary weapon of t he m eet ing leader t o quell dissent or cont rol t he group. They are t he boundaries a t eam believes can help it st ay focused on t heir goal. They belong t o t he t eam . I f t his discom fort s you, t hen you have been abusing your power as a m eet ing leader. There is a bet t er way. When used correct ly, Ground Rules help a t eam answer t he following quest ion: " How will we help ourselves m eet our goals wit hout dest ruct ion, eit her in conflict or dist ract ion?"

You Don't Own the Ground Rules When you post t he Ground Rules, review t hem one by one and t hen ask t he t eam whet her t hey reflect t heir own set of guidelines for how t o keep t hem selves on t arget . I n t his way, you reinforce t hat you are neit her t he owner of t he m eet ing nor of t he Ground Rules nor how part icipant s conduct t hem selves. They are t he owners. They set t he Ground Rules. They agree on t hem . They enforce t hem . They m erely ask you t o help t hem use t he rules effect ively. To help a t eam t hink about and quickly decide on Ground Rules, you can " pre- populat e" t his organizing t ool wit h it em s or rules t hat you have seen t eam s use effect ively in t he past . For inst ance: Respect t he speaker One conversat ion at a t im e Cell phones on st un St art and end on t im e Explain t he pre- populat ed it em s only as suggest ions t hat have worked successfully in t he past . For inst ance, we cont inually not e t hat m eet ings t hat allow cell phones t o ring end up being very dist ract ed m eet ings. Sim ilarly, having part icipant s leave a m eet ing t o go t o ot her m eet ings and t hen ret urn can m ake consensus building very difficult . These dist ract ions and ever- shift ing waves of part icipat ion block a t eam from swim m ing t hrough t he Form ing and St orm ing wat ers int o t he open expanses of Norm ing and Perform ing. So, alt hough you can't require a t eam t o use cert ain Ground Rules, you can be t heir guide about very st rong boundaries t o set t hat can help t hem be a high- perform ance t eam .

What Constitutes a Good Ground Rule?

A good Ground Rule is anyt hing t hat t he t eam feels will help t hem st ay on t rack, reduce dist ract ions, m aint ain respect , and work collaborat ively t o m eet t he purpose of t he m eet ing. Do we need t o lim it parallel conversat ions? Do we need t o have people " park t heir t it les at t he door" ? Have we learned t hat only Round Robin responses work for us in our t eleconferences? One caveat : Very oft en t he loudest det ract ors t o t he use of Ground Rules are t he people who have t he great est int erest in keeping t he m eet ing on t heir own personal agenda, in t heir cont rol. They t end t o be t he people who dom inat e m eet ings and so have been very happy wit hout t he use of Ground Rules. They don't want Ground Rules because t hey don't need t hem . They are fully part icipat ory already, or at least happy wit h t heir level of part icipat ion.

My Anecdote I was leading a Release Planning m eet ing for a m ult im illion dollar proj ect in which t he lead archit ect refused t o follow t he Ground Rules on lapt op use ( lim it it t o support ing t he m eet ing) and act ive part icipat ion ( st ay act ively engaged; you are here because we need you) . He spent a good deal of t he m eet ing eit her out in t he hall t alking wit h ot her people, or in t he m eet ing reading em ail on his lapt op. As t he facilit at or of t he m eet ing and guardian of t he process, I chose not t o single him out , but rat her I rem inded t he ent ire t eam of t heir com m it m ent t o t he Ground Rules for self- governance. St ill, he cont inued t o ignore t he group, and no one dared challenge his behavior. During a break, I spoke wit h t he Direct or from t he cust om er organizat ion, t he business part ner who was sponsoring t he product release. I expressed m y concerns about t he archit ect 's im pact on t he m eet ing wit h his disrupt ive, unengaged behaviors and asked for feedback on what he would like done. Specifically, I want ed t o know if t he Ground Rule was not useful and should be delet ed. He agreed t hat t he archit ect 's behaviors were unaccept able and dem eaning t o t he rest of t he t eam and t hat t he Ground Rule should be enforced. We approached t he archit ect privat ely during t he break and explained t he sit uat ion t o him , offering him a choice t o engage in t he m eet ing or leave. He chose t o st ay. When t he break was over, t he Sponsor asked t he t eam again t o t urn t o t heir Ground Rules and t o be act ive part icipant s in t he m eet ing and t he use of t he Ground Rules. From t hat point on, t he t eam agreed t o self- govern and t o not let ot hers abuse t heir rules.

Referring t o Ground Rules via quest ions is your way of helping t he t eam revisit how t hey said t hey want ed t o conduct t heir m eet ing. Rem em ber: You are not a Sergeant - at - Arm s. You are not an enforcer. You are a servant t o t he t eam , and as such you are som et im es t heir " Guide from t he Side" who st eps aside and m akes observat ions for t he t eam t o ponder, such as: " These are t he Ground Rules you agreed t o at t he beginning of t he m eet ing. I 'm concerned t hat t hese are not helping t he t eam t oward it s Purpose. Should we review t he Ground Rules for t heir usefulness?" " I 'd like t o check in wit h you about how we are progressing on m eet ing our goal. Are t here any addit ional Ground Rules t hat could help you m eet t he Purpose m ore effect ively?" " We seem t o be ignoring t his part icular Ground Rule, and I am fearful of t he dam age it m ay be causing t o part icipat ion. Could you t ell m e what m ight be useful for proceeding?"

Meeting Norms Versus Ground Rules You can also use " Norm s" as a guide for helping t eam m em bers m anage t heir own m eet ings. These are agreem ent s t hat t he t eam set s up in advance of a m eet ing knowing som et hing of t heir t eam dynam ics and how t hey work best wit h one anot her. Norm s t end t o look a bit wordier t han Ground Rules but can be used in t he sam e way in a m eet ing. You can help a t eam derive t hese norm s prior t o t he m eet ing by using an inform al survey. Or t hey m ay be st at em ent s capt ured in t he Proj ect Chart er about t eam behaviors. I n eit her case, find out if t he t eam has norm s and if so post t hem in t he m eet ing. I n I ngrid Bens's Facilit at ing wit h Ease! , you can find som e good st art ing point s for helping t eam s define t heir norm s, such as: [ 1] [1]

Bens, Facilitating with Ease! , 55.

Everyone's opinions count . All t eam discussions will rem ain confident ial. We will respect differences. We will be support ive rat her t han j udgm ent al. We will st ay focused on our goals and avoid get t ing sidet racked. Diana Larsen, a phenom enal agile facilit at or, has a wonderful set of norm s t hat she brings int o her m eet ings wit h new t eam s t o help t hem evaluat e t heir behaviors. She calls it her " Focus On/ Don't Focus On" [ 2] norm s: [2]

Retrospective Gathering, Phoenix, AZ, February 2005.

Focu s On

D on 't Focu s On

I nquiry

Advocacy

Discussion

Debat e

Convergence

Argum ent

Underst anding

Defending

Parking Lot The m eet ing Parking Lot helps you and t he t eam t rack im port ant it em s t hat m ay not be: Useful t o discuss at t his t im e in t he agenda. Useful for t he purpose of t he m eet ing; we're not yet sure. At all useful for t he purpose, but we don't want t o lose t rack of t hem . Or, we m ay want t o t rack it em s t hat m ay be causing conflict t hat is holding t he t eam back and t hat m ay need t o be visit ed lat er in t he m eet ing or aft er t he m eet ing. Alt hough all of t hese sit uat ions warrant at t ent ion from you as t he facilit at ive leader of t he m eet ing, t here is im port ant guidance for what t hat at t ent ion looks like: Pa r k in g Lot Ax iom # 1 : Never put a t opic in t he Parking Lot wit hout asking t he perm ission of t he t eam . Sim ply st at ed, t he t eam owns t he Parking Lot , not you. Meet ing leaders som et im es have an unfort unat e belief t hat t o " lead" a m eet ing, t hey also have t o perfect t he role of " Parking Lot At t endant " : They decide what ent ers t he lot and when. Addit ionally, t hey police when and how som et hing exit s t he lot . For t his reason, Parking Lot Axiom # 1 has a crit ical corollary: " Never t ake anyt hing out of t he Parking Lot wit hout get t ing t he approval of t he t eam ." A t ruly facilit at ive leader m aint ains a far m ore service- orient ed view of t heir role vis- à- vis t he Parking Lot , m ore like a valet . " I 'll help you park your vehicle, only if you want t o park here. And I 'll m ake sure your car is safe while it is in m y lot . Finally, I 'll ret rieve it for you when you are ready t o exit t he lot ; you j ust let m e know. I n exit ing t he lot , I 'll m ake sure your vehicle is delivered where you want it . I will never abandon your vehicle in t he lot ." Som et im es a t eam m em ber, in an effort t o help " m anage" a m eet ing, m ay decide t o st art put t ing ot her people's t opics in t he Parking Lot . Their zeal t o help t urns int o cont rol of ot hers' int ent ions. Therefore, t here is a second corollary t o our axiom : " Never let anyone else decide on his own t o m ove som et hing t o t he Parking Lot ." No one t eam m em ber owns t he Parking Lot , not t he t echnical lead, t he cust om er, t he developm ent m anager, or t he developer. The t eam owns t he Parking Lot and t herefore det erm ines what goes in and what com es out . Here are som e ways t hat you can help t he t eam decide whet her a t opic should be placed int o t he Parking Lot : " I hear a lot of discussion m oving t o t his part icular t opic, and I am concerned about it s relevance t o our current agenda it em . Can som eone help m e underst and if we should cont inue? Or is t here a recom m endat ion t o place t he it em in t he Parking Lot ?" " Alan has request ed t hat we t able t his discussion and m ove on. Do I have your perm ission t o place t he it em in t he Parking Lot ?" " I hear t he concern you are raising, but I am afraid t hat it m ay not be som et hing we can address right now. Can I put it in t he Parking Lot if I prom ise you t hat we will get back t o it before t he end of t he m eet ing?"

My Anecdote As part of m y work t o at t ain cert ificat ion as a professional facilit at or, I was invit ed t o part icipat e in a day- long event wit h ot her facilit at ors seeking cert ificat ion. Each of us was given a t opic for a m eet ing t hat we were t o facilit at e, and several assessors ( along wit h t he ot her invit ees of t he cert ificat ion) were t he m eet ing's part icipant s. I n each of our m eet ings, one or m ore of t he assessors would t ry out different issues/ problem s on you t o see how you would respond as t he m eet ing facilit at or. Would you not ice t hat som eone was sleeping? Would you be able t o m anage som eone who was very negat ive? Would you be able t o use effect ive inform at ion gat hering t echniques? I n alm ost every one of t he assessm ent s, t hey wat ched how t he facilit at or used or abused t he Parking Lot ( if t he facilit at or had even hung one for t he m eet ing) . During t hat day, I wat ched one unfort unat e m an who was facilit at ing his m eet ing really st ruggle. Whenever anyone asked a quest ion t hat he felt didn't pert ain t o t he m eet ing t opic, he announced t hat it was going int o t he Parking Lot . During t he m eet ing I was facilit at ing t hat day, one of t he assessors decided t o dom inat e t he m eet ing wit h her specific concern ( childcare issues) t hat wasn't on t he m eet ing agenda ( church capit alizat ion budget ) . I kept t rying t o reel her in, but she was darn good at t his st uff! Finally, I asked her for perm ission t o put her concern in t he Parking Lot , and I prom ised her t hat I would get back t o t he t opic before we closed t he m eet ing. She agreed. Aft er t he m eet ing, when I went t hrough t he one- on- one int erview wit h m y assessors about how I had led t he m eet ing, t hey t old m e t hat what had really convinced t hem t hat I " got it " was t hat I had asked perm ission t o place t he it em in t he Parking Lot and had prom ised t hat I would ret urn t o it before t he end of t he m eet ing. Whew!

Because t he t eam owns t he Parking Lot , t hey decide not only what goes int o t he lot but also how t o " clear t he Lot " : when som et hing can be rem oved from t he lot and what it s fat e is as a result . That m eans t hat clearing t he Parking Lot m ust be accom plished prior t o t he m eet ing close. Pa r k in g Lot Ax iom # 2 : Never leave an it em in t he Parking Lot past t he close of t he m eet ing; no m eet ing can end if any it em s rem ain in it s Parking Lot . Wit hout t he t eam 's input , you can't appropriat ely reflect t heir collaborat ive int ent ions for t he it em s t hat t hey placed t here. You guide t he t eam in clearing t he Parking Lot as part of t he Closing agenda it em . Therefore, during t he Closing, you will specifically review every it em rem aining in t he Parking Lot in order t o resolve one of t hree fat es for t he it em :

a . Th e it e m m u st be a ddr e sse d n ow The t eam reviews t he it em and det erm ines t hat , wit hout addressing t he it em , t he purpose of t he m eet ing cannot be m et . The t eam decides on a t im ebox for dealing wit h t he it em and t hen proceeds im m ediat ely int o addressing it . b. Th e it e m n e e ds t o be a ddr e sse d bu t n ot r igh t n ow The t eam det erm ines t hat , while t he it em clearly has relevance t o t he t eam , it doesn't need t o be addressed in order for t he m eet ing t o at t ain it s purpose. This it em goes t o t he Act ion Plan. c. Th e it e m n o lon ge r n e e ds t o be a ddr e sse d Eit her t he t eam feels t hat t he it em has already been adequat ely addressed som ewhere in t he course of t he m eet ing, or t he it em

c. has now been m ade irrelevant . This it em is rem oved. ( Wit h regard t o t he act ual m echanics of clearing t he Parking Lot , refer t o Chapt er 20, " Closing t he Collaborat ive Meet ing." )

Decisions Board Som et im es in a m eet ing, t he t eam has had a breakt hrough in an area not specific t o t he purpose of t he m eet ing. They've had an issue t hat has been haunt ing t hem or plaguing t hem in t heir background processing, and now t hey have arrived at a decision. Or, som e fundam ent al st at em ent has been m ade wit h regard t o t he m eet ing Purpose t hat can help st eer t he t eam t hrough t he rem ainder of t he m eet ing. The Decisions Board organizing t ool host s t hese decisions and broadcast s t hem so t hat t he t eam does not fall int o a pat t ern of cont inually revisit ing decisions t hat have already been m ade. I t reduces t he t eam 's collect ive m ent al noise by being t he placeholder of t heir already accom plished work. While a Decisions Board doesn't provoke as m uch em ot ion as t he Ground Rules or Parking Lot , it holds no less im port ant a place in t he full deck of collaborat ion cards. When you are facilit at ing a t eam , your j ob is t o reduce dist ract ion, increase focus, and welcom e cont inued collaborat ion t oward t he post ed Purpose. The Decisions Board not only m inim izes dist ract ions; it also prom ot es a sense of accom plishm ent for t he t eam by post ing t heir successes for t hem . Decisions can be hard t o com e by! Don't let t hem slip t hrough t he t eam 's fingers unnot iced, undocum ent ed, or uncelebrat ed! Som et im es, however, a decision m ay need t o be revisit ed. When it is post ed as a reference in t he Decisions Board, you invit e t he t eam t o readily be able t o t est t heir assum pt ions as appropriat e. " The current discussion sounds as t hough you are m oving away from t he decision we capt ured earlier here in t he Decisions Board. Do we need t o revisit t his decision now in order t o m eet t he Purpose of t he m eet ing?" " I 've j ust heard a new decision t aken on t his t opic. We have a decision here in t he Decisions Board. Do we want t o change t he originally docum ent ed decision, or would you rat her keep your decisions?" These quest ions guide a t eam t o rem ind t hem selves of where t hey have been and where t hey are headed. Wit hout a Decisions Board and you working in service wit h t he Board, t he t eam runs t he risk of inadvert ent ly losing decisions, revisit ing t hem , alt ering t hem , and t hen rediscussing t hem , all in t he sam e m eet ing. Worse, t his decision m ay not even be useful t o t he purpose of t he m eet ing. Maint ain a Decisions Board t o help t he t eam explicit ly m ake choices about t heir decision.

Action Plan The Act ion Plan builds a bridge bet ween t he m eet ing and each part icipant 's desk. Through t he Act ion Plan, a t eam det erm ines what t hey need t o do aft er t he m eet ing in order t o reap t he benefit s of t he hard work accom plished in t he m eet ing. Act ions give t he t eam 's decisions bot h validat ion and persist ence. A few rules guide t he use of an Act ion Plan in a m eet ing: Every it em in t he list should be st at ed as an act ion ( " Com plet e t he use cases," " Publish t he accept ance t est cases," " Alert t he m edia" ) . Every it em m ust have an owner ( " Com plet e t he use casesLinda," " Publish t he accept ance t est casesMichele," " Alert t he m ediaBrian" ) . The owner m ust be present and m ust personally volunt eer t o t ake t he act ion; no absent ee assignm ent s or forced assignm ent s are allowed. I f an act ion has no clear owner, it m ust be dealt wit h eit her as:

1 . A new act ion regarding alert ing t he possible owner of t he act ion ( " Cont act Linda about com plet ing t he use casesErika," " Work wit h Michele t o com plet e t he accept ance t est casesJill" ) . 2 . An act ion t hat can no longer be t racked from t he m eet ingAn act ion wit hout an owner isnot an act ion. This act ion can be docum ent ed in t he not es as a Decision " No one t ook t he act ion t o com plet e t he use cases because t here was not adequat e represent at ion of som eone who could volunt eer." Or, it is dropped.

Every it em m ust have a due dat e, agreed upon by t he owner of t he it em ( " Com plet e t he use cases" Linda by Tuesday t he 13t h) . So, t he act ions in an Act ion Plan m ight look like t he following:

Act ion Pla n W hat

W ho

W hen

Com plet e t he use cases

Linda

Tuesday

Docum ent t he accept ance t est Michele cases

Thursday

Alert t he m edia

COB Today

Brian

( I 'll cover m ore about how t o act ually put it em s in t he Act ion Plan, how t o populat e t hem wit h t heir owner and due dat e, and how t o ensure t hat som eone owns t he Act ion Plan when I cover t he " Closing" of t he m eet ing in Chapt er 20.) Meet ing part icipant s carry around a heft y am ount of cynicism wit h regard t o t he usefulness of t he m any m eet ings t o which t hey are invit ed or required t o at t end. That cynicism is oft en fueled by t he lack of follow- up from t he m eet ing. Sloppy follow- up includes not providing all

t he m eet ing out put s t o t he part icipant s. Therefore, every m eet ing's Act ion Plan I lead has at least one it em on it , wit h m y nam e or an alt ernat e represent at ive as t he owner, and a definit e dat e when it is due: " Com plet e t he docum ent at ion of t he m eet ing" The it em should have a due dat e no lat er t han t hree working days from t he dat e of t he m eet ing, t hough you should find out from t he t eam when it would be m ost beneficial t o t hem . A clear com m it m ent t o t im ely delivery of all t he m eet ing docum ent at ion by you t he facilit at or of t he m eet ing sends a few powerful m essages t o t he part icipant s: " I value t he work you have done here, and I want you t o value it as well." " I believe you have use for t his m at erial in act ing successfully as a t eam ." " I believe it is m y j ob, as your servant , t o be t im ely in providing t hese m at erials t o you."

Communication Plan This is t he second organizing t ool, along wit h t he Act ion Plan, t hat support s t he bridge bet ween t he m eet ing and each part icipant 's desk. The Com m unicat ion Plan guides a t eam in act ing upon t he following quest ion: " Who needs t o know what about t he work we have done here t oday and in what form ?" I n ot her words, t he t eam is explicit ly det erm ining as a group what should be conveyed ( for inst ance, all of t he m eet ing not es, t he act ion it em s alone, t he decisions only) and how t hey should be conveyed ( em ail, blog, wiki ent ry, news art icle, flipchart in break room ) and for which audiences ( VP of Finance, cust om er rep, ent ire t eam , st aff rep in Bangalore) . I n t ruly agile t eam environm ent s, t eam m em bers engage in as m uch face- t o- face com m unicat ion as possible. That m eans t hat t hey are part icipat ory in each m eet ing as appropriat e wit h t he int ent t hat lit t le or no com m unicat ions or decisions need t o be form alized post - m eet ing. I n t hese environm ent s, t he Com m unicat ion Plan m ay be m ore about conversat ions t hat need t o t ake place, or inform at ion radiat ors t hat need t o be updat ed. You and your t eam can decide how useful it is t o docum ent such inform al, low- cerem ony com m unicat ions. You can also decide whet her such com m unicat ions can be t racked m ore easily as sim ple act ions in t he Act ion Plan. So, t he ent ries in a Com m unicat ion Plan m ight look like t he following ent ries in five colum ns:

Com m u n ica t ion Pla n W hat

Au die n ce

Ve h icle

W ho

W hen

Meet ing not es

At t endees, St akeholders

XLS spreadsheet on t eam websit e

Anne

Tuesday

News art icle

I T Dot Net developers

I T Dot Net newslet t er

Paul

Thursday

Updat ed est im at es

Sprint t eam

Breakroom char t

Mike

COB Today

The rules of engagem ent concerning a Com m unicat ion Plan follow suit wit h t hose of t he Act ion Plan: No it em can be placed in t he list except by t he t eam . Every it em m ust have an owner. The owner m ust be present and personally volunt eer t o t ake t he act ion; no absent ee assignm ent s or forced assignm ent s are allowed. The owner of t he it em should consult wit h t he t eam about t he proper vehicle for t he com m unicat ion but is t he ult im at e person responsible for support ing t he vehicle. Every it em m ust have a due dat e, agreed upon by t he owner of t he it em .

ConsensusI Can Live with That and Support It A collaborat ive m eet ing st rives t oward highly part icipat ory decision m aking. But what const it ut es agreem ent about decisions? And how m uch agreem ent m ust a t eam have t o m ove forward com fort ably wit h ot her work? Consensus- driven decisions form t he m ost sust ainable agreem ent s a t eam can use t o creat e act ion. Therefore, a collaborat ive m eet ing includes a post ed definit ion of consensus as one of it s organizing t ools. I use a definit ion t hat rem oves t he binary or black- and- whit e connot at ions from t he not ion of agreem ent and inst ead reinforces t he not ion of agreem ent wit hout com prom ise and wit hout violent dissent ion. Sim ply st at ed, consensus m eans: " I can live wit h t hat and support it ." This helps part icipant s underst and t hat collaborat ion can be achieved in a t eam wit hout everyone being wildly ent husiast ic about t he choice. The choice reflect s a shared underst anding by t he t eam . The choice is good enough t o live wit h and support . The choice is adequat e t o help us m ove forward. The choice has enough of a t eam sense t hat no one feels com plet ely left out of it .

Consensus Is Neither Compromise Nor Coercion Confusing consensus wit h com prom ise m ay be t he great " wives' t ale" t hat underm ines t he collaborat ive nat ure of m eet ings. The Thom as- Kilm ann conflict m ode inst rum ent described in Chapt er 4, " What Are Collaborat ive Team s?," provides clear different iat ion bet ween t he com prom ising individual and t he collaborat ive individual. This is useful when considering a definit ion of consensus for an organizing t ool: I ndividuals who have som e abilit y t o cooperat e while rem aining som ewhat unassert ive engage in a com prom ising conflict m ode. The very assert ive and very cooperat ive person uses t he collaborat ing m ode of conflict resolut ion. True consensus, t herefore, relies on a collaborat ive m ode of reaching decisions versus a com prom ising m ode. ( Lat er, in Chapt er 17, " Managing t he Meet ing Part icipant s," we'll revisit consensus wit h regard t o how t eam s can m ove from disagreem ent t o consensus t hrough effect ive conflict m anagem ent .) Team s t hat agree t o work in a consensus- driven m ode m ake a few im plicit st at em ent s t o one anot her as t hey begin a m eet ing: " We believe t hat any decision m ade by t he t eam is bet t er t han a decision m ade by an individual" This does not m ean t hat t he t eam cannot have expert s t hat give very st rong recom m endat ions t o t he t eam about how t o proceed. Expert s oft en provide t he necessary rocket fuel t o help t eam s m ove forward and m aint ain focus on t he larger collaborat ive issues. This is especially t rue in our t echnical environm ent s in which we have t o rely on specialist s in a variet y of dom ains in order t o converge on our com plex " right eous solut ions" for our " wicked problem s." Expert s ensure t hat t he t eam has accessed it s great est wisdom in order t o build t he best overall solut ion.

" We underst and t hat gaining consensus can t ake m ore t im e" I n t he sect ion ent it led " How Do I React t o Conflict " in Chapt er 17, I 'll uncover t he delicat e yet very specific st eps a facilit at ive m eet ing leader uses t o guide conflict t oward consensus. Because of t he work and com m it m ent it t akes t o gain consensus in a highly charged issue, a t eam has t o underst and at t he st art what is required of t hem . They m ay choose t o reserve consensus for crit ical, high- risk decisions only. " We m ay not seek consensus for all decisions" Som e conflict s are not so im port ant as t o warrant t he t im e t o resolve it t o a consensus level of agreem ent . Therefore, once m eet ing part icipant s t ruly underst and t he m eaning of consensus, t hey can t hen m ore knowledgeably choose when t o use less t im e- consum ing form s of decision m aking. Trina Hoefling ( aut hor of Working Virt ually ) , a facilit at or who specializes in conflict resolut ion, leads t eam s t hrough a decision process at t he very st art of any m eet ing t o help t hem decide explicit ly about t heir consensus organizing t ool: " When will we use consensus t o resolve conflict ? When consensus is not warrant ed, what ot her decision- m aking process will we use?" By m aking t hese clarificat ions at t he very st art of t he m eet ing and post ing t hem , Trina helps t he t eam m ove along at a pace t hat works for t hem wit h regard t o consensus building. I n sum , t eam s decide which decisions are im port ant enough t hat t hey should only be resolved in consensus, and which decisions can be t aken t hrough a less enduring approach. Team s who believe in consensus and use it appropriat ely are t eam s t hat are able t o work m ore and m ore collaborat ively.

Other Organizing Tools The previous sect ions provided you wit h t he bare essent ials for bringing your m eet ing preparat ion and organizat ion int o t he m eet ing room : Purpose, Agenda, Ground Rules, Parking Lot , and so on. But you'll soon discover t hat part icularly for very large t echnical m eet ings, having a few ot her organizat ional ducks in a row will go a long way t oward keeping a m eet ing and it s part icipant s product ive, focused, and galloping t oward a successful finish. I n t his way, organizing t ools expand t o include any m at erials t hat help a t eam self- govern and selfm anage as t hey produce t he m eet ing out put s. Here are a few exam ples of useful organizing t ools I 've used in t he past t hat have provided highly visible m eet ing inform at ion t o part icipant s. Ex pe r t m a t e r ia ls When a part icular plan or set of designs is t o be used frequent ly during a m eet ing, you should consider adding it t o your st able of organizing t ools as a large wall chart . Large plot t ed CAM/ CAD drawings of syst em process, archit ect ure, or user assum pt ions go a long way in reinforcing clarit y of discussion in a m eet ing. I use t hese early and oft en when a large form at print er is available t o produce such chart s. Pr e viou s m e e t in g de cision s This t ool can be a lifesaver for keeping t he current discussion on t rack by not revisit ing decisions unless an explicit choice is m ade t o do so based on t he post ed decisions. Tim e line s When a t eam has produced a t im eline for a release, or set of releases, or set of dependencies around m ilest ones, consider capt uring t his as a chart t hat can be m ade available in subsequent m eet ings. A very visible display of t he agreed- upon t im elines invit es acknowledgm ent of previous assum pt ions as well as clarificat ion and am endm ent when t he assum pt ions shift . At t e n de e s Large m eet ings m ay m ake it hard t o keep t rack of who all t he part icipant s are over several days. Besides providing nam e t ent s and nam e t ags, consider hanging a chart of at t endees by nam e and role or business represent at ion. This has been part icularly valuable for groups where t echnical leads from a variet y of organizat ions are com ing t oget her and t hey want t o be able t o t alk one- on- one during breaks or lunch. The chart helps t hem learn who is present and in what capacit y t hey serve. Lu n ch in st r u ct ion s I f you know t he lunch schedule and accom m odat ions ( is it " buy your own," provided but out side t he building, in t he room next door, at a cert ain t im e, of a cert ain cuisine?) , post t his inform at ion so t hat you are not t he sole gat e t o t he det ail. I t saves you t im e and ot hers frust rat ion about a m inor ( but oft en grave! ) det ail. Se cu r it y gu ide lin e s Som e com panies have specific securit y issues from building t o building, or from group t o group. Post ing t his inform at ion in t he room m akes everyone aware of t he const raint s wit hin which t hey should com port t hem selves wit hout em barrassm ent . Br e a k ou t r oom list s For very large m eet ings where different design t eam s need t o work in sm all groups, I post a large chart of all t he room s available. For inst ance, at t he beginning of t he design work, explain t hat t eam s should self- organize about what t opics need work and who should be involved. Suggest t hat t eam s reserve a breakout room for a given t im e slot and post it on t he chart . Part icipant s t hen resolve for t hem selves which group t o part icipat e in; locat e t he t opic, room , and t im e slot in t he post ed chart ; and t hen self- m anage t heir part icipat ion. This self- organizat ion chart also works well when large num bers of organizat ions com e t oget her wit h uneven represent at ion of t he t echnical st aff or of t he end- users. The post ed breakout room list helps groups locat e t he

subj ect expert t hey need for any part icular decision about t heir work. M e ssa ge boa r d Again, for very large m eet ings t hat overflow int o m any breakout s or sm all group discussions, provide a m essage board wit h Post - it not es and a pen on a st ring, t aped t o t he wall. Anyone can leave a m essage for anyone else, regardless of whet her t hey know t heir cell phone num ber ( and if t here is a ground rule t hat cell phones are t urned off, it m ay be hard t o reach anyone wit hout t his t ool) . This m essage board is also useful for finding an expert , even if you don't know t he nam e of t he expert . For inst ance, perhaps a t eam needs t o t alk wit h som eone wit h a .Net background, or from a specific com pany, or a specific user group. The m essage board can serve as a broadcast for whoever is available t o help; it invit es self- m anagem ent about such ad- hoc m eet ings or conversat ions. " You Lik e d W h a t ?!" I t is always wort h encouraging people t o t ell you what is working well about t he m eet ing ( part icularly m eet ings t hat ext end over several days) while t he m eet ing is st ill in progress. So while you m ay have a specific debrief at t he end of a m eet ing where you ask for t his feedback, consider also using t his post ed organizing t ool t o encourage post ings during t he m eet ing. I 've post ed t his board on a num ber of occasions wit h large groups. I t has proven t o be fun and t o provide som e highly valuable in- flight feedback. " W h a t 's Ye r Gr ipe ?" Som et im es people m ay not be get t ing what t hey want out of a very large m eet ing. I f t hey are of t he m ore ret icent ilk, a " What 's Yer Gripe?" board post ed in an easily accessible locat ion helps t hem j ust vent or expressly request som et hing wit hout having t o draw specific at t ent ion t o t heir discom fort .

Chapter 10. Starting the Collaborative Meeting A few m eet ing preparat ions go a long way. So, once you have dealt wit h t he part icipant s, t he sponsor, and t he organizing t ools, prepare for your collaborat ion event by bringing t he m eet ing venue t oget her and st art ing your m eet ing.

Setting Up the Room I 've discovered t hat t he layout and feel of a room can, from t he very st art , have a big im pact on how your t eam m em bers perceive t he m eet ing you are about t o st art . When people walk in t he door, t hey gain som e sense of how t hey want t o part icipat e in t he m eet ing. So for inst ance, I 've not iced t hat if t here are lot s of rows of t ables, as in a classroom - st yle set t ing, t echnical people t end t o sit half way back and beyond. Or, t here m ay be people so cert ain t hey do not want t o part icipat e in a m eet ing, t hey choose a chair t hat had been shoved in t he corner t o m ake m ore room . Any of t hese gest ures t ell you t hat part icipant s expect t he worst from t he m eet ing. They are used t o not owning a m eet ing because com m and- and- cont rol has been t he norm for decision m aking. Or m eet ings are t ypically so out of cont rol t hat no decisions are ever m ade; so t he m eet ings are non- product ive drudgery. Sit t ing out side of t he group creat es a det achm ent from all t he expect ed dissat isfact ion. Here are som e guidelines about seat ing arrangem ent s t hat invit e collaborat ion: U- sha pe d Use t his for sm all t o m edium groups. The U- shape keeps part icipant s in eye cont act wit h one anot her and reinforces t heir ownership of t he m eet ing; rows of t ables do not . A U- shape allows you t o ent er t he cent er of t he space when you need t o creat e focus on a process it em , and t hen t o clearly st ep out side and away from t he space when you want t o ensure t hat t he group is t aking over a decision. A U- shaped set t ing also lends it self t o som e sim ple approaches for m anaging dysfunct ional behaviors, discussed in Chapt er 18, " Managing Conflict ." On e la r ge gr ou pin g of r e ct a n gu la r t a ble s w it h pe ople on a ll fou r side s Use t his seat ing when it is not possible t o reconfigure t he room int o a U- shape and t he size of t he group is st ill sm all. M u lt iple r ou n d t a ble s This works well for very large groups where work will be subdivided int o sm aller groups. Wit h t en or fewer people at a t able, people who t end t o be ret icent st ill have a set t ing in which t hey can speak up wit hout having t o address t he ent ire crowd. Addit ionally, it st ill allows you access t o each t able and each group. There are som e ot her seat ing t echniques you should consider. When you plan on having observers, m ake sure t hat t he seat ing you have for t hem is behind t he m ain seat ing of part icipant s. I n Scrum m eet ings I have led, t he t eam s love having t he observers ( oft en referred t o in Scrum as t he " Chickens" ) sit separat e from and behind t he act ual working t eam . I t is a very physical rem inder of t heir non- speaking st at us in t he m eet ing. When you know t hat you are going t o have a num ber of breakout act ivit ies, eit her have t ables available in different corners of t he room , or m ake sure breakout room s are available in t he near vicinit y of t he m ain m eet ing room . Make sure t he seat ing in t hose room s is equally conducive t o groupwide part icipat ion. I n addit ion t o t he set up of t he seat ing for a room , pay at t ent ion t o t he wall space you will have available. For large Release Planning m eet ings and ret rospect ives, you m ay want t o build a release or proj ect t im eline using a series of flipchart s or a lengt h of but cher paper. That m eans you need a wall t hat is long and wide enough t o collect t he m any it em s t hat populat e such a chart . Even wit hout using a t im eline, evaluat e t he wall space in t erm s of how you will keep all your organizing t ools and accum ulat ed inform at ion radiat ors visible t hroughout t he course of t he m eet ing. You m ay need t o resort t o using windows or hanging som e very large it em s in hallways.

Setting Up Supplies Collaborat ive m eet ings st ay focused t hrough t he use of a variet y of t ools as underpinnings of t he inform at ion gat hering. Maint ain focus and part icipat ion by m aking sure you have st ocked: Lot s of flipch a r t s This includes a flipchart wit h flipchart easel for each sub- group. Lot s of pe n s Keep a cart on of ballpoint pens available for part icipant s. Lot s of m a r k e r s Flipchart m arkers and dry erase m arkers m ake for large highly legible it em s t o m ove around on wall chart s or on t ables for planning st rat egies, Sprint s, or it erat ions. Lot s of in de x ca r ds For capt uring st ories t o be planned in Sprint s, releases, or it erat ions. Lot s of Post - it n ot e s Can also be used for capt uring st ories, but also hold Parking Lot it em s, decisions, risks, personal obj ect ives, and any ot her brainst orm ing or list ing dat a t hat needs t o be accum ulat ed and t hen grouped or priorit ized. Lot s of t a pe ( a r t ist 's w h it e t a pe or blu e de cor a t or 's t a pe ; t h e se don 't m a r w a lls) To hang any inform at ion t hat is useful for t he t eam t o access during t he m eet ing: organizing t ools, t im elines, inst ruct ions, m aps, et c.

"Do Food" I n t heir book Fearless Change , Linda Rising and Mary Lynn Manns t alk about a pat t ern t hey call " Do Food" as a m eans t o support t eam s in m aking change. Collaborat ive m eet ings t hrive on food and beverage support . Here are a few " lessons learned" about food when working wit h t echnical t eam s: M a k e su r e t h a t coffe e , t e a , a n d w a t e r a r e a lw a ys a va ila ble , n ot j u st du r in g br e a k s I n part icular, m ake sure t eam m em bers have access t o lot s of bot t led wat er; wat er seem s t o keep people alert in m eet ings wit hout t he j it t ers t hat caffeine can bring. Fruit j uice is also a good energizer. I f possible, keep all of t hese it em s in t he back of t he room where anyone can access t hem at any t im e wit hout disrupt ing conversat ion or w or k. Pr ovide low - su ga r sn a ck s Sugar can cause som e adverse react ions in som e people's blood sugar and can cont ribut e t o m aking people anxious in a m eet ing; offer som e sugar- free subst it ut es in wit h t he candies if you are going t o m ake candy available. As an alt ernat ive, our t eam s are t ending t o offer m ore fruit t han candies during our m eet ings. Go ligh t on ca r boh ydr a t e s These m ake people drowsy. I f you don't int end t o have t eam m em bers up and m oving during t he course of t he m eet ing, avoid highcarbohydrat e snacks. I f pizza is t he snack of choice, m ake sure t hey are not sit t ing for long periods of t im e aft er eat ing. As a change of pace, I have m oved t o cheese, cracker, and fruit t rays. This keeps t he sugar and t he carbohydrat es at lower levels t han candy and pot at o chips. Use low - n oise pa ck a gin g At Chicago Sym phony Orchest ra concert s, audience m em bers have access t o large bins of free cough drops in t he lobbies. The sym phony has been clever enough t o use only lozenges wrapped in wax paper inst ead of cellophane. I t ry t o do t he sam e when picking snacks for access at t he t able during m eet ings. Sm all, low- noise it em s work best . M a n a ge die t a r y r e st r ict ion s Pay at t ent ion t o diet ary rest rict ions of t eam m em bers and provide a choice of snacks for all palat es. St ock a n y t e a m fa vor it e s I n one t eam I worked in, our favorit e food was Peanut M&Ms, so no m eet ing t ook off wit hout t hese, even t hough t hey violat ed t he sugar rule. I n anot her t eam , it was sugar- free red licorice ( definit ely low on t he noise scale! ) . Declaring a t eam favorit e and replenishing it s st ock oft en has been a great way t o build collaborat ion in t eam m eet ings. Food provides not j ust com fort and sust enance; it can also help reduce dist ract ions. The food on t he t able keeps t he people in t he chairs.

My Anecdote As an agile coach, I like t o ensure t hat food is available for any new t eam s j ust slogging t heir way t hrough a new, agile way of developing soft ware. The first m eet ings can have som e discom fort , and food helps alleviat e t he pain. I was headed t o a new client in San Francisco when I decided t o buy som e See's Lollipops at t he airport on m y way int o t own. They are larger t han norm al children's lollipops, and t he flavors are m ore about chocolat e and lat t e t han about sugary fruit . When I st art ed working wit h t he group on t heir Release Planning, I brought out t he See's, not knowing if a group of developers, t est ers, and t heir cust om er would like som et hing as non- cool as lollipops for food. As it t urned out , t hey loved t hem . The lollipops weren't an im m ediat e rush of sugar; t hey were different flavors t han norm al pops, and t hey t ook a long t im e t o finish. At one point , I looked around t he room , and everyone had a lollipop eit her in t heir hand or in t heir m out h as t hey walked around in serious cont em plat ion, planning t he st ories for t he it erat ions. As a result of t hat first m eet ing's "Do Food," I am not allowed back int o t heir offices unless I show up wit h a box of See's.

Welcoming Participants One of t he ways t o kick off a m eet ing on an up- not e is t o greet each person as t hey com e int o t he room . I have used t his for t eam s t hat are com ing t oget her for t he first t im e, or for t eam s t hat I am working wit h for t he first t im e. Make a point t o greet each person individually and shake hands as t hey ent er t he m eet ing room . This est ablishes a connect ion wit h part icipant s in a way t hat a com m and- and- cont rol environm ent or a t eaching environm ent does not . I t also lays a foundat ion t hat you believe in t he t eam 's ownership of t he m eet ing; you honor t he expert ise and wisdom t hat t hey are bringing int o t he room . Greet ing people at t he door set s a t one of your service t o t he t eam . You m ove t o t hem t o help t hem know im m ediat ely t hat t hey will be t he ones m aking t he decisions and driving t he work forward. This also helps break t he m ent al barrier t hey m ay have about t heir work in t he m eet ing. Regardless of where t hey sit in t he m eet ing, t hey have already been invit ed int o t he space of collaborat ion by being greet ed. They are not expect ed t o j ust wat ch, list en, and t hen heed com m ands.

Kicking Off the Meeting When it is t im e t o st art t he m eet ing, your first order of business is t o ask t he t eam if t hey are ready t o st art . What a shock t his is t o lot s of t eam s! They are not used t o owning t he very first decision of a m eet ing; t hat is, should we st art now or should we wait ? Ask a t eam at t he post ed st art t im e if t hey are ready t o st art . I f t here are several people st ill m issing from t he list of part icipant s, m ake a suggest ion about whet her t o wait for t hem or t o st art . ( I n over 90% of all t he m eet ings I have ever run, t he im m ediat e and happy response is " Let 's st art ! " ) Asking a group for t heir decision about when t o st art is an early, easy validat ion t hat t hey are in t he driver's seat ; t hey own t he m eet ing; and t hey will drive t he ot her decisions t hat m ove t he m eet ing t hrough t o it s purpose.

Introducing the Purpose and Agenda Once you have welcom ed t he ent ire group t o t he m eet ing, your first work is t o rem ind t hem of t he post ed Purpose and Agenda for t he m eet ing. Having brought t he group's at t ent ion t o t he post ed Purpose, walk t hrough t he post ed Agenda wit h t hem , rem inding t hem t hat t he role of t he agenda is t o help t he t eam achieve t he purpose of t he m eet ing. Touch each agenda it em as you present it t o t he t eam ; t his helps creat e focus about t he flow of t he post ed Agenda. Then ask t he t eam if t he post ed Agenda looks like t he right set of it em s t hat will help t he t eam m eet t he post ed Purpose. I f you have done your hom ework in surveying part icipant s prior t o t he m eet ing, t his should not be an issue. But if t hat work hasn't t aken place, t his is a crit ical m om ent in how t he m eet ing m oves forward. You m ay discover t hat som eone has som e expert inform at ion t hey feel needs t o be int roduced int o t he m eet ing at a cert ain point . Or, you m ay find out t hat t he agenda m akes an assum pt ion about a cert ain decision t hat hasn't really been resolved. Now is t he t im e t o ask t he group for t heir recom m endat ions on how t o m ake t he agenda work for t hem . Not e all recom m ended changes on t he post ed Agenda.

The WIIFM and Scope of Authority Very oft en when t eam m em bers st ep int o a m eet ing, if t hey have not gat hered wholly as a t eam before, t hey m ay not yet underst and or believe in " What 's in it for m e?" or WI I FM. During t he kickoff of t he m eet ing, t ake t im e t o explicit ly delineat e what 's in it for t he part icipant s, eit her as a whole, or by role. Think about what is in it for t he t est ers in an it erat ion planning m eet ing. What 's in it for t he st akeholders in a pre- Release Planning m eet ing? Why should a developer care about a proj ect ret rospect ive? Now is t he t im e t o explicit ly st at e t hese com pelling reasons for t heir part icipat ion and t o ask for t heir act ive engagem ent in t he m eet ing. I n addit ion, you m ay also want t o clearly out line t he t eam 's " Scope of Aut horit y." Will t he decisions t hey m ake as a t eam t oday be im m ediat ely act ionable? Are t here st ill som e ot her groups who m ust m eet and weigh in on t he t opic before t he final decisions? I s t his j ust t he first in a series of m eet ings t hat will ult im at ely lead t o an overall proj ect plan? I s t he t eam m aking a recom m endat ion t o upper m anagem ent who will t hen m ake t he final decision? Now is t he t im e t o clarify all t hese aspect s of t he t eam 's im pact on what happens wit h t he m eet ing's out com es.

Review of the Organizing Tools Prior t o t he m eet ing, you have prepared a full set of organizing t ools. These wall chart s and process m aps guide t he m eet ing and keep it afloat as t he t eam m oves t hrough t he agenda, accum ulat es inform at ion, and m akes decisions. Now is t he t im e t o review t hese t ools one by one. Clarify t he role of each of t he t ools in t he m eet ing and ask t he t eam 's perm ission t o use each:

1 . Ground Rules 2 . Parking Lot 3 . Decisions Board 4 . Act ion Plan 5 . Com m unicat ions Plan 6 . Ot her( s) 7 . Consensus Definit ion Rem em ber t o t ouch each hanging chart as you explain it s role in t he m eet ing. Physical closeness creat es focus for t he t eam and confirm s your int ent t o use t he t ools in service t o t he t eam .

Explaining Logistics and Participation When kicking off a m eet ing, it is im port ant t o put at t endees at ease about what t he m eet ing is about , how you will help t hem m eet t heir purpose, and what t ools are at t heir disposal as t hey m ove t hrough t he agenda it em s. We do all of t his t o creat e and m aint ain focus. Therefore, you also need t o be very clear at t he st art of a collaborat ive m eet ing about any nuisances relat ed t o t he m eet ing logist ics: when will t he breaks be, what t im e will t he lunch be served, how m uch t im e will we have t o go get lunch if it is not served, where will we be able t o hold sm all group discussions, who do we t alk t o about get t ing m essages, what t im e do t he doors lock, how do we sign in and out of t his secure building, where are t he rest room s, and so on. I n explaining t he logist ics and overall flow of t he m eet ing ( breaks, lunch, breakout s, et c.) , also explicit ly ask at t his t im e if anyone knows at t he st art of t he m eet ing whet her t hey will have t o leave t he m eet ing at any point , eit her t em porarily or not ret urning at all. This is anot her point where you t urn t o t he t eam t o ask if t hat works for t hem . I f t he Product Manager is int ending t o leave t he planning m eet ing aft er t he kickoff, does t he t eam feel it can st ill m ove forward wit hout t hat person's priorit izat ion guidance? I f t he head of QA has t o leave early, will we st ill be able t o creat e a t eam - wide com m it m ent t o t he release? I s t here som e way t hat we can accom m odat e t hese disrupt ions by changing t he agenda around? Or is it necessary t o post pone t his m eet ing unt il all part icipant s can be fully engaged?

Gathering Personal Objectives Wit h new groups t hat have never worked t oget her before, or wit h a group going t hrough a new process t hey have not used before, now is t he t im e t o gat her t heir personal obj ect ives. Just as in t he pre- m eet ing exercise when you survey som e of t he part icipant s about t heir part icipat ion in t he m eet ing, you use t his t im e t o ask all t he at t endees t o t hink about why t hey are in t he m eet ing and what t hey hope t o get out of t he m eet ing.

To keep t his exercise short and t o engage t eam s early in group work, have t hem gat her in groups of t hree or four and ask one person t o be t he scribe using a st ack of st icky not es. Ask m em bers t o ponder t he quest ion t hat you had used in t he pre- m eet ing survey:

" I m agine t hat t he m eet ing has j ust ended." " You are walking out t he door of t he m eet ing, and you t urn t o your colleague and say, 'I am so happy I at t ended t his m eet ing! I got exact ly what I want ed out of it ! '" " What was it t hat t he m eet ing accom plished t hat m ade you so happy?"

Allow t wo t o t hree m inut es for each group's scribe t o writ e answers t o t his quest ion, one answer per st icky not e. When t he t im e is up, collect t he not es, read each one aloud, and place it on a post ed chart ent it led " Personal Obj ect ives." As t he planner of t he m eet ing, you m ay know som e of t his already. But here is t he t eam 's chance t o have t heir aspirat ions and goals post ed for t he rest of t he group. Addit ionally, you m ay discover inform at ion t hat you did not expect . When you have post ed all of t he responses, you m ust prom ise t o ret urn t o t he post ed it em s at t he end of t he m eet ing t o see whet her t he personal obj ect ives have been m et . You'll go t hrough t hese it em s at t he closing, but t ell part icipant s at t he st art t hat you will work wit h t hem t o det erm ine whet her: The personal obj ect ive has been m et . The personal obj ect ive hasn't been m et and st ill needs t o be addressed before ending t he m eet ing. The personal obj ect ive does not need t o be m et in order t o m eet t he purpose of t he m eet ing.

"I Am Here to Serve You" The last bit of work at t he st art of a collaborat ive m eet ing is t o very explicit ly est ablish your role wit h t he t eam , not as a com m ander or disciplinarian, but as an owner of t he process and a servant t o t he t eam 's best wisdom . "I am here t o serve you." All of t he m eet ing kickoff act ivit ies should have est ablished t his, but t his is your t im e t o st at e it very explicit ly. Whet her you are t he proj ect m anager, t he business owner, t he archit ect , t he Scrum Mast er, t he XP Coach, or an out side facilit at or, est ablish your int ent now and what it will look like in t he m eet ing. Alt hough you m ay be holding ot her roles in t he m eet ing, such as a t echnical lead or a subj ect m at t er expert , when you are st anding in front of t he group and creat ing a collaborat ive environm ent , you m ust est ablish and confirm your role in servant leadership.

My Anecdote I found out j ust how powerful t his st at em ent was when I was preparing for a part icularly large and cont ent ious pre- release st rat egy m eet ing wit h a group of com bat ive business unit s. I had discerned from t he pre- m eet ing phone calls t hat t he general sense was t hat t he m eet ing would be cont ent ious, lacking in focus, have far t oo m any at t endees, and t hat " Not hing will get done; we'll j ust be forced int o a decision and be t old t o m ake it work." I could sense also t hat t hey assum ed I was being asked t o facilit at e in order t o exert cont rol and force t hem t o " cooperat e" and com plet e t he st rat egy plan. As I com plet ed t he kickoff of t he m eet ing, I t ook t he t im e t o pause and t urn t o t he group. " This is a large group. There is a lot of work t o be done. I am here t o rem ove im pedim ent s and t o serve you. I f anyt hing is get t ing in your way of com plet ing your work, please com e t o m e, grab m y sleeve, and say, 'Jean, I need you t o serve m e.'" People laughed at t his, but it clearly got t heir at t ent ion. We com plet ed t he kickoff, answered rem aining quest ions, and t hen had t he groups divide int o t he various breakout t eam s t hat would be t ackling t he t hree prim ary business issues. Over t he next t wo days, I had individuals from all different roles in t he t eam s com e t o m e, laugh sheepishly while t ugging on m y sleeve, and say, " Jean, I need you t o serve m e." Though it becam e a j oke, it also becam e t he " password" for get t ing som et hing t hey felt t hey needed: access t o a part icular subj ect m at t er expert , som eplace t o m ake m ore copies of t heir high- level requirem ent s docum ent s, m ore flipchart paper, clarificat ion on what t heir t eam was expect ed t o produce for t he rest of t he group, when and how all t he t eam result s would be pulled t oget her, and so on. When we did t he debrief at t he end of t he long, hard t wo days, we learned t hat people really valued t he sense t hat t hey had cont rol of what was going on and t hat t hey always had som eone t o t urn t o im m ediat ely t o help t hem get unst uck from a block in t heir work.

Chapter 11. Defining the Steps The heart and soul of t eam part icipat ion begins wit h ensuring t hat decisions adequat ely represent all part icipant s' views. That m eans t hat t eam s m ust learn t o gat her and share inform at ion effect ively in order t o grow collaborat ively. Facilit at ing t eam s t hrough inform at ion gat hering can creat e great t rust and energy, accom plish early wins, and inspire t eam s t o reach solut ions t hey couldn't have reached as individuals. Som e fundam ent al inform at ion- gat hering t echniques include brainst orm ing, list ing, grouping, priorit izing, quest ioning, sm all group discussion, and expert input . Each of t hese approaches needs cont ext and st ruct ure t hat envelops it in a reliable packet for bringing it int o t he m eet ing as direct ly relevant t o t he m eet ing agenda. So before digging int o t he t echnical det ails of each approach, it 's wort h paying at t ent ion t o t he set of st eps t hat guide how t o deliver any of t he t echniques in a reliable and sust aining way. You can t hink about inform at ion gat hering in t erm s of four basic st eps: 1.

Pr e pa r e Provide part icipant s wit h all t he inst ruct ions and m at erials t hey need t o com plet e t he work.

2.

Pr om pt Deliver a concise, clear quest ion t hat st im ulat es t he inform at ion gat hering.

3.

Ga t h e r Guide part icipant s in creat ing and gat hering t heir responses t hrough t he part icular inform at ion gat hering process.

4.

Pr oce ss Lead part icipant s in using t heir inform at ion t o form ulat e knowledge and act ionable decisions.

1. Prepare Whet her you are leading fift y people or five, preparat ion on your part in underst anding how t o aid t hem in accum ulat ing inform at ion will go a long way. For any of t he variet y of inform at iongat hering processes, t he first order of business is t o ensure t hat part icipant s know exact ly what is being asked of t hem : What inform at ion do you want ? How do you want it capt ured? How m uch t im e do I have t o give it t o you? What do I do wit h it when I am done? How can you assure m e t hat m y input will be valued? Lack of clarit y about t hese fact s and guidelines can frust rat e part icipant s and lead t o dist rust , apat hy, non- part icipat ion, and even sabot age. ( Sabot age lingers everywhere t hat you explicit ly or im plicit ly t ake away t he t eam 's cont rol of it s work.) Be clear, succinct , and direct ive in t hese preparat ions before you proceed t o t he Prom pt , Gat her, or Process st eps. Here is a sim ple guide for how t o prepare a t eam in a way t hat rem oves all doubt about what will be expect ed of t hem :

1 . W H AT St at e which it em in t he agenda t he t eam has now reached and point t o it as you st at e it . ( Rest at ing t he agenda and point ing t o t he part icular it em m akes sure everyone knows where t hey are, whet her t hey have been out of t he m eet ing briefly, have j ust j oined t he m eet ing, or have been dist ract ed in t he m iddle of t he m eet ing. Help people st ay part icipat ory! ) Exam ple: " We are now at Agenda I t em J: What are all t he User St ories t o be considered for our August release? I 'd like us t o gat her t his inform at ion t hrough som e brainst orm ing." 2 . W H EN Tell t he t eam t he t im e lim it you int end t o use t o bound t he exercise, and t ell t hem t hat you are going t o give t hem all t he inst ruct ions first . This helps t he t eam set som e cont ext for knowing what is expect ed of t hem in t erm s of focus and t im e com m it m ent . I t also m akes sure t hat t hey don't st art answering t he agenda quest ion unt il t hey have learned how t hey will do so. Exam ple: " We're going t o t ake 20 m inut es t o gat her inform at ion about t his it em , and t hen we'll t ake 30 m inut es t o discuss t he result s. Before we begin, I want t o explain t o you how we are going t o do t his." 3 . W H O Explain how t hey should group t hem selves ( or not ) , and whet her any special role is t o be designat ed ( such as one or m ore scribes) . Have t he t eam com plet e t his inst ruct ion before you cont inue wit h t he rem aining inst ruct ions. Exam ple: " I 'd like you t o work in four groups t o do t his. Please divide int o t he four groups based on t he com pass point groupings we used for I t em G earlier. Once you are in your groups, could you each m ake sure t hat you have one scribe designat ed per group?" 4.

4 . H OW Make sure t hat t hey have all t he m at erials t hey will need t o com plet e t he work. This should be com plet ed before you allow t hem t o m ove t o t he next st ep. Exam ple: " Once you are in your groups, could you m ake sure t hat each person in t he group has a m arker and a st ack of Post - it Not es?" Or, " Once you have designat ed t he scribe, could you m ake sure t hat person has a m arker and a flipchart . And could you please label your chart at t he t op 'RELEASES USER STORI ES'?" As part of preparat ion, you should also have all your own m at erials t oget her t o process t he inform at ion once t he t eam has done it s work. Have a flipchart or som e ot her wall chart clearly labeled wit h t he useful t it le of t he inform at ion it will accum ulat e and m anage during t he " Process" work. Once you have provided all t hese inst ruct ions and m at erials, st at e one last t im e what is about t o occur and ensure t hat everyone is ready:

5 . READ Y Explain t he gist of t he inform at ion gat hering and t hen ask one last t im e if anyone has any quest ions about what is t o occur before you m ove t o t he next st ep, t he Prom pt quest ion. Exam ple: " Now t hat you are all ready, I 'm going t o give you a quest ion t o help you t hink about your work. Once I have com plet ed t he quest ion, you'll have 20 m inut es t o record your answers, one answer per Post - it Not e. I 'll let you know when your t im e is j ust about up. Any quest ions before we proceed?" Or, " Now t hat you are ready, I 'm going t o give you a quest ion t o help you t hink about your work. Once I have com plet ed t he quest ion, your group will have 20 m inut es t o call out responses t o your designat ed scribe. Please give t hem t o t he scribe one person at a t im e. Scribes, please record verbat im what t he t eam t ells you. Any quest ions before we proceed?" Clear inst ruct ions rem ove frust rat ion and creat e t rust . When you are well prepared and clear wit h your inst ruct ions, you provide com fort and t rust t o your t eam about what is about t o t ake place. Free from confusion or frust rat ion, t he t eam can concent rat e fully on t he t ask at hand. They aren't ham pered by your lack of preparat ion.

2. Prompt The Prom pt should be as clear and succinct as t he preparat ion guidance. I use a fairly st rict form ula t hat est ablishes a non- am biguous scenario, som e of it s possibilit ies, and t hen a quest ion t hat invit es responses. No frills. No get t ing lost in t he det ails. And no wandering off t he agenda it em or accident ally m isleading part icipant s t o answer t he wrong quest ion. Here's how:

The Prompt QuestionA Story in a Triptych Pa r t I Set t he st age ( " Think about our upcom ing August release." ) pause Pa r t I I Elaborat e t he scenario ( " Think of all t he possible funct ions t hat we have been discussing about t he next version of t he aut om at ed syst em , t he user int erfaces, t he financial dat a checking, t he workflow analysis, newly st ruct ured cross- unit dat a int egrit y, and our own concerns about archit ect ure and deadlines." ) pause Pa r t I I I Ask t he quest ion ( " Now t ell m e: What are all t he possible User St ories for our August release?" ) silence

Based on t his exam ple, t hink about what inform at ion is being request ed. Do you know t he quest ion your responses should be answering? Can you visualize t he cont ext of t he quest ion and som e ideas about it adequat ely t o spark your responses? I f so, t hen it is a good Prom pt quest ion. Here are t he charact erist ics of a good Prom pt quest ion: I t is present ed in t hree st at em ent s, separat ed by pauses. I t first set s a general cont ext st at em ent ( Part I ) t o help part icipant s com e back t o t he m eet ing agenda and set t le int o t he exercise. This is one sent ence, no m ore. Be concise and cut a wide enough swat h in which part icipant s can feel com fort able in a general sense about t he t opic. I t elaborat es on t he general cont ext t o help t he part icipant s st art t o m ent ally dig around in what t hey m ay know in t he cont ext ( Part I I ) . This is no m ore t han t wo sent ences. Be clear and brief. Help part icipant s st art t o st eer t heir t hought s int o a m ore focused direct ion. I t asks a very clear, concise quest ion ( Part I I I ) t hat direct ly m irrors an it em from t he agenda. This is one quest ion only and is always direct ly from t he agenda. Be exact . Make no m ist ake about what is now want ed.

Prom pt quest ions look decept ively easy. Mast ering t hem is a different m at t er. Avoid t hese com m on pit falls: Part I ( t he st age) is eit her t oo vague or t oo int ricat e and com plex; part icipant s have no idea why t hey should be list ening t o you and m ay j ust give up before t he work even begins. Part I I ( t he scenario) wanders on t oo long; part icipant s get lost , frust rat ed, or bored. They now st art writ ing up what t hey want t o answer, having given up on your abilit y t o help t hem focus. Or t hey decide not t o part icipat e at all. Part I I I ( t he quest ion) doesn't reflect a quest ion on t he agenda. Or it has t oo m any flourishes added t o it , disguising it from being recognized as pert inent t o t he m eet ing. This also annoys part icipant s beyond dist ract ion! No pauses bet ween part s. I nform at ion about t he exercise becom es t oo hard t o follow. There is no sense of focus built int o t he Prom pt , no focal drive. I f t he leader isn't able t o set focus, part icipant s m ay find it eit her hard t o do or unint erest ing t o do.

3. Gather Once you have prepared t he t eam wit h all t he inst ruct ions and have delivered a clear and concise Prom pt quest ion, it is t im e for t he part icipant s t o creat e t heir inform at ion. As t hey gat her dat a t hrough brainst orm ing, list ing, or ot her gat hering t echniques, your j ob is t o " Guide from t he Side" t hat is, once part icipant s are engaged in t heir work, leave t hem t o it . Give t hem your silence. Your role during gat hering is t o serve t hem wit hout disrupt ion. You do t his by providing guidance when asked. You are neit her a cont ribut or nor an influencer. Your guidance and service m ay look like t he following: Clarify t he preparat ion or t he Prom pt quest ion for anyone who asks for t hat guidance. ( Not e : only provide guidance when asked; ot herwise, you run t he risk of dist ract ing part icipant s or st eering t heir work off point inadvert ent ly.) Provide t im ebox warnings. ( " You have about one m inut e left t o finish up your responses." ) Supply part icipant s wit h any addit ional t ools t hey m ay need ( m arkers, index cards, paper, flipchart s, t ape, et c.) . Scribe responses ( t his should only be t rue in a facilit at or- led exercise) . Declare t he end of t he t im ebox. Gat her responses ( t his m ay be part of anot her process, such as grouping, or part of your current process; decide in advance how you will do t his) .

4. Process Wit h t he inform at ion creat ed, your j ob now is t o lead t he t eam in m oving t heir work from an array of diverse dat a elem ent s int o a group st at em ent of knowledge. Doing so, you ensure t hat t heir expert ise converges int o a useful view of priorit y and value t hat creat es act ion and decisions. During t his st ep, you: Maint ain t he flow of discourse and discussion t hat leads t o decisions. St eer t he debat e t o dialogue. St ress t he convergent at t ribut es of t he dat a versus t he divergence. Help t he t eam recognize when t hey have reached a decision. Capt ure t he act ion it em s t hat em erge as a result of t he work. Guide t he t eam in det erm ining t hat t hey have com plet ed t he work necessary for t he agenda it em . Use t his Prepare Prom pt Gat her Process approach for every inform at ion gat hering exercise you bring int o a m eet ing, and it will becom e second nat ure t o you. Moreover, you'll begin t o not ice t hat part icipant s are able t o focus m ore readily, get right int o t he work, and creat e m ore valuable inform at ion. Unham pered by confusion or frust rat ion about t he work and how t o produce t heir out put s, part icipant s are liberat ed t o j ust get on wit h t heir work, and t hat is a m ight y fine t hing.

My Anecdote I had been working wit h a colleague in figuring out som e st rat egies for gat hering risk inform at ion in ant icipat ion of a Product Backlog priorit izat ion review. As we were defining t he agenda, he had decided t o lead t he t eam in a brainst orm ing exercise about t he risks, and so we out lined a Prepare, Prom pt , Gat her, and Process approach t o support t he brainst orm . On t he day of t he m eet ing when he cam e t o t his exercise, he accident ally skipped t he " Prepare" st ep and went st raight int o his " Prom pt ." During t he " Prom pt ," he began his own brainst orm ing about what t he risk it em s m ight be. This com binat ion of m ix- ups caused several problem s in t he exercise. Som e of t he part icipant s im m ediat ely began t o j ust writ e t hings down on t heir own ( t hey hadn't been prepared for what t hey would be doing, how t hey would be doing it , and when t hey would st art ) . Ot her part icipant s st art ed t o look around t he room and flip t hrough ot her m at erials ( t hey had lost int erest in t he brainst orm because t he leader was already brainst orm ing his own ideas first ) . Frust rat ion was really t aking over for t he part icipant s and for m y colleague. He was bom barded wit h quest ions and com m ent s, so bot h he and t he t eam lost t he focus and int ent of t he exercise. Lat er when we debriefed t he exercise, he recognized t he source of all t he confusion. I t was wonderful t he next t im e we were in a m eet ing t oget her. He had really t aken t he four st eps t o heart , and I could see t hat he was able t o help t he t eam prepare

for t heir work and t hen creat e and m aint ain focus on t hat work.

Chapter 12. Gathering the InformationBrainstorming and Listing One of t he key propellers for helping t eam s m ove from divergence t o convergence and t hus int o high- perform ance is t he effect ive im plem ent at ion of inform at ion- gat hering t echniques. Brainst orm ing and list ing are t he t ried and t rue workhorses em ployed in t hese collaborat ive cont ext s. Facilit at ors have long been t urning t o t hese t wo basic t echniques as t heir st ock and t rade for bringing workshop part icipant s t oget her t o express what t hey know in a given dom ain. While t he t wo t echniques do have differences, here first are som e of t heir com m on charact erist ics: They provide a speedy m eans for gat hering large am ount s of dat a. They prom ot e product ivit y. They ensure an environm ent of safet y for sharing inform at ion. Every answer is a good answer. All answers have equal weight ( changing t heir weight s only occurs aft er t he inform at ion gat hering has ended and only as deem ed necessary by t he t eam ) . Because all answers are good answers and no answer carries m ore weight t han any anot her, t hey prom ot e equalit y am ong t eam m em bers. They provide an " early win" t o t he t eam because part icipant s, as reinforced by t he facilit at or, can quickly see how m uch t hey know and how easily t heir knowledge can be gat hered and processed for furt her use. They provide a sim ple, st raight forward m eans of validat ing collaborat ion in t he t eam , eit her when t he t eam creat es it s responses or when t he facilit at or helps t he t eam process t hose responses. They encourage preservat ion of t he t eam wisdom .

Brainstorming Versus Listing Using brainst orm ing and list ing effect ively m eans knowing when one approach is m ore beneficial t han t he ot her for helping a t eam gat her it s collect ive wisdom . Each serves an express purpose for m anaging inform at ion. Here is a sim ple guideline t o dist inguish list ing from brainst orm ing: List ing Docum ent t he known set ; be correct . I n list ing, you recollect t he " As I s" inform at ion. The t im e lim it is m ore relaxed and m eant t o encourage t horoughness and com plet ion. Exam ple: The t eam needs t o docum ent all t he dat a, at t ribut es, funct ions, and algorit hm s used t o calculat e t he capit alizable port ion of cont ract ed labor expense. You facilit at e t hem in a List ing exercise so t hat t hey can fully define all t he necessary dat a elem ent s and calculat ions. Thoroughness count s. Br a in st or m in g Derive t he possibilit ies ; anyt hing goes. I n brainst orm ing, you creat e t he " What I fs." The t im e lim it is t ight and m eant t o push part icipant s t o t hink highly creat ively wit hout ret hinking t he det ails. Exam ple: Once t his inform at ion has been defined, t he t eam now needs t o t hink of how t o provide t he dat a and calculat ions t o proj ect m anagers, program m anagers, direct ors, and cont ract negot iat ors. You facilit at e t he t eam in a Br a in st or m in g exercise so t hat t hey can freely derive an unbounded set of possible solut ions. Creat ivit y count s. Given t hese guidelines, you can t hink of various uses of each ( see Table 12.1) where each is m ore appropriat e t han t he ot her based on t he t ype of inform at ion being sought :

Ta ble 1 2 .1 . Br a in st or m in g Ve r su s List in g Br a in st or m in g

List ing

Fut ures

Current

Solut ions

At t ribut es

Free t hinking

Docum ent ing

Creat ivit y

Thorough coverage

Random ness

Analysis

Reflect ion

Recollect ion

The unknown

The known

Refact oring

Process definit ion

St rat egizing

Decisions

What ifs

As is

Risk ident ificat ion and possible resolut ion

Risk act ions

Em ot ion

Fact

Meanwhile, som e form s of inform at ion m ay lend t hem selves t o eit her t echnique equally well. Decide which t o use based on whet her you are m ot ivat ing your t eam m ore t oward creat iveness or t horoughness: St or ybu ildin g Som et im es t eam s prefer t o t hink " out of t he box" in deriving all t he possibilit ies for st ories t o be considered for a release ( brainst orm ing) ; t hey t hen prefer t o be clear and finit e in defining t he st ories for a given it erat ion ( list ing) . Te a m bu ildin g Just as success breeds success, collaborat ion breeds collaborat ion. Team s value early wins in how well t hey collaborat e. Use eit her t echnique early in t he t eam 's life t o inst ill a sense of t he ease wit h which t hey can collaborat ively com m unicat e and docum ent . Brainst orm ing m ay be t he easier t ask; det erm ine t his based on t he t eam cult ure. Does t he t eam need a nudge in it s creat ivit y or in it s t horoughness? Pr ior it iza t ion I f t he goal is t o build a priorit ized list of it em s, you can first accum ulat e t he full set of non- priorit ized it em s using eit her brainst orm ing or list ing. The nat ure of t he it em s m ay t ell you which t echnique would be preferable. When asking, " What is t he highest - priorit y t hing we m ust com plet e for t his release?" you would engage t he t eam in list ing. To answer, " How should we priorit ize all t he possible t hings we could do for t his release?" you could lead t he t eam in a brainst orm ing exercise. Gr ou pin g Team s m ay choose t o t rack inform at ion it em s in cat egories or groups in order t o help t hem m anage large am ount s of proj ect or product det ail. Som et im es t he grouping will be of all t he what ifs t hat surround t he proj ect ; t hat 's your signal t o im plem ent brainst orm ing. Ot her t im es, t he grouping will m anage t he defined set of at t ribut es or t asks t hat exist in t he proj ect ; t urn t o list ing t o help t he t eam define t hese groups. What ever approach looks t he m ost appropriat e for t he work you want t o accom plish, use t he Prepare Prom pt Gat her Process form ula from Chapt er 11, " Defining t he St eps," as t he basic m apping of how t o use t he t echnique in an agenda it em . The following sect ions present a num ber of t echniques for accom plishing eit her brainst orm ing or list ing. Pay at t ent ion t o how t he " Prepare" and " Gat her" st eps differ from t echnique t o t echnique. That is where you will m ake sure t hat t he t echnique is applied usefully. The " Prom pt " st ep rem ains t he sam e t hroughout .

Techniques for Brainstorming Alt hough brainst orm ing prom ot es creat ivit y and unbounded possibilit ies for t eam inform at ion gat hering, t his freedom of expression requires ( paradoxically) som e st rict guidelines on your part as t he coordinat or and process- owner of t he exercise: Use a short enough t im ebox t o encourage responses but discourage analysis ( use a t im er t o st rict ly m anage t he t im e) . Tell t he part icipant s how m uch t im e will be used for t he exercise before you begin t he brainst orm ing. Explain exact ly how you will capt ure inform at ion in t he exercise prior t o st art ing t he exercise. Make sure part icipant s have all t he m at erials t hey will need t o com plet e t he exercise before st art ing t he t im er. St art t he exercise wit h a "Prom pt " quest ion, t hen begin t he t im er. Never com m ent on t he value or validit y of a response or com plim ent a response or a respondent . Discourage any discussion about response; discussion can be a follow- up t o t he brainst orm ing. Never int erj ect your own responses. Never edit a response and never reproach anyone for not responding. Always writ e exact ly what was spoken. Always end when t he t im e is up ( when t he t im er has beeped) . You m ay have t o t em per t his last guideline if responses are com ing t oo fast . I f you cannot keep up, ask part icipant s t o speak one at a t im e t o allow you t o com plet e t he full response from each. Rem ind t hem t o bullet t heir responses as best as possible When you engage in brainst orm ing, st ick t o t hese guidelines regardless of which specific approach you apply; your t eam s will be able t o respond m ore creat ively and openly. Here are a num ber of approaches t hat rely on t hese brainst orm ing fundam ent als. Keep t hem in your st able of collaborat ive t ools and int erchange t hem for variet y and applicabilit y: Facilit at or- led Callout Post - it Not es Round robin Pass t he pen Pass t he card The guidance present ed here is highly prescript ive, int ended as a guide when you are first applying t he t echnique. Think about ult im at ely m oving int o your own approach t hat works wit h your personal st yle wit hin your t eam s. Addit ionally, any one of t hese approaches lends

it self t o follow- on processing such as grouping or priorit izing, described in Chapt er 15, " Processing t he I nform at ion."

Facilitator-Led Callout Use t his t echnique t o encourage fast , lively inform at ion gat hering. This is a good early- win device t o wake up a t eam and energize t hem for t he m ore det ail- orient ed, int ense work t hat m ay be com ing lat er in t he m eet ing. But be forewarned, it has it s drawbacks: One or t wo m em bers m ay t end t o dom inat e. Avoid eye cont act wit h part icipant s who begin t o dom inat e t he exercise. Som e t ips: Be sure t o use " What else?" as your only prom pt . Do not com m ent on responses, and never edit any response provided. 1 . Prepare:

Label a flipchart clearly wit h t he t opic of t he brainst orm ( " User I nt erface Considerat ions," " What is Working Well," " Decision St rat egies," " Nam e t he Baby" ) . Explain t hat you will writ e each response on t he flipchart as t he t eam calls it out . 2 . Prom pt wit h t he brainst orm quest ion. 3 . Gat her:

Hit t he t im er, say not hing else , and poise your pen on t he flipchart t o signal t hat you are ready t o begin collect ing responses. Rem em ber, your only response t o any offered response is " What else?" Cont inue unt il t im e runs out .

Post-it Notes This is a variat ion on t he facilit at or- led callout . I n t his t echnique, part icipant s writ e t heir responses on Post - it Not es, one response per not e, rat her t han call t hem out t o t he facilit at or t o be scribed on a flipchart . Be sure t o rem ind t he group of t he brainst orm ing, fast nat ure of t he exercise.

1 . Prepare:

Label a flipchart clearly wit h t he t opic of t he brainst orm ( " User I nt erface Considerat ions," " What is Working Well," " Decision St rat egies," " Nam e t he Baby" ) . This rem inds part icipant s of t he brainst orm ing t opic and is used lat er when processing t he collect ed individual responses. Explain t hat you are about t o begin a brainst orm ing where each person will be writ ing t heir responses individually on Post - it Not es. ( You m ay want t o give som e hint as t o what t he follow- on work will be wit h t heir responses, such as priorit izing, great er det ail t hrough sm all group discussion, grouping, or pros and cons t o help t hem keep t heir responses short for t he brainst orm ing.) Writ e each of your responses on a st icky, one response per st icky: t hree responses equals t hree st ickies. Even if t he exercise is conduct ed in sm all groups, t here should be no discussion during t he exercise; everyone is working as an individual. 2 . Prom pt wit h t he brainst orm quest ion. 3 . Gat her:

Hit t he t im er, say " Begin," and say not hing else . End when t im e has run out . How you " Process" t he responses aft er t he t im er beeps depends on what you int end t o do wit h t he m at erial ( priorit izing, grouping, or post ing) .

Small Group Post-it Notes The usefulness of t he individual Post - it Not es approach suffers if you have a very large group. You m ay get inundat ed in processing all of t he individual responses and lose t he focus of t he m eet ing. To keep t he group m oving forward and focused, consider t his sm all group variat ion. I n t he " Prepare" st ep, divide t he group int o sm aller groups ( preferably no m ore t han five or six t ot al groups) . Ask for a scribe volunt eer from each group who will do all t he writ ing for t he group. Only t he scribe has t he Post - it Not es and t he m arker for writ ing responses. Rem ind t he scribes of all t he rules about brainst orm ing: one response per st icky; writ e responses as spoken; do not com m ent on responses. When it is t im e t o process t he responses, t he scribe will represent t he sum of work from t he group.

Round Robin Use t his t echnique t o draw out creat ivit y in a fast - paced fashion t hat purposefully engages everyone in t he room . Drawbacks t o t his approach: Som e people m ay feel t oo pressured t o respond if t hey have not yet felt safe and secure in t he m eet ing. For exam ple, a cust om er service represent at ive in a group of developers and archit ect s m ay st ill feel uncom fort able present ing non- t echnical ideas in such a t echnical environm ent . Allow people t o pass and greet t hem wit h a sm ile, not disappoint m ent , when t hey do.

1 . Prepare:

Label a flipchart clearly wit h t he t opic of t he brainst orm ( " User Funct ions for t he Next I t erat ion," " Pairing Opt ions," " Design St rat egies," " Nam e t he Pod" ) . Be prepared t o scribe all t he responses on t his chart . Responses will be gat hered " Round Robin" wit h each person in t he group answering in t urn. I ndicat e t he order of t he respondent s by point ing out who t he first , second, and t hird person will be ( t his gives t hese t hree people som e heads up t hat t hey will be t he first t o respond! ) . Anyone can pass on his or her t urn by j ust saying " Pass." Keep going around t he t eam solicit ing responses eit her by eye cont act or by calling out t he next person's nam e unt il t he t im e is up. 2 . Prom pt wit h t he appropriat e quest ion. 3 . Gat her answers on t he flipchart unt il all part icipant s pass or unt il t im e has run out .

Pass the Pen Use t his t echnique t o get part icipant s out of t heir chairs and act ively scribing t heir own responses. This is a good t echnique t o use lat e in t he day or im m ediat ely aft er lunch when let hargy or apat hy can set in. Being physically in charge of t he inform at ion helps part icipant s wake up and pay at t ent ion. The drawbacks? This t echnique assum es everyone has t he gram m ar, spelling, and handwrit ing skills t o part icipat e. Make sure you do not have anyone in t he group uncom fort able wit h t he language in writ t en form ( such as a speaker of English as a second language or in an unskilled labor group) . These language- challenged t eam m em bers m ay not be able t o part icipat e wit hout em barrassm ent . Addit ionally, because t his t echnique rem oves anonym it y, it m ay adversely reinforce who has cont ribut ed which it em s t o t he brainst orm ing. Don't use "Pass t he Pen" if t he group is fearful of t he sponsor, m anager, or any dom inat ing, cont rolling part icipant and his or her responses. ( I f you st ill want t o use t his exercise t o get people m oving, you can safeguard anonym it y som ewhat by having t he flipchart t urned away from t he group while t he exercise is being conduct ed.)

1 . Prepare:

Label a flipchart clearly wit h t he t opic of t he brainst orm ( " User Funct ions for t he Next I t erat ion," " Pairing Opt ions," " Design St rat egies," " Nam e t he Pod" ) . Explain t hat you are about t o begin a brainst orm ing where t he t eam will be writ ing responses on a flipchart for t he ent ire t eam and have everyone m ove t o t he flipchart t o have easy access t o it . Part icipat ion will be perform ed in a circular, Round- Robin fashion wit h each person in t he group writ ing t heir response in t urn. As wit h t he " Round- Robin" approach, indicat e who t he first , second, and t hird person will be ( t his gives t hese t hree people som e heads up t hat t hey will be t he first t o respond! ) , and anyone can pass on his or her t urn. Explain t hat each person will t ake a t urn writ ing on t he flipchart and t hat t he t eam will cont inue t o writ e answers unt il t he t im e ends. 2 . Prom pt wit h t he brainst orm quest ion. 3 . Gat her:

Hit t he t im er and say " Go! " t o t he first person. Your only response is " Next ." Cont inue unt il t he t im e has run out or t here are no m ore responses. To speed t hings up, use t wo pens. One is always in t he hands of t he current person writ ing; t he ot her is in t he hands of t he " on deck" person. Two pens cut s down on t he fum bling when t he writ er passes off her pen.

Pass the Card Use t his t echnique when you want very large groups of people t o share inform at ion wit hout having t hem form sm all groups. Passing t he card helps provoke creat ivit y by allowing part icipant s t o see som e ot her responses yet st ill t hink independent ly about any ot her unique responses t hey could add. Each shift ing card invit es a new look at t he quest ion. Addit ionally, it can be anot her t echnique t hat get s part icipant s on t heir feet and st aying physically engaged while creat ing t he brainst orm responses; rat her t han having t hem sit and pass cards from seat t o seat , have all part icipant s m ove about in a " cockt ail part y" group t o com plet e t he exercise. This t echnique has a drawback in t hat it m ay require ext ensive follow- up processing t o rem ove all t he duplicat es and t o m ake all t he responses available t o everyone else.

1 . Prepare:

Hand out an index card t o each of t he part icipant s. Have each of t hem label t he t op of t he card wit h t he nam e of t he brainst orm ( exam ple: " Virt ual Team Collaborat ion I deas" ) . Everyone will be able t o cont ribut e on as m any cards as can be passed around during t he t im ebox; t he idea is t o collect as m any different responses as possible from as m any people as possible. Explain t hat each person, upon being passed a card, will have 15 seconds t o writ e as m any new responses as possible on t he card t hey have received; t here should be no t alking when passing cards. At t he end of t he 15 seconds, t hey will be prom pt ed t o give up t heir card, pass it t o som eone else and in t urn accept a new card. Only writ e responses on a card t hat are unique for t hat card, or t hat you have not writ t en on anot her card. 2 . Prom pt wit h t he appropriat e brainst orm quest ion. 3 . Gat her:

Hit t he t im er and say " Go! " At t he end of each 15- second t im e slot , say " Next ." Cont inue unt il t he t im e has run out .

Applying Brainstorming Techniques for Listing List ing prom pt s t horoughness of inform at ion and docum ent at ion. Therefore, you can use any of t he t echniques described for brainst orm ing by j ust allowing m uch m ore t im e for each exercise and explaining t he t horoughness of dat a desired. Your "Prepare" work should clarify t he t horough, ext ended sense of response gat hering t hat com es wit h list ing. Som e helpful t echniques for m anaging list ing different ly from brainst orm ing are as follows: Work t o help t he group give responses inst ead of discussing each response in det ail ( t his lengt hy analysis and discussion can occur in a separat e agenda it em aft er t he list ing has ended) . Have t he t eam help you underst and what m ust be capt ured inst ead of what is j ust inform at ion t hat solidifies t he already capt ured answers ( very oft en, t he cont inued discussion is useful for prom pt ing j uicy cont ribut ions from ot her part icipant s) . Use encouragem ent for clarificat ion by prom pt ing part icipant s wit h " follow- on" quest ions during t he list ing: " Can you t ell m e m ore about t hat ?" " What does t hat m ean t o you?" " How does t hat im pact what we know so far?" " I 'm not sure I underst and; can you help m e by saying a bit m ore about t hat ?" " Do we need t o capt ure t his det ail for our list ?" Thus, t he work t o " Prepare," " Prom pt ," and " Gat her" does not differ from t he brainst orm ing st eps ot her t han validat ing t he appropriat e use of discussion during t he list ing and t he lengt hened t im ebox. Your great est challenge in list ing will be t o figure out when t o encourage discussion and when t o discourage t oo m uch det ailed problem solving during t he inform at ion gat hering. While brainst orm ing discourages discussion and det ail, list ing can feed off of t he inform at ion shared in t hese discussions. Help t eam s learn t o discuss during list ing wit hout losing t he goal of gat hering a t horough set of responses. Team s t hat veer int o ext ensive discussion and dialogue during a list ing exercise fail t o gat her all t he dat a before processing it . As you use t he prom pt ing " follow- on" quest ions during list ing, reinforce t he goal t o keep t he det ail lim it ed and t he discussions focused so t hat t eam s can cont inue collect ing t he useful, needed dat a for lat er deeper discussions.

Facilitator-Led Information Listing Use t his t echnique early in a t eam 's m at urit y, when it is st ill wobbly on it s collaborat ion legs. A full- t eam list ing exercise led by a very facilit at ive leader can help a t eam m ove t hrough it s St orm ing and highly divergent phase int o a Norm ing and m ore convergent m ode of working wit hout losing part icipant s along t he way. The t eam wat ches it self creat e a very det ailed list of it em s in a far m ore efficient way t han t hey had been able t o do in t he past . Drawbacks t o t his list ing: one or t wo m em bers m ay t end t o dom inat e. Be sure t o give eye

cont act t o everyone else in t he room except t he dom inat ors as you proceed. You m ay also int erj ect : " Who else can t ell m e som et hing about t his t opic?" Follow t he guidance provided in " Facilit at or- Led Callout " but provide m ore t im e t han in t he brainst orm approach. Addit ionally, apply " follow- on" quest ions t o m anage discussion and t horoughness of responses.

Post-it Notes Listing As wit h brainst orm ing, use t his list ing t echnique t o help t eam m em bers begin t o be m ore selfm anaging and t o m ove t o t he next level of collaborat ion where facilit at or guidance is m ore lim it ed. I n sm all groups, t eam m em bers scribe t heir collect ive knowledge, each writ ing t heir own responses on separat e Post - it Not es ( or index cards) . The list ing version differs from t he brainst orm ing t echnique in t hat discussion is encouraged and t he t im e fram e is usually m uch longer. Also, t hough t he discussion is perform ed in sm all groups, each person writ es t heir own responses, one per Post - it Not e or index card. The longer t im e fram es and great er accum ulat ion of individual responses creat e an environm ent for discussion and t horoughness. The drawback t o t his approach when conduct ed in sm all groups is t hat t eam m em bers m ay want t o discard responses right away. All answers or responses should be docum ent ed and present ed in an open debriefing t o t he ent ire group. Whet her in a sm all group or t he ent ire group, responses are only rem oved or added from t he list as direct ed by t he t eam .

Round-Robin Listing As wit h brainst orm ing, use t his t echnique t o help non- part icipat ory m em bers ( shy, em barrassed, asleep, apat het ic) j oin in t he discussion wit hout being singled out . Because each person answers singly t o t he rest of t he group, it helps level t he playing field when som e m em bers t end t o dom inat e. I n a list ing exercise, it also helps t o weed out valuable needed inform at ion t hat m ay be hiding in t he m ore ret icent part icipant s wit h or wit hout t he dom inat ors. Finally, in " Round- Robin List ing," t he t eam can self- m anage duplicat e answers.

Chapter 13. Dialogues, Small Groups, and Expert Input Approaches Applying t he basic brainst orm ing and list ing t echniques in Chapt er 12, " Gat hering t he I nform at ionBrainst orm ing and List ing," m ay be like finding yourself on a reliable, st urdy t wowheeled scoot er on t he road of collaborat ive group work. You have a m ode of t ransport at ion, but your variet y of t errain is perforce lim it ed by t he const raint s of your vehicle, and passengers on a long j ourney m ay soon get bored. Truly facilit at ive leaders quickly rev up t heir collaborat ion vehicle and m ove t o a sleeker, fourwheeled m odel wit h rack and pinion st eering and seat belt s. You accom m odat e m ore people, rougher t errain, longer t rips, and nobody get s hurt . I n t his chapt er, we look beyond t he inform at ion- gat hering fundam ent als and press ourselves int o t he m ore delicat e operat ions of dialogue and sm all- group work. Refining your abilit y t o engage t eam s in open discussion and t o lead sm all groups from t he periphery will provide t he m orale boost t eam s seek in order t o bring em ergent solut ions t o t he fore.

Team DialogueNext-Generation Collaboration Any collaborat ive leader who, by choice or ignorance, learns only t he brainst orm ing and list ing t echniques defined earlier will ult im at ely const rict t heir t eam 's abilit y t o grow and converge. Brainst orm ing and list ing provide good solid fundam ent als, but t hey don't prom ot e t he m at urit y in collaborat ion t hat com es when t eam s own m ore and m ore of t heir inform at ion exchange. A t eam t hat can cont inue t o collaborat ively gat her inform at ion in an open dialogue m oves from a freshm an level t o a senior level of collaborat ion. They m ove from a hand- held collaborat ion approach, relying on t he leader t o keep t he process flowing, t o a m ode of selfreliance. I n open dialogue, t hey can creat e inform at ion and share it in t he m ost effect ive m anner for t he group. They t ake t heir sense of collaborat ion and bum p it up a not ch.

Dialogue Versus Discussion Versus Debate You'll som et im es hear t he t erm sm all group discussion t o describe work t hat is less form ulaic t han brainst orm ing or list ing. You'll also hear individuals st ress t he need for m ore open debat e in order for t eam s t o be t ruly collaborat ive. However, t he goal of collaborat ive t eam s should be t o engage in group dialogue versus discussion or debat e, where dialogue em phasizes t he not ion of seeking m eaningful inform at ion exchange wit hout t he not ion of a part icular out com e. Dialogue, in cont rast t o discussion, guides an accum ulat ion of pert inent inform at ion about a part icular problem dom ain or solut ion dom ain rat her t han open- ended, sprawling discourse wit hout form or st ruct ure. Dialogue st rives t o capt ure what each and every t eam m em ber believes t o be t rue about a part icular t opic, issue, or quest ion; in cont rast , discussion is less concerned wit h part icipat ion and openness. Dialogue, in cont rast t o debat e, st resses t he t eam view m ore t han any individual view. Dialogue encourages t eam m em bers t o seek underst anding of a variet y of possible solut ions wit hout t he burden of confront at ion or defensive argum ent . Any individual can be considered a valuable cont ribut or. Expert s em erge t hrough t he open dialogue rat her t han t hrough oneon- one debat e.

My Anecdote I am som et im es challenged by colleagues about t he pros and cons of using facilit at ion and inform at ion- gat hering t echniques for prom ot ing collaborat ion in t eam s. I 've learned t hat people who are leery of facilit at ion want t o get st raight int o discussion and debat e. They feel t hat having a facilit at or in a m eet ing holds t hem back and t hat t he st ruct ure im posed by facilit at ion is const rict ing. For t hese people, t rue collaborat ion occurs only in an open, unst ruct ured forum ; brainst orm ing, list ing, and ot her t echniques " get in t heir way." Here is what I have observed about t hese concerns. I t is t rue, open dialogue is a wonderfully collaborat ive m ode for part icipat ory decision m aking. I believe t hat high- perform ance t eam s work best in open dialogue; t heir inform at ion exchange and decision m aking com e nat urally, wit h lit t le or no leader input . But I know what dest ruct ion occurs when newly form ing t eam s insist on open dialogue from t he st art : I t doesn't work. Team s work effect ively in t his m ode only when t hey have built up t heir t rust in one anot her and have acquired t he skills t o resolve conflict collaborat ively. When newly form ed t eam s j um p st raight int o " discussion," I st art t o see non- product ive conflict m odes em erge ( com pet ing, com prom ising, avoiding, and accom m odat ing) . I also see cert ain individuals st art t o dom inat e and ot hers drop out . I wat ch discussions get sidet racked, inform at ion get lost , and people get frust rat ed. I was asked t o help a client run a Release Planning m eet ing for a group t hat was m ade up of five t eam s, each cont ribut ing som e com ponent of t he overall product . We had planned t o facilit at e breakout sessions of each of t he t eam s t o help t hem com plet e a first pass at t heir t eam release plan before reconvening wit h all t he t eam s t o declare t he overall release plan. Two of t he t eam leads, however, said t hey didn't need any help wit h t heir breakout sessions; t hey would run t he m eet ings t hem selves. I st epped out and left t hem t o t heir work, t hough I checked in from t im e t o t im e. I n t hose t wo groups, I not iced t hat t he t eam lead dom inat ed t he m eet ing, deciding what t he st ories would be, what t heir est im at es were, and when t hey would be scheduled. Clearly, t he t eam leads didn't want a coach or facilit at or in t he room for a reason. Unfort unat ely t hough, t hey were creat ing ill will by not using open discussion collaborat ively. I could see t hat t eam m em bers were dropping out of t he discussion ent irely. Meanwhile, in t he ot her t hree groups, we facilit at ed t he t eam s t o det erm ine t he st ories, t heir est im at es, and t heir schedule. When t hey em erged from t heir breakout sessions, t he result ing release plans clearly reflect ed t he wisdom of t he t eam ; t hrough dialog t hat had been kept open and const ruct ive, t hey had capt ured t heir best t hinking about t he upcom ing release. Three m ont hs lat er, t he result s were am azing. The t wo t eam s t hat had derived t heir plans in " open discussion" had m issed a series of crit ical feat ures. Addit ionally, t he t eam s had low m orale from having had so m any st ories slip. The ot her t hree t eam s, in cont rast , had est im at ed t heir work fairly realist ically and had been able t o do a fairly good j ob of wat ching t he issues and concerns t hey had raised at t he st art of t he release.

Before you int roduce open dialogue t o m ult iple sm all groups, you'll first want t o hone your skills wit hin t he whole group cont ext ; t hat is, work wit h t he ent ire t eam before you at t em pt t o have sm all groups work independent ly of one anot her. Your proficiency in keeping dialogue open and focused for t he group at large set s t he pat t ern for subsequent sm all group cont ext s. Also, m ake sure you are com fort able wit h t he fundam ent als ( brainst orm ing and list ing) before you begin t o apply your facilit at ive t ouch t o dialogue.

The Principles of Dialogue Because dialogues can quickly be swam ped in debat e, accusat ion, or a st ream of t angent s, you m ust be clear at t he st art about t he int ent of t he dialogue: prim arily, t hat it is t ruly int ended t o prom ot e and capt ure t he ent ire group view. Thom as Just ice and David W. Jam ieson have a set of " 12 Principles of Effect ive Dialogue" [ 1] t hat represent a fine guide in how t o set up t he at m osphere and int ent for t hese open and const ruct ive discussions. You m ay even want t o post t hese in t he t eam area as a rem inder of t he power and usefulness of dialogue: [1]

Justice and Jamieson, Facilitator's Handbook , 193.

The 12 Principles of Dialogue

1 . You becom e conscious of your assum pt ions. 2 . People reward each ot her for searching for t he m eaning behind ideas. 3 . People work t o discern t he pat t ern of t he collect ive experience and learn how t o t hink t oget her. 4 . Differences are welcom ed and sought out for explanat ion. 5 . A m et aphorical cont ainer is const ruct ed big enough t o hold diverse allegiances, experiences, and opinions. 6 . Previously t aboo subj ect s can be raised in a safe and m eaningful inquiry. 7 . There is no agenda. Agreem ent unfolds as it does. 8 . Different reasons support t he direct ion t hat em erges. 9 . Fragm ent ary t hinking becom es organized int o a whole. 1 0 . We view a com plex problem wit h " new eyes." 1 1 . Cross- t alk is discouraged. 1 2 . The process has a beginning, but no end. Change happens when it does. There is no " hurrying t he harvest ."

I n addit ion, Just ice and Jam ieson suggest t hat sm all groups learn t o allow t he discussion t o slow down so t hat silence and accept ance can prom ot e list ening and observat ion t hat lead t o t he discovery of previously hidden m eanings.

Small-Group WorkGetting Started Any of t he brainst orm ing and list ing approaches described in Chapt er 12 can be conduct ed as an ent ire group, or in sm aller groups in parallel t o one anot her ( as suggest ed in t he brainst orm ing " Sm all Group Post - it Not es" sect ion) . When you choose t o conduct brainst orm ing or list ing at t he local, sm aller level inst ead of as one group, follow t hese guidelines: Make sure t hat t eam s are all using t he exact sam e process when in t heir separat e groups ( round robin, Post - it Not es, et c.) so t hat , as a guide, you will be able t o keep everyone engaged in t he exercise. I f each sm all group is t o have a scribe, m ake sure t he scribe very clearly underst ands his or her j ob before you begin t he " Prom pt " quest ion. Reinforce t o t he t eam s t hat discussion should eit her be lim it ed ( during a list ing- st yle approach) or not happen at all ( during a brainst orm ing- st yle approach) . Make sure you are available t o answer quest ions should a t eam get confused about what t hey are doing. Try not t o int ervene in a t eam 's work but m onit or t hat t hey are not st uck, dom inat ed, or abandoning t he exercise.

Small-Group ScribedTurning Over the Pen Just as servant leaders learn t o t urn over cont rol of decisions t o t he t eam , so t hey m ust also learn t o t urn over cont rol of t he collaborat ive m eet ing by let t ing go of t he scribing pen. To do so, engage a volunt eer who will capt ure t he inform at ion for a group- wide exercise; in t his cont ext , you can m onit or and m ake sure t he scribe is abiding by your guidelines. Lat er, rely on a scribe wit hin each t eam when t eam s capt ure t heir own work. I n eit her case, volunt eer scribes reinforce t he sense t hat t he t eam it self owns t he creat ion of t he work t hat will lead t o it s decisions. Also, t he facilit at or reinforces a role as t he " Guide from t he Side" rat her t han t he owner of t he m eet ing. Find every opport unit y you can t o m ove cont rol t o t he t eam t o own it s processes, t he inform at ion accum ulat ed in t he processes, and t he decisions t hat em erge from t hat inform at ion. Before you engage volunt eer scribes, m ake sure t hat : Each scribe underst ands his or her role. Scribes recognize t hat t hey m ay never edit a response from anot her t eam m em ber ( unless t he t eam m em ber gives perm ission) . A scribe cannot pick and choose which responses t o writ e down and which ones t o ignore. A scribe cannot add his or her own responses wit hout t he perm ission of t he t eam and should only do so aft er t he t eam has had am ple t im e t o build it s own responses. Be forewarned, sm all- group scribing has it s drawbacks: A very dom inant person as scribe can kill t he t rust of t he rest of t he group and quickly dest roy all t he Norm ing and Perform ing t hat has occurred in t he group at large. Too m uch sm all- group work m ay creat e a m indset t hat only t he sm all group's decisions m at t er and m ay m ake it difficult t o engender collaborat ion am ong all m em bers of t he t eam . Sm all groups m ay m iss t he opport unit y t o learn t he inner workings of ot her sm all groups. I f you form t oo m any sm all groups, it m ay becom e difficult t o process all t he inform at ion accum ulat ed in each exercise. The group scribe m ay writ e illegibly and m ake it hard for his or her group as well as ot her groups t o use t he inform at ion collect ed.

My Anecdote I have a colleague who shared one of her worst " volunt eer scribe" incident s. At a leading conference for execut ives int erest ed in bringing agile approaches int o t heir organizat ions, sm all groups were asked t o brainst orm about t heir m aj or reasons for considering agile approaches. Each group was asked t o pick a volunt eer scribe for t he group. I n t his part icular group, t hough t here were t wo cert ified facilit at ors in t he group, a t hird person j um ped up, grabbed t he pen, and announced t hat he would be scribing. What ensued was an exercise in which he capt ured his own cont ribut ions and t hose of a subset of t he rest of t he group; all ot her cont ribut ions were eit her ignored or dism issed by him as not relevant . Thus, when t he group had it s readout of it s result s, only a subset of findings were present ed. The exercise creat ed frust rat ion and dist rust am ong t hose m em bers not adequat ely represent ed.

Small Group Exercise ExamplePersonal Objectives An easy exercise wit h which t o warm up sm all- group scribes is t he Personal Obj ect ives Exercise. Use t his t echnique t o kick off a m eet ing. I t provides t eam s a chance t o learn about sm all- group scribing wit hout st ret ching t heir collaborat ion skills t oo m uch. No one scribe should be able t o dom inat e his or her t eam 's responses t oo badly because part icipant s should have an idea of t heir personal obj ect ives based on having been int erviewed prior t o t he m eet ing. Moreover, gat hering and post ing personal obj ect ives right at t he st art of t he m eet ing can be one of your first validat ions t hat t he part icipant s t ruly own t he m eet ing, not you. 1 . Prepare:

Label a flipchart clearly wit h t he t opic " Personal Obj ect ives." Explain t hat you are about t o begin a short exercise t o learn m ore about why people are at t ending t he m eet ing. Have t he t eam divide int o t hree t o five groups. Explain t hat you need a volunt eer scribe in each group and t hat t he scribe needs t o have a m arker and a set of Post - it Not es. ( Som et im es, t o m ix t hings up, we t ell t he person who has volunt eered t hat t hey are now responsible for select ing a scribe! ) There is a t im e lim it ( use a t im er t o be sure you can st ick t o it ) , usually 2- 3 m inut es. Explain t hat scribes should record each response verbat im , one response per st icky. 2 . Prom pt wit h a Personal Obj ect ives quest ion as follows:

" I m agine t hat t he m eet ing has j ust ended." " You are walking out and t urn t o t he person next t o you and say 'I 'm so glad I at t ended t his m eet ing. I t really m et m y personal reasons for at t ending.'" " What were t hose personal obj ect ives t he m eet ing m et for you?"

3 . Gat her:

Hit t he t im er and say not hing else . Try t o rem ain on t he side, but you m ay want t o walk around t o ensure t hat scribes are really gat hering responses verbat im and recording t hem one per Post - it Not e. End when t he t im er beeps. You can also run t his exercise wit h each group st anding around a flipchart . Each group's scribe capt ures t heir responses as it em s on t he flipchart inst ead of on Post - it Not es, using t he inst ruct ions provided in t he " Facilit at or- Led Callout " subsect ion in t he Brainst orm ing t echniques in t he previous chapt er. Be sure t hat all scribes have t heir m at erials, have labeled t heir flipchart , and fully underst and t heir inst ruct ions before you begin t he Prom pt quest ion.

Small-Group DialogueNext-Generation Collaboration Once t eam s are adept at sm all- group brainst orm ing and list ing, you and t hey are ready t o m ove int o sm all- group dialogue. When you are able t o m ove t eam s int o t hese sm all group dialogue cont ext s, you are in essence providing t hem t he keys t o t he kingdom , t he heart and soul of m at ure collaborat ion. Sm all- group dialogue part icipant s should already be pract iced in t heir abilit y t o self- organize and self- facilit at e; t hat is, t hey are fully convergent t eam s t hat have m oved from St orm ing and Norm ing int o Perform ing. Sm all- group dialogue is useful for encouraging part icipat ion am ong m em bers who don't cont ribut e well in large crowds and yet can t rust t he m em bers of a sm all group. I t encourages m ore fam iliarit y and bonding am ong t eam m em bers when t hey com plet ely own t heir discussion independent ly of any ot her groups or t he m eet ing leader. Sm all- group dialogues are also good follow- up for bringing det ail and advice about inform at ion t hat has been gat hered via a list ing or brainst orm ing. Or t hey can be used t o invest igat e t he m any facet s of a problem dom ain prior t o a t eam brainst orm ing about a solut ion st rat egy. I n any case, ensure t hat t he sm all groups are convergent enough and Perform ing enough t o m ove int o such an exercise wit h t he confidence t hat t hey can fully com m unicat e and capt ure t he full sense of t he t eam 's views.

My Anecdote I refer t o t his incident as " The Scribe That At e New York." I n one of our Release Planning m eet ings, we ran int o t wo different sm all- group dialogues in which scribing backfired and act ually eroded t rust inst ead of building it . Here is t he first incident . A developm ent t eam m em ber had been asked t o scribe t he User St ories being creat ed by t he help cent er represent at ives about reducing failed or flawed orders. The scribe was creat ing t he user st ories on her own lapt op in order t o direct ly collect t hem online int o t he ent erprise release m anagem ent t ool. As a result , none of t he ot her m em bers of t he sm all group could see what she was writ ing as t hey art iculat ed t heir st ories. At one point , however, one of t he user t eam m em bers cam e t o m e and explained t hat t he scribe was not only changing t he wording of her st ories about t he role of t he help cent er represent at ive, but she was also deciding which st ories should be capt ured and how. As a result , t he help cent er represent at ive was quit e annoyed and t hreat ening t o no longer part icipat e in t he user st ory definit ion. Tensions were high. During a break, I pulled t he scribe aside t o t hank her for her hard work. I t hen also rem inded her of t he im port ance of t aking every st ory as spoken, not edit ing st ories, and not choosing which st ories would be capt ured. When t he session st art ed again, we worked t oget her wit h t he help cent er represent at ive t o m ake t he wording of her st ories reflect what she really had int ended. Sm iles ret urned, and we were able t o com plet e t he rem ainder of t he st ory definit ions for t he release.

Managing Small-Group Dialogue

Sm all- group dialogues can t end t o t urn int o free- for- all discussions, get t ing off point easily unless t he t eam has learned t o be t ruly self- governing and is able t o pract ice " guerilla facilit at ion" about t he sm all group t opic. Use t he sm all- group dialogue approach sparingly unt il you feel com fort able in guiding m ult iple t eam s wit h respect t o how t o st ick t o t he t opic, t he process, and t he t im ebox defined wit hout squelching creat ivit y in an open forum . Also beware: A dom inat ing person or viewpoint can quickly t ake over if t he t eam is not well schooled in t he art and int ent of dialogue. Be a close m onit or of sm all- group dialogues as t eam s m at ure. And while t angent ial, int erest ing- but - not - useful discussions m ust be kept in check; rem ind t eam s t hat differing viewpoint s are const ant ly encouraged, not j udged, and are considered useful and im port ant in craft ing t he group view.

My Anecdote I n anot her sm all- group exercise during t he sam e Release Planning m eet ing described earlier, t he lead archit ect did not want a facilit at or m anaging t he scribing of t he fut ure st rat egies discussion. Wit hout asking t he rest of t he group, he grabbed t he m arker and began list ing his own ideas for creat ing a new process for m anaging invent ory loss. When he was t hrough, he t urned t o t he group and began t o call on t he ot her people he knew in t he room , com m ent ing while people gave t heir ideas, and picking which ideas he would writ e down. Very soon, at least 50% of t he group gave up t rying t o provide input . When it was t im e t o priorit ize t he suggest ions, he did so by him self wit h one ot her person st anding wit h him at t he board, not asking for feedback from anyone else in t he group. When done, he declared t he discussion over, and t he group disbanded wit h a good num ber of t he " part icipant s" never having provided t heir input .

The following exercise, t he Sm all- Group Problem Probing, provides a good st art ing point for helping t eam s underst and t he inner workings of a t ruly effect ive dialogue. While working in a sm all group and self- governing, t hey learn t o sim ult aneously keep open- m inded and on- t opic.

Small-Group Problem Probing Use t his t echnique t o help a t eam fully invest igat e a problem dom ain prior t o brainst orm ing solut ions for it . Probing t he problem in a non- j udgm ent al, obj ect ive dialogue prom ot es a collaborat ive convergence on what is believed t o be fact ually t rue about t he problem dom ain. When groups are able t o m aneuver t he problem wat ers successfully in sm all group set t ings t hrough open dialogue, t hey creat e a sense of confidence in t heir abilit y t o t hen t ackle what m ight be m ost t rue about t he solut ion set . Not e: Because t his exercise em phasizes problem invest igat ion, m ake sure t eam s underst and t hat t hey are not t o delve int o problem resolut ion or solut ion definit ion. Soft ware t eam s are oft en very challenged t o st ay in t he problem space wit hout delving int o t he solut ion, so t his exercise affords t echnical t eam s t he opport unit y t o creat e self- discipline wit h respect t o t heir problem ident ificat ion work. The direct ions here are highly prescript ive; refer t o t his det ailed set of inst ruct ions as a guide for how t o kick off any sm all- group dialogue.

1 . Prepare:

Prior t o conduct ing t he exercise, have a flipchart labeled " Problem Definit ion Quest ions" and list som e of t he following bullet point s on it t hat seem t o address useful observat ions in your problem dom ain: Where does t his problem occur? When does it occur? What does it cost us ( in sales, t im e, m oney, j obs, et c.) ? What are som e of t he root causes of t he problem ? Who is m ost affect ed by t he problem ( users, st akeholders, roles, organizat ions) ? What syst em s, processes, or procedures are m ost im pact ed by t he problem ? What event caused t his problem t o becom e a priorit y for us t o invest igat e? Who has t he aut horit y t o correct or cont rol t his problem ? How did we work before we had t his problem ? Explain t hat you are about st art t he t eam on an exercise in which sm all t eam s will work t o invest igat e t he problem dom ain fully t hrough open dialogue. Have t he t eam divide int o t hree t o five groups. Explain t hat each group will use t he " Problem Definit ion Quest ions" as list ed on t he flipchart as t heir guide for dialogue. Team s are t o st ick t o problem definit ion only; no solut ion definit ion. Explain t hat you need a volunt eer scribe in each group and t hat t he scribe needs t o have a m arker and a flipchart pad. The scribe should label t he t op sheet of t he flipchart pad wit h t he first quest ion. As t he t eam t ackles ot her quest ions, t he scribe should prepare a labeled flipchart upon which t o capt ure t eam observat ions. Rem ind scribes t o cont ribut e only when t hey feel t hat ot her m em bers have had a chance t o present inform at ion. Rem ind groups t hat t hey should self- govern t he part icipat ion of bot h t hem selves and t he scribe. There is a t im e lim it ; use a t im er t o be sure you can st ick t o it . ( For a t im e lim it , st art wit h 45- 60 m inut es t o see how your groups work; adj ust t he t im ebox as you learn m ore about t heir dialogue abilit ies and t heir specific problem dom ains.) Rem ind groups t hat t he goal is t o capt ure a group viewpoint , so everyone needs t o be encouraged t o cont ribut e t o t he dialogue. Groups should self- govern t o m ake sure no one dom inat es and no one drops out . Explain t hat groups should evaluat e t he problem set openly and fact ually, reserving t heir assum pt ions and j udgm ent s as m uch as possible. The idea is t o get as m uch inform at ion about t he problem dom ain as possible from every person in t he group versus having one defined viewpoint .

2 . Prom pt wit h t he problem dom ain quest ion: 1 . " Consider t he following problem ( st at e t he problem ) ." 2 . " Think of all t he possible cont ribut ory fact ors t hat we current ly know about t he problem : when it occurs, how it occurs, what are it s im pact s, why is it im port ant t o us now, and so fort h." 3 . " Now, using t he 'Problem Definit ion Quest ions' provided on t his flipchart , discuss: 'What are all t he at t ribut es of our current problem ?'" 3 . Gat her:

Hit t he t im er and say not hing else. Rem ain physically on t he side and out side of t eam s, but you m ay want t o walk around t o ensure t hat t eam s are t ruly engaging in dialogue and t hat scribes are able t o capt ure t he observat ions from every t eam m em ber. Call t he group work t o an end when t he t im er beeps. Once t eam s have com plet ed t heir work, you can invit e one m em ber from each group t o debrief t heir collect ed findings t o t he rest of t he t eam . Conduct each debrief in a t im ebox of 515 m inut es, depending on t he com plexit y of t he t opic. Chapt er 15, " Processing t he I nform at ion," covers how t o t hen process t he accum ulat ed inform at ion int o a m ore organized form for furt her use in t he m eet ing.

Individual and Dyad Scribed Work Som et im es, when a group is st ill in dist rust , or when it has m oved from a Perform ing m ode back int o a Form ing m ode ( such as when som eone has j ust j oined t he t eam , or one or m ore m em bers have left t he t eam ) , you can sim ply have m em bers perform t heir brainst orm ing or list ing on t heir own or in a dyad wit h one ot her t eam m em ber. This gives m em bers a bit of breat hing space by creat ing a safe place in which t o build t heir responses. I ndividual and dyad work reest ablishes each person's ident it y even in large group venues. For inst ance, individual brainst orm ing can work well when you are kicking off a t im eline for a proj ect ret rospect ive; each person works alone collect ing m em ories and im pressions of event s and m ilest ones wit hin t he proj ect t im eline. Such an approach encourages quiet int rospect ion and reflect ion t hat can benefit t he group- wide ret rospect ive. Or you can use dyad brainst orm ing ( where t wo people int erview one anot her for inform at ion) in order t o gat her personal obj ect ives at t he st art of a m eet ing if you know t hat t here is a problem of dist rust in t he group. Using an individual m ode or dyad m ode t oo oft en for inform at ion gat hering, however, has it s drawbacks:

1 . Mem bers don't learn t o work wit h a view int o t he ent ire t eam t o build creat ivit y. 2 . When som eone get s st uck t hinking of ideas or cont ribut ions, it can be harder t o dig out wit hout hearing or seeing what ot hers are cont ribut ing. When you choose t o apply an individual or dyad approach, refer t o any of t he group- wide approaches ( brainst orm ing, list ing, et c.) for t he overall Prepare Prom pt Gat her guidance. Once t he t im ebox for gat hering dat a has com plet ed, you should collect t he it em s from all part icipant s so t hat you can lead t he "Process" approach t hat best safeguards t he responses. Because t he m em bers m ay st ill be in a Form ing or St orm ing m ode, you need t o be t he owner of how t he inform at ion is brought out t o t he group at large.

Sharing Individual and Dyad Work Here are som e ideas for m oving from individual work t o a larger group collaborat ive set t ing t hat allows all part icipant s t o have access t o t he individual dat a:

1 . Have individuals com plet e t heir work on eit her a sheet of paper, individual index cards, or Post - it Not es. Once t he t im ebox has ended, have t hem form pairs/ dyads t o exchange t heir responses and discuss t hem . Have t hem t hink about t he t rends t hat are em erging. Now have each dyad j oin wit h anot her dyad t o share responses am ong t he four m em bers. I n t his way, t he inform at ion gat hering can m ove from t he individual level t o t he group level, preserving a variet y of responses while converging on t he group viewpoint s. 2 . Have t he group divide int o dyads ( pairs) at t he st art of t he inform at ion gat hering exercise. I nst ruct each m em ber t o act as scribe t o t he ot her m em ber of t he dyad for collect ing his or her responses. Make sure bot h m em bers have a chance t o have t heir responses recorded, first one person responding and t hen t he ot her person responding in t urn. Allow a cert ain period of t im e for t he pair t o com pare t heir responses. You can t hen use t his approach t o have t he dyad select t he t op t hree or four responses from am ong t heir collect ed work t o share wit h t he rest of t he group. 3 . Have a box in t he cent er of t he room and have part icipant s t oss t heir responses int o t he box as t hey com plet e t hem . Paper airplanes are one way t o launch it em s int o t he pile. This provides t arget pract ice for lat er uses ( ! ) and preserves anonym it y. The facilit at or can t hen collect t he box and read all t he responses. 4 . As t he leader of t he exercise, walk around and collect t he individual responses wit hout looking at t hem . Wait unt il you are back at t he head of group t o t hen read responses out loud and invit e observat ions. 5 . Ask part icipant s t o pass all t heir responses forward and ask for a volunt eer t o read each of t he responses. 6 . Provide a large wall chart upon which part icipant s can post t heir own responses. This is useful if t he group is eit her building a t im eline or has already det erm ined som e useful cat egoriesof responses int o which responses can be divided.

Sequential Questioning This exercise, nicely out lined by I ngrid Bens in her book Facilit at ing Wit h Ease! , [ 2] provides an alt ernat ive approach t o t he Sm all- Group Problem Probing exercise. I n t his approach, sm all groups are present ed wit h a series of Yes/ No st at em ent s or quest ions t hat lead t hem t o t est t heir assum pt ions and reveal t heir observat ions and react ions. Like t he problem probing exercise, it st rives t o bring forward t he group's wealt h of dat a about , for exam ple, an issue, a risk, a dependency, a funct ion, or a process. However, t his approach m ay require a bit m ore advanced or in- dept h knowledge of t he problem dom ain by t he leader. The sequence of quest ions prepared in advance by you has t o m ake sense in t he part icular realm wit hin which t he group is working. As a result , it is a fine exercise for t eam leads and lead archit ect s t o m ast er. [2]

Bens, Facilitating With Ease! , 153.

To conduct t his exercise, you m ust first analyze t he part icular issue and creat e a series of quest ions t hat can lead your t eam t o m ove from a high- level, non- granular view of t he t opic t o a m ore focused m icro- view of it . Your goal is t o creat e det ailed inform at ion about assum pt ions and viewpoint s t hat will help t he t eam form ulat e it s solut ion. Wit hin t he exercise, work wit h t he ent ire group. For each quest ion you've form ulat ed, you'll ask for a response ( yes or no) from one part icipant . ( You can also use quest ions t hat request a rat ing of 1 t o 5 versus j ust a Yes/ No response.) You'll t hen record subsequent react ions by ot hers t o t he response: assum pt ions, concerns, reasons, and so on. Use t his exercise t o delve int o a problem set in ant icipat ion of t hen m oving int o sm all- group dialogue around problem solving, or brainst orm ing around pot ent ial solut ions. Not e: Because t his exercise st rives t o provoke t eam m em bers t o challenge exist ing assum pt ions and convent ions, you should be prepared t o int roduce conflict resolut ion t echniques ( out lined and discussed in Chapt er 17, " Managing t he Meet ing Part icipant s" ) .

Sequential Questioning Exercise Example 1 . Prepare:

Prior t o t he m eet ing, gat her inform at ion about t he part icular issue or it em t o be invest igat ed. Your pre- work should reveal part icularly cont ent ious or sensit ive aspect s of t he issue. Exam ples of st at em ent s about soft ware developm ent approaches t hat could evoke a Yes or No response: We have a m at ure soft ware developm ent m et hodology. We consist ent ly gat her inform at ion about our proj ect s wit h regard t o what worked well and what could use im provem ent . We know what m et rics t o t rack t o evaluat e proj ect success. We really underst and how t o adapt our m et hodology based on our past proj ect successes. We are flexible in how our developm ent t eam s define t heir roles and responsibilit ies.

We pick and choose from agile soft ware developm ent pract ices based on our t eam experience. For each st at em ent ( up t o 10) t hat you ident ify, creat e a flipchart wit h t he st at em ent labeled at t he t op of t he chart . Show only t he first quest ion. Explain t o t he ent ire group t hat you are about t o engage in a Sequent ial Quest ioning exercise t hat will consist of evaluat ing several st at em ent s about a part icular t opic and t hen gat hering furt her observat ions and concerns. Explain t hat you will lead t he exercise and t hat it will be t im eboxed. An ext ensive, indept h exercise can t ake at least an hour, wit h a t im ebox of 5- 10 m inut es for each st at em ent / quest ion. You will have t o learn over t im e from your t eam s how t hey engage in exchanging t heir assum pt ions and challenges. Ask t hat all t eam m em bers part icipat e in t he exercise t o ensure t he great est am ount of inform at ion and feedback about t he t opic. 2 . Prom pt t he group wit h a guiding quest ion. Here is an exam ple based on t he soft ware developm ent m et hodology st at em ent s accum ulat ed earlier: 1 . " Think about how we have been applying our soft ware developm ent m et hodology in t he past 12 m ont hs." 2 . " Consider what st at em ent s m ay or m ay not be t rue in declaring our experience in t his realm ." 3 . " Now, as we m ove t hrough each of t hese st at em ent s, what assum pt ions and challenges do we see about our applicat ion of t he soft ware developm ent m et hodology?" 3 . Gat her:

St art t he t im er. Read t he first st at em ent and ask som eone t o provide a Yes or a No response; record t his on t he sheet . Now ask for react ions t o t his response. Collect all responses on t he sheet . Encourage challenges t o assum pt ions and ask for guidance from part icipant s in capt uring t he responses correct ly ( in paraphrased or bullet form ) . Hang t he collect ed assum pt ions and react ions on t he wall and proceed wit h t he next st at em ent / quest ion, again request ing a Yes/ No response and subsequent react ions. Cont inue t o accum ulat e react ions t o each st at em ent unt il t he t eam has finished or unt il t he t im ebox has ended.

Expert Input I nevit ably, in our soft ware developm ent proj ect collaborat ions, we need space t o learn eit her som e pre- exist ing inform at ion ( for exam ple, t he corporat e- wide .NET defined archit ect ure) or som e new inform at ion ( t he proposed I T Financials int ake process) from an organizat ion or person t hat holds t hat dat a. I n t hese cases, we aren't relying on t eam collaborat ion t echniques t o gat her inform at ion. I nst ead, we t urn t o expert input t hat can prepare t he t eam t o m ove int o it s next phase of collaborat ive work. As st raight forward as t his m ay appear, expert input is pot ent ially one of t he m ost dam aging t ools for inform at ion gat hering in soft ware developm ent t eam s. Here are som e warning signs t hat t he use of expert input in a t eam is going awry: The expert does not have useful reference m at erial available t o t he t eam in advance of t he m eet ing. The expert concent rat es m ore on opinion showering t han inform at ion exchange. The expert is unm indful of t he expert ise of t he t eam and assum es t hat only he ( t he expert ) has all t he answers. The t eam is not afforded an opport unit y t o react t o t he inform at ion provided by t he expert . The expert input t akes up t he m aj orit y of t he t eam m eet ing, allowing for no collaborat ion on t he m at erial. I n short : Never engage expert input in your agenda wit hout an explicit exercise t o gat her t eam react ion t o t he inform at ion aft erward.

Expert Input Exercise 1 . Prepare:

I dent ify in advance of t he m eet ing what t he inform at ion is t hat can only be gat hered from an expert ; t hat is, t here is a clear bound around what is t o be present ed as useful for t he t eam versus what is int erest ing t o t he expert . Confirm t hat t he only way t o provide t he inform at ion t o t he t eam is during t he m eet ing t hrough expert input ( not as prior reading or as anot her m eet ing) . Explain t hat t he inform at ion is being offered as expert input t o t he t eam dat abase. Wit h t his in m ind, t eam m em bers should allow t he present er t o provide as m uch inform at ion as possible wit hin t he t im ebox. Assure t he t eam t hat , during t he present at ion, t hey are encouraged t o ask clarifying quest ions. The idea in expert input is t o get as m uch of t he expert 's inform at ion as possible, so quest ions should focus on clarit y, not opinion. ( The t eam will be able t o exchange opinions aft er t he present at ion in an open forum .)

2 . Prom pt :

At t he proper point in t he agenda, int roduce t he present er of t he expert input and explain which agenda quest ion t heir present at ion will help answer. Set t he t im ebox for t he expert input . Be clear wit h t he person or organizat ion providing t he expert input about t heir t im e const raint s. Encourage t he t eam t o help t he present er st ick t o an inform at ion exchange versus opinion exchange. 3 . Gat her:

Begin t he t im er and ask t he present er t o proceed. When t he present at ion has com plet ed, or when t he t im ebox has ended, ask if t here are any addit ional quest ions before t he t eam capt ures it s react ions t o t he inform at ion. Using a flipchart page, creat e t wo colum ns in which t o capt ure react ions: Likes/ Dislikes or Concerns/ Suggest ions, for exam ple. Conduct a t im eboxed exercise of brainst orm ing around t he Likes/ Dislikes for t he t eam . This should be at least 15 m inut es. Be sure t o capt ure responses fait hfully. To help t he expert m anage her t im e wit h t he t eam , you should also check in wit h her when she has only 10 m inut es and t hen 5 m inut es rem aining in her t im e slot .

Chapter 14. Team Estimating Approaches I n agile soft ware developm ent proj ect s, we inevit ably com e t o a point where we as a t eam need t o derive est im at es for our work. This inform at ion- gat hering exercise builds on t he fundam ent als described t hus far ( brainst orm ing, round robin, expert input ) and applies som e guidance specific t o t he inform at ion being gat hered and m assaged, nam ely est im at es. Choose from t he various exercises described here based on your t eam 's preferences wit h regard t o: What m easurem ent t o use in est im at ing How t o gat her expert inform at ion about est im at es How t o converge on a final est im at e

Wideband Delphi Estimating Mike Cohn gives a wonderful explanat ion of t he Wideband Delphi approach t o est im at ing in his User St ories Applied [ 1] ( you'll also find useful guidance in Craig Larm an's Agile & I t erat ive Developm ent [ 2] ) . Mike's approach com bines individual brainst orm ing, round- robin inform at ion gat hering, and m ult i- vot ing t o creat e est im at es t hat reflect t he full- part icipat ion of t he t eam . Here's a st raight forward exercise for delivering t hese est im at es: [1]

Cohn, User Stories Applied , 88.

[2]

Larman, Agile & Iterative Development , 261.

Wideband Delphi Estimate Exercise 1 . Prepare:

Prior t o t he m eet ing or as a previous agenda it em in t he m eet ing, det erm ine which st ories, requirem ent s, or use cases will be est im at ed during t he exercise; t his m ay be for a Sprint , an it erat ion, a t im ebox, a feat ure set , or an operat ional sub- syst em . ( I n t his exercise, I 'll refer t o " st ories" for a Sprint .) Prior t o t he exercise, t he t eam should have already det erm ined what t he est im at e m easurem ent will be ( ideal hours, ideal days, point s, et c.) . Explain t hat t he exercise will involve st ory input from t he cust om ers and est im at e feedback from developers. The work will be com plet ed as an ent ire group ( versus in parallel sm all groups) . Label a flipchart " St ory Est im at es." Dist ribut e index cards and m arkers t o all developers. Provide full explanat ion of all t he st eps t hat will be used in t he " Gat her" work. 2 . Prom pt :

I nt roduce t he agenda it em wit h an appropriat e "Prom pt " quest ion t hat leads t o: " What are all our Sprint 's est im at ed st ories?"

3 . Gat her:

For each st ory t o be est im at ed, a cust om er will read t he st ory. ( The facilit at or docum ent s t he st ory t it le or descript ion on t he " St ory Est im at es" flipchart .) Developers can t hen ask any clarifying quest ions about t he st ory. I f t he cust om ers cannot answer t he quest ions adequat ely, t he t eam m ay choose t o defer it s est im at e and ask t o t rack it as an Act ion I t em in t he "Act ion Plan." ( Rem em ber, t his is always t he t eam elect ion, not yours, t hough you m ay work t o help t hem see when t hey appear t o be bogging down.) Once all quest ions are answered, each developer t hen " brainst orm s" an est im at e and writ es t hat value on a single card. I n a round- robin fashion, all developers' est im at es will be declared. The developer wit h t he highest est im at e describes t he t hinking behind his or her est im at e, followed by a descript ion from t he developer wit h t he lowest est im at e. ( For com plex st ories, t he facilit at or t racks t hese point s as in a sm all- group dialogue exercise described earlier.) Dialogue concerning t he est im at es is t im eboxed, and t hen anot her sweep of est im at es is gat hered ( each developer records his or her est im at e on a card and reveals it in a round robin) . A final est im at e is reached when, in a consensus check, t he developers agree t hat t hey have reached a value t hat all can live wit h and support . This is recorded on t he flipchart next t o t he st ory descript ion, and t he exercise proceeds t o t he next st ory. Not e: St art wit h a large t im ebox for t he overall exercise and be prepared t o be counseled by t he t eam about how t o m anage any necessary increase in t im e. Rem em ber, your role is t o help t hem com plet e t heir work; using a t im ebox helps t hem learn about how t hey will com plet e est im at es t he next t im e. Addit ionally, it helps t hem m ake decisions about how t hey are using t heir t im e so t hat t hey can ask you t o help t hem use it different ly. For each individual st ory est im at e, st art wit h a seven- m inut e t im ebox ( bet ween 5 and 10 m inut es) . Be prepared t o learn from t he t eam if t he t im ebox is not sufficient t o keep t hem on t ask and focused.

Velocity Estimates You can t hink of velocit y- based est im at es as a congruence of expert input ( a report from t he t racker regarding t he last it erat ion's/ Sprint 's est im at es on st ory point s) and list ing ( defining all t he t asks t hat can im pact t he est im at e of t he current overall st ory) followed by brainst orm ing ( what t he possible overall est im at e m ight be) t hat leads t o a consensus check on what t he final est im at e should be. For furt her guidance on defining point s and velocit y, consult Mart in Fowler and Kent Beck's Planning Ext rem e Program m ing and Mike Cohn's book Agile Est im at ing and Planning .

Velocity-Based Estimate Exercise 1 . Prepare:

Prior t o t he m eet ing or as a previous agenda it em in t he m eet ing, det erm ine which st ories, requirem ent s, or use cases will be est im at ed during t he exercise; t his m ay be for a Sprint , an it erat ion, a t im ebox, or an operat ional subset . ( I n t his exercise, I 'll refer t o st ories in an it erat ion.) Label a flipchart " St ory Est im at es" and divide it int o t hree colum ns:

St or y

Est im a t e

Tot a l

Explain t hat t he exercise will be conduct ed in a t im ebox ( see advice in " Wideband Delphi Est im at e Exercise" for defining t he overall t im ebox and t he individual t im eboxes) . 2 . Prom pt t he t eam wit h t he agenda it em : 1.

" What are all t he est im at ed st ories for t his it erat ion?"

3 . Gat her:

I nt roduce t he Tracker and explain t hat t he purpose of t his expert input is t o learn about what we est im at ed in t he previous it erat ion ( what value, how m any st ories, t ot al est im at e, act uals, et c.) . Tim ebox t he Tracker's input ( use guidelines from t he "Expert I nput Exercise" in t he previous chapt er) . Conduct a t im eboxed " Concerns/ Suggest ions" brainst orm ing aft erward for t he ent ire t eam , developers, and cust om ers. This is where t he t eam can learn about except ions or dependencies t hat m ay have abnorm ally im pact ed t he est im at es, t he delivered, and t he act uals. Capt ure t he velocit y value on t he t op of t he " St ory Est im at es" flipchart . St art t he t im er. For each of t he st ories t o be est im at ed:

1 . Record t he st ory t it le/ descript ion on t he " St ory Est im at es" flipchart . 2 . The developers are invit ed t o ask quest ions of t he cust om ers t o clarify any needed det ail about t he st ory in order t o com plet e t he est im at e. Test ers m ay also provide any clarit y about t he st ory t hat could im pact t he est im at e. 3 . The developers m ay also ask t he Tracker for any est im at e from t he previous it erat ion t hat closely resem bles t he current st ory. 4 . The developers t hen engage in discussion t o det erm ine an est im at e. 5 . I n a consensus check, t he final est im at e is recorded on t he flipchart and t he " Tot al" colum n increm ent ed by t he est im at e am ount .

Perform a t im e check t o see how t he group is doing wit h t he t im ebox. I f est im at es and discussions are t aking longer t han ant icipat ed, seek group suggest ions on whet her t o speed up t he process or add m ore t im e t o t he t im ebox.

T-Shirt Sizing T- shirt size est im at es ( i.e., Sm all, Medium , Large, Ext ra- Large) help a t eam conduct parallel, quick sm all group est im at es early in a proj ect ( or m ult iple proj ect s) wit hout bogging down concerning point s or exact num bers. This approach works well for large, com plex program t eam s involving m ult iple t echnical organizat ions and user groups at t em pt ing t o est im at e m ult iple, overlaying proj ect s for a coordinat ed release. T- shirt sizing helps such t eam s t o est im at e by:

1 . Providing a high- level abst ract ion language t hat specifically st eers t echnical t eam s away from low- level t echnical det ail in very early est im at ing effort s. 2 . Allowing large t eam s t o confident ly break up t he est im at ing work int o parallel sm all group effort s. 3 . Helping cust om ers recognize early in a com plex m ult i- proj ect developm ent definit ion what t he gross effort s m ay ent ail. 4 . Keeping t he est im at e exercise collaborat ive and focused t hrough a sim ple language t hat cust om ers and developers can share wit hout ext ended explanat ion or validat ion. 5 . Creat ing a placeholder, like a st ory card, for furt her discussion about t he est im at e when m ore det ail can be discerned. I n T- Shirt Est im at ing, as in st ory point s, est im at ors work wit h a sim ple assum pt ion t o guide t heir est im at ing; for inst ance: Sm all ( S) is probably half as big as Medium ( M) , which is half as big as Large ( L) . Prior t o t he est im at ing exercise, t eam s should agree on a rough st andard for t heir use of t he t erm s ( som e t eam s have t he sizes increase m ore rapidly and on a sliding scale; ot her t eam s have t he sizes represent m uch sm aller increm ent s in effort ) . Capt ure t hese assum pt ions clearly on a flipchart and m ake sure t hat all sm all groups working in parallel during t he est im at ing exercise have access t o t he sam e set of assum pt ions. Not e: When t eam s feel a need t o go beyond Ext ra Large ( XL) t o XXL or XXXL, have t hem check in wit h one anot her about t heir est im at ion assum pt ions wit h regard t o size increm ent s. Very large, unwieldy est im at es m ay need t o reside in a Parking Lot for lat er review or be defined in a follow- on m eet ing as capt ured in t he Act ion Plan. Let your t eam t ell you.

T-Shirt Sizing Exercise

1 . Prepare:

Prior t o t he m eet ing or as a previous agenda it em in t he m eet ing, det erm ine which st ories, requirem ent s, or use cases will be est im at ed during t he exercise. Also det erm ine what t he crit eria should be for defining how sm all groups need t o be working in parallel t o com plet e t he est im at ing. Explain t hat t he t eam will first resolve t he assum pt ions about how t o int erpret t he sizes for all of t he subsequent sm all group work. Ask for a volunt eer from each sm all group t o act as scribe for t heir group. Have each scribe creat e a flipchart labeled " T- Shirt Sizes" and creat e a chart at t he t op for t he size assum pt ions:

Size

Assu m pt ion s

S M L XL

Also ask each scribe t o creat e anot her flipchart labeled " St ory Est im at es" and divide it int o t wo colum ns:

St or y

Est im a t e

Explain t hat , for t he rem ainder of t he exercise, each of t he groups will work independent ly t o com plet e t heir est im at es in t - shirt sizes. Lead t he ent ire t eam in a dialogue about t he assum pt ions for sizing. Perform a consensus check about t he accum ulat ed assum pt ions and have t he scribes record t he final guidance for each size on t he chart . Be sure t o t im ebox t his work. 2 . Prom pt :

I nt roduce t he agenda it em t hat t he t eam will be com plet ing: " What are all t he t - shirt est im at ed st ories?"

3 . Gat her:

Begin t he t im er for t he t im ebox. For each st ory t o be est im at ed:

1 . Record t he st ory t it le/ descript ion on t he " St ory Est im at es" flipchart . 2 . The developers t hen ask quest ions of t he cust om ers t o clarify any needed inform at ion about t he st ory in order t o com plet e t he est im at e. Test ers m ay also provide any clarit y about t he st ory t hat m ay im pact t he est im at e. 3 . The developers engage in discussion t o det erm ine an est im at e: S, M, L, or XL. 4 . I n a consensus check, t he final est im at e is recorded on t he flipchart and t he " Tot al" colum n increm ent ed by t he est im at e am ount .

Perform a t im e check t o see how t he group is doing wit h t he t im ebox. I f est im at es and discussions are t aking longer t han ant icipat ed t im ebox, seek group suggest ions on whet her t o speed up t he process or add m ore t im e t o t he t im ebox.

Triangulate Estimating Triangulat ing on an est im at e is a useful approach t hat can be applied in support of ot her est im at ing exercise. For any new st ory, requirem ent , or use case being est im at ed, t he t eam reviews t heir previous assum pt ions about est im at e size. As Mike Cohn suggest s in User St ories Applied , if t he current st ory is sm aller t han a st ory t hat had been est im at ed at 4 point s yet larger t han anot her st ory t hat had been est im at ed at 2 point s, t he t riangulat ion approach guides t he t eam t o apply an est im at e of 3. [ 3] [3]

Cohn, User Stories Applied , 90.

Supply t riangulat ion guidance as a Prom pt quest ion when t eam s cont inue t o st ruggle wit h t heir est im at es. This helps t eam m em bers clear t he cobwebs and focus m ore direct ly on what t he st ory ent ails in com parison t o ot her st ories.

Triangulating Estimate Exercise 1 . Prom pt :

Explain t hat t he t eam is going t o use t riangulat ing t o converge on an est im at e for t he st ory. Have t he cust om er read t he st ory. Guide developers in asking clarifying quest ions about t he st ory. 2 . Prom pt :

I nt roduce t he agenda it em t hat t he t eam will be com plet ing:

" Think about som e of t he ot her st ories t hat we have est im at ed so far." " Consider which st ories have seem ed sm aller in effort and what value we applied t o t hose st ories. Also, consider st ories t hat were heft ier in effort and t hink about t he est im at es we applied." " Now, what is a close t riangulat ion of an est im at e for t his st ory based on t hese ot her st ories?" 3 . Gat her:

Guide developers' dialogue t oward t he st ories t hat could be used for t riangulat ion. Review each st ory's recorded est im at e on t he " St ory Est im at es" chart . Ask for a suggest ion from one of t he t eam m em bers about what t he t riangulat ed est im at e m ight be.

Perform a consensus check am ong t he developers and record t he final answer.

Chapter 15. Processing the Information Once t eam s have collaborat ively gat hered inform at ion t o help t hem define and run t heir proj ect s, whet her it is st ories, risks, plans, accept ance t est s, or design alt ernat ives, t hey very oft en st ill need som e furt her processing t o t urn t he inform at ion int o act ions and decisions. For t he " Process" st ep of t he Prepare Prom pt Gat her Process equat ion, I oft en rely on grouping and priorit izing as t wo useful next st eps t o m ove t eam dat a along t his cont inuum . I n effect , t hese t wo t echniques help t eam s creat e parcels of value t hat apply useful focus t o t heir dept h and breadt h of knowledge. To com plet e t he t ransform at ion of dat a int o act ions and decisions, we process by applying a subset of t he st ep, eit her Prepare Prom pt Gat her or Prepare Process , in a cycle unt il t he useful knowledge em erges.

Grouping and Categorizing Team s group and cat egorize inform at ion when, on it s own, t he dat a doesn't clearly reveal what we need t o know. Groupings help us m ove from t he need t o consider 100 dist inct it em s t o inst ead, say, 7 cat egories of it em s. Grouped, we m ay discover t hat one cat egory has caught t he overwhelm ing at t ent ion of t he t eam . Or we m ay learn t hat we lack clear underst anding of anot her cat egory as evidenced by t he sparse num ber of responses in it . Grouping can also help clear priorit ies em erge, such as when we decide t o parse it em s int o pre- defined groups. I t em s t hat are grouped int o I t erat ion 1 for work hold a higher priorit y for t he t eam t han it em s placed int o I t erat ion 5. I t em s grouped int o various levels of effort ( low, m edium , high) m ay also reveal im plicit priorit ies. When a t eam com plet es a grouping, t hey have act ually applied valuable m ent al m uscle around t wo very useful inform at ion calist henics: Defining what t he cat egories are Deciding which it em s belong in each of t he cat egories When you are leading a grouping exercise, be clear and explicit from t he st art about how t he cat egories are t o be defined. You'll have t o plan your exercise t o do one of t he following: Have t he t eam define t he cat egory nam es in advance. Learn t he cat egory nam es from an expert out side source in advance. Have t he cat egory nam es em erge during t he grouping. Nam e t he cat egories aft er t he grouping has com plet ed. For exam ple, a t eam m ay know t hat t here are seven m ain subsyst em s int o which t he feat ures m ay be grouped. These cat egories are known in advance and can be set up in ant icipat ion of t he grouping. They need not be defined again in order t o com plet e t he grouping. Or, in brainst orm ing about risks, a t eam m ay want t o allow t he cat egories of risk t o em erge during t he grouping ( cost , t im e, t eam m akeup, experience, et c.) but t hen have well- defined subcat egories ( highly probable, probable, low probabilit y, unknown) . Finally, as described by Ellen Got t esdiener, t eam s m ay want t o perform a lit t le of bot h, in what is referred t o as a m iddle- out approach in which t eam s creat e responses in brainst orm ing or list ing, define useful cat egories, and t hen creat e m ore responses once t he cat egories have been defined. [ 1] [1]

Gottesdiener, Requirements by Collaboration , 201.

Facilitator-Led Categories Use t his t echnique when you want t o guide t he t eam in bot h t he placem ent of it em s int o groups as well as t he em ergence of group nam es based on which it em s com e t oget her in groups. This m et hod is a good exercise t o use early in a t eam 's collaborat ive m at urit y. As you facilit at e t he grouping, you can ensure equal foot ing in bot h nam ing and placem ent and validat e t hat t he t eam owns t he final nam ing and placem ent of responses. Warning: This is one of t hose exercises t hat can t ruly t est your abilit y t o rem ain neut ral and non- possessive of t he result s. What m ay seem like eit her a nat ural nam e of a grouping or a nat ural placem ent of an it em t o you ends up not even being considered by t he t eam . Follow t hese inst ruct ions carefully, or you m ay be accused of com m andeering t he exercise t o reflect your nat ural groupings. 1 . Prepare:

Before st art ing t his exercise, t he t eam should have com plet ed one of t he inform at ion gat hering t echniques t hat leaves t hem wit h num erous responses, eit her capt ured as individuals or in sm all groups. ( The responses need t o be on individual Post - it Not es, one response per Post - it .) Prior t o t he grouping, label a flipchart or wall chart ( depending on t he num ber of responses) wit h t he t it le of t he it em s t o be grouped ( " Risks," " User St ories," " Concerns," " Benefit s" ) . Draw lines on t he chart t o divide it int o six t o eight areas ( wit h m ost exercises in brainst orm ing, you'll discover a nat ural t endency for t he dat a t o fall int o seven general cat egories) . Explain t hat you now want t o help t he t eam learn about t he prim ary groupings of t heir inform at ion. ( This m ay be an agenda it em such as " What are t he prim ary cat egories of risks wit h t his proj ect ?" ) I nvit e som eone t o com e forward ( going round robin around t he t eam or sm all groups is an easy way t o m ove t hrough t he t eam ) t o read his or her responses out loud.

2 . Process:

For t he first response, aft er t he part icipant has read t he response, sim ply place it in one of t he boxes on t he chart . Have t he sam e or next part icipant read t he next response. Now, ask t he t eam " Does t his look sim ilar t o or different from t he first response?" I f sim ilar, place it in t he sam e box as t he first response; if different , place it in a different box. Cont inue having t he part icipant s read t he responses one at a t im e and asking t he t eam whet her it is sim ilar t o or different from any of t he ot her already post ed responses. Once t here are at least t hree responses in a box, you now ask t he t eam : " Given t he it em s we have in t his box, what m ight t he nam e of t his group be?" I f t here is m ore t han one suggest ion for t he label, ask for a t hird suggest ion t hat m ight express t he com bined int ent of t he ot her t wo labels. Writ e t he agreed- upon label nam e in t he box. Cont inue processing all t he rem aining responses, eit her from each individual, or by sm all group represent at ive, post ing it em s as direct ed and labeling boxes as direct ed. A few helpful guidelines t o com plet e t he grouping:

You should have an ext ra flipchart of boxes already drawn up in case t he group ident ifies m ore t han t he six or eight you have drawn on your original chart . Oft en, t eam s will decide t hat t hey have m islabeled a box and want t o change t he label t o be m ore appropriat e for it s cont ent s; don't be afraid t o re- label boxes as guided by t he t eam ! Som et im es, t eam s wat ch groupings em erge as t hey m ove t hrough t heir response; don't be afraid t o com bine groups and provide t he newly form ed cat egory wit h a new nam e as direct ed by t he t eam . Team s m ay discover t hat wit h furt her reflect ion, som e it em s m ight reside m ore appropriat ely in anot her box; m ake sure t hat t he t eam has consensus before m oving an it em from one box t o anot her, but be sure t o reflect t heir em erging sense of t heir dat a. I f part icipant s can't agree whet her an it em should be placed in one box or anot her, sim ply writ e up a duplicat e it em and place it in bot h.

Silent Grouping Use t his t echnique t o encourage part icipant s t o get on t heir feet and own t he ent ire exercise of placing it em s wit hout worrying about how m any cat egories t here are or what t heir nam es are. I t is part icularly useful for grouping a very large num ber of it em s ( 60 or m ore) . 1 . Prepare:

Before st art ing t his exercise, t he t eam should have com plet ed one of t he inform at ion gat hering t echniques t hat leaves t hem wit h num erous responses, eit her capt ured as individuals or in sm all groups. ( The responses need t o be on individual Post - it Not es, one response per Post - it .) Prior t o t he grouping, label a large wall chart wit h t he t it le of t he it em s t o be grouped ( " St rat egic Act ions," " Budget I t em s," " User St ories," " Nonfunct ional Requirem ent s" ) . Explain t o t he t eam t hat in t he next 20 m inut es, t hey will be invit ed t o bring t heir responses forward t o post on t he wall chart . 2 . Process:

As it em s are post ed, each part icipant is invit ed t o st art t o group it em s as appropriat e. Anyone can m ove any it em t o begin t o form groups. There are no pre- defined divisions; t here are no pre- defined cat egories; t here are no labels. All part icipant s are welcom e t o m ove post ed responses around t o form groups unt il t he t im ebox is over. Allow 20- 40 m inut es for t his exercise, depending on t he num ber of part icipant s and t he num ber of responses. Once t he t im ebox ends, or when t here are no m ore changes in groupings, you can use t he labeling approach described in t he " Facilit at or- Led Labeling" sect ion of t his chapt er.

Timeline Creation A t im eline is sim ply a grouping based on a chronology or sequence of act ions, deadlines, t im eboxes, or m ilest ones. Follow t he direct ions for t he " Silent Grouping" t echnique t o t ake all it em s and place t hem across a large wall chart t hat represent s t he t im eline. Decide in advance what t he useful m arkings along t he t im eline should be ( weeks, m ont hs, seasons, releases) . Sim ilarly, you can set up t he t im eline as in t he "Silent Grouping" but have t he t eam s also engage in sm all- group dialogue in order t o declare placem ent of it em s on t he t im eline, such as det erm ining which st ories of a release should be planned int o each of t he release's it erat ions.

Facilitator-Led Labeling Use t his t echnique aft er a silent grouping t o help a t eam evaluat e t heir nat ural groupings and what appropriat e labels can be applied. 1 . Prepare:

Explain t o t he t eam t hat wit h t he already grouped it em s post ed in t he wall chart , we now need t o find useful labels t o help evaluat e t he groupings. 2 . Process:

Select one of t he groups on t he chart and read each it em in t he grouping. Ask t he t eam for a recom m endat ion for a label for t he grouping. Be sure t hat t here is consensus about t he label before you apply it t o t he group. I f t here are several suggest ions about which t he t eam is st ruggling t o decide, ask for a suggest ed t hird label t hat could com bine t he m eanings of t he ot her labels. Cont inue t hrough t he rem ainder of t he wall chart groupings in t he sam e m anner unt il all boxes have been labeled.

Group Brainstorming of Labels Use t his t echnique when t he t eam has widely varying views about what m ay be a useful delineat ion of t he dat a. This approach encourages an assim ilat ion of m any possible cat egory nam es by reviewing all part icipant s' ideas, and t hen com bining and delet ing possibilit ies unt il t he t eam has defined a set of labels t hat appropriat ely reflect s t heir com bined knowledge. Perform t his exercise eit her before or aft er t he brainst orm ing or list ing of t he it em s t o be grouped. 1 . Prepare:

Explain t hat t he t eam is going t o perform an individual brainst orm in a five- m inut e t im ebox. Each part icipant should creat e his or her own responses, one response per Post - it . Ensure t hat everyone has m at erials ( Post - it s, m arkers) t o com plet e t heir brainst orm . 2 . Prom pt :

Prepare t he t eam t o brainst orm cat egories by providing a Prom pt quest ion:

" We are now considering all of t he possible kinds of feat ures t o be delivered in t his proj ect ." " To help us t hink about t he m any feat ures, envision som e useful ways of grouping or cat egories of t he feat ures we m ight include, such as funct ionalit y, or syst em , or dist ribut ed t eam , or user group." " Now, what are all t he cat egories of feat ures we should define for our syst em ?" 3 . Process:

St art t he t im er and allow t he individual work t o proceed unt il t he t im e ends. Ask som eone t o volunt eer t o read t heir list of cat egory labels for t he t eam and post t heir it em s on t he " Feat ure Cat egories" flipchart . Ask som eone else t o volunt eer t o read and post t heir labels, elim inat ing any duplicat es. Aft er t hree people have read and post ed t heir responses, ask t he t eam t o see if t here is a com binat ion of labels t hat form s a useful grouping schem e. Now ask for any rem aining recom m endat ions t o m assage t he labeling schem e unt il t he t eam has converged on a schem e t hat has t heir consensus.

Impact/Effort Grid Definition Use t his t echnique t o help a t eam ident ify easy wins versus t he big, m ore com plex it em s of work. I t is used aft er t eam s have com plet ed eit her a brainst orm ing or a list ing exercise and it em s have been capt ured as separat e responses, one per st icky. An I m pact / Effort Grid ( see Table 15.1) is a great exam ple of t he use of predefined cat egories, in t his case arranged by im pact ( m inor or m aj or) and effort ( difficult or easy) . I use t he grid form at out lined by I ngrid Bens: [ 2] [2]

Bens, Facilitating with Ease! , 163.

Ta ble 1 5 .1 . I m pa ct / Effor t Gr id Effor t / I m pa ct

D ifficu lt t o D o

Ea sy t o D o

Maj or I m provem ent

3.

1.

Minor I m provem ent

4.

2.

where each box in t he grid represent s t he following cat egories: 1.

Easy t o do and yields a m aj or im provem ent .

2.

Easy t o do but yields a m inor im provem ent .

3.

Difficult t o do but yields a m aj or im provem ent .

4.

Difficult t o do and yields a m inor im provem ent .

When you are preparing t o conduct t his exercise: Creat e a large enough grid in a wall chart t o hold all of your it em s, whet her using m ult iple flipchart s or using a large sheet of but cher paper. Writ e t he four explanat ions on a separat e flipchart as a reference for t he significance of each block in t he grid. Before beginning t he exercise, you m ay addit ionally choose t o lead t he t eam in 5- 10 m inut es of dialogue t o explicit ly declare t heir int erpret at ions of t he t erm s, such as " What does 'Easy t o do' m ean t o us?" Capt ure t his on a separat e flipchart and m ake it visible for t he exercise.

1 . Prepare:

Explain t hat t he t eam is going t o perform a grouping of it em s based on t heir im pact and effort . Review each of t he four squares on t he chart of t he grid and also t heir definit ions ( by point ing t o t he definit ions as list ed on t he flipchart ) . Explain t hat t his will be a group- wide grouping exercise where you will place each it em in t he block chosen by t he group. Any it em s t hat cannot be easily placed will be placed in a Parking Lot t o be addressed once all ot her it em s have been placed. Ask if t here are any quest ions about how t he exercise will proceed. 2 . Process:

Depending on how t he brainst orm or list ing has been conduct ed, begin t o process t he it em s one by one, reading t he it em aloud t o t he t eam and t hen asking for t heir recom m endat ion for where t o place it . For any it em t hat t akes over 30 seconds t o place, ask for perm ission t o place it in t he Parking Lot t o be processed at t he end of t he exercise. Proceed t hrough all t he it em s unt il every response has been placed in t he grid. I f any it em s have been placed in t he Parking Lot , address t hese it em s one by one: Ask for a volunt eer t o provide a recom m endat ion for it s placem ent and a t wom inut e explanat ion for t hat placem ent . Ask for anot her volunt eer t o provide an alt ernat ive recom m endat ion and a t wom inut e explanat ion. Ask for consensus concerning t he first recom m endat ion ( " Knowing what you know now, can you live wit h and support t he first alt ernat ive?" ) . Ask for a consensus check about t he second recom m endat ion as previously show n. I f consensus cannot be reached, ask for an alt ernat ive decision ( vot e, expert decision, m ore discussion) and resolve as recom m ended. Once all it em s have been processed, ask t he t eam t o provide t heir observat ions about t heir groupings ( five m inut es) . As an alt ernat ive grouping approach, allow t he t eam t o reflect individually about what each of t he four grid squares m eans t o t hem . Then conduct a silent grouping as described earlier where t eam m em bers place t he it em s in t he grid wit hout t alking. I n t his case, m ake sure t here is am ple room , such as at a large sheet of but cher paper, for all t o part icipat e.

Prioritizing and Weighting Team s priorit ize and weight inform at ion when, on it s own, t he collect ed dat a does not nat urally reveal what can guide us t o m ake decisions. Decisions m ay best be m ade when clum ped around fact ors such as t im e, cost , im pact , desirabilit y, significance t o t he business, or som e ot her fact or t hat could im pact t eam work. For inst ance, when t here are 100 it em request s in a Product Backlog, t he cust om er or product m anager applies a hierarchy of im port ance or a syst em of urgency t o t he it em s in order t o guide a t eam wit h respect t o where t o concent rat e it s act ions, resources, or planning. Technical t eam s rely on priorit izat ion for a num ber of dat a it em s t hat m ove t he proj ect forward. As Craig Larm an point s out , t eam s can creat e quick, effect ive proj ect focus when t hey collaborat ively apply priorit izing t o such it em s as: [ 3] [3]

Craig Larman, Agile & Iterative Development , 264.

User St ories Feat ures Defect s Risks Benefit s Concerns Nonfunct ional requirem ent s Use case scenarios Priorit izat ion plays a part icularly heft y role in agile soft ware developm ent t eam s as a m eans t o set t he scope and course for a t eam 's t im ebox. I n t he XP Planning Gam e, t he cust om er owns t he priorit izat ion of User St ories, t hough t hey can be guided in t hat priorit izat ion by input from t he t echnical t eam m em bers. Sim ilarly, in Scrum , t he Product Manager owns bot h t he Product Backlog and t he Sprint Backlog, bot h of which are priorit ized list s of it em s t o be deployed. Feat ure- Driven Developm ent t eam s m ust priorit ize t he client - valued funct ions ( a.k.a. feat ures) t o plan t heir work. And DSDM ( Dynam ic Syst em s Developm ent Met hodology) t eam s m aint ain a Priorit ized Requirem ent s List ( PRL) t o guide what m ust be delivered wit hin a t im ebox. Wit h t his in m ind, servant leaders do well t o keep a few priorit izat ion schem es in t heir collaborat ion t oolbox for quickly and effect ively guiding a t eam t o learn it s priorit ies: M oSCoW Hierarchical priorit izat ion ( also " 1, 2, 3," " High, Medium , Low," et c.) . M ult i- Vot ing Public or privat e priorit izat ion of vot es spread across t he t ot al const ellat ion of it em s. " Pa ss t h e Ca r d" Large group negot iat ed m ult i- vot ing. Pr ior it y/ W e igh t in g Gr id Applying priorit ies across a set of crit eria averaging t he values applied by each part icipant . I n any of t hese priorit izat ion schem es, you can apply som e useful guidance t o ensure t hat t he

t eam 's best decisions guide t he rankings:

1 . Tie - br e a k m e ch a n ism de cision Decide in advance how t he t eam will deal wit h any t ies in t he vot ing: An expert individual t iebreaker is assigned. A 2/ 3's m aj orit y vot e breaks t he t ie. A consensus dialogue breaks all t ies, et c. 2 . I n flu e n ce Pe ddlin g Prior t o t he exercise, any individual can plead t he case for t heir part icular priorit y in a t wo- m inut e or less acclam at ion of t heir st ance. Ask all " peddlers" t o ident ify t hem selves prior t o beginning t he priorit izat ion. Be clear t hat no one under any circum st ance can exceed t he t wo- m inut e lim it . Addit ionally, explain t hat t his is not a Q&A forum , j ust t he present at ion of one viewpoint . Facilit at e t he t wo- m inut e int ervals unt il all peddlers have present ed t heir case. ( I 've used t his very successfully in a num ber of collaborat ion scenarios: deciding how t o proceed wit h t he agenda; det erm ining what risks should be invest igat ed in great er det ail wit hin t he m eet ing; how t he m ult iple cust om er voices will be heard for priorit izing User St ories) .

MoSCoWPrioritized Requirements List (PRL) While MoSCoW com es t o us via t he DSDM approach around it s Priorit ized Requirem ent s List ( PRL) , I use t his approach across m ult iple m et hodologies. All it em s t o be priorit ized are m aint ained in a ranked list according t o how urgent ly t hey are needed. " MoSCoW" represent s t he four possible values any it em in t he list m ay have: MA MUST HAVE, t his is t he highest priorit y an it em can receive. SA SHOULD HAVE, second in priorit y, t his it em is highly desirable. CA COULD HAVE, t he it em is a nice- t o- have, t hird in priorit y. WA WON'T HAVE, t his it em is clearly out of t he scope of t he current release but is t racked for fut ure priorit y considerat ions. MoSCoW is at t ract ive in helping t eam s learn a sim ple language about t heir sense of necessit y. St at ing priorit ies in chunks of t he MUST HAVEs versus t he SHOULD HAVEs and COULD HAVEs m ay be m ore m eaningful t o cust om ers init ially in requirem ent s m anagem ent t han list ing it em s in a num eric serial ranking syst em 1 t o N ( m ore useful lat er when work decisions m ust be m ade) . The danger of using MoSCoW for your rankings is a young ( a.k.a. " Form ing" ) t eam 's t endency t o value t oo m any it em s as MUST HAVE. This can negat ively alt er t he t eam 's sense of scope m anagem ent ( " How can we cut back t he scope; all of t hese st ories are MUST HAVEs?" ) Balancing MoSCoW by t he Product Owner or cust om er wit h t echnical est im at es t hat clearly bound a t im ebox scope m ay help a t eam bet t er grade it s st ories or requirem ent s. MoSCoW priorit izat ion should be preceded by eit her a brainst orm ing or a list ing exercise t o accum ulat e t he it em s t o be ranked.

MoSCoW Exercise 1 . Prepare:

Prepare a flipchart wit h t he four priorit y definit ions associat ed wit h t he MoSCoW approach:

MoSCoW Priorities MMUST HAVE, t he highest priorit y SSHOULD HAVE, desirable t o have CCOULD HAVE, nice- t o- have WWON'T HAVE, out of scope

Explain t o t he t eam t hat we are now going t o engage in a priorit izat ion of t he accum ulat ed it em s. Go t hrough t he MoSCoW flipchart verbat im t o rem ind t hem what each ranking represent s. Explain t hat t his will be a group- wide exercise where you grade each it em M, S, C, or W, as decided by t he group. I f any it em t akes longer t han t wo m inut es t o rank, you will ask t he group's perm ission t o place it in t he Parking Lot t o be ranked at t he end of t he exercise. Ask if t here are any quest ions about how t he exercise will proceed. 2 . Process:

For each it em t o be priorit ized, read t he it em aloud verbat im from it s Post - it or index card, and ask for a recom m endat ion on t he ranking: M, S, C, or W. Ask for consensus or discussion around t he recom m endat ion. I f agreed t o, m ark t he it em wit h t he rank and place on t he flipchart labeled " Priorit ized St ories ( Feat ures/ Requirem ent s) ." ( I f it em s were writ t en direct ly on a flipchart , as in som e brainst orm ing exercises, and not on a m oveable m edium such as a Post - it , sim ply creat e a colum n down t he left side of t he flipchart t o hold all MoSCoW values.) Once all it em s have been graded, review t he list wit h t he t eam , evaluat ing t he rat io of MUST HAVEs t o SHOULD HAVEs and COULD HAVEs, and ask for observat ions so t hat t he t eam can ( now or lat er) m ake decisions about t he scope of t heir work.

Multi-Voting/Dot Voting Mult i- vot ing creat es a forum in which t he t eam 's wisdom about it s priorit ies em erges t hrough t he individual priorit ies of each t eam m em ber. I t is som et im es referred t o as " dot - vot ing" when each vot e is represent ed by a dot st icker. Every m em ber is allowed a cert ain num ber of vot es/ dot s t o apply across t he t ot al num ber of it em s. The leader sum s t he vot es for each it em , which t hen creat es t he rankings of t he it em s from highest t o lowest based on t he great est t o least num ber of vot es per it em . Mult i- vot ing differs from t he MoSCoW approach in t hat : The t eam does not m ake agreem ent s as a group. I ndividuals vot e independent of one anot her. The num ber of urgency values in vot ing is binary ( you eit her vot e for an it em , or you don't ) . You can conduct m ult i- vot ing eit her in a public forum , where everyone can see how everyone else has vot ed, or in a privat e approach, where all vot es are com plet ely anonym ous and t allied offline. The public exercise is a good way t o energize a t eam , having t he t eam m ove along a wall wit h all t he it em s post ed in order t o m ark t heir vot es t hem selves. I f your t eam is not yet out of it s Form ing or St orm ing m ode, and you are aware of som e power st ruggles or ot her group issues, avoid using t he public vot ing exercise. Allow m em bers t o privat ely cast t heir vot es and t hen m ove offline t o sum t he values for t hem wit hout revealing how specific vot es were cast . What num ber of vot es should you assign t o each part icipant in m ult i- vot ing? A good guide t o follow is 20% of t he t ot al num ber of it em s. So, in t he case of 30 risks being priorit ized, each vot ing t eam m em ber would receive 6 vot es t o assign across t he populat ion of risks. Alt hough m ult i- vot ing is easy t o conduct , it is best used when only t he t op priorit ies are needed ( " What is t he m ost im port ant t hing we should do next ?" ) because it m ay not provide granular enough guidance for it em s less t han t he m ost im port ant . For exam ple, im agine a priorit izat ion exercise in which a t eam needs t o evaluat e 20 feat ures; each part icipant has 4 vot es. I t soon em erges t hat everyone seem s t o feel t hat deploying dynam ically configurable rat e t ables is an absolut e necessit y, along wit h em ail not ificat ion of any t able updat es and an audit t rail of t he request or, t he dat e, and t he t im e. So t hese t hree feat ures receive a vot e/ dot from nearly everyone on t he t eam . Wit h only t wo vot es/ dot s rem aining for evaluat ing t he rem aining 17 it em s, t he t eam m ay find it hard t o learn any useful priorit y inform at ion for any m ore t han one or t wo m ore feat ures. A few ot her considerat ions when leading your t eam s in m ult i- vot ing: Any st um ping for a part icular it em ( influence peddling) should be conduct ed prior t o t he m ult i- vot ing. Part icipant s cannot place m ore t han one vot e on any given it em . Vot ing, whet her public or privat e, should be conduct ed in silence wit hout discussion. You m ay place t he flipchart wit h t he post ed it em s facing away from t he group so t hat no one can see t he vot ing as it t akes place.

Public Multi-Voting Exercise I n a public m ult i- vot ing exercise, each part icipant get s a num ber of st icky dot s, st ars, hand vot es, or m arks t o place as " vot es" across all t he it em s. A few guidelines for public m ult ivot ing: Decide in advance how m any vot es each person will receive and how t hey will be not ed ( dot s, raised hands, check m arks, et c.) . Decide in advance whet her everyone will vot e at once or one by one. Decide in advance if t he post ed it em s will be facing t oward t he group or away from t he group ( for inst ance on easels) during t he vot ing. I f public vot ing is being conduct ed one by one, as in a round robin, t he t eam lead or ot her part icipant s of high influence should always vot e last . Once everyone has vot ed, eit her circle t he t op N it em s ( for inst ance, t he t op five it em s) t hat have t he great est num ber of vot es, or rewrit e t he t op it em s on a separat e labeled flipchart . I n m ult i- vot ing, as m ent ioned earlier, t here m ay be a severe dropoff of vot es from a cert ain pack of it em s at t he t op of t he list ; let t hat num ber em erge from t he geography of t he cast vot es.

Private Voting Exercise Privat e m ult i- vot ing is useful in t eam s where t rust m ay st ill be an issue. All it em s under considerat ion are assigned a num eric or let t er value. Prior t o conduct ing t he exercise, allow t he t eam t o silent ly review t he it em s for t heir priorit y or significance. Each person t hen privat ely writ es down t he num bers of t heir priorit y it em s on a piece of paper. All ot her rules st ill apply: No discussion during vot ing. All vot es m ust be dist ribut ed across t he it em s, one vot e per it em . Once everyone has had a chance t o writ e down t heir choices, collect all t he papers yourself, m aking sure t hat no one can see any of t he responses. Your j ob is t o t hen t ally t he vot es and provide t he final result s t o t he t eam . You can do t his by sim ply m arking t he post ed it em s wit h t he t ot al num ber of vot es each received.

Pass the Cards This is a great exercise t o use wit h a very large group t o help t hem conduct m odified m ult ivot ing across a set of it em s not yet revealed openly t o t he group. I t com bines a brainst orm exercise wit h a vot ing process in t hat individuals each brainst orm one idea and t hen, in t he course of t he exercise, share t he idea wit h one ot her person and negot iat e a priorit y bet ween t heir t wo it em s. " Pass t he cards" is very int eract ive and, unlike MoSCoW or m ult i- vot ing, act ually encourages dialogue during t he vot ing. But like m ult i- vot ing, " Pass t he cards" usually only reveals t he very t op it em s of priorit y as vot es t end t o quickly fall off. 1 . Prepare:

Prior t o conduct ing t he exercise, writ e t he brainst orm quest ion on a flipchart ; for exam ple, " What was t he biggest problem our t eam faced in t his last it erat ion?" Make sure each part icipant has an index card and a pen for t he brainst orm ing. Explain t hat each person will be writ ing one response on t he index card in response t o a brainst orm quest ion. Then t here will be five cycles of priorit izat ion t hat will occur am ong all t he cards, but only in dyads ( pairs) , t o provide point s t o each card. I n each cycle, t he pair will be asked t o divide a t ot al of 7 point s bet ween t heir t wo cards. The cards wit h t he highest num ber of point s at t he end of t he five cycles of priorit izat ion will be t he t op- priorit y it em s. Explain t hat each part icipant will have 30 seconds t o respond t o t he brainst orm , and t hat each of t he priorit izat ion cycles will be t wo m inut es long. Ask everyone t o get on t heir feet . 2 . Provide t he Prom pt quest ion for t he brainst orm . 3 . Process:

Aft er 30 seconds, ask everyone t o find one ot her person in t he group and in t he next t wo m inut es, share each ot her's responses and allocat e 7 point s bet ween t he t wo cards ( if one card is awarded 5 point s, t he ot her card can only be awarded 2 point s; if one card is awarded 7 point s, t he ot her card receives a 0) and writ e t he value on t he cards. Direct t he t wo part icipant s in each pair t o exchange cards once t he point allocat ion has been recorded. St art t he next 30- second cycle, again direct ing everyone t o find one ot her person wit h which t o share cards and discuss t heir m erit s. Again, direct each dyad t o allocat e 7 point s bet ween t he t wo cards, writ e t he num bers down, and exchange cards. Perform t his " discuss, priorit ize, exchange" cycle t hree m ore t im es. At t his point , each card should have five num bers writ t en on it , one for each priorit izat ion cycle. Ask everyone t o ret urn t o t heir seat s and sum up t he point s on t he card t hey current ly hold. Ask for a show of hands of anyone who has a card t hat has 35 point s on it ( t he highest possible accum ulat ion of point s in t he five cycles) . Keep asking for

t he next highest values and writ e down t he brainst orm responses and t heir values on a labeled flipchart . Lead t he t eam in 10 m inut es of discussion about t he result s of t heir brainst orm and priorit izat ion exercise.

Priority/Weighting Grid A weight ing or priorit y grid provides t he t eam wit h a m ore det ailed t ool for capt uring t heir priorit ies as a t eam , allowing t he highest priorit y it em s t o em erge across a set of crit eria select ed by t he t eam , eit her weight ed or not . Com pare t his t o m ult i- vot ing, which t ends t o reveal t he highest priorit ies but not all t he priorit ies. Mult i- vot ing is fast er but less granular. The priorit y grid is very det ailed but t akes m ore t im e and preparat ion. Prior t o t he weight ing, t he t eam brainst orm s a set of useful crit eria for evaluat ing t heir priorit ies, preferably bet ween t hree and five t ot al crit eria. Each eligible t eam m em ber t hen provides a value or priorit y against each of t he crit eria in t he grid. I n our exam ple, where User St ories are being priorit ized, t his m ight only represent t he values of t he cust om er t eam m em bers; in ot her exercises, all t eam m em bers m ay be supplying values. The crit eria values can represent priorit ies as follows: 1 = Low priorit y, does not m eet crit erion. 2 = Medium priorit y, som ewhat m eet s crit erion. 3 = High priorit y, m eet s crit erion. For each it em , t he priorit y is det erm ined by sum m ing t he average value in each cat egory ( t he sum of m em ber values divided by t he num ber of m em bers) t o produce a t ot al score for t hat it em . I use a grid recom m ended by I ngrid Bens ( see Table 15.2) : [ 4] [4]

Bens, Facilitating with Ease! , 163.

Ta ble 1 5 .2 . Pr ior it y/ W e igh t in g Gr id I t e m / Cr it e r ion Pr e se n t s Low Risk

D e live r s H igh Bu sin e ss Va lu e

I m ple m e nt s Cr e a t e s Tot a l Ea sily Te a m Scor e Good W ill

Ra n k

User St ory 1

3, 2, 2, 1 =2

3, 3, 3, 1= 2 .5

1, 2, 2, 1 = 1 .5

3, 2, 2, 2 = 2 .2 5

8 .2 5

4

User St ory 2

3, 3, 3, 3= 3

2, 2, 2, 1 = 1 .7 5

3, 2, 2, 1 = 2

3, 3, 3, 3= 3

9 .7 5

2

User St ory 3

2, 1, 1, 1 = 1 .2 5

3, 3, 3, 3 =3

1, 1, 1, 1= 1

1, 2, 1, 2 = 1 .5

6 .7 5

6

User St ory 4

3, 2, 2, 2 = 2 .2 5

3, 3, 2, 1 = 2 .2 5

1, 1, 1, 1= 1

3, 3, 3, 2 = 2 .7 5

8 .2 5

3

User St ory 5

3, 3, 3, 3 =3

2, 1, 1, 1 = 1 .2 5

3, 3, 3, 3 = 3

3, 3, 2, 2 = 2 .5

9 .7 5

1

User St ory 6

3, 1, 1, 3 =2

2, 1, 1, 1= 1 .2 5

3, 3, 3, 3 = 3

1, 1, 1, 2 = 1 .2 5

7. 5

5

You can also apply weight s t o each of t he cat egories ( see Table 15.3) . For inst ance, in t he previous exam ple, if " Delivers High Business Value" is weight ed at t hree t im es t he value of t he ot her crit eria, t he priorit ies shift as follows:

Ta ble 1 5 .3 . Pr ior it y/ W e igh t in g Gr id W e igh t e d by Ca t e gor y I t e m / Cr it e r ion Pr e se n t s Low Risk

D e live r s H igh Bu sin e ss Va lu e ( * 3)

I m ple m e nt s Cr e a t e s Tot a l Ea sily Te a m Scor e Good W ill

Ra n k

User St ory 1

3, 2, 2, 1 =2

3, 3, 3, 1= 2 .5 * 3

1, 2, 2, 1 = 1 .5

3, 2, 2, 2 = 2 .2 5

1 3 .2 5

1

User St ory 2

3, 3, 3, 3= 3

2, 2, 2, 1 = 1 .7 5 * 3

3, 2, 2, 1 = 2

3, 3, 3, 3= 3

1 3 .2 5

2

User St ory 3

2, 1, 1, 1 = 1 .2 5

3, 3, 3, 3 =3 * 3

1, 1, 1, 1= 1

1, 2, 1, 2 = 1 .5

1 2 .7 5

3

User St ory 4

3, 2, 2, 2 = 2 .2 5

3, 3, 2, 1 = 2 .2 5 * 3

1, 1, 1, 1= 1

3, 3, 3, 2 = 2 .7 5

1 2 .7 5

4

User St ory 5

3, 3, 3, 3 =3

2, 2, 1, 2 = 1 .2 5 * 3

3, 3, 3, 3 = 3

3, 3, 2, 2 = 2 .5

1 2 .2 5

5

User St ory 6

3, 1, 1, 3 =2

2, 1, 1, 1= 1 .2 5 * 3

3, 3, 3, 3 = 3

1, 1, 1, 2 = 1 .2 5

1 0 .0 0

6

Use a Priorit y/ Weight ing Grid when t here are clear, m ult iple crit eria t o apply t o t he it em s; ot herwise, st ick wit h sim ple m ult i- vot ing or MoSCoW t o derive priorit ies.

Chapter 16. Visioning, Retrospection, and Other Approaches Proj ect Visioning Tim elining Ot her I nform at ion- Gat hering Techniques

Project Visioning Visioning is a great t echnique t hat helps a group believe in it s ownership of t he proj ect and what t he out com e of t he proj ect will be. Proj ect visioning prom pt s part icipant s t o t hink t hrough what t hey believe will be t rue about t he proj ect so t hat t hey can creat e t heir own dest iny about t he proj ect . They do t his by answering quest ions around som e fut ure vision of t he proj ect , discussing t heir responses wit h each ot her, and t hen finding com m on, priorit ized t hem es am ong t he responses. Use t his t echnique t o help a t eam at t he st art of a proj ect t o envision t he work, t he deliverables, t he accom plishm ent s, t he way t he t eam will com m unicat e, and so on. ( You can also use visioning at t he st art of a proj ect release, gaining insight int o sim ilar aspect s of t he release.) As t he facilit at or of t his proj ect kickoff exercise, your goal is t o st ay out of t he way and allow m em bers of t he t eam t o com m unicat e am ong t hem selves as t hey answer quest ions about t he fut ure. Visioning at t he st art of a proj ect is part icularly powerful when t he t eam has already conduct ed a reflect ion or ret rospect ive at t he end of anot her proj ect or at t he end of a release. Visioning m ay be less useful for well- form ed t eam s t hat are already in a highperform ance m ode, very com fort able wit h how t hey work, and able t o consist ent ly accom plish t heir goals collaborat ively. To ensure t he success of any visioning exercise:

1 . Always use a t im er t o t im ebox t he various st eps of t he exercise. 2 . Plan your quest ions in advance t o ensure t hat t hey provide useful vision inform at ion ( such as m at erial t hat could be reviewed during a ret rospect ive) . 3 . Be sure t o explain t he purpose of creat ing vision for t he proj ect : " To creat e our own dest iny for t he proj ect out com e." 4 . Only provide guidance at t he beginning, at each t im e int erval, and t hen in processing t he inform at ion at t he end; you do not provide any vision input .

Project Visioning Exercise I use an approach out lined by I ngrid Bens t hat com bines brainst orm ing, dyad exchanges, and dialogue as well as priorit izing, all of which are t echniques t hat were described earlier. [ 1] [1]

Bens, Facilitating with Ease! , 151.

1 . Prepare:

Prior t o beginning t he visioning exercise, label a flipchart wit h " I m agine it is exact ly 90 days from t oday…" Now list t he following it em s in large bold let t ers:

What specific work have we accom plished? What problem s have we been able t o solve? What are people saying about our t eam and how it works? What do we t ell ot hers about our t eam ? How have we changed t he way we work from our previous proj ect ? How do we celebrat e success? How do we m anage conflict ?

Label anot her flipchart " Our Proj ect Vision." Explain t hat t he group is about t o com plet e som e proj ect visioning: " The purpose is t o creat e our own dest iny about t he proj ect and how we will work in it ." Provide each part icipant wit h a chart pen and Post - it Not es. Provide clear inst ruct ions t o everyone at t he sam e t im e about how t he exercise will proceed ( one response per Post - it , t im e lim it , individual work t o st art , t hen part icipant s will share responses in subsequent pairs) . For each response t hat a part icipant has for one of t he quest ions, t hey should use a separat e Post - it . For inst ance: " We successfully engaged in problem solving wit hout get t ing bogged down in polit ics." Then provide inst ruct ions about t he "Gat her" st eps list ed in t he following. 2 . Prom pt wit h t he visioning quest ion:

" I m agine it is exact ly 90 days from t oday…" " Think about all t he pract ices we engaged and all t he successes we enj oyed." " What are all t he pract ices and successes of our proj ect ?"

3 . Gat her:

I n t he first t im ebox, 5 m inut es, individuals should provide as m any responses as t hey can t o any or all of t he post ed quest ions. I n t he next t im ebox, 6 m inut es, each part icipant pairs wit h one ot her part icipant . Each will t ake 3 m inut es t o give an overview of t heir responses t o t he ot her. Not e which responses are considered key t o t he proj ect vision. I n t he next t im ebox, 6 m inut es, each part icipant swit ches part ners and repeat s t heir overview of t heir responses t o one anot her. Again, not e which responses are considered key t o t he proj ect vision. ( You can now end t he paired- inform at ion exchange or conduct one m ore t im ebox, t his one only 4 m inut es long where pairs t ake t urns exchanging ideas for 2 m inut es each and not ing t heir key responses.) Now t ake 10 m inut es t o bring forward all of t he prim ary responses and place t hem on t he " Our Proj ect Vision" flipchart .

"Giving an A" Exercise I borrowed t his idea from t he book The Art of Possibilit y by Rosam und St one Zander and Benj am in Zander, in which t hey describe a t echnique t o help st udent s at t he beginning of a sem est er set goals for t hem selves about t he end of t he sem est er. Working wit h Pam Rost al and Tim Bacon at a Ret rospect ives Gat hering in February of 2005, we were able t o shift t he st ory enough t o m ake it work for our " fut urspect ives." I n a soft ware proj ect t eam , each part icipant is asked t o t hink int o t he fut ure about t he end of t he proj ect and how t hey had excelled ( " got an A" ) in t he course of t he proj ect . Prom pt ed wit h t his quest ion, t hey are t hen asked t o individually writ e t hree let t ers of explanat ion about t heir " A" as follows: " Dear Cust om er, as a t eam we are proud of t he work we did on t his proj ect because…" " Dear Manager, we are proud of how we engaged as a collaborat ive t eam on t his proj ect because…" " Dear Team , I am proud of how I cont ribut ed on t his proj ect because…"

"Picture This" Exercise One way t o help a t eam ret rospect a Sprint , an it erat ion, a release, or an ent ire proj ect is t o apply a visioning exercise called " Pict ure This." Again, t his exercise cam e out of work at t he Ret rospect ives Gat hering in February 2005, wit h m any t hanks t o Debra Schrat z and Ainsley Nies.

1 . Prepare:

Prior t o beginning t he visioning exercise, m ake sure you have paper, pencils, and m arkers available for t he drawing. Explain t hat t he group is about t o engage in a sort of art proj ect : " The purpose is t o pict ure what we felt t he it erat ion/ Sprint / release/ proj ect looked like." Have t he group subdivide int o groups of t wo or t hree, depending on t he size of t he group. Provide each sub- group wit h a set of supplies. Provide clear inst ruct ions t o everyone at t he sam e t im e about how t he exercise will proceed ( com plet e a drawing on t he sheet of paper t hat represent s t he group's vision of what t he t im e period felt like) . Then provide inst ruct ions about t he "Gat her" st eps list ed in t he following. Tell t hem t hat t hey will have five m inut es t o com plet e t heir pict ure and t hat each t eam will be asked t o explain t heir pict ure t o t he rest of t he group. 2 . Prom pt wit h t he visioning quest ion:

" Think about t his last it erat ion/ Sprint / release/ proj ect t im e period." " Think about what t hat period felt like in t erm s of an im age or pict ure, whet her in t erm s of m yt hology, weat her, act ions, et c." " What is your pict ure of t his t im e?" 3 . Gat her:

For each sub- group, ask a t eam m em ber t o present t he pict ure t o t he rest of t he group, explaining what influenced t heir pict ure. Find out what part icularly drove any st rong posit ive or st rong negat ive im ages. Once all t eam s have debriefed, hang each of t he pict ures on t he wall and ask t he group as a whole t o sum up t he result s. I n part icular, guide t he group in discovering how t hese pict ures m ight help t hem learn som et hing t hat could im pact how t hey conduct t heir next t im e period.

Timelining Tim elining is an excellent com panion exercise for t he Proj ect Visioning exercise. Used eit her as a guide for what shall be or as a reflect ion for what has been, t im elining helps t eam s record a com m on sense of t heir m ovem ent t hrough t im e as a t eam : What will we st rive t o do; what are we capable of accom plishing over t im e? What were we successful in delivering over t he course of t he release/ it erat ion/ Sprint ? What t rends em erge over t im e about how we work j oint ly t o deliver value? Tim elines reinforce a t eam 's sense of owning t he proj ect and it s st alwart m arch t hrough corporat e calendars. I n a way, facilit at ing a t eam t hrough a t im elining exercise invit es t hem t o t ake over t he proj ect plan and be responsible for eit her what occurred or what can occur. The large colorful t eam - produced responses hanging in t heir self- defined t im eline hands t hem t he power over t he proj ect 's definit ion. I t invit es t heir ownership, t heir scrut iny, and t heir support . Norm Kert h's Proj ect Ret rospect ives: A Handbook for Team Mem bers is an enlight ened source for how t o effect ively apply t im elines ( and ot her reflect ive exercises) t o ret rospect ive workshops. Using his t im eline guidance can t hen expand beyond ret rospect ives t o: Release plans St rat egy act ion plans Dependency analysis Release ret rospect ives For any t im eline exercise, I recom m end t he use of bright whit e but cher paper ( found at art supply shops in am ple quant it y) t o cover a wall in a unifying, long m at erial. But cher paper com es in 3- t o 4- feet - wide rolls t o accom m odat e any lengt h you m ay need. Don't be skim py. Creat ing a large banner across a wall is visually st im ulat ing t o part icipant s; t hat long, blank sheet of paper signals t o t hem t hat t heir cont ribut ions are eagerly await ed. I n lieu of but cher paper, you can also use several parachut e clot hs t reat ed wit h self- adhesive spray. Or you can line up m ult iple flipchart pages t o creat e t he lengt h you need. As wit h any flipchart you use in an exercise, label your t im eline wall wit h large, dark block let t ers. Big is beaut iful. I n addit ion, t hink about what nat ural sect ions should be applied t o t he t im eline vert ically across t he wall ( weeks, m ont hs, quart ers, releases, it erat ions, m ilest ones, deadlines) and horizont ally down t he paper ( deliverables, life event s, proj ect event s, celebrat ions, st resses, ot her) . You can even ask t he t eam t o decide at t he st art of t he exercise, in a brief brainst orm , what t he nat ural sect ions should be, if any ( som e t eam s prefer com plet ely free- flowing t im elines t hat act m ore like self- grouping calendars, let t ing t he sect ions nat urally em erge as t he responses are filled in) . As you conduct t he t im eline exercise, you m ay want t o encourage t he t eam t o t hink about a variet y of it em s t hat could be capt ured in t he t im eline: Milest ones Risks I m pact s

Market event s Vacat ions/ holidays Ot her deadlines/ dependencies Birt hdays/ anniversaries ( March 26 t h is t he anniversary of m y first paying j ob as an I T professional. I always celebrat e it wit h what ever t eam I am working, so it is on any first quart er t im eline t o which I have access .) Each of t hese cat egories of response can be capt ured on different colored Post - it s or index cards, or you can select a different color of ink for each m aj or t ype of response. The idea is t o have t he t im eline graphically represent useful dat a ot her t han j ust t he t ext . ( I n one t im eline for a t echnical st rat egy plan, each t echnical group used a different color of Post - it t o capt ure t heir st ories and m ilest ones. I n anot her exercise, t he t eam chose t o capt ure m aj or m ilest ones and dependencies in one color and all st ories in anot her color.)

Timelining Exercise 1 . Prepare:

Creat e a large wall chart wit h t he t im eline label and any useful sect ions delineat ed ( horizont al and vert ical) based on feedback from t he t eam . Label a flipchart " Tim eline Response Types" and list t he cat egories of ent ries being t racked on t his t im eline ( st ories, m ilest ones, vacat ions, dependencies, celebrat ions, st resses, et c.) . This should be driven bot h by t he purpose of t he t im eline ( reflect ion or planning) and what could best serve t he t eam . Explain t o t he part icipant s t hat you are about t o engage in a t im elining exercise. Use t he agenda it em quest ion as a prom pt for t he purpose of t he t im eline. Explain t hat while everyone will be writ ing t heir own individual responses, t he t eam is encouraged t o form , as Norm Kert h calls t hem , nat ural- affinit y groups; t hat is, groupings of people wit h whom you can brainst orm ideas and responses t o provoke m ore ideas. ( I f you can arrange it , have groups form around a large t able t o encourage t his nat ural int erchange, part icularly if different t ypes of responses are being capt ured on different color Post - it s/ cards.) Make sure all part icipant s have plent y of Post - it s or index cards as well as pens. ( I f using cards, m ake sure all part icipant s or groups of part icipant s have a supply of t ape for post ing t heir responses.) For an exercise where each t ype of response is writ t en in a different color or capt ured on a different color of card, be sure all part icipant s have access t o am ple supplies of bot h ( see earlier suggest ion about using a clust er of large t ables t o hold all supplies) . Explain t hat part icipant s will be invit ed t o writ e t heir responses, one per st icky, in response t o t he Prom pt quest ion you are going t o provide. When useful, t hey m ay also include t he dat e at t he t op of t he response, part icularly for well- known past event s or fut ure m ilest ones. Explain t hat when t hey feel t hat t hey have exhaust ed t heir wealt h of knowledge about t he t im eline in t heir responses, t hey should individually m ove t o t he t im eline chart and begin t o post t heir responses. I f t he t im eline has any vert ical or horizont al sect ions, t hey should pay at t ent ion t o t hese as t hey post . Explain what t he t im ebox for t he list ing/ post ing part of t he exercise will be. Norm

Kert h suggest s 1- 2 hours for a reflect ive t im eline used in a proj ect ret rospect ive. 2 . Prom pt :

Provide t he " Prom pt " quest ion. For a st rat egic planning t im eline, consider a Prom pt as follows:

" Think about all our goals for t he next six m ont hs in st rat egic planning." " Consider all t he work we m ust com plet e in our syst em s developm ent proj ect s, what t he m arket pressures are, any predefined m ilest ones. Think about all t he t ypes of event s we m ay want t o t rack as defined by our list ." " Now, what are all your t im eline event s for our st rat egic plan?"

For a reflect ion or ret rospect ive t im eline, you can use t he following:

" Take a m om ent now and t hink about all t he work t hat we have accom plished in t he last six m ont hs ( or " over t he course of t he release/ proj ect / et c." ) ." " We have com e t hrough m any event s, m ilest ones, st resses, and celebrat ions, som e of t hem personal, som e of t hem very proj ect - specific. Review our list of response t ypes post ed here on t he flipchart ." " Now, what are all your t im eline event s for t he past six m ont hs ( or t he proj ect / release/ et c.) ?" 3 . Gat her:

St art t he t im er and say not hing else . Once t he t im ebox has ended for com plet ing responses, ask part icipant s t o finish post ing t heir work on t he t im eline. Now, invit e everyone t o t ake t he next 10 m inut es t o review t he work t he t eam has post ed in silence. Ask t hem t o t hink about t he im pact t hat it has on t hem . Once t he reflect ion t im ebox has ended, you can conduct a 20- m inut e brainst orm around t he t rends or st riking inform at ion t he t eam sees em erging from t he t im eline. For a proj ect ret rospect ive, I st ick wit h t he five flipchart s t hat Norm Kert h recom m ends post ing for responses: [ 2] [2]

Kerth, Project Retrospectives , 125.

" What worked well t hat we don't want t o forget ." " What we learned." " What we should do different ly next t im e." " What st ill puzzles us."

" What we need t o discuss in great er det ail." I apply sim ilar " gold- m ining" when I have a very large planning t im eline: " What we see t hat worries us." " What we need t o discuss in great er det ail." " What m ay st ill be m issing." " What dependencies seem ed t o em erge."

Other Information-Gathering Techniques Beyond brainst orm ing, list ing, and t hese addit ional t echniques, you can decide t o expand your inform at ion- gat hering repert oire by bringing in addit ional st yles. When you apply ot her inform at ion- gat hering t echniques, you keep your part icipant s m ot ivat ed by m oving away from t he sam e box of t ools. The suggest ions list ed here st ill require t hat you have m ast ered t he basics: Be a servant . Ask quest ions. Use t im eboxes. Record t he t eam inform at ion and m ake it highly visible.

Open Space Technology When I have large groups of people want ing t o exchange a variet y of inform at ion where no roles or t opics have been predefined, an Open Space is a phenom enal approach t o allow t he t opics and roles and inform at ion t o em erge. I n sum , open space t echnology, as defined by Harrison Owen, is a great way t o help a large group t o t hink innovat ively, depart from t heir norm , and learn what t hey would like t o learn from one anot her around a part icular t hem e and t hen " j ust do it " : who has a problem t hat t hey would like t o invest igat e wit h ot hers; who has a t heory about a brand- new st rat egy t hey'd like t o discuss; what cont radict ory plans, work effort s, or pract ices are t aking place and how can we deal wit h t hem ?[ 3] [3]

Owen, A Brief User's Guide to Open Space Technology

.

Open Space Technology is founded on four principles and one law t hat govern t he leader's behavior and t he part icipant s' behaviors t hroughout t he durat ion of t he exercise or m eet ing. The Four Principles of Open Space Technology:

1 . Whoever com es is t he right people. 2 . What ever happens is t he only t hing t hat could have. 3 . Whenever it st art s is t he right t im e. 4 . When it is over, it is over. The one law of Open Space Technology: The Law of Two Feet Sum m arized, t hese four principles and t he support ing law validat e t he very open, innovat ive, and highly creat ive nat ure of t his sort of inform at ion- gat hering t echnique. What ever t opics or issues em erge will be discussed by whoever shows up ( t he Law of Two Feet ) and who chooses t o st ay t o part icipat e in t he inform at ion gat hering. Anyone can choose t o leave any discussion any t im e t hey feel t hat t hey are no longer cont ribut ory ( t he Law of Two Feet ) , and all discussions begin and end based on t he behavior of t he group.

Open Space Technology is decept ive in it s sim plicit y. I n t rut h, it requires your expert engagem ent as a servant leader wit h t he innat e facilit at ion skills t o set inform at ion gat hering in m ot ion and t hen st ep aside. Through a careful sense of fram ework and servit ude, you ensure t hat t he open space does not j ust equat e t o chaos or zero organizat ion despit e it s leaderless sense. I n t he proper set t ing, a loose and collaborat ive fram ework, t eam s, and t opics are encouraged t o be far m ore fluid t han t he norm al m eet ing agenda. As t he leader/ init iat or in an Open Space Technology, you provide: Th e t h e m e This m ust be t he unifying, com pelling subj ect around which all t he discussion t opics revolve. Th e m e e t in g spa ce A large room or room s wit h am ple chairs t o encourage m ovem ent from group t o group for all part icipant s. This is oft en referred t o as t he Market Place as it becom es t he " m ission cont rol" of t he m eet ing where inform at ion is shared and revisit ed and t eam s reconvene at t he end of t he exercise or m eet ing. Th e su pplie s Flipchart s and easels, m arkers, Post - it Not es, index cards, and t ape. Th e t im e box e s A t im e slot and locat ion for each of t he t opics t o em erge from t he group. Th e ba sic in st r u ct ion s You help part icipant s underst and t heir role in defining and running t he open space: I f you have a t opic you'd like t o open up t o t he group, nom inat e it at t he st art of t he exercise. Once all t he nom inat ed t opics have been ident ified, a t im e and locat ion in a t im ebox ( usually groups st art wit h a 1- 2 hour t im ebox) is appoint ed t o each. Find a t opic t hat int erest s you and sign up for it . " Vot e wit h your feet " whoever shows up t o discuss a t opic are t he right people t o be t here; however, t he discussion progresses is t he right way. Part icipat e unt il you feel your part icipat ion is no longer needed ( t he t opic doesn't int erest you, it is not t he discussion you t hought it would be, no one else showed up for t he discussion, or it is not a collaborat ive invest igat ion of t he t opic) . Polit ely indicat e t hat you are exit ing t he group, and leave. Th e colla bor a t ive e n cou r a ge m e n t You can st ill be a servant t o a group by encouraging all part icipant s t o engage in open dialogue in t heir individual t opic areas, wit hout at t ack or j udgm ent , seeking all opinions and all inform at ion about a t opic t hrough part icipat ion by all at t endees about t he t opic Rem ind people of t he " Law of Two Feet ," which t hey can use if one person is dom inat ing a t opic ( everyone else can j ust get up and leave! ) . Th e on goin g gu ida n ce Make sure part icipant s know how t o find t opics, how t o capt ure t heir docum ent at ion, and how t o updat e t heir t im eslot s and locat ions. You are t he person responsible for helping wit h all of t hese process guidelines. Th e docu m e n t a t ion I nform at ion radiat ors about t he t im eslot s and locat ions for t opic discussions; post ing of each groups result s; inform at ion about any follow- on docum ent at ion or act ion it em s; an opport unit y for part icipant s t o voice t heir com m ent s about how t he open space exercise worked for t hem . Th e a ccu m u la t ion of a ll gr ou ps' fin a l r e por t s A com pendium of each final report subm it t ed for each t opic discussed.

Appreciative Inquiry When organizat ions believe t hey are ready t o m ake a m aj or change in how t hey work, Appreciat ive I nquiry ( AI ) m ay be t he approach t o use in evaluat ing a t eam 's or set of t eam s' current viewpoint s and how t hese m ight evolve t o a m ore posit ive fut ure. AI builds on t he brainst orm ing, list ing, and sm all- group dialogue exercises defined earlier and put s t hem in t his cont ext of " st udy and explorat ion of what gives life t o hum an syst em s when t hey funct ion at t heir best ." [ 4] [4]

Whitney, The Power of Appreciative Inquiry , 1.

Appreciat ive I nquiry is a very prescript ive inform at ion gat hering approach as docum ent ed by Whit ney and Trost en- Bloom , and it requires t raining and m ent oring t o learn it and conduct it well. Consider using t his valuable series of exercises when you have been well schooled and when significant , far- reaching organizat ional change is sought . As t he words suggest , AI em phasizes a posit ive, appreciat ive view of what has been t rue in t he past for an organizat ion ( it s successes, asset s, et c.) as a m eans t o init iat e fundam ent al change t hrough careful, det ailed, open inquiry and explorat ion of what could be t rue for t he organizat ion, free of j udgm ent or prej udice. Our int erest in AI in t he cont ext of t echnical organizat ions springs from t his basic belief in a posit ive, explicit approach t o organizat ional change, using t he power of t he people and t heir knowledge as a m eans t o m ove away from com m and- and- cont rol cult ures t o t he collaborat ion cult ures necessary t o support em erging t echnical solut ions. Appreciat ive I nquiry workshops can span anywhere from a single workshop over t wo days t o a series of m eet ings t hat span weeks or m ont hs. Alt hough AI workshops are m ade up of t he basic collaborat ion exercises defined here, you should use a professional facilit at or who specializes in Appreciat ive I nquiry for your first offering. Or seek a m ent or wit h whom you can conduct your first workshop t o ensure t hat you can keep t he workshop flow posit ive and ont rack over t he course of t he days or m eet ings. To read furt her about Appreciat ive I nquiry and how it could help your organizat ion, look t o The Power of Appreciat ive I nquiry: A Pract ical Guide t o Posit ive Change , by Diana Whit ney and Am anda Trost en- Bloom , and Appreciat ive I nquiry: Change at t he Speed of I m aginat ion , by Jane Magruder Wat kins and Bernard J. Mohr.

Chapter 17. Managing the Meeting Participants Groups at t ain t heir m axim um perform ance when t hey have successfully m oved from Form ing, t hrough St orm ing, int o Norm ing, and t hen on t o Perform ing. Guiding t he t eam as it m aneuvers it s way t hrough t hese four st ages of developm ent requires your convict ion in t heir abilit y t o achieve t rue perform ance velocit y. And t hat m eans paying at t ent ion t o what level of int erpersonal int ervent ion on your part is appropriat e. A t eam t hat is st ill in Form ing requires your keen eye as an out side observer t o see what roles are falling out , who t he Drivers of t he DI SC m odel are versus t he Sym pat hizers. A t eam t hat is in St orm ing requires your st rong int ervent ion in helping t he group m anage it s inevit able one- on- one conflict s during t he necessary divergence. A t eam t hat is Norm ing relies on your clear and cont inuous affirm at ion t hat t hey now know how t o pay at t ent ion t o t he hazards of conflict and can rem ain product ive. And a t eam t hat is Perform ing needs you prim arily as a process servant and t hen as a conflict referee on an as- needed basis. So, in t erm s of being an effect ive guide t hrough t he individual conflict s t hat define t eam s in Form ing, St orm ing, and Norm ing, you'll need t o rely not only on t he inform at ion gat hering and processing t echniques we've reviewed, but also on pract ices and t echniques in t he int erpersonal work of: Planning problem s away Maint aining com posure Maint aining part icipat ion Encouraging conflict Resolving conflict Managing dysfunct ion When you couple t he collaborat ive approaches for inform at ion accum ulat ion wit h t hese conflict m anagem ent skills, you clearly est ablish a t eam 's ownership of it s success bot h inside and out side m eet ings.

Planning Problems Away Chapt er 7, " Preparing Part icipant s for Collaborat ion," covered t he work you need t o com plet e in order t o prepare part icipant s t o be collaborat ive in t heir m eet ings. As you provide inform at ion t o t hem about t he m eet ing and t heir roles in t he m eet ing, you also accum ulat e inform at ion from t hem and about t heir int erest in t he m eet ing. This is t he st art of your det ect ive work in t he int erpersonal landscape of t he t eam wit h which you are working. Whet her t his is a new t eam or a t eam wit h which you have been working for a year, it is wort h paying at t ent ion t o t he dysfunct ional behaviors t hat m ay arise in a m eet ing due t o a sim ple case of bad hist ory. When I t each facilit at ion t echniques in our classes, one of t he m ant ras I im press upon t he part icipant s is: " Most m eet ings fail before t he m eet ing has ever begun." I say t his t o st ress t he need for very good planning prior t o any m eet ing, including " planning problem s away" about t he t eam 's quest ionable ( and seem ingly ent renched) behaviors. So, as you design a purpose and agenda, creat e t he processes t hat can best gat her t he inform at ion, and int erview t he part icipant s, pay at t ent ion t o ot her sit uat ions t hat can dest roy a m eet ing before it begins: I s t h e r e a h ist or y of con flict be t w e e n t w o pa r t icipa n t s in pa r t icu la r ? I n t his case, you can help t hem cont ribut e bet t er and behave m ore rat ionally by keeping t hem away from each ot her's line of sight . I t ake advant age of U- shaped room s and place each of t he disgrunt led part ies in opposit e corners of t he U so t hat t hey are blocked from seeing one anot her.

My Anecdote This m ay seem incredibly sim plist ic, but it works! I had a sit uat ion in one group wit h a t est er and a cust om er who sim ply could not get along on any issue, even if it had not hing t o do wit h t he proj ect st ories and t he t est ing around t hem . When one said " Black," t he ot her said " Whit e." I decided t o invoke t he U- shaped m eet ing chart and always place t hem in t he corners of t he U. This allowed bot h of t hem som e breat hing space t o be cont ribut ory wit hout being cont inually visually riled by t he ot her part icipant . As a result , it also calm ed t he rest of t he group and helped t he ent ire t eam t o work m ore product ively wit hout t he t ension t hat had once been ever present . The t wo st ill had t heir issues, and ot her int erpersonal work st ill had t o com e int o play, but at least t he U- shape int ervent ion provided us all som e respit e from t hat t ension.

D oe s som e on e h a ve som e t h in g t o lose ? Pay at t ent ion t o whose j ob is on t he line in t his proj ect , whet her due t o perform ance concerns or j ust t he realit y of t he econom y. I n such sit uat ions, be part icularly m indful t o not em barrass t he individual in public.

My Anecdote I n t he large t elecom com pany where I worked, I was once helping t o facilit at e a Release Planning m eet ing for an updat ed call cent er init iat ive. I found out j ust prior t o t he m eet ing t hat t he cust om er represent at ives in t he room were probably going t o lose t heir j obs very soon aft er t he proj ect was over. I n essence, t he soft ware t hey were helping t o define would event ually replace t hem . Though a form al announcem ent had not been m ade wit h regard t o t he layoffs, t here was clearly a sense t hat changes were com ing and t hat j obs were at st ake. I n t his sit uat ion, I had been specifically brought in t o facilit at e so t hat I could be at t ent ive t o t heir sit uat ion in guiding t he discussions of t he st ory creat ion and priorit izat ion. That m eant allowing t hem a bit m ore voice and sense of pride about t heir work t han I norm ally would have included in t he m eet ing.

D oe s t h e gr ou p a s a w h ole h a ve a h ist or y of con flict a n d n on - pr odu ct ivit y? I n t hese cases, where a t eam can't m ove out of Form ing and St orm ing, you m ay need t o be a bit m ore direct ive in how t he Ground Rules are det erm ined and pay m uch closer at t ent ion t o t he processes you use t o help t he t eam achieve act ionable decisions. Team s st uck in t he low t ide of Form ing and St orm ing are t ypically suffering from an accum ulat ion of bad behaviors due t o scram bling for power and cont rol of t he m eet ing or group. Find out in advance what Ground Rules part icipant s would like t o have in place as norm s prior t o t he m eet ing. Learn when cert ain t opics or discussions need t o be " off- lim it s" ( such as revisit ing work t hat has already been com plet ed) . Exert m ore process cont rols t han you would for a t eam t hat is already well int o Norm ing and Perform ing. As you becom e m ore and m ore adept at underst anding t he best way t o guide a t eam t hrough Form ing and St orm ing, you'll underst and t hat exert ing m ore process cont rol at t he st art wit h such groups ult im at ely liberat es t hem t o require less and less process guidance as a Perform ing t eam .

My Anecdote When I was preparing t o facilit at e one t eam in t heir ret rospect ive, I discovered aft er a few phone calls t hat t here were t wo people in part icular who seem ed t o dom inat e m ost of t he t eam m eet ings. Phone call aft er phone call, I was asked t o " Please! Do som et hing about t hese people; t hey are driving m e crazy! " I t hen knew t hat t o m ove t his t eam t hrough t o Perform ing and m ake t hem t ruly product ive, I had t o first gain t he t eam 's t rust as t heir guide: I had t o bring t he t wo " Dom inat ors" under cont rol. This wasn't j ust about saving t he agenda; t his was about saving t he t eam . This inform at ion helped m e plan in advance how I would work wit h t hese t wo people in t he m eet ing. I focused on processes t hat creat ed full part icipat ion, and I used body language and verbal cues wit h t hese individuals t hat helped t hem st ep back from needing t o cont inuously give t heir feedback. ( You'll see how I did t his in t he " Managing Dysfunct ion" sect ion lat er.)

H a s t h e t e a m su ffe r e d a t t h e h a n ds of a ba d fa cilit a t ion e x pe r ie n ce in t h e pa st ? Oft en, when I int erview part icipant s prior t o a m eet ing, I learn t hat t hey have a predisposit ion against facilit at ion due t o a bad experience in t he past . This usually involved facilit at ion as " cont rolling" or " st rong- arm ing" t he t eam and it s agenda. I t m ay have also included facilit at ion t hrough at t ack or em barrassm ent of part icipant s. That is neit her facilit at ion nor collaborat ion! I f your t eam has suffered a sim ilar fat e, several im port ant t echniques are at your disposal: Be sure t o get t his inform at ion from t hem prior t o t he m eet ing and be grat eful for it ! I t is far bet t er t o know about t his sit uat ion t han t o com e int o your m eet ing and have a subversive plot in place t o dest roy t he m eet ing despit e your best int ent ions t o be t ruly collaborat ive. Have a t rust ed t eam m em ber int roduce you int o t he t eam , assuring t hem of your int ent ions and your collaborat ive approach. Be sure t o st ress at t he st art of t he m eet ing t hat t he t eam owns t he m eet ing and it s out com es and t hat you are j ust t heir servant in get t ing t o t hat purpose via t he agenda. Plan t o gat her " Personal Obj ect ives" at t he st art of t he m eet ing so t hat each part icipant can be clear about t heir goals for t he m eet ing. Refer t o t hese personal obj ect ives frequent ly t hroughout t he m eet ing t o cont inually reaffirm t heir ownership of t he m eet ing. Plan a quick brainst orm about what has not worked well in t he past in t heir m eet ings. Then invit e suggest ions of "Ground Rules" t hat could help forest all such problem s in t his m eet ing. D o t h e t e ch n ica l t e a m m e m be r s t e n d t o su ffe r fr om " TD C" or " Th in ly D isgu ise d Con t e m pt " a bou t con t r ibu t ion s fr om t h e n on - t e ch n ica l pa r t icipa n t s? Overt or t hinly disguised cont em pt about t he cont ribut ions of t he cust om er or support st aff will eit her cause t hese m em bers t o drop out com plet ely or creat e t heir own level of cont em pt about t he t echnical t eam cont ribut ions. [ 1] You can help t eam s m ove t hrough t his by doing t he following: [1]

Brad Feld blog, http://www.feld.com/blog/archives/2004/05/tdc_thinly_disg.html, May 6, 2004.

Plan t o engage t he t eam early in brainst orm ing what t he t eam has accom plished t o dat e, capt uring all it s achievem ent s. You can do t his eit her as a whole t eam exercise where you act as t he scribe, or you can m ove t he t eam int o dyads where m em bers are paired off random ly and each m ust t ell t he ot her about t he work t he ot her has done t hat has been helpful t o t he t eam . Each dyad t hen report s what t he t wo of t hem have cont ribut ed t o t he success of t he t eam . Plan an early brainst orm ing around " What Works Well" t o em phasize t he ways t hat t he group does funct ion well. Then lead t he t eam in a brainst orm around " What Could Be I m proved," which t hen leads t o a dialogue about suggest ions for im plem ent ing im provem ent s while m aint aining " What Works Well." Plan an early brainst orm ing wit h role- play where t echnical t eam m em bers have t o perform t he role of t he cust om er or support st aff, and t he cust om ers have t o play t he role of t he t echnical st aff. I like t o use t he exercises such as t he " house of cards" and " balloon blowing" st ories creat ed for t he XP Gam e by t he Benelux XP group: www.xpgam e.be/ xpgam e/ . When you purposefully plan t hese exercises int o an agenda, you help a t eam t o reexam ine it s prej udices while rem oving em ot ion about t hose prej udices so t hat t hey can proceed as a t eam wit h a bet t er underst anding about how t he " ot her half" really does cont ribut e t o t he success of t he t eam .

Maintaining Composure Once you've done your planning t o m anage dysfunct ional behaviors before t hey happen, your next service t o your t eam is t o m aint ain your com posure. The great est t est of your resolve around collaborat ion very oft en lies in t he " goo" of conflict and t he quest ionable behaviors t hat arise in it . How do you approach conflict and guide it t o resolut ion const ruct ively wit hout get t ing m ixed up in it yourself? Or, if you find yourself in pot ent ially dest ruct ive conflict wit h one of t he t eam m em bers, what can you do t o keep t he discussion useful and non- dam aging in it s resolut ion?

How Do I React to Conflict? Chapt er 4, " What Are Collaborat ive Team s?," described t he Thom as- Kilm ann conflict m ode inst rum ent ( TKI ) as a m odel for t hinking about individual and t eam conflict st yles. How a leader deals wit h conflict creat es a m old of sort s for t he t eam . Team s seem t o fall eit her int o t he sam e m ode ( leader avoids, t herefore we avoid) or int o a m ode t hat is a violent opposit e react ion ( leader com pet es, t herefore we avoid) . This get s int o som e of t hat " fluffy" st uff about leadership. That is, t o learn about how t o posit ively m anage t eam conflict , we first have t o ask ourselves: " What is m y nat ural t endency in conflict ?" Do you t end t o avoid conflict at all cost s? Do you engage in conflict in order t o win? Do you t end t o shut down in conflict and becom e blam eful? Do you becom e defensive and aggressively confront t hose who disagree wit h you? When you look at your conflict t endency, you can t hen learn t o recognize it and m anage it const ruct ively. Being cognizant , you can t hen m aint ain com posure when helping t eam s m anage t heir conflict s. I n short , if conflict nat urally causes you t o lose your cool, all bet s are off on t he m eet ing having any shred of hope in at t aining it s purpose. I n one fell swoop, collaborat ion is t ossed out t he window, and t he group is left in upheaval. Lack of com posure com es in a variet y of unpleasant form s. Have you resort ed t o any of t he following behaviors in m eet ings? I f so, you m ay need t o revisit your personal conflict st yle and give it a good wash, rinse, and polish. You t ake over m eet ing decisions out of your frust rat ion wit h t he t eam . You publicly ridicule t he person who has " t ouched your nerve." You publicly m ock t he whole t eam for t heir disrupt ive behaviors. You st op list ening t o t he t eam 's request s t o change t he agenda or m ake a cert ain decision. You blam e t he t eam when your m eet ings don't m eet t heir purpose. You m anipulat e t he t eam t o agree t o com e t o t he decision t hat you personally want . You at t ack people personally because you disagree wit h t heir st ance. You leave t he m eet ing because you aren't get t ing what you want from t he part icipant s.

My Anecdote I have wit nessed t hese behaviors am ong m y colleagues, and I have wat ched m yself resort t o unat t ract ive behaviors in m eet ings where I felt m y knowledge or expert ise was not j ust being challengedit was ( t o m y way of t hinking) being com plet ely ignored. When I feel at t acked or feel t hat t he m eet ing is not going t he way t hat I want it t o go, I know t hat m y t endency has been t o m ent ally abandon t he m eet ing. Rat her t han com pet e, I shut down and m ove int o an uber- avoidance m ode. I can also feel m y resent m ent s rise. Of course t he person I perceive at t he core of m y pain m ay not even know about t his conflict t hat I perceive! I have had t o recognize t his weakness of m ine and t hen apply t echniques t o keep m yself in t he m eet ing wit hout going t o t he opposit e ext rem e of cont rolling t he group in revenge. This is hard st uff! For m e as a part icipant , t he personal lesson has been t o show up, find som et hing t hat has m eaning t o m e, t ell m y t rut h about it , and t hen let it go. Applying t hat as a collaborat ive leader has been a bit t rickier. For m e as leader, showing up, finding passion, and t elling t he t rut h has been about m y convict ion about process, t he power of collaborat ion, and t he wisdom of each and every t eam .

Your first order of business in your own behavioral " goo" is t o recognize it and t hen seek som e personal com posure about it . Recognize t hat when your em ot ion about t he m eet ing out com es get s high, you've m ade t he m eet ing about you and not about t he t eam . Rem ove your em ot ion by relying on your organizing t ools and on t he t eam m em bers t o bring t he t eam t hrough very sim ple behavior or part icipat ion issues.

Turn to the Ground Rules Help t he t eam self- govern t hrough t heir post ed " Ground Rules," " Purpose," and " Agenda." When t hey do so, you t ake your em ot ion out of t heir St orm ing st age and encourage t heir abilit y t o m ove int o a Norm ing m ode of organizat ion. When you don't do t his, you act ually im pede t heir abilit y t o m ove out of St orm ing. You m ay find yourself losing your com posure because you feel t he m eet ing is get t ing out of your cont rol. Act ually, t hat m ay be a sign t hat it is get t ing out of t he t eam 's cont rol: t he t eam is bored, t he t eam is annoyed, t he t eam is t ired, t he t eam feels herded or cont rolled. Rule # 1: Don't ignore all t he m essages t he t eam is sending you. You need t o do som et hing about t his; t hat is your j ob. As you pull your own em ot ion out of t he issue, t urn t o t he organizing t ools as t he t eam 's guide. Here are som e ways t o m aint ain your com posure while addressing t he sit uat ion first via t he t eam 's Ground Rules: " These are t he Ground Rules you agreed t o at t he beginning of t he m eet ing. I 'm concerned t hat t hese are not helping t he t eam t oward it s purpose. Should we review t he Ground Rules for t heir usefulness?" " I 'd like t o check in wit h you about how we are progressing on m eet ing our goal. Are t here any addit ional Ground Rules t hat could help you m eet t he purpose m ore effect ively?" " We seem t o be ignoring t his part icular Ground Rule, and I am fearful of t he dam age it m ay be causing t o part icipat ion. Could you t ell m e what m ight be useful for proceeding?" ( I covered t hese earlier in Chapt er 9, " The Organizing Tools." )

My Anecdote When I first began t o apply t hese collaborat ion t echniques in m y own soft ware t eam s, m y great est challenge lay in t he int erpersonal bum ps and squeaks we would encount er in our planning m eet ings. Get t ing t o decisions t hat t he ent ire t eam could support inevit ably raised hackles. I n part icular, I discovered t hat som e of t he large planning t eam s t hat I support ed in I T had an unat t ract ive hist ory of dysfunct ion. Technical people were dism issive of t he cust om ers. And t he cust om ers were very dist rust ful of t he t echnical folks. Lot s of ugly behaviors t ended t o com e out very quickly in t heir m eet ings. And I discovered t hat t heir less- t han- at t ract ive behaviors were having a negat ive im pact on m e. I n t hese m urky wat ers, I learned t o frequent ly swim t o t he surface and bring t he t eam back t o t he group's Agenda and Ground Rules as m y first m eans t o get back t o m y own com posure wit h respect t o t heir behaviors. I kept t he t eam working as one large group unt il I was assured t hat t hey believed in t he power of t hese t ools and in m y t rust of t heir abilit y t o work product ively. Turning t o t he post ed guidelines for part icipat ion wasn't j ust for t hem , as it t urns out . I t rem inded m e t hat I didn't own t he m eet ing, t hey did. And, indeed, it rem oved m y em ot ion from t heir Form ing and St orm ing so t hat I could ret urn t o being a useful guide.

Reflect on the Framework I n addit ion t o reapplying t he post ed " Ground Rules," consider reevaluat ing your processes for decision m aking. When you see your own com posure slipping, it m ay be because you have m isread what t he t eam really needs. Take a break. Pause. Reflect . Think about how you m ight run t he m eet ing different ly: what processes m ight work bet t er, what agenda it em s m ight be m oved around, how t he purpose m ight be m assaged slight ly t o be m ore m eaningful. Then decide if it is t im e t o t urn t o t he group wit h recom m endat ions about t he m eet ing and how t o m ake it work bet t er for t hem . Two im port ant not es t o consider as you help a t eam t hrough it s St orm ing st age:

1 . I f a t eam is st uck in t he St orm ing st age, it is probably because t hey haven't had t he t im e or guidance t o work effect ively t hrough t heir Form ing st age. This can result eit her because you were unable t o m aint ain your com posure around t hat work or because t hey had been forced int o a Norm ing m ode of work wit hout sufficient inform at ion and int eract ion t o ferry t hem effect ively t hrough t heir St orm ing. I n t hese circum st ances, avoid sm all group work and t urn frequent ly t o t he organizing t ools t o help t he t eam reform and t hus navigat e t heir St orm ing m ore const ruct ively. Bring in lot s of brainst orm ing work t hat rem inds t he t eam of t heir abilit y t o creat e inform at ion and draw useful guidance from it . 2 . Any t im e you add a new person t o t he m ix, or if a t eam m em ber leaves t he t eam , you need t o bring t he t eam back t o a Form ing m ode of working. The t eam m ust once again go t hrough divergence m odes of work and t hat Groan Zone of finding it s collect ive foot ing. Turn once again t o a very process- driven m ode of working t o help t he t eam m em bers learn about how t hey will work wit h one anot her and who will play what roles. Keep your com posure about t eam churn by addressing it head- on in refacilit at ing t he t eam as one large group needing t o reest ablish roles.

Take Time and Space Som et im es, t he t roubles you are experiencing m ay not be at t he t eam level. They m ay be wit h a part icular individual. This m ay include personal at t ack by som eone in t he m eet ing. Never under any circum st ances address som eone in public about t heir disrupt ive or bad behaviors, even if t hey are direct ed at you. When you feel yourself losing your com posure or feel yourself under personal at t ack, you have several useful facilit at ion t ools t o guide you. Find out who you are t odayCall a 10- m inut e break and t ake som e privat e t im e t o find out why you are react ing t he way you are. Make sure t hat it isn't j ust about you having a bad day. My colleague Bob Moir calls t his " Who showed up wearing m y clot hes t oday?" None of us is in st ellar form 100% of t he t im e ( t hough I cert ainly have colleagues who t hink t hat t hey are! ) . That m eans we need t o t ake a st ep back and adm it t o our own " bad hair days" around our collaborat ive m isbehaviors. Feeling at t acked or needing t o cont rol what is occurring m ay have everyt hing t o do wit h your own " goo" and not hing m ore. Take t he t im e t o accept t hat about yourself and rej oin t he group wit h a plan for engaging t he t eam in work t hat will ensure t hat t he m eet ing is about t hem ( such as sm all group discussions) and not about you. Find out who som eone else is t odayI f you are t roubled wit h a part icular person's behavior in t he m eet ing, call a 10- m inut e break. During t hat t im e, ask t he person t o speak wit h you privat ely out side t he room away from t he ot hers. Find out what is happening wit h him and help him underst and t he im pact it is having on t he m eet ing. Ask what you can do t o change t he t ense at m osphere. I n short , t ry t o work t hrough t his in your role as a servant t o t he t eam by dealing direct ly wit h t he im pact it is having on you. Make every at t em pt t o bring t his person back int o a product ive role in t he m eet ing and t o keep yourself fully engaged in t he m eet ing. I f you cont inue t o feel ill at ease aft er checking wit h yourself and wit h t he ot her person, you m ay have t o consult wit h som eone higher up ( t he Execut ive Sponsor, t he next level m anager) t o help t he behavior be resolved. Or, you m ay have t o ask t he person t o leave t he m eet ing. Finally, you m ay have t o excuse yourself as t he m eet ing leader and bring som eone else in who doesn't have t he sam e clash. I n any of t hese sit uat ions, your goal is always t o m aint ain com posure and t o learn what is best for t he t eam . I f you cont inually feel under at t ack, you are doing t he t eam no good by st aying in t he m eet ing.

My Anecdote During an I t erat ion Planning m eet ing I was facilit at ing for an offshore t eam j ust learning about agile soft ware developm ent approaches, I found t hat I kept being dist ract ed by t wo t est ers who were not cont ribut ing t o t he m eet ing. I nst ead, t hey were dist ancing t hem selves from t he rest of t he group, snickering at t he work of t he group, and playing wit h a Blackberry pager/ phone. At one point , I st opped t he m eet ing and, t o t he group in general, suggest ed t hat t here were som e people not engaging in t he m eet ing who were also creat ing dist ract ions. I adm it t ed t hat t he dist ract ions were hard for m e t o work t hrough. I asked t hem t o t hink about t he im port ance of t he m eet ing and t he need t o st ay engaged. Unfort unat ely, it felt as t hough m y suggest ion fell on deaf ears, and I could feel m y ire growing. Aft er anot her 20 m inut es, where t hey were st ill not part icipat ing and j ust creat ing disrupt ions, I called a break and asked everyone t o m ake sure t hat t hey got up, left t he room , and st ret ched t heir legs before com ing back. I t hen approached t he t wo t est ers in t he hallway and asked t hem what t heir purpose for being in t he m eet ing was, and how I could help t hem m eet t hat purpose. I could see t heir discom fort , but I worked t o m ake it m y problem , not

t heirs. I want ed t hem t o be able t o be open wit h m e and not defensive. They adm it t ed t hat t hey j ust didn't t rust t he process of using a t im ebox and doing t est ing wit hin t he t im ebox. I asked for t heir t rust in m oving t hrough t he process a bit longer and also com m it t ed t o bringing up t heir concerns wit h t he rest of t he group ( t he developers and t he cust om er) before we proceeded wit h any furt her planning. I received t heir apologies and t heir prom ise t o engage m ore act ively when t he group ret urned.

As you becom e m ore and m ore skilled at m aint aining your com posure, you help t he t eam t hrough it s next collaborat ion hurdle: m aint aining part icipat ion.

Maintaining Participation Truly collaborat ive t eam s in t he Perform ing m ode of working hold t he convict ion t hat t he best decisions and work can only occur wit h t he full part icipat ion of each m em ber of t he t eam . Period. As t he t eam guide, you need t o wat ch t he early st ages of a t eam t o help ensure t hat t hey learn t o get everyt hing t hey can out of each and every part icipant . I n any collaborat ion, you m ust guide t he t eam by t he rule: " I n order for t his work t o proceed, I need t he full part icipat ion of everyone in t his m eet ing." Maint aining full- group part icipat ion during t he m any t eam int eract ions requires your keen eye t o wat ch how t he group as a whole is working: Have t hey becom e disint erest ed? Are t hey frequent ly going off t opic? Are t here lot s of int errupt ions when som eone is speaking? Are som e people not cont ribut ing at all? Are a few people doing all t he t alking and decision m aking? When you see t hese im balanced part icipat ion m odes begin t o becom e t he t eam norm , you can help t he t eam m em bers evaluat e t heir own part icipat ion effect iveness by having t hem fill out a " World I m pact " chart as recom m ended by Just ice and Jam ieson: [ 2] [2]

Justice and Jamieson, The Facilitator's Fieldbook , 128.

On a flipchart , draw a set of t hree concent ric circles. Explain t hat t he innerm ost circle represent s t he placem ent of people who are part icipat ing a lot and have a high im pact on t he decisions in t he m eet ing, whereas t he out erm ost circle represent s t he placem ent of people who part icipat e lit t le and have lit t le im pact on t he decision. The int erm ediat e circle represent s t hose who feel t hey have average part icipat ion and im pact . Ask each person t o t hink about where t heir part icipat ion is and t o place an X on t he chart where t hey feel t hey are current ly in t he m eet ing. Then explain t hat m eet ings t hat produce t he best result s and t he m ost int elligent decisions have a norm st at e where all part icipant s t end t o gravit at e t o t he second circle. Cont inue working wit h t he t eam about t heir collaborat ion and part icipat ion using som e of t he t echniques described in t he next sect ion. Check in wit h t hem again aft er an hour or t wo t o see if t hey have been able t o self- organize int o a m ore balanced part icipat ion m ode.

Symptoms and Cures To m aint ain t eam - level part icipat ion, here are a few t ricks of t he t rade t o keep in your hip pocket :

1 . D isin t e r e st in t h e m e e t in gWhen t wo or m ore people lose int erest in t he m eet ing, you've lost t he collect ive wisdom of t he t eam . To help solve t he problem , you can: Review t he " What 's I n I t For Me" value of t he m eet ing, m aking sure t hat t here

really is a reason for each person t o be t here. Perhaps som e people were only invit ed for polit ical reasons. Creat e a sm all group ( dyads, t riads, or quads) exercise t o m ake sure everyone is engaged. Cont inually doing work wit h t he ent ire group m ay becom e t oo m onot onous and allow t oo m uch drift ing from real work. Review t he post ed " Purpose" of t he m eet ing and ask t he group for a 15- m inut e " Agenda Check" t o m ake sure t hat t he agenda is really get t ing t hem what t hey want or need out of t he m eet ing. Som et im es groups are t oo ret icent t o speak up about an agenda t hat j ust is not helping t hem get what t hey need out of a m eet ing. You'll need t o act ively gauge t his yourself and explicit ly raise t he t opic for t hem . Find out if different groups wit hin t he m eet ing play very different roles. Do t hey t end t o divide up work t o be com plet ed in parallel, where each group is working wit hin it s realm of expert ise? I f so, don't force whole groups of people t o sit , wat ch, and wait while a sm all group is solving a problem peculiar t o t heir group. Eit her have t he sub- group solving t he problem form a separat e m eet ing, or have t hem t ake an Act ion I t em t o address t heir issue aft er t he general m eet ing. 2 . Off- t opic or ill- focu se d discu ssion sThis is a problem in part icular when you are t rying t o help a t eam engage in open dialogue. You can help t hem t rack t heir t opics while gaining t heir t rust sim ply by being t heir ears and t racker: When you hear a discussion m oving from one t opic t o anot her, and m em bers seem t o be react ing t o bot h t opics, st ep in and alert t he t eam t o what you hear: " I hear us m oving away from Tim 's original scenario ont o anot her one raised by Claire. I 'd like us t o st op and t ake a few m ore com m ent s on Tim 's scenario first before we com e back t o t he next scenario int roduced by Claire." When you hear m ore t han one person t alking at once, st ep in and alert t he t eam t o what you hear: " I hear t hree different use case scenarios being discussed right now. Did I capt ure all of t hem ?" This will allow anyone t o correct you or add his or her t opic as well. Or, " I am having t rouble t racking t he various discussions going on right now, but t his is what I t hink I hear ( and list all t he t opics) ." Then, let t he t eam t ell you what t hey want t o do wit h t he t opics: focus on one t opic, com bine t hem int o a m ore useful single t opic, or t alk about t hem one at a t im e in order. Never t ell t he t eam what t o do wit h t heir discussion! Just give t hem t he inform at ion t o m ake t heir decision. When you hear one t opic raised and t hen anot her one t akes over, you can help t he t eam get back on t rack by giving t hem som e focus guidance: " I hear us now t alking about t his feat ure, but I t hought Sean had begun t he discussion around anot her feat ure. Are we t hrough discussing t he ot her feat ure, or does som eone have addit ional com m ent s for Sean?" When several people have been t alking about a t opic, you can ask t he t eam for react ions or quest ions t o what t he speakers have been saying. " We've j ust heard som e feedback from Brian, Susan, and Lauren about t he release. Does anyone have any specific quest ions for t hem about what t hey have j ust heard? Do we need t o st ay in t his t opic t o draw out m ore inform at ion from ot hers?" This will in effect allow t he t eam t o det erm ine what t he prim ary t opic should be and bring t he whole t eam eit her int o t he discussion or back t o t he original discussion. 3 . Lot s of in t e r r u pt ion s a n d spe a k in g ove r on e a n ot h e r When m ult iple opinions or recom m endat ionsare being m ade at t he sam e t im e, t eam s can lose t he flow of t he conversat ion and find t hem selves m ired in t angent s. Keep t eam m em bers on t rack by helping t hem t o " st ack" t heir responses, asking t hem t o first raise t heir hands before responding. You can t hen help t hem know

t hat t hey are going t o have a chance t o speak by indicat ing: " These are t he hands I see: Richard, Set h, and Jeff. Richard please go first , t hen Set h, t hen Jeff. I f anyone else has an idea, raise your hand and I 'll m ake sure you can speak in order." This confirm s t o t he t eam t hat you t ruly want each of t hem t o be heard and underst ood. I f m any people want t o speak, you m ay need t o eit her apply t im e lim it s on each person'scont ribut ion, or do a " process check" wit h t he t eam about how t o proceed.

My Anecdote When I use t his approach, it is apparent t hat t he t eam im m ediat ely appreciat es t hat som eone is ensuring t hat t hey will each have a chance t o respond, versus only t he m ost insist ent t alkers or t he loudest t alkers. I wat ch people st art t o focus on m e t o get int o t he queue of discussion, and I see t heir sense of relief t hat t hey really will be able t o cont ribut e. Addit ionally, a discussion t hat brings up t his dynam ic usually indicat es t hat t he t eam needs t im e t o j ust wade t hrough it for a while. I very oft en st ay wit h a t eam in t his st acking m ode for a while unt il t here is a sense of full disclosure and underst anding am ong all t he t eam m em bers. At t hat point , we revisit t he post ed " Agenda," and I ask for a recom m endat ion about t he out com e of t he discussion and how t o use it in m oving t hrough t he agenda and converging on t he m eet ing purpose.

Ret urn t o t he t eam 's Ground Rules and ask for any recom m endat ion about how t o ensure t hat each person is heard in t he discussions. " One conversat ion at a t im e" is one good way t o capt ure t his. Ask t he t eam t o self- govern around t he Ground Rule so t hat everyone can be heard. 4 . N on - pa r t icipa t in g m e m be r sThis is usually a sign t hat t here are som e people who always dom inat e t he m eet ings, so t he ot her part icipant s have given up t rying t o cont ribut e. They see t he com pet it ion as j ust t oo st iff, or t hey are t oo shy t o t ry t o cont ribut e, even in open forum s. Put t he t eam int o dyads for inform at ion gat hering. Som e people need an opport unit y t o express t hem selves in a sm aller venue before t hey have t he courage t o cont ribut e in front of t he ent ire t eam .

My Anecdote I 've seen t his happen m any t im es bot h in t echnical people as well as nont echnical cust om er represent at ives or ot her ancillary t eam m em bers ( t echnical publicat ions, usabilit y, product packaging, et c.) . Som e of t he m ost valuable people on t he t eam , t he ones wit h t rue expert ise around a part icular feat ure or design solut ion, are t oo used t o deferring t o one or t wo m ore vocal, m ore forceful t eam m em bers. Placing t hem in one- on- one dialogues for problem solving brings out bright , brave cont ribut ions from t hem t hat t hen encourage t hem t o cont ribut e m ore in t he larger group set t ing.

Ask for feedback in a Round Robin form at so t hat t he ret icent m em bers have a chance t o cont ribut e wit hout com pet it ion. I n any Round Robin, do not force m em bers t o offer a response. Anyone during t heir t urn can sim ply respond, " Pass." Provide good eye cont act and " space" ( silence) t o people who aren't cont ribut ing so t hat t hey feel t here is an opport unit y t o cont ribut e if t hey want it . Silence is an am azing gift t o provide a group for reflect ion and considerat ion about addit ional cont ribut ions. Ask t he group " We've heard from a num ber of you on t his t opic; is t here anyone else who has som e ideas t o offer in t he rem aining five m inut es we have?" This alert s t he ot her speakers t hat t hey need t o cede t he floor t o m em bers who haven't spoken. I t also est ablishes t hat t he group is wrapping up t he discussion so t hat t hey can m ake a choice t o eit her part icipat e or not part icipat e. 5 . A fe w pe ople a r e doin g a ll t h e t a lk in g a n d de cision m a k in gSom e m em bers of t he t eam m ay be in lead or m anagem ent posit ions. I n a com m and- and- cont rol environm ent , t he t eam m ay be used t o deferring t o t hese m anagers' opinions. Collaborat ion in t hese sit uat ions needs coaxing. Help t he rest of t he t eam feel welcom e t o cont ribut e as well by saying, " We've now heard from Kelly and Bob on t his t opic; do we have ot her ideas we want t o bring forward from som e of t he ot her t eam m em bers?" I f t he prim ary cont ribut or is t he m anager or boss, suggest t hat she refrain from responding unt il a few ot her t eam m em bers have brought t heir ideas forward.

Managing Dysfunction Som et im es, despit e your best effort s t o plan for a t eam 's part icipat ion and t o encourage and m aint ain part icipat ion during m eet ings and workshops, you will run int o a beehive of bad behavior in one or m ore individuals. To help keep som e perspect ive about t he challenges in t his work, here are som e sim ple t rut hs t o consider: People are not dysfunct ional; t heir behaviors are. Oft en, a bad behavior by som eone in your t eam is a reflect ion of bad planning or behavior on your part . Or, it m ay not be about you or t he m eet ing at all. To encourage collaborat ion, your j ob as a facilit at ive leader is t o help elim inat e t he bad behaviors while saving t he person. I f you sacrifice t he person in order t o elim inat e t he behavior, you risk losing t hat person as a cont ribut ory part icipant in your m eet ing. Moreover, you m ay incur t he resent m ent of t he rest of t he t eam and lose t heir part icipat ion as well. Managing dysfunct ion requires your t ot al neut ralit y and your belief in t he t eam . For t hat reason, t here are som e sim ple rules t o apply when you are confront ed wit h dysfunct ional behaviors:

1 . N e ve r u se a n ge r t o con fr on t t h e pe r son e x h ibit in g t h e dysfu n ct ion a l be h a vior The person m ay have resort ed t o a dysfunct ional behavior because of a dysfunct ion on your part . Resort ing t o anger only encourages t he rest of t he t eam t o j oin t hat person in bad behaviors. Your anger indicat es t hat you have lost neut ralit y in t he sit uat ion. I t m ay also signal t o t he t eam t hat you have lost confidence in t heir abilit y t o be collaborat ive. Finally, it m ay unint ent ionally confirm t o t he t eam t hat you can't help t hem be collaborat ive, even if t hey want t o be. They've lost confidence in your abilit y t o be t heir guide. 2 . N e ve r u se e m ba r r a ssm e n t t o r e solve dysfu n ct ion When you em barrass som eone on your t eam , you are t elling ot hers on t he t eam t hat t hey run t he sam e risk of em barrassm ent . At t his point , you have lost t he t rust of t he t eam , and you m ay have lost t heir respect .

My Anecdote I once wat ched a m anager at a client sit e facilit at ing a t echnical m eet ing. He was having t rouble wit h one person who didn't want t o part icipat e in a brainst orm ing. The m anager decided t o use ridicule t o t ry t o force t he person's part icipat ion. Not only did t his not work, but it successfully m anaged t o annoy everyone else on t he t eam and dest royed t he m anager's credibilit y as a neut ral and collaborat ive leader. The m eet ing m oved forward, but you could cut t he t ension in t he air wit h a knife.

3 . Alw a ys st r ive t o br in g t h e pe r son ba ck in t o t h e m e e t in g Dysfunct ional behaviors

3. have a way of capsizing your resolve around t he t eam 's abilit y t o do it s work. When you sense t hat occurring, rem em ber t hat as t he lead exam ple of collaborat ion for t he t eam and as a servant t o t he t eam , your j ob is t o help t he t eam help t he person reengage. You need each m em ber of t he t eam engaged in order t o have t he t eam t ruly reach collaborat ive, part icipat ory decisions, t he kinds of decisions t hat st ick and m ot ivat e a t eam t o perform . 4 . St a y m in dfu l of you r ow n dysfu n ct ion s Just as ot her t eam m em bers m ay use bad behavior t o gain at t ent ion ( or cont rol) , so m ust you recognize your own t endency t o do so. When ot her bad behaviors pop up in an environm ent in which you are t rying t o inst ill collaborat ion, you'll discover t hat disagreem ent and conflict can m ove you int o bad inst inct ual behaviors t hat have saved you in t he past . This in t urn can dest roy any t rust you have accum ulat ed wit h t he t eam . Know what brings out your bad behaviors, adm it it , and face it . These general rules can keep you on an even keel for t he overall m anagem ent of crum bling behaviors. However, som et im es t here are specific personalit ies t hat cause problem s peculiar t o t heir role or dysfunct ion. I n t hese cases, you can t urn t o m ore specific advice on how t o m aint ain t eam part icipat ion while squelching individual disrupt ions.

Managing the Sponsor/Manager Som et im es when a higher- level m anager or proj ect execut ive is in t he room , you'll find t hat a t eam , while posing as a collaborat ive, self- organizing t eam , m ay not really be at all. You m ay wat ch t hem consist ent ly defer t o t he m anager's opinions and decisions. Very oft en, t hey won't express an opinion unt il t he m anager has st at ed an opinion first . I n t hese cases, you have a couple of opt ions: Offline, ask t he m anager t o provide his or her feedback last on any issue. Collect responses anonym ously from each person and t hen read t hem aloud so t hat t he m anager's voice is leveled out am ong all m em ber voices. I f t he behavior is ext rem ely cont rolling, call a break in t he m eet ing and speak wit h t he m anager about t he goal of t he t eam 's part icipat ion in a sust ainable solut ion. I f t he m anager can't pay at t ent ion t o t he t eam 's needs, ask t he m anager t o leave t he m eet ing. I usually observe t his problem wit h t eam s t hat are st ill in Form ing and St orm ing. I f a higherlevel m anager is t oo cont rolling, t he group never m oves int o Norm ing and Perform ing because t hey never engage in t he healt hy const ruct ive conflict needed t o get out of St orm ing. So, besides paying specific at t ent ion t o t he m anager, also t hink about applying som e of t he general guidelines about how t o engage t eam s when t hey are st uck in St orm ing.

Managing the Observer The biggest problem wit h m anaging observers is t hat t hey aren't . Observers have a hard t im e j ust observing. Here are som e t ypical unhealt hy behaviors you m ay encount er wit h observers in your m eet ings: They begin t o t alk am ong t hem selves and so dist ract t he t eam . They are " in" t he m eet ing but not really " in" t he m eet ing, answering em ails, doing t heir own work, t aking phone calls, and so are becom ing a dist ract ion. They believe t hat t heir behaviors do not need t o abide by t he Ground Rules laid out by

t he t eam : answering t he phone, ignoring t he speaker, et c. They decide t o voice t heir observat ions and so becom e non- observers. Just by t heir presence, t hey influence how t he t eam expresses it s opinions and suggest ions, especially if t he observer is som eone in a posit ion of power. I f your m eet ing has a need t o accom m odat e observers ( such as in t he Daily Scrum m eet ing where t he observers are known as " Chickens" while t he act ive com m it t ed part icipant s are t he " Pigs" ) , be sure t o guide t he t eam in set t ing Ground Rules specifically around observer decorum . I f you have a choice, discourage t he at t endance of observers in your t eam m eet ings. Make t he m eet ings about t he t eam and it s successes and decisions. I n com pensat ion, be sure t hat t he t eam agrees on an act ion it em t o com m unicat e pert inent m eet ing inform at ion t o t hose who would have been observing ( st akeholders, ancillary t eam s, et c.) . I f any observer is not abiding by t he guidelines set fort h by t he t eam eit her verbally at t he st art of t he m eet ing or in it s Ground Rules, you can: Address t he ent ire group about t he need t o pay at t ent ion t o t he post ed "Ground Rules," even t he observers, so t hat t he t eam can m eet it s purpose. Call a quick break and speak t o t he observer personally about t heir disrupt ion and ask t hem t o eit her abide by t he "Ground Rules" or discont inue at t ending t he m eet ing. Ask t he t eam t o revisit t he "Ground Rules" about observers and ask for recom m endat ionst hat could help t he t eam st ay focused wit hout disrupt ions from any observers.

"Give Me the Bullet Points"Managing Someone Who Rambles A ram bler can single- handedly kill collaborat ion in a m eet ing by t aking over all discussions and not let t ing go. Ot her m em bers give up t rying t o int erj ect . They becom e exhaust ed and resent ful of bot h t he ram bler for dom inat ing as well as t he m eet ing leader for not wrest ing t he m eet ing away from t he ram bler. You have a few useful t act ics t o apply t o t his loquacious individual: When t he ram bler want s t o speak, explain, " Jill, t he t eam has enj oyed a num ber of excellent recom m endat ions from you already t oday. Let 's get som e ideas from som e of t he ot her part icipant s first ." Ask t he ram bler t o provide inform at ion in t hree or four bullet s or point s. Ask t he ram bler t o cut t o t he final point : " I 'm having t rouble following your t hought . Could you cut t o your final point for m e, please?" Move t o a posit ion st anding near or behind t he person so t hat he can't get your at t ent ion but can see everyone else's focus shift ing away from him . This helps him underst and t hat he needs t o wrap up. Addit ionally, because he can't get your eye cont act , you can easily shift t he discussion t o som eone else. St art t o apply a t im e lim it t o all responses, not j ust t he ram bler's responses. Finally, m anaging a ram bler is a good j ob t o t urn over t o t he t eam . When you are opening t he m eet ing and explaining t he use of t he Ground Rules and t he Parking Lot , use t his opport unit y t o rem ind t he t eam t hat t hey need t o be owners of t he flow of t heir m eet ing. Therefore, if t hey det erm ine t hat som eone is ram bling and t hat t he discussion is not serving t he Purpose and Agenda of t he m eet ing, t hey need t o be t he ones t o ask t hat t he discussion be curt ailed

or t he it em put in t he Parking Lot .

My Anecdote When I open m eet ings and am int roducing t he Parking Lot , I use " The Ram bler" as m y exam ple of how t he t eam owns t heir m eet ing and t herefore t he post ed " Parking Lot ." I explain t hat t he t eam m em bers are t he expert s of t heir m at erial, and so as expert s, only t hey can know if what som eone ( " The Ram bler" ) is providing is necessary for t he success of t he m eet ing, or if t he t opic has gone t oo far afield t o be of use. I f t he t eam believes t hat t he cont ent is not get t ing t o a useful point , t hey have t he right t o st op t he person and ask t hat t he t opic be placed in t he Parking Lot . For one of t he offshore t eam s I was working wit h, I showed t he group t he hand signal for " TI ME! " by m aking a big " T" wit h m y hands, and asked if t hat was a signal t hey used in t heir cult ure as well t o m ean " St op! " They said, " Yes! " And so we agreed t hat we had an I nt ernat ional Sym bol for St opping Ram blers. I t old t hem t hat t hey were responsible for calling " TI ME! " on anyone who t hey felt was not get t ing t o a point t hat would be useful in t he m eet ing. This was a great way t o engage t hem at t he very beginning of t he m eet ing about how t o own t heir m eet ing and how t o do it in a fun, non- hurt ful way.

"The Third Man"Managing Someone Who Dominates This m ay be eit her t he well- acknowledged expert or t he self- appoint ed expert in t he room . I n eit her case, t hey are t he person who seem s t o cont rol any discussion or decision. I f one person is m aking all t he decisions, a m eet ing wasn't needed, and collaborat ion wasn't called for by t he t eam . Or, t he t eam sim ply has not been provided a safe environm ent in which t o express differing opinions. You can handle t his in several ways: Don't give t he dom inat ing person eye cont act . Give eye cont act t o t he ot her t eam m em bers, and ask for cont ribut ions or responses from t he ot her t eam m em bers first before addressing t he dom inat or. I n privat e, specifically ask t his person t o go t hird or last in order t o encourage ot hers t o part icipat e m ore. You m ay also find yourself wit h anot her t ype of dom inat ing expert : t he self- appoint ed facilit at or. This person m ay consider herself a facilit at or because of her abilit y t o " cont rol" a group. Such a person m ay, if dissat isfied wit h your approach at having t he t eam m ake it s decisions, j um p up, grab your pen and t ake over t he m eet ing. I n such a sit uat ion:

1 . Call an im m ediat e break in order t o speak wit h t he person privat ely. 2 . Explain t hat , while you value her expert ise, she needs t o cont inue t o work wit h t he rest of t he t eam as a t eam m em ber t o collaborat ively bring about decisions. 3 . Also rem ind her t hat at t he beginning of t he m eet ing, you received t he buy- in from t he t eam t o guide t hem t hrough t o t heir Purpose via t he post ed Agenda.

3.

4 . Also rem ind her of t he Ground Rules around part icipat ion.

"You May Be Right"Managing the Naysayer The Naysayer is som eone who seem s t o always be ready t o put down any idea before it has been discussed or invest igat ed. Think of t he old cart oon wit h Rocky t he Squirrel and his old pal Bullwinkle Moose who prides him self as an am at eur m agician. Rocky always t ries t o st op anyt hing Bullwinkle is about t o perform by quickly declaring, " But t hat t rick never works! " Like Rocky, t he Naysayers always have a score of reasons why som e idea won't work. What 's worse, t hey have an abilit y t o kill any creat ive energy any ot her part icipant s m ay have wit h t heir bot t om less negat ivit y. I n agile soft ware developm ent m et hodologies, we very oft en t alk about " t he art of t he possible" helping t eam s m ove out of a " We can't possibly do t hat " m ode t o one of " Let 's t ry it and learn from it ." We m ove t eam s away from a fear of failing t o one of an eagerness t o learn. For t hat reason, it is all t he m ore im port ant t o quickly ident ify Naysayers and m anage t hem in collaborat ive m eet ings. Here are som e ways t o help Naysayers curb t heir ent husiasm for killing change: Thank t he person for her insight s and ask ot hers for recom m endat ions about how t he idea could work. Adm it t o t he person, " You m ay be right ," and t hen ask for ot her com m ent s on t he t opic from ot her m em bers of t he t eam . " You m ay be right " m ay be one of t he m ost powerful phrases in t he English language for squashing t he argum ent s t hat com e about in t eam s j ust because of som eone's argum ent at ive nat ure. This phrase, along wit h t he phrase " I can live wit h t hat and support it ," are powerful t ools t o int roduce int o t he lexicon of t eam s t roubled by Naysayers and by m em bers who dom inat e. Because of t heir power t o creat e breat hing space in t eam s, t hey have becom e m aj or t hem es in any num ber of t eam s in which I have worked. By using t he phrases frequent ly, we const ant ly check in wit h ourselves about : How m uch am I st riving t o allow anot her viewpoint t o be " good enough?" How m uch can I hear t he validit y of t he ot her point while st ill holding on t o m y own viewpoint ? How well am I let t ing go of " winning" and inst ead focusing on what can work as a sust ainable agreem ent ? Each of t hese checks and balances helps curb t he dysfunct ions around dom inat ing and naysaying behaviors.

"We're Headed Your Way"Managing Someone Who Drops Out There are any num ber of reasons som eone m ay be dropping out of your at t em pt s t o engage a t eam collaborat ively: The person has felt " beat up" before by som eone in t he t eam and so no longer at t em pt s t o offer responses or solut ions. The person has problem s in his personal life t hat are causing dist ract ion or pain t hat have not hing t o do wit h t he m eet ing.

The person does not feel heard or underst ood by you as t he m eet ing leader and so has given up responding. The person is shy and has a difficult t im e warm ing up t o speaking in a large group. You can help t his person reengage in t he m eet ing part icipat ion t hrough a num ber of t echniques: Conduct a sim ple Round- Robin exercise t o get som e quick feedback t hat st art s t wo people before t he person in quest ion. " Let 's do a quick check on where we are wit h t he various at t ribut es of our user act or in t his use case. Can we st art wit h Dean, t hen Monica, t hen Mary, and so on t o get feedback?" ( I n t his case, Mary is t he one who has dropped out of t he discussion or is asleep.) When you give part icipant s such as Mary advance warning t hat t hey are going t o be part icipat ing, you help nudge t hem back int o t he m eet ing wit hout em barrassing t hem . Tell t he group t hat t hey are all looking a bit t ired, and ask everyone t o st and up for 30 seconds and st ret ch before resum ing t he discussion. Or, keep t hem in t heir seat s and ask t hem t o do " The Wave" eit her by t hrowing t heir arm s in t he air one- by- one or kicking a leg out one- by- one. Blood flow does wonders for dropout s. Take a quick five- m inut e break and ask t he person in privat e if t here is anyt hing you can do t o help her reengage in t he m eet ing.

"I'm in Your Corner"Managing Side Conversations and Continuous Talking Usually, ongoing side conversat ions indicat e t hat t he t wo people engaged in t he conversat ions have lost int erest in t he m eet ing or have sim ply forgot t en t hat t heir part icipat ion is needed. This is not your t im e t o play elem ent ary school t eacher and openly confront t hem by saying, " Do you have som et hing t o share wit h everyone else? I 'm sure we would all want t o know what is so im port ant t o you." ( I have act ually seen a m anager do t his in a room full of coworkers on t he sam e proj ect ! ) Take t heir lack of part icipat ion as a sign t hat you are not helping t hem st ay act ive in t he m eet ing. You can: Sim ply st and near t hem but give t hem no eye cont act . Moving your body near t heir locat ion is usually enough presence t o help t hem refocus wit hout having any at t ent ion being brought t o t hem . I n a U- shaped m eet ing configurat ion, you can m ove wit hin t he U- shape t o where t hey are locat ed and j ust cont inue t alking wit h your back t o t hem . ( Rem em ber, you are not providing eye cont act or overt adm onishm ent s.) Or, you can m ove out side t he U- shape and st and behind t hem wit h sim ilar im pact . I f you have a ground rule about " Respect t he speaker" or " One conversat ion at a t im e," ret urn t o t he post ed "Ground Rules" and ask if t he t eam is st ill self- governing around it s part icipat ion and respect for ot hers in t he m eet ing. Ask t he t eam for any recom m endat ions about what would m ake t he "Ground Rules" m ore useful wit h respect t o t heir part icipat ion. Recheck your hom ework on t he t eam and t heir roles and ensure t hat t here is work for everyone t o do in each of t he agenda it em s. You m ay need t o rework your agenda t o init iat e som e parallel sm all group act ivit ies t o help everyone st ay engaged.

"Elvis Has Left the Building"Managing the Bolter

Som et im es, you m ay be in a m eet ing and suddenly hear a door slam , and som eone is no longer in t he m eet ing. Or, you wat ch a part icipant get up and charge aggressively out of t he room . Because such act ions t ypically creat e a lot of discom fort for t he t eam , you have a few responsibilit ies in order t o help t he t eam st ay engaged and collaborat ive:

1 . Don't ignore it when som eone leaves t he m eet ing unannounced. I t m ay have j olt ed m ore part icipant s t han j ust you, and you need t o help t he ot her m em bers figure out what t he depart ure m eans t o t heir work. 2 . Take a quick break t o see if you can find t he person and ask him what has happened. Find out if t here was som et hing in how you were m anaging t he m eet ing or t he group t hat caused t he person t o leave. Take in his inform at ion and seek t o find a solut ion t o t he problem . 3 . I f you can't locat e t he person, find out from t he group if anyone knows why t he person left . I t m ay be t hat he suddenly rem em bered an appoint m ent , or received a sudden urgent m essage. Help t he ot hers know t hat t he depart ure had not hing t o do wit h eit her t he t opic t hat was being discussed or t he decisions t hat were being m ade. 4 . I f it t urns out t hat t here had been em ot ion around t he depart ure ( door slam m ing, yelling, chair flinging) , ask t he group:

a . " What could I have done t o have prevent ed t his from occurring?" b. " What recom m endat ions do you have for t he m eet ing m oving forward in a way t hat we can prevent t his from happening again?" Addit ionally, ask t he group how t hey will handle discussion of t he incident out side of t he t eam . I f a t eam does not want ill will about t he t eam or t he individual t o fest er as a result of t he incident , help t hem form ulat e t heir t eam st ory about what occurred such t hat no inj ury occurs.

"Stop the Violence"Managing Personal Attacks Som et im es, bad behaviors sreach such a level of dysfunct ion t hat it leads t o personal at t acks by one or m ore people. I t is your j ob t o m anage t his as soon as possible.

1 . I m m ediat ely place yourself bet ween t he eye cont act of t he at t acker and t he person being at t acked. This is where a U- shaped m eet ing space really works for you. Wit hin t he cent er of t he U- shape, you can posit ion yourself t o act as t he physical barrier t o t he at t acks. Your goal is t o break t heir eye cont act and redirect t he discussion. 2 . Ask for ot her m em bers t o provide feedback on t he t opic, rem inding t hem t o keep t o fact s and non- personal opinions. 3 . Rem ind t he t eam of any Ground Rules around non- at t acking behavior. Or, ask t he t eam for som e guidance around Ground Rules t hat could curt ail any fut ure personal at t acks. 4 . Also help part icipant s rephrase such at t acks as inform at ion, not at t acks: " St eve's archit ect ure work is t oo shoddy for m e t o use for m y designs. He always does a lousy j ob," can be rephrased wit h " I have t rouble wit h t he archit ect ure deliverables. They are not in a form t hat I can use. I need furt her det ail about t he clust ering environm ent in part icular." St ay away from using nam es and st ick t o what is useful inform at ion about t he work or deliverables or t im elines. 5.

5 . This m ay also be a good t im e t o invoke t he " Take t he blam e away" rule for collaborat ive leadership. Pull at t ent ion from t he at t acks by bringing t he t eam back t o t aking blam e yourself, not allowing any blam e t o be assigned t o anyone else. I f t he at t acks cont inue, im m ediat ely call a break and speak t o t he at t acker direct ly in privat e. I f he cannot st op at t acking, explain t hat he will not be allowed t o cont inue t o part icipat e in t he m eet ing.

Chapter 18. Managing Conflict Shepherding a t eam from divergence t hrough t hat nast y Groan Zone int o convergence requires t he work of a highly collaborat ive leader, adept at engaging const ruct ive conflict am ong t eam m em bers. Leaders int im idat ed by conflict very oft en press t heir t eam s t o avoid it . They m ay encourage m em bers t o com prom ise or even abandon t heir expert opinions. These leaders would rat her accept a pot ent ially ill- defined, uninform ed solut ion for t he sake of " keeping t he peace." Or, t hey m ay be m ot ivat ed by t im e pressures t o quell conflict s in order t o keep m oving t hrough t he m eet ing agenda. Finally, leaders m ay use signs of conflict wit hin t he t eam as an excuse t o usurp t he t eam 's collect ive power and t ake over any subsequent decisions as a m eans t o " save t he t eam ."

Encouraging Conflict To encourage and m anage t eam conflict , learn t o discern t he difference bet ween useful, const ruct ive conflict and it s count erpart , dest ruct ive argum ent . Well- engaged conflict leads t o bet t er t eam decision m aking; argum ent exhaust s and pot ent ially unhinges a t eam . Table 18.1 list s som e com m on charact erist ics of bot h and how t hey cont rast from one anot her.

Ta ble 1 8 .1 . Con st r u ct ive Con flict ve r su s D e st r u ct ive Ar gum e nt Con st r u ct ive Con flict

D e st r u ct ive Ar gu m e n t

The t eam is collect ively engaged in finding a variet y of possibilit ies.

I ndividuals are m ore int erest ed in winning t he argum ent .

Everyone is engaged in t he discussion.

A few people dom inat e while ot hers j ust drop out .

Discussions focus on fact s: who, what , when, why, how, where.

Conversat ion is fraught wit h opinions and personal at t acks.

The discussion st ays focused on t he issue being invest igat ed.

The discussion cont inually devolves from t he original t opic.

Mem bers encourage each ot her's input .

Mem bers fight for cont rol and discourage ot hers from speaking.

People ask for furt her det ail on each ot her's feedback.

People ignore what has been said for t he sake of present ing t heir own view.

Mem bers provide encouragem ent for each ot her's ideas, regardless of whet her t hey agree or not .

Mem bers encourage people who agree wit h t hem and find fault wit h any ot her st at ed viewpoint s.

You can encourage t he sort of conflict described in t he left side of t his t able versus being dest royed by t he argum ent s out lined on t he right by t urning t o t hat basic guidance from Chapt er 6, " Preparing Yourself as t he Process Owner," for m aint aining your role as t he owner of t he process, not t he cont ent : St ay neut ral. Ask quest ions. Encourage inform at ion sharing. Make inform at ion and decisions highly accessible. Take away t he blam e. Drive t o consensus. Help t eam m em bers feel heard and underst ood.

As discussed in Chapt er 6, t hese guidelines help you and your t eam sit in t he discom fort and edginess of t he Groan Zone wit hout fear of collapse from absorbing various perspect ives and ideas. Along wit h t his guidance, apply a few addit ional t act ical skills:

1 . Do not ignore conflict ; be ready early in a discussion t o help diverse ideas em erge in a st ruct ured, non- dest ruct ive m anner. Jum p in. 2 . St ay in t he m iddle of t he discussion. Don't back down. I nsist on helping t he t eam discover t he useful bit s of t heir conversat ion. ( This is a t ough part of conflict m anagem ent : When should I j um p in t o m ake observat ions or recom m endat ions, and how m uch should I st and " in t he m iddle" wit h t he heat t he group needs t o navigat e?) 3 . St ay calm . When you apply neut ralit y and calm t o a pot ent ially explosive t opic, you help t he t eam believe t hat t hey can engage in conflict and can reach a useful resolut ion. 4 . Docum ent t he fact s. Go t o a whit eboard or flipchart and st art writ ing down t he fact s as spoken and ask for guidance from t he t eam about how exact ly t o st at e t he issue, recom m endat ion, concern, disagreem ent , and so on. 5 . Apply t his st ruct ure and docum ent at ion as a m eans t o help t he group slow down, hear one anot her, and st ay focused on one t opic at a t im e. You do t his when you are writ ing t he responses as well as when you go back and reread t he accum ulat ed inform at ion. 6 . To furt her slow down t he influx of heat , ask part icipant s t o paraphrase t he previous m em ber's feedback before providing t heir own. This reflect ive list ening t echnique helps t he conversat ion st ay focused and slow down enough for everyone t o be heard and underst ood. You can st art t his by being t he first t o paraphrase input as it occurs. ( " Mike, I hear you saying t hat t he port al server com ponent is current ly in need of a m ore robust aut om at ed t est ing harness. I s t his correct ? Who else has addit ional inform at ion about t his issue?" ) 7 . Challenge t he t eam about whet her t hey are m aking progress on t he problem / t opic. Ask t hem for recom m endat ions on how t hey can m ove from where t hey are t o a next st ep in defining t he problem . 8 . Apply your " Dysfunct ional Behavior" m anagem ent skills when people begin t o behave badly. Rem em ber, bad behaviors usually occur when people don't feel heard and underst ood. So, for inst ance, if personal at t acks st art , st op t he at t acks im m ediat ely. Refer t o Ground Rules and group norm s around dialogue and conversat ion. I f t he at t acks cont inue, prom pt ly call a break. You don't need t o wait for a full- blown confront at ion t o apply t hese t echniques. Begin t o apply conflict resolut ion t echniques inform ally when a sm all group dialogue st art s t o get heat ed or when you sense frust rat ion rising. I n essence, t ake cont rol of t he dialogue before confront at ion set s in or posit ions are set in st one. Use skills one t hrough eight bit by bit in less heat ed sit uat ions in order t o acquire experience wit h t hem . When very heat ed discussions flare from sm oke t o flam e, you will be ready and m ore confident about your prowess t o m anage t he m uck of it .

My Anecdote Som et im es you find yourself in a sit uat ion where a num ber of facilit at ion t echniques com e t oget her in helping a group m ove t hrough t urm oil int o consensus. I was working wit h a group of t hree proj ect t eam s in Release Planning, facilit at ing t hem t hrough t heir first planning session as an ent ire group. First decision: How long should t he release be ( should t here be m ore t han one?) and how m any it erat ions should t here be? This led t o anot her decision: How long should each it erat ion be? There were t hree decisions running in parallel and up t o 20 voices com ing in on all t hree. Because t he group was new, I had t o wat ch who was t rying t o t ake cont rol and who was shut t ing down. Divergence was definit ely in t he air, and I want ed t o m ake sure t hat t he conflict t hat ensued st ayed healt hy. First , I used t he st acking m et hod t o st ack decisions. ( " Let 's deal wit h t he it erat ion lengt h decision first , and t hen m ove on t o t he release lengt h, and t hen we'll discuss t he num ber of it erat ions in each release. Will t hat work for everyone?" ) Then, wit h m any voices popping up around each issue, I again applied st acking t o creat e an order for who would speak when. ( " I see t hree people wit h ideas: Let 's t ake Joel first , t hen Ann, t hen Paresh." ) The com binat ion of t hese t echniques kept t he group on t opic and ensured t hat all voices were heard. As conflict arose, t he st acking m et hod helped m anage t he conversat ion t o ensure t hat all sides of t he debat e could be heard. The debat e was inst ead a dialogue about sharing solut ions from all t eam m em bers. When it seem ed t he sam e people were dom inat ing wit h t heir opinions ( one person was adam ant t hat t he it erat ions be four weeks in lengt h) , I asked for ot her voices t hat had not yet been heard from . When t he conversat ion st art ed t o sound circular, it was t im e t o call for a recom m endat ion. We got t hree. This led t o m ore discussion. Because t he group had already been used t o "Fist of Five" consensus checking, I was able t o t hen quickly call for a consensus check. Two part icipant s were st ill disgrunt led. We concent rat ed on t heir issues, cam e up wit h one m ore recom m endat ion, and finally had a full consensus decision. This led t o t he sam e work on t he ot her t wo decisions, but discussion m oved m uch m ore rapidly and wit h less confront at ion. Ult im at ely, t he group cam e t o a decision t o have t wo- week it erat ions, t wo releases, and five it erat ions in each release.

When you work wit h t eam s in t his way, you help t hem m aint ain t heir " cent ral selves" in t he discussion versus revert ing t o t heir " calculat ing selves." These t erm s, from Rosam und St one Zander and Benj am in Zander in The Art of Possibilit y , describe t he confident , grounded side of ourselves t hat can engage, hear, and discuss openly versus t he calculat ing personalit y t hat list ens defensively, needs cont rol, and m ay even seek t o hurt t hrough insult or revenge. St aying cent ered and st icking right in t he m iddle of t he conflict wit h t he t eam can help each individual m aint ain t heir " cent ral self" t hat t hen helps t he group m aint ain it s own " cent ral self." Som et im es, however, even wit h t hese eight t echniques m ast erfully applied, you'll find m em bers deadlocked in an issue, not m aking progress, and m oving int o dest ruct ion out of pure annoyance, or frust rat ion, or j ust plain ignorance about what is really going on in t he decision. This is where you m ove t o very explicit ly guide t hem t o resolve t he conflict .

Resolving Conflict I f you find t hat dialogue has brought your t eam int o deep conflict , you need t o be wellschooled in t he non- dest ruct ive, effect ive t echnique of helping t hem resolve head- on conflict . So, if a consensus check reveals any vot es of " one" ( com plet ely disagree) or " t wo" ( have reservat ions about t he recom m endat ion) , you have t he responsibilit y t o address t he disagreem ent and concerns const ruct ively. And yes, t here really are specific t ools you can em ploy t o guide a t eam 's abilit y t o resolve t heir conflict s in a useful const ruct ive m anner. I n a healt hy conflict resolut ion m ode, t eam s learn m ore about t he st rengt h of it s m em bers and t heir collect ive wisdom and t hus m ove int o t he m uch- desired st at e of high perform ance. Your first st ep is t o help a t eam decide how im port ant t he resolut ion of t he conflict is in t erm s of it s im pact . The group m ay decide t hat t he conflict is not really relevant t o t heir work and decide t o drop t he t opic ent irely. Or, t hey m ay decide t hat a sim ple m aj orit y vot e will do for resolving t he im passe. But find t his out and have t he t eam t ell you where t he conflict sit s in t erm s of it s relevancy. When figuring out what t o do wit h conflict , I ngrid Bens offers guidance about t he five Thom as- Kilm ann conflict m odes ( see Table 18.2) and how we m ight use t hese effect ively wit h conflict resolut ion in m eet ings: [ 1] [1]

Ingrid Bens, Facilitating with Ease! , pg. 91.

Ta ble 1 8 .2 . Con flict Re solu t ion M ode s a n d t h e ir Use s Con flict Re solu t ion M ode

Usa ge

Avoida n ce This doesn't really deal wit h t he conflict .

Used when an issue sim ply can't be resolved profit ably and is holding t he t eam back from it s real work. Turn t o t his m et hod only 10% of t he t im e, and only when t he t eam chooses t o avoid, not when you choose t o avoid t he conflict . At t he very least , prom pt t he t eam t o define an Act ion I t em t o address t he issue at som e point in t he near fut ure.

Accom m oda t ion One st ep up from avoidance; you guide t he t eam t o j ust accept .

Used when keeping t he peace is m ore im port ant t han finding a solut ion, you should only rely on t his resolut ion st yle 5% of t he t im e. Like avoidance, you should only apply t his approach t hrough assessm ent from t he t eam t hat t he conflict is not wort h t he t im e it would t ake t o build consensus.

Com pe t it ion Your worst possible Never rely on t his one! solut ion t o a conflict is t o put yourself in t he m iddle and creat e win/ lose st ances.

Com pr om ise You t ry t o help a t eam seek a m iddle ground.

Used when you can't t ake t he t im e t o engender consensus but t he choices are very polarized, it has 20% applicabilit y.

Colla bor a t ion A t eam works t hrough t he m any facet s of t he viewpoint s t o creat e a new solut ion t hey can all live wit h and support .

This creat es t he m ost sust ainable agreem ent s but t akes t im e. St rive for collaborat ive conflict resolut ion 65% of t he t im e, part icularly on your m eat iest issues.

Collaborative Conflict Resolution To engage in collaborat ive conflict resolut ion, your work largely focuses on helping t he various viewpoint s be clarified, heard, dissect ed, and evaluat ed for t heir viabilit y. You do t his by guiding a t eam t o sift out t he noise, pay singular at t ent ion t o each viewpoint , learn t he separat e facet s of each viewpoint , and com bine value from each t o creat e a new vision. You can do t his by following t hese sim ple but hard st eps: 1.

Ask t he group t o help you m ove back t o t he point in t he discussion where t here was st ill agreem ent and consensus. This ensures t hat everyone underst ands t hat agreem ent is possible, we've been working from agreem ent , and we won't be rehashing m at erials t hat were already discussed and accept ed.

2.

Det erm ine t he num ber of clear and opposing recom m endat ions t hat occur around t he issue of discord.

3.

Ask for a cham pion t o represent each recom m endat ion ( only one cham pion is allowed per recom m endat ion) .

4.

Ask for perm ission from all of t he group m em bers t o engage each cham pion one at a t im e t o docum ent t he fact s about t heir posit ion. The goal is t o allow each person t o have a clear, unint errupt ed voice t o provide useful inform at ion about t heir recom m endat ion.

5.

For each cham pion present ing t heir solut ion, guide t hem wit h fact ual quest ions t hat can be used t o obj ect ively learn t he benefit s and pot ent ial downsides of t heir solut ion. Guide t hem as carefully as possible t o speak fact ually about t he solut ions. Use quest ions such as:

Who does t his involve? What are it s benefit s ( ROI , t im e savings, cost savings, reduced workload, increased coding efficiency, st ream lined archit ect ure, wider m arket appeal) ? What are t he cost s? What are t he t im e const raint s? What skills are needed? What ot her resources m ight be needed? What are t he risks? What is t he proj ect ed ROI ?

What are t he t im e savings? 6.

Docum ent t he inform at ion for each viewpoint , eit her on flipchart s or a whit eboard, where all responses can be visible. This allows t he group t o consider all t he inform at ion and perform t heir own com pare and cont rast . Allow t im e for t he ent ire group t o consider all recom m endat ions and t heir m erit s. You m ay want t o do t his by having everyone get up from t heir chairs and " walk t he walls" in silence t o absorb all t he inform at ion.

7.

Turn t o t he rest of t he group and ask for any new recom m endat ion t hat em erges by com bining feat ures of t he cham pioned recom m endat ions. Guide t he ent ire group in dialogue around t he new recom m endat ion.

8.

Det erm ine if you see t he group converging on or diverging from t he new recom m endat ion. I n part icular, pay at t ent ion t o how t he cham pions are engaged. Make sure t hey are part icipat ing. Ask quest ions and provide observat ions t hat can prom pt creat ive considerat ion of t he em ergent view.

9.

Perform a consensus check about t his recom m endat ion.

1 0 . I f consensus st ill cannot be reached ( in t he "Fist of Five," all vot es are a " t hree" or above) , go back t o finding out what agreem ent does exist and again ask for t he recom m endat ions t hat should m ove forward. Apply t he sam e st eps as before.

This process cont inues unt il eit her t he group converges on a solut ion around which it can com e t o consensus, or t he group det erm ines t hat it cannot reach consensus in t he t im e const raint s of t he m eet ing. At t hat point , t hey m ay choose t o eit her t ake an Act ion I t em t o m eet on t he t opic again lat er ( t his can allow t hem t o gat her m ore expert input t o guide t he discussion and decisions) . Or, t hey m ay choose t o have an expert t ake t he decision for t hem . Or, t hey m ay choose t o have a sub- group of people ( such as t he cham pions) m eet t o com e t o a decision for t he rest of t he group.

My Anecdote Early in m y work wit h XP t eam s, I had been asked t o act as neut ral facilit at or for a large Release Planning m eet ing t hat would bring t oget her 3 different business groups and 11 different applicat ion represent at ives from I T. I had worked diligent ly wit h t he I T sponsor of t he event t o ensure t hat t he t wo- day m eet ing would collaborat ively produce t he release's User St ories, t heir priorit ies and est im at es, as well as a cut at t he plan for t he first it erat ion. The sponsor had assured m e t hat t he business part ners were in sync and ready t o at t end. She also assured m e t hat bot h groups had been working well t oget her and were ready for t he Release Planning m eet ing t o t ake place. I t ook her at her word. Wit hin t he first t wo hours of t he m eet ing, however, a m ini- revolt em erged. The business represent at ives had felt railroaded int o building st ories t hat didn't reflect real business funct ions. And t he I T represent at ives were upset t hat t he business represent at ives hadn't really defined one clear scope from all concerns. Massive finger point ing ensued, and I quickly realized t hat everyone was act ually st ill in very st rong divergence. No one had felt t hat t hey had t ruly been consult ed about t he decisions t hat had led up t o t he m eet ing, despit e t he m eet ings t hat had occurred in ant icipat ion of and in preparat ion for t he Release Planning m eet ing. To help t he group refocus, I began a group discussion, a divergence exercise, m anaging fair use of " t he floor," m aking sure t hat no one becam e t oo at t acking and t hat each speaker could express t heir concern and recom m endat ion wit hout

dom inat ing t he m eet ing. I kept repeat ing t o t he group what I was hearing from each speaker, guiding t hem int o seeing any possible solut ions. From all t he proposed solut ions, t wo solut ions event ually em erged t hat t he group felt adequat ely addressed t he various concerns voiced. I t hen asked for speakers from each " cam p" t o com e forward t o t he front of t he room and gave t hem t wo m inut es each t o describe t heir desired solut ion t o t he scope and User St ory im passe. When t he speakers from each group had finished, I t hen called for a show of hands for one solut ion versus t he ot her. One solut ion definit ely had m ore hands, but I could st ill see som e st eam em it t ing from som e of t he ot her cam p. I t hen asked t he group for a recom m endat ion on one change in t he winning decision t hat would help all t he people in t he group feel t hat t hey could m ove forward. A useful " good enough" alt erat ion was suggest ed, t he group accept ed it , and we were finally ready t o m ove forward wit h t he m eet ing.

This exercise had t aken an hour. The sponsors were not happy; t hey had seen t he hour as wast ed t im e. They had want ed t o sim ply t ake cont rol of t he group, t elling t hem what t o do in no uncert ain t erm s. I refused t o let t hem and received som e crit icism for t hat . However, over t he course of t he next t wo days, t he sm all groups t hat m oved t hrough t he work were collaborat ive, engaged, and eager t o com plet e t he planning w or k.

Chapter 19. Guerilla Collaboration As a servant t o your t eam , you m ay not always be t he person leading a m eet ing: A group of developers m ay have gat hered t o m ake refact oring decisions, an archit ect m ay want t o share a vision for how t he t eam should proceed wit hin a defined fram ework, or t he cust om er m ay want t o hold a m eet ing t o voice concerns about t he proj ect , for exam ple. These ot her m eet ing organizers ( developers, archit ect s, cust om ers) m ay only be holding t he m eet ing t o force t he group int o agreeing wit h a decision t hey have already m ade. Or, t hey m ay sim ply not have t he skills t o ensure t hat t he m eet ing is product ive, focused, and inclusive of all at t endees. They also m ay not t hink t o t rack decisions of t he t eam or collect act ions t hat t hey owe t he t eam aft er t he m eet ing is over. I n t hese m eet ings, whet her you are a part icipat ing developer, t est er, or proj ect m anager who has been invit ed t o at t end, you st ill have an im port ant role in helping a group work collaborat ively. I n such inst ances, you have a golden opport unit y t o apply t he " Guerilla Facilit at or" or " Guerilla Collaborat or" role. Don't confuse " guerilla" wit h " gorilla" ( as one of m y colleagues does in j est ! ) . This is not about st rong- arm ing a m eet ing t hrough sim ian brawn. Nor does guerilla here m ean subversive or dest ruct ive. Rat her, it suggest s a const ruct ive, gent le prodding t o help t he m eet ing organizer and t he group achieve t heir purpose t hrough a collaborat ive approach t hat m ight ot herwise not be obvious or at t ainable t o t hem . There are som e very sim ple t echniques guerilla facilit at ors use t o serve t he t eam while sit t ing as a part icipant .

Questions for Guerilla Facilitation and Collaboration Guerilla facilit at ion largely relies on your abilit y t o assess t he t im bre of a m eet ing and t o know when t o ask useful guiding quest ions. Som e very basic quest ions can prod a t eam t o st op, evaluat e, and pot ent ially change how t hey are com m unicat ing and creat ing decisions. " I s t h e r e a n a ge n da ?" Prior t o t he t eam m eet ing, as soon as you see t he m eet ing invit at ion in your Out look Calendar, you have an opport unit y t o det erm ine if t he person calling for t he m eet ing has a plan for what t hey want t o accom plish, by asking, " I s t here an agenda?" While a very form ally docum ent ed agenda m ay not be necessary, zero hint of a plan is a bad sign. Cont act t he developer, archit ect , or cust om er and ask: " Are t here any it em s I need t o read or prepare prior t o t he m eet ing in order t o be prepared?" " Do we have an idea of all t he t hings we plan t o do in t he m eet ing?" ( I 've learned of one com pany t hat becam e so em phat ic about t his concept of an agenda or plan for every m eet ing t hat over t he door of each m eet ing room in t he com pany hung a sign t hat read, " I f you do not have an agenda for t his m eet ing, t urn around and go back t o your desk." ) This insist ence on an agenda is not born of a need t o cont rol. Rat her, it is a desire t o ensure t hat : The people ent ering t he room are t he right people for t he m eet ing. The m eet ing organizer hasn't failed t o invit e ot her im port ant at t endees. At t endees aren't going t o spend t he m aj orit y of t heir t im e groping for what t hey should be doing and how t hey should be doing it . " W h a t 's t h e pu r pose of t h is m e e t in g?" This is m y classic haunt ing refrain any t im e som eone even sit s down at m y desk t o t alk t o m e, not t o m ent ion if t hey call m e int o a one- or t wo- hour m eet ing. I f t hey haven't t old m e in advance t he specific goal for our m eet ing, even in as inform al a set t ing as one- on- one at m y desk, I ask t hem , "What I s t he Purpose of This Meet ing?" This ensures t hat whoever is leading t he m eet ing has t aken t he t im e t o consider why t hey have invit ed everyone. I f t hey haven't resolved t hat , I don't want t o be t here. I t also ensures t hat t he ot her at t endees and I agree t hat we are in t he right m eet ing and t hat we can be cont ribut ory…no sm all beans. " Ca n w e m a in t a in a Pa r k in g Lot ? I 'd lik e t o st a y on cou r se w it h ou r pu r pose , a n d t h is cou ld h e lp." Very oft en, m eet ing leaders don't even really know t hat t hey are holding or leading a m eet ing. So t hey m ay not underst and t hat it is t heir j ob t o provide t ools t o support and guide t he m eet ing. Moreover, som e m eet ing leaders believe t hat unbridled com m unicat ion is t he only way t o " get t o t he t rut h" t hat will cause a useful decision t o em erge. Wit hout som e gent le guerilla facilit at ion, such m eet ings t end t o m ove from one t angent t o anot her before ret urning t o t he m ain t opic, if at all. " I 'm n ot su r e I a gr e e t h a t t h is t opic sh ou ld be pu t in t h e Pa r k in g Lot ; ca n w e fin d ou t a n y ot h e r opin ion s on t h a t ?" This t act ic is coupled wit h t he one suggest ing t he use of a Parking Lot . A facilit at or or m eet ing leader should never be t he lone person who decides what goes int o a Parking Lot , so applying t his t act ic is crit ical for proper im plem ent at ion of t he Parking Lot . As t he guerilla of collaborat ion, you'll need t o help t he m eet ing leader as well as t he t eam underst and t hat only t he t eam has t he aut horit y

t o place any it em t here. " I s t h is discu ssion st ill a r ou n d t h e pu r pose of t h e m e e t in g?" This is a great way t o help t he m eet ing leader and at t endees check in wit h how t hey are using t heir t im e. Even when you are not in charge of t he m eet ing, you can help t hem know t hat you are specifically at t ending t he m eet ing for t he specified end. Don't be t oo dogm at ic in t his, however; som et im es t he group has im plicit ly alt ered t he purpose for which it has com e t oget her. Your quest ion can sim ply help t he group explicit ly evaluat e it s course and m ake a t eam decision t o alt er t he purpose. " Ca n w e t r a ck w h a t w e n e e d t o be doin g a ft e r t h e m e e t in g?" This is your request t o t he group and m eet ing leader for an Act ion I t em list t o help at t endees really know what t hey are signing up for when t hey m ake com m it m ent s or decisions in t he m eet ing. Nudging a t eam from t he side t o t rack t he m eet ing act ions and decisions will help t he t eam grow t o appreciat e it s m eet ings over t im e. " I se e com m on a lit y in bot h t h e se vie w s. I s t h e r e som e w a y w e ca n com bin e t h e se t h ou gh t s?" The guerilla collaborat or act ually wat ches how t he t eam is int eract ing and helps conflict ing m em bers st ep out of conflict and consider what t heir viewpoint s have in com m on. As you becom e bet t er and bet t er at t his as a m eet ing part icipant , you'll learn t o be m ore and m ore open t o ot her viewpoint s as a m eans t o augm ent your own suggest ion, opinion, or st ance. This is t rue collaborat ion: working t hrough const ruct ive divergence t o collaborat ive convergence on t he best decision of t he t eam , believing t hat t he group wisdom is always bet t er t han any one individual's wisdom .

My Anecdote This happened t o m e recent ly in a design m eet ing about a concept ual class m odel proposed by t he lead dat a archit ect . The archit ect was looking for suggest ions t o help solve som e of t he pot ent ial pit falls of t he relat ionships and classes he had m odeled. We had a second person present an alt ernat ive m odel, a bit m ore com plex t han t he proposed m odel but definit ely solving one of t he m aj or concerns of t he m odel. We t hen had a t hird person present a dram at ically different alt ernat ive, st ressing t he need for a far m ore sim plist ic view of t he obj ect s and a sense of dat a t ransform at ion. A fourt h person j um ped in t o argue against t he second view and t he t hird view ( he had been one of t he visionaries of t he init ial m odel) . I wasn't t he m eet ing facilit at or, but I saw t he com plexit y m ount ing and no goal in sight . Plus, it was j ust get t ing confusing t o follow who was advocat ing what ; t he t opics kept flipping and t he focus kept m oving. I asked if we could st art t racking t he various pros and cons of each m odel on a flipchart . Aft er 10 m inut es of back and fort h discussion about all t hree m odels, m ainly st ressing t he cons of each m odel, we t hen were able t o t ake a st ep back and recognize t he pros t hat could lead us t o yet anot her alt ernat ive. Specifically, t hat : The second m odel t ruly solved a m aj or design problem in t he first m odel. The t hird m odel present ed a higher- level, even m ore concept ual view of t he second m odel t hat gave t he second m odel st rengt h and flow wit hout all t he det ail. A fourt h suggest ion, layered on t he second and t hird m odels, st rengt hened t he flow and int ent even m ore while m aint aining t he underlying com plexit y necessary t o im plem ent t he m odel.

Soon, we m oved out of disagreem ent int o all t he ways t hat t he m odels act ually worked well wit h one anot her t o solve t he design problem first present ed. We had accom plished t rue collaborat ive success: The t eam 's solut ion was bet t er t han any one of t he individual solut ions.

" Cou ld w e do a t im e ch e ck ? I 'm w or r ie d t h a t w e a r e r u n n in g ou t of t im e ." When you say t his, you are helping t he m eet ing organizer and t he ot her at t endees pay at t ent ion t o how t hey are using t he t im e ( are t hey being product ive, are t hey working t oward t he purpose, have t hey m oved int o inert ia, have t hey m et any of t heir goals?) .

Other Guerilla Collaborator Considerations I n general, t he guerilla collaborat or can use her own behavior in a collaborat ive way t o set a t one for ot her part icipant s. When you keep your em ot ions in check, as you have learned as a facilit at or, you becom e a m ore valuable part icipant . And you allow ot hers t o keep t heir em ot ions st eady as well. Use quest ions t o seek clarificat ion. Engage in dialogue versus argum ent t o encourage inform at ion. Seek out t he opinions of ot hers in t he m eet ing, part icularly t hose people who m ay not be part icipat ing because of having lost a sense of being heard and underst ood. Pay at t ent ion t o t he m ood in t he room and t he m ood of individuals as well as your react ion t o t hem . And t urn t o your sense of t he st rengt h of collaborat ive part icipat ory decision m aking in each of your int eract ions. I n short , be a collaborat or who encourages collaborat ion t hrough exam ple.

Chapter 20. Closing the Collaborative Meeting Just as a servant leader guides a t eam in part icipat ory decision m aking t hroughout t he m eet ing, so m ust t he leader guide t he t eam in collaborat ively Closing t he m eet ing. The Closing plays a rem arkably key role in how a collaborat ive m eet ing's work and decisions weave back int o t he work of t he group. I t sews t oget her all t he pieces of convergence and divergence accum ulat ed during t he m eet ing t o creat e a st urdy fabric of consensus and act ion. Therefore, it is wort h your t im e t o becom e an adept m eet ing closer. Som e sim ple st eps out lined here will be your guide.

Take the Time to Close A sure sign of a poorly planned, poorly m anaged m eet ing is t he t wo- m inut e close: You've run out of t im e and t he t eam is ready t o go, so wit h t wo m inut es rem aining, you sim ply t hank everyone for at t ending and you end t he m eet ing. The t eam and you have no t im e at t he end t o really absorb t he full im pact of t he m eet ing before disbanding. So first t hings first : Always leave yourself enough t im e t o close t he m eet ing appropriat ely. A sim ple approach for planning t he lengt h of t he Closing is t o assum e t hat 10% of t he t ot al m eet ing t im e should be devot ed t o t he close. A four- hour m eet ing should reserve 15 t o 30 m inut es j ust for t he Closing. The less gelled t he t eam is, t he m ore t im e you should reserve. Alt hough 10% m ay seem like a rat her long Closing, you'll soon learn t hat your m ost effect ive m eet ings are t hose t hat hold t hat 10% slot sacred. You'll find t hat t hrough a well- t im ed Closing, you are able t o build t hat all- im port ant bridge from t he m eet ing back t o each person's desk. Secondly, use t he Organizing Tools t hat helped you run t he m eet ing t o help you now close t he m eet ing effect ively. I n part icular, use t he Parking Lot and Act ion I t em s t hroughout t he Closing t o ensure t hat you st ick t o what em erges out of t he inform at ion you accum ulat e as you end t he m eet ing. So, now t hat you have given t he t eam and yourself adequat e t im e t o pause and reflect upon t he m eet ing, t his is what you want t o accom plish in t hat t im e:

1 . Review t he Purpose and Agenda. 2 . Celebrat e t he work. 3 . Review t he Personal Obj ect ives. 4 . Clear t he Parking Lot . 5 . Com plet e t he Act ion Plan. 6 . Com plet e t he Com m unicat ions Plan. 7 . Reflect on t he m eet ing.

Review the Purpose and Agenda Closing t he m eet ing begins wit h explicit ly bringing t he t eam full circle t hrough it s purpose for m eet ing. To accom plish t his, you ask t he t eam t o ask it self " Have we m et t he post ed Purpose of t his m eet ing?" Creat e evidence around t he answer t o t his quest ion by reviewing t he post ed Agenda it em - by- it em wit h t he t eam . Rem ind t hem of t he work t hey accom plished and t he out put s or decisions t hat t hey creat ed as a result of t hat work. To do t his effect ively, follow t hese st eps: 1 . Walk t hrough each post ed Agenda it em one- by- one. 2 . Reflect on how t he t eam answered each quest ion, what decisions were m ade, and what new inform at ion em erged. 3 . Ask for a consensus check on whet her t he t eam believes t hey have m et t he post ed Purpose of t he m eet ing. 4 . I f anyone does not believe t he post ed Purpose has been m et , capt ure t heir concern as an it em for t he Parking Lot ; t he t eam will need t o figure out what t o do wit h t his it em before adj ourning t he m eet ing.

Not e: I n each st ep of Closing t he m eet ing, you will cont inue t o check t he t eam 's consensus about t he m eet ing: do you believe in t he work of t his agenda it em ; do you believe in t he decisions m ade; do you believe in t he purpose?

Celebrate the Work " We've m et our goal! " Team s plagued wit h a hist ory of ill- defined, non- collaborat ive, long drawn- out m eet ings deserve a m om ent t o pause, believe in t hem selves, and enj oy t heir accom plishm ent s. Celebrat ing t he difference bet ween a non- collaborat ive, non- product ive m eet ing and a collaborat ive, highly product ive m eet ing allows t he t eam t im e t o absorb what it has done. Wit h t heir work done, t hey can t hink about t he im pact t heir work will have on t he proj ect , t he organizat ion, or t he com pany. Take t im e t o celebrat e now so t hat t he t eam can t ake t his breat h before going back int o t heir work, before ot her work and dist ract ions have a chance t o dim inish t heir sense of accom plishm ent .

Review the Personal Objectives Even when t he t eam agrees t hat t he m eet ing has m et t he post ed Purpose and Agenda, t hey st ill need t o have a chance t o reflect on t heir own purposes for at t ending. I f you have collect ed and post ed Personal Obj ect ives at t he st art of t he m eet ing, t he Closing is when you should review t hem one- by- one wit h t he t eam . You are closing t he loop on your com m it m ent t o be a servant t o t he t eam in working collaborat ively wit h t hem . To answer t he quest ion, " Have we m et your personal obj ect ives for at t ending t his m eet ing," use t hese st eps wit h regard t o t he collect ed Personal Obj ect ives: 1 . Take each it em in t he post ed Personal Obj ect ives list one- by- one and read it aloud t o t he ent ire t eam . 2 . Ask t he t eam if it feels t hat t he obj ect ive has been m et ( som et im es t he specific individual t hat had t he request m ay speak up here; ot her t im es, t hey m ay want t o m aint ain anonym it y about t he obj ect ive) . 3 . I f any obj ect ive has not been m et , ask if it st ill needs t o be m et in order t o m eet t he purpose of t he m eet ing. I f not , it can be discarded. Ot herwise, place it in t he Parking Lot t o be discussed furt her once all t he ot her obj ect ives have been reviewed.

Never leave post ed Personal Obj ect ives unaccount ed for at t he end of t he m eet ing.

Clear the Parking Lot I n reviewing t he post ed Purpose, Agenda, and Personal Obj ect ives of t he m eet ing, you m ay have accum ulat ed it em s in t he Parking Lot , indicat ors t hat t here is som e left over business. Or, it em s m ay have been placed in t he Parking Lot during t he course of t he m eet ing as a result of t he t eam paying at t ent ion t o it s purpose and agenda. The Closing is t he t im e t o pay explicit at t ent ion t o every it em t hat has found it s way int o t his space, no m at t er t he reason. I f you don't ret urn t o t he Parking Lot at t he end of a m eet ing, you lose credibilit y as a guardian of t he t eam 's decisions and t he process t hat leads t hem t o t hose decisions. So t ake t he t im e t o m anage t he Parking Lot wit h t he t eam in t he following fashion:

1 . Read each it em one- by- one from t he post ed Parking Lot it em s. 2 . Find out from t he t eam , " Have we addressed t his it em ?" I f so, you can discard it . 3 . I f not , ask t he t eam , " Does t his it em st ill need t o be addressed in order for t his m eet ing t o have m et it s purpose?" 4 . I f t he answer is " Yes," you m ust address t his it em right now. Do not go any furt her wit h closing t he m eet ing unt il you have asked t he t eam what m ust be done in t he m eet ing t o address t he it em : furt her discussion, furt her clarificat ion, a recom m endat ion, a decision, an act ion it em , et c. 5 . I f t he it em does not need t o be addressed in t he m eet ing, ask, " Does t his need t o be addressed aft er t his m eet ing?" 6 . I f so, t his becom es an it em for t he Act ion Plan ( covered as t he next st ep in Closing) . 7 . Ot herwise, t he it em is no longer considered necessary for t he m eet ing's success or for follow- up from t he m eet ing; you have t he t eam 's perm ission t o put it aside for t hem .

Complete the Action Plan Eit her t hrough t he course of t he m eet ing, or as a result of clearing t he Parking Lot , you m ay have it em s in t he Act ion Plan. These it em s indicat e t hat work from t he m eet ing has fed direct ly int o t he part icipant s' work aft er t he m eet ing, eit her as decisions t hat m ust be act ed upon, or as work t hat has em erged as a result of new inform at ion revealed in t he m eet ing. To ensure t hat t his work really occurs, each it em in t he Act ion Plan m ust have a descript ion, an owner, and a due dat e. The owner of any it em m ust be in t he m eet ing t o accept ownership of it ; an owner cannot be nam ed who is not present t o accept ownership. I f no one in t he m eet ing can t ake ownership of t he it em , it is considered non- act ionable and is dropped from t he list . Sim ilarly, if an Act ion I t em cannot have a due dat e set , it is not t ruly an act ion t hat can be t racked. Eit her ask for a recom m endat ion on how t o rest at e t he act ion so t hat it can be expressed wit h a due dat e, or drop t he it em from t he list . Any it em t hat cannot be assigned t o an owner or cannot be given a due dat e is dropped by t he group as an act ion. To docum ent t he act ions in t he list , ask t hese t hree quest ions of each: " What needs t o be done t o com plet e t his it em ?" " Who is prepared t o own t he com plet ion of t his it em ?" " When does t his it em need t o be com plet ed?" Once t he Act ion Plan is com plet ed, t he t eam should com e up wit h a plan for how t o follow up. Eit her som eone is appoint ed t o t rack it em s daily, or each owner report s back t o t he ent ire t eam daily. Make sure t his is decided before you m ove on t o t he next st ep in closing t he m eet ing.

Complete the Communications Plan Very oft en, t eam s m ake decisions about proj ect or organizat ional st rat egies t hat m ay im pact people not at t ending t he m eet ing. As servant s t o t heir organizat ions, t eam s have a dut y t o com m unicat e t heir work in a useful and t im ely m anner. As st at ed in Chapt er 9, " The Organizing Tools," t he Com m unicat ions Plan guides a t eam in doing j ust t hat ; it guides a group t o m ake decisions and act ions about what m ust be com m unicat ed, how, and t o whom . For very inform al com m unicat ions, t he t eam m ay agree t hat a quick conversat ion or em ail m ay suffice. A wiki ent ry m ay also be needed. Or, a det ailed announcem ent about t he agreedupon design, archit ect ure, or plan m ay be in order. To help a t eam creat e or review it s Com m unicat ions Plan, ask t hese quest ions: " Who needs t o know what we have done here?" " What form should t he com m unicat ion t ake t o t ell t hem ?" " Who will be responsible for com plet ing t he com m unicat ion?" " When does t his need t o be com plet ed?" Ot her( s)

Reflect on the Meeting Alt hough you can hold an ent ire m eet ing known as a Ret rospect ive, each m eet ing you hold t hat has led a t eam t hrough work, decisions, and consensus should have it s own m inireflect ion or ret rospect ive. To finish t he Closing of a m eet ing, ask t he part icipant s t o t ake a m om ent t o reflect wit h you about t heir m eet ing and all t hat t hey did t hroughout t he m eet ing. Ask t he t eam t o provide you inform at ion about " What Worked Well" for t hem wit h regard t o how t he m eet ing was run. Collect t hese it em s on a flipchart . Then ask t hem t o provide you guidance on " What We Would Change" and collect t hese it em s on a flipchart as well. I n t his way, you ask for t heir help in im proving your role as a t heir process owner and servant leader. Finally, once t he t eam reflect ion is done, creat e your own reflect ion about t he m eet ing. Offer t hanks t o t he part icipant s for t heir work and t heir accom plishm ent s. Provide t hem wit h posit ive guidance about t heir abilit y t o collaborat e: what you saw t hat worked well, what you experienced in wit nessing t heir convergence on decisions, and what you observed in t heir abilit y t o perform const ruct ively wit h t heir conflict s and resolut ions. You can now call for an end t o t he m eet ing.

After the MeetingA Bridge to Each Desk Closing t he m eet ing doesn't end your work for t he t eam . To sust ain t he collaborat ion, you have t o build t he bridge from t he m eet ing back t o each part icipant 's desk. The Act ion Plan is one way t hat t he bridge is built . I t carries decisions and t eam work out of t he m eet ing int o t he workplace as a t raceable flow of t asks, deliverables, follow- on m eet ings, or conversat ions. Your j ob as t he t eam 's servant is t o ensure t hat t his flow really occurs. An Agile Proj ect Manager, Scrum Mast er, or XP Coach wears t he m ant le of ensuring t hat t he work of a m eet ing doesn't end when t he m eet ing is over. Rat her, t he work of t he t eam cont inues t o flow as a result of t he m eet ing. To do t his, you t ake on a pledge of docum ent at ion and follow- up.

Documentation Highly collaborat ive m eet ings creat e lot s of m at erials as evidence of t he work and decisions form ulat ed by t he t eam . You need t o ensure t hat t his docum ent at ion is appropriat ely docum ent ed and dist ribut ed. Make sure t hat t his t ask is assigned t o one of t he m eet ing part icipant s as an it em for t he Act ion Plan. Or, m ake a com m it m ent yourself as t he owner of t he docum ent at ion t o deliver t he inform at ion by a specific due dat e. Have t he t eam guide you in t he m ost appropriat e form t o docum ent t heir work. Addit ionally, seek recom m endat ions about exact ly which work t hey want t o capt ure ( t hey m ay not be int erest ed in t he " Personal Obj ect ives" t hey list ed but m ay want t o see all t he " Concerns" t hey had accum ulat ed around t he schedule) . Make all t hese decisions and com m it m ent s before you end t he m eet ing.

Follow-up Before t he t eam leaves t he m eet ing, som eone will have m ade a com m it m ent t o own t he Act ion Plan. Make your own com m it m ent t o follow up wit h t his person ( if it is not you) t o see how t he m eet ing's work is progressing. I f you have t aken t he com m it m ent t o m anage t he follow- up t o t he Act ion Plan, report back t o t he t eam on a regular basis about t he current st at e of each it em . Addit ionally, for any recurring m eet ings, bring a st at us report back t o any subsequent m eet ings about any Act ion Plan from t he previous m eet ing. I n short , m ake t he Act ion Plan follow- up one of t he first art icles of clot hing you put on each m orning before you head t o work!

Section III: Extending Collaboration Sect ion I I , " Applying Collaborat ion," offered a cookbook of pract ices for t he m eet ings t hat buoy soft ware t eam s as t hey navigat e t he m any decision point s in a proj ect . This collaborat ion guidance purposefully t arget ed leaders of co- locat ed m edium t o large t eam s on a pat h t hrough divergence t o convergence based on creat ing a cont ext for building sust ainable decisions. St ill, collaborat ive t echniques need t o benefit us in ot her proj ect cont ext s as well: t he very nascence of a t eam wit h a sm all group of visionaries, one- on- one t eam discussions, and larger, dist ribut ed t eam s. Ext ending collaborat ion involves expanding bot h t he cont ext s ( when, where, and for whom ) for collaborat ion as well as t he pract ices ( what and how) for t hese cont ext s. This sect ion suggest s variat ions for applying t he prescribed collaborat ion pract ices in sm all cont ext s, in dist ribut ed cont ext s, and in organizat ional init iat ives. Finally, it provides suggest ions on how t o ext end your own collaborat ion skills t o m ove from being an apprent ice of specific pract ices t o a m ast er of principles and approaches.

Chapter 21. Collaboration Practices for Small Teams Peering int o t he breadt h and det ail of pract ices capt ured in Sect ion I I , you m ay quest ion t he validit y of t his guidance when engaged in sm all t eam collaborat ion: t wo, t hree, or four people com ing t oget her t o m ake decisions about t heir work in t he proj ect . The form alit y or cerem ony of t he t echniques m ay ebb and flow, but shift ing your perspect ive from t he weight of t he prescript ion t o t he discipline of t he approach can reveal useful t echniques wort h absorbing.

Planning for Two Pregnant wom en t alk about " eat ing for t wo" when t hey seek t o sat isfy cravings and vit am in int ake. When you want t o act collaborat ively in one- on- one, face- t o- face com m unicat ion, you can t hink about " planning for t wo." To ensure t hat you and your colleague act and decide collaborat ively, follow t he fundam ent als from t he t eam - level m eet ings: Make sure you bot h agree t hat you have som et hing t o t alk about . St at e your purpose explicit ly at t he st art so t hat you agree on t he int ent of your t alk. Set a t im e lim it t o t he discussion and find out if eit her of you has a specific need t o end earlier t han originally planned. Take Act ion I t em s seriously and follow up on t hem wit h one anot her.

My Anecdote I am not orious for how I t end t o st art a conversat ion wit h m y colleagues at work, part icularly if t hey com e t o t alk wit h m e at m y desk. Aft er " Hey! ," t he first t hing out of m y m out h is " What is t he purpose of our m eet ing?" At one com pany where I had j ust st art ed, I want ed t o bring t his pract ice wit h m e, t rying not t o be t oo obnoxious, but fairly explicit nonet heless. By t he end of t he first week, it had already becom e a t eam j oke t hat if anyone want ed t o t alk t o m e, t hey bet t er first be ready wit h an answer t o m y quest ion. Before I could even say " Hello," m y colleagues would say " I know, I know, 'What I s t he Purpose of This Meet ing?! '" Alt hough it was init ially a j oke, t hey lat er adm it t ed t hat it had becom e a useful t ool in m anaging t heir t im e and work, part icularly in t he large open area in which we all sat . ( And by t he way, som et im es t he purpose of t he t alk was clearly t o have no purpose. And t hat was okay! )

Ready to Rumble I find t hat people can get sloppy about act ing collaborat ively when t hey are engaged in oneon- one discourse. Discussions m ay wander, one person m ay t end t o dom inat e, one person m ay feel personally at t acked, neit her m ay pay at t ent ion t o t he decisions t hat are being m ade, and no one m ay be t racking any act ions t hat , as a result , should be t aken. Collaborat ion requires discipline even in t hese one- on- one cont ext s. I f you have a need t o work t oget her, and you have st at ed your purpose explicit ly t oward t hat end, you owe each ot her t he privilege of m eet ing t hat purpose and enj oying t he sense of accom plishm ent t hrough collaborat ion. Keep each ot her focused. Technical discussions can quickly wander int o non- product ive conj ect ure, even wit h j ust t wo or t hree people engaged. As one colleague would adm onish, " That m ay be m ore int erest ing t han useful." Check in wit h one anot her about t he int erest ing versus useful rat io in your discussion. I f you see t he focus shift , call t his out explicit ly, j ust as we do in large m eet ings. Ask, " I s t he discussion we are having helping us m eet t he purpose of our m eet ing?" I f not , guide each ot her back t o t he last discussion point t hat was st ill on t arget . Or, agree t oget her t hat t he new focus is m ore im port ant and m ove on. Track your decisions. I f your one- on- one work doesn't lead t o decisions or act ions, you m ay not be m eet ing for t he appropriat e purpose. Or, you m ay be wast ing your t im e. For problem solving, work- focused conversat ions, pay at t ent ion t o what you produce. Even one- on- one, consider t he advice Mary and Tom Poppendieck offer in Lean Soft ware Developm ent about how t o apply t he t enet s of " Lean Thinking" : " Elim inat e wast e." [ 1] [1]

Poppendieck and Poppendieck, Lean Software Development , 1.

Maint ain your sense of collaborat ion, even in conversat ion. Diana Larsen's advice in Chapt er 9 about organizing t ools for large planning m eet ings and ret rospect ives is j ust as valuable in t wo- person or t hree- person int eract ions: [ 2] [2]

Diana Larsen, Retrospectives Gathering, February 2005.

Focu s On

D on 't Focu s On

I nquiry

Advocacy

Discussion

Debat e

Convergence

Argum ent

Underst anding

Defending

Encourage your own brainst orm ing. Part of m aint aining discussion versus debat e is t he abilit y t o keep each ot her from narrowing t he discussion before having expanded t he possibilit ies. You can keep discussion and possibilit ies alive and yet bounded t o t he purpose if you direct your t hinking t hrough brainst orm ing quest ions: " Let 's t hink about t hat ," " What are som e of your ideas around t hat ?," " What have you observed in t he past ?" , and " What are your possible recom m endat ions?" Use t he " Fist of Five" t erm inology ( desscribed in Chapt er 6) est ablishing t hat you are bot h able t o " live wit h and support " a possible solut ion in a problem - solving discussion is som e of t he m ost powerful work a dyad or t riad can do in a sm all one- on- one m eet ing. Being able t o " t hrow down a t hree ! " on a t opic has an am azingly powerful im pact on a t eam of t wo people working t o resolve a sit uat ion. Using sm all but powerful consensus st at em ent s explicit ly clarifies where each of you is in your discussion.

Figure out if ot hers need t o be engaged for expert input and call anot her m eet ing at t hat point . Team s, even sm all ones, t hat are eager t o com e t o an act ion or decision t hat t hey can " live wit h and support " are ready t o call in expert s as useful ( not j ust int erest ing! ) t o furt her enlight en t heir decision. I n one- on- one discourse, be sure t o wat ch for im plicit invit at ions for out side input . Manage t he addit ion of som eone new int o your discussion j ust as you m anage new part icipant s in a m eet ing: review t he purpose of t he m eet ing and t he purpose of t heir cont ribut ion. Keep all your ot her pract ices on t rack wit h t he new part icipant as well.

My Anecdote As goofy as it seem s, t he "Fist of Five" has appeal even in t wo- person discussions. I use it at work t o quickly check where we are on a t opic. I f I am going down a line of t hinking t hat is com plet ely count er t o t he goal of t he discussion or t he int ent of t he decision, I will no doubt see m y count erpart hold up an index finger or t wo fingers t o st op m e in m y t racks. Or, I can t ell a colleague wit hout a lot of negat ive baggage, " Sorry, t hat is a t wo for m e. Can we t alk about it ?" We bot h back up and look at where we last were on t rack wit h our t hinking and t hen m ove int o j oint brainst orm ing from t hat point t o figure out how t o converge on a " live wit h and support " solut ion, a solid t hree, four, or five. " Fast Fives" have proven t o be j ust t he j olt I needed t o reenergize m e on a challenging, problem - soaked day. Gradually m oving t o a t hree in a difficult sit uat ion is even bet t er.

Make It So A t wo- or t hree- person discussion t hat leads t o a decision about t he proj ect or about t he proj ect t eam m ust be explicit ly called out as such. To m ake a decision st ick, declare t he next st eps and act ions t hat nat urally inst ant iat e t he decision. For such a sm all group of people, it m ay be enough t o sim ply st at e t hese openly t o one anot her and com m it t o one anot her what your act ions will be as a result . For collaborat ive decisions t hat go beyond a t wo- person com m it m ent , consider explicit ly capt uring your personal Act ion Plan, wherein each of you capt ures your com m it t ed t asks and com m it t ed due dat es. This helps you bot h t o be clear wit h one anot her about your com m it m ent and can also help ot hers know t he result s of your discussion. Figure out who needs t o know what decisions were m ade based on your m eet ing. Som et im es your one- on- one discussions m ove int o t errit ory t hat is im port ant and useful for ot hers. Check in wit h one anot her about whom should be alert ed t o your decisions and act ions. Then decide how t his inform at ion will be dissem inat ed: t he proj ect wiki, a wall chart , t he online process t ool, a voicem ail, an em ail, a separat e m eet ing, or t he like.

Follow-up As in any collaborat ive com m it m ent for act ion, you should check in wit h one anot her wit h regard t o your st at us. A m ini- " St and up" m eet ing serves t he purpose. Whoever was involved in com m it m ent t o t he decision or act ions should be involved. Find out what each ot her has done, what is left t o do, and what is get t ing in your way. A daily one- on- one check- in can be t he sim plest t hing t hat works. Do t hat .

My Anecdote I n one t eam I worked wit h, we had a m aj or deliverable due, a final analysis of user survey result s regarding t he syst em . We had t o accum ulat e inform at ion from five different int erviewers who had each int erviewed up t o t en people. The week t hat t he result s were due, we resolved t o m eet t wice a day t o review our progress and com m it m ent s. On t he last day of t he week, we had broken int o pairs for com plet ing t he work. Each pair resolved t o m eet every hour for a quick check- in. One- on- one, we figured out what was left t o do, how t o do it , and what our goal would be for t he next check- in. We t racked our collaborat ion and decisions wit h as lit t le form alit y as possible but wit h an eye on bot h t he individual com m it m ent s as well as t he group com m it m ent s. For us, t hat m eant t racking t he group progress in a large Burndown Chart based on t he pair report s and t hen post ing t he next check- in t im e. I n t his way, even in a sm all group, we m ade sure t hat we st ayed focused, com plet ed our com m it m ent s, and followed up on t hose com m it m ent s.

Chapter 22. Collaboration Practices for Distributed Teams I n t he global m arket place of our t eam s and our cust om ers, proj ect s oft en have t o ext end collaborat ion int o com m unicat ions beyond t he preferred face- t o- face m ode. These collaborat ion challenges include t he following: Mult i- sit e ( few locales wit h m any people at each) Dist ribut ed ( m any locales wit h few people at each) Offshore ( ext rem e dist ances bet ween roles, such as cust om ers versus developers) I n t hese cont ext s, t eam s find t hat t hey can't t ake advant age of what Alist air Cockburn refers t o as osm ot ic com m unicat ion, t he variet y of sensory m odalit ies ( visual, audio, t ouch, sense, et c.) t hat provide a rich set of collaborat ion clues. [ 1] Out of visual and audio cont act , t eam s default t o a lowest com m on denom inat or of com m unicat ion: paper docum ent at ion. At fault is t he reliance on capt uring only t he explicit knowledge of t he t eam , t he dat a- driven det ails of t he work. Dist ribut ed t eam s lose t he broad flow of what Nonaka and Takeuchi describe as t he t acit knowledge of t he t eam ; [ 2] t hat is, t he t eam inform at ion t hat creat es com m unit y and vision around t he work of t he t eam t hrough it s " sense" of what t he proj ect is about , what t he t eam is about , and t he " t heory" of t he solut ion t hat holds it all t oget her. [1]

Cockburn, Agile Software Development , 81.

[2]

Nonaka and Takeuchi, The Knowledge-Creating Company , 8.

Wit hout face- t o- face, day- t o- day com m unicat ion, t he raging flow of t acit t eam inform at ion t hat co- locat ed t eam s enj oy dwindles t o a slow drip for dist ribut ed t eam s. Their reliance on non- int eract ive, archival m edia ( such as spreadsheet s, docum ent s, and m odels) as t he t eam 's prim ary com m unicat ion conduit handicaps t he t eam 's abilit y t o converge on it s t acit knowledge. Dist ribut ed t eam s, not properly nourished wit h respect t o t heir cont act and t acit knowledge exchange, are deeply challenged in how t hey ever m ove t hrough Form ing and St orm ing int o t ruly Perform ing collaborat ive t eam s. Ext ending collaborat ion t o dist ribut ed t eam s necessit at es act ions t hat am plify t he ot her com m unicat ion m odes beyond t he purely writ t en m ode. I t requires a com m it m ent t o engage a rich set of t ools t o creat e, as m uch as possible, a virt ual space for t he growt h of t he group's t acit knowledge and t rust in a t eam of convergent , part icipat ory, high- perform ing colleagues.

Guiding Practices for Distributed Teams Maintain a Metaphor Ext rem e Program m ing explicit ly calls out t he use of a m et aphor t o enrich a t eam 's sense of it s work. The m et aphor grabs t he t eam im aginat ion and applies a creat ive hold on t he t eam 's t acit knowledge. For t hat reason, m et aphor is a powerful glue t o apply t o dist ribut ed t eam s: " We are a hom et own newspaper" for an RSS web cont ent m anager. " We are an incubat or for prem at ure newborns" for an int ernal audit ing syst em . " We are t he Great Wall of China" for a securit y syst em . " We are an expedit ion t eam on K2 in t he Him alayas" for proj ect m anagem ent soft ware. These m et aphors creat e a fram ework of com m unicat ion, a vocabulary t hat can span geographies and cult ures. Applying t he right m et aphor in any of t he non co- locat ed t eam t ypes ( offshore, m ult i- sit e, dist ribut ed) creat es a safet y net around t he com m unicat ion of t he det ailed explicit knowledge of t he proj ect .

Apply Frequent Communications Because dist ribut ed t eam s m ust rely on a far narrower com m unicat ion pipe for collaborat ion t han co- locat ed t eam s, t hey m ust aggressively broaden t heir com m unicat ion inst ances in order t o exchange t he sam e am ount of inform at ion. I 've wat ched organizat ions assum e t hat increased com m unicat ion m eans m ore docum ent at ion. But t hat is only a t hin slice of t he com m unicat ion pipe, and a poor one at t hat . I ncreased com m unicat ion can t ake on a num ber of ot her rich form s: More st and- up m eet ings ( t wo a day versus one a day) when t eam s span m ore t han four t im e zones. More one- on- one com m unicat ions, where each t eam m em ber is designat ed as a shadow or pair wit h one ot her m em ber of t he dist ribut ed t eam in order t o act as a surrogat e and " com panion" for each ot her. More exchange of t eam roles, where t here is a t raveling cust om er role as well as a t raveling developer and a t raveling t est er t hat is t raded off am ong t eam m em bers across t he proj ect sit es. More ret rospect ives t o gat her feedback around what are t he useful repeat able collaborat ion pract ices versus what cont inue t o be t he collaborat ion challenges. One caveat about increased com m unicat ion: Avoid a reliance on em ail, pagers, BlackBerries, and docum ent s alone. When unsupport ed by ot her form s of com m unicat ion t hat fill out t he color, t ext ure, and subt let y of our int eract ions, t hese t ersely t ext - driven form s of com m unicat ion creat e dist ance and dist ract ion, bot h of which can act ually det eriorat e t he collaborat ion of t he t eam inst ead of bolst ering it . Avoid an addict ion t o t he quick sugar rush of a BlackBerry and apply liberal doses of real collaborat ion prot ein.

Intensify Facilitation Recognize t hat dist ribut ed t eam s have a far great er challenge t o m ove out of Form ing and t o

navigat e St orm ing. As a result , conflict will be t he norm rat her t han t he except ion. Collaborat ion approaches for non- co- locat ed t eam s m ust t herefore concent rat e on t he Form ing pract ices: St ay act ively engaged as a facilit at or. Ask frequent quest ions t o spark discussion and consensus. Act ively seek out opport unit ies t o serve; don't wait for som eone t o ask for your service. Ask m ore quest ions. I n all your audio- int ense com m unicat ions such as t elephone calls and conference calls, repeat t he responses oft en . Work t o keep everyone engaged as m uch as possible in collaborat ingfrequent feedback and repet it ion of inform at ion, advance m at erials, surveys, det ailed follow- up, and ret rospect ives.

Conference Call Collaboration Practices Applying collaborat ion t echniques t o m eet ings conduct ed as conference calls isn't so m uch about learning a new set of t ools. Rat her, it is about em bracing t he collaborat ion fundam ent als wit h great er rigor and int ensit y, t urning it up a not ch, " going t o 11." Because conference calls bring out m ore dysfunct ion and breed conflict m ore easily t han t he face- t oface m eet ings we use for collaborat ion, t he advice offered here em phasizes t hose pract ices t hat specifically address t hese t hreat s.

Keep On TrackNo Fuzzy Agendas A conference call m ust have a specific purpose, and it s agenda m ust specifically support t hat purpose. Though we t alk about t his in general for effect ive collaborat ion, it is all t he m ore im port ant for conference calls. Wit hout visual cues for t racking how part icipant s are st aying engaged in t he m eet ing flow, your agenda becom es your st rongest guide in m aint aining t heir part icipat ion. Publish t he purpose. Publish t he agenda. St art t he m eet ing by reviewing t hem carefully and get t ing group's consensus t hat bot h are correct . Conference calls are at t ent ion zappers. I f you allow a conference call t o wander off t he Agenda, you run t he risk of losing t he t rust and at t ent ion of t he callers: The t opic m ay not be of int erest t o t he ent ire call, it m ay be cont roversial t o som e callers, or it m ay be com plet ely count er t o t he Purpose of t he call. Because you won't be able t o det ect any of t his by looking around t he room , part icipant dysfunct ions can arise wit hout your being aware of t hem . Maint ain your m eet ing focus and t he focus of t he part icipant s by keeping on t rack wit h t he Agenda.

Keep a Time LimitOne Hour Conference calls are exhaust ing by t heir nat ure in t hat t hey provide so lit t le inform at ion and st im ulat ion t o keep part icipant s engaged. Respect t he burden t his com m unicat ion places on your part icipant s and lim it t he call's durat ion t o one hour. I f t he work requires m ore t han one hour, creat e a break of at least 10 m inut es per hour. The break creat es breat hing space and explicit ly acknowledges t he need t o break away from t he phone leash for sanit y's sake.

Keep Track of Who Is Out ThereMaintain a Seating Chart Track who has called in by creat ing a seat ing chart such as a U- shaped conference set - up. Assign each person a seat in t he chart . Tell t hem where t hey are sit t ing and t he order around t he chart so t hat t hey have a m ent al m odel about how t hey are virt ually sit t ing wit h one anot her. Use t he chart for m anaging feedback and check- ins. To furt her creat e t he sense of a room full of part icipant s, keep pict ures of each of t he t eam 's m em bers for all virt ual m eet ings. Send t hem out t o each of t he part icipant s and encourage t hem t o creat e t heir own seat ing chart wit h t he pict ures of each person on t heir place in t he chart . Finally, ask part icipant s t o provide t heir nam e each t im e t hat t hey respond wit h a com m ent , quest ion, or feedback. This helps all part icipant s keep t rack of who is speaking.

Keep the Decisions FlowingNo Soliloquies Have as m uch inform at ion dist ribut ed in advance as possible. This includes t he expert input t hat you m ight norm ally have present ed in person for a face- t o- face m eet ing. Reserve t he t im e in t he conference call for t he work of creat ing decisions and act ions. Dist ribut e t he Agenda early enough t o alert at t endees t o t he purpose of t he call, t he flow of t he call, and it s t im e lim it s. Encourage early feedback about addit ional concerns and t opics rat her t han discover incongruit ies during t he call. Send out t he list of part icipant s early. Because part icipant s can't look around t he room t o see who is part icipat ing, t hey can do a virt ual room scan by keeping an at t endee list wit h t hem during t he call.

Keep the Answers ComingEngage Participants with Information Processing Because you can't build t rust am ong your part icipant s wit h your eye cont act , you m ust do it t hrough your adherence t o prot ocols, processes, and effect ive list ening skills. Help conference call part icipant s st ay engaged by polling t hem frequent ly for feedback. For conference calls wit h fewer t han 20 part icipant s, use t he Round Robin approach t o: Check who is st ill on t he line. Conduct a brainst orm on a t opic. Gat her input for a list ing exercise. Generat e priorit ies around it em s. Conduct a consensus check. Rem em ber t hat in conduct ing a Round Robin, you always announce t he purpose of t he exercise, what responses you are looking for ( " Yes," " No," or " Pass" ) , and explain t he order in which you will call on people and who t he first t hree people will be. Once all part icipant s have provided t heir feedback, review t he collect ed responses and ask one last t im e if t here are any ot her cont ribut ions. For larger conference calls, use an asynchronous polling opt ion t hrough a web conference ut ilit y t hat can collect feedback for you wit hout having t o ask each part icipant individually. Also consider having t he result s of t he feedback available for viewing t hrough an int eract ive t ool. Applying visual cues t o t he audio will help part icipant s st ay engaged and focused.

Keep It FairMaintain Balanced Phone Control Pay at t ent ion t o t he problem s t hat phone t echnology int roduces as a result of speakerphones, m ult iple phone lines, and phones in noisy set t ings. Table 22.1 list s som e scenarios t hat can occur wit h conference calls and phone t echnology, t he problem s t hey can breed, and som e facilit at ive solut ions you can apply t o avoid t he problem s:

Ta ble 2 2 .1 . Con fe r e n ce Ca ll Pr oble m s a n d Solu t ion s

Sce n a r io

Pot e n t ia l Pr oble m

Solu t ion

A large group of people in one locat ion has set up a speakerphone t o allow individuals in one or m ore ot her sit es t o " dial in" t o t heir m eet ing.

The individuals who dialed in becom e easily forgot t en by t he group t hat is gat hered t oget her wit h t he speakerphone; t hey end up being observers and m issing out on m uch of t he m eet ing.

Appoint a person in t he large group t o be t he guardian of t he part icipant s who are dialed in. That person t ends t he phone and ensures t hat t heir quest ions are heard and t hat t heir input is gat hered during t he Round Robin exercises.

Everyone is dialing from different locat ions, and t here is no facilit at or m anaging t he call.

One individual can end up dom inat ing t he call because t he speakerphone t echnology m akes it hard t o break in on som eone who has t he speaker engaged.

Make sure all phones are on full duplex so t hat a speaker can always hear som eone else t rying t o break in. As m uch as possible, act aggressively as a facilit at or and use Round Robin as m uch as possible t o m anage feedback.

Part icipant s are dialing A lot of background in but not put t ing t heir noise ( t he " dialing in phones on m ut e. from hom e" part icipant 's dog barking, a m eet ing in t he next cubicle becom ing loud) can m ake it hard for ot her part icipant s t o hear t he m eet ing and can t ake over t he speakerphone.

Have all part icipant s " m ut e" t heir phones unt il t hey have a quest ion or unt il t hey are responding in a Round Robin. Or, conduct t he conference call in " list en only" m ode unt il you are ready t o seek feedback from individuals.

A part icipant is dialed in from a m ult i- line office phone.

The part icipant 's ot her line rings, and when t hey decide t o answer t he ot her line, t heir " hold" m usic for t heir phone ends up dom inat ing t he call.

Creat e Ground Rules for t he call about phone et iquet t e: Keep all phones on m ut e unless you are providing feedback; do not put t he call on hold t o t ake anot her call.

Part icipant s t end t o dial in up t o t en m inut es lat e.

The st art of t he m eet ing keeps being disrupt ed by new callers ent ering t he line, announcing t hem selves, and t hen recapping t he current list of part icipant s and what has been covered so far. The m eet ing doesn't really st art unt il 10 or 15 m inut es int o t he call.

Encourage part icipant s t o dial int o t he call five t o t en m inut es in advance of t he st art t im e. Also let t hem know t hat t here will be a cut off t im e for ent ering int o t he m eet ing t hree m inut es aft er t he st art of t he m eet ing. Each m inut e for t he t hree m inut es prior t o t he st art t im e, announce t hat t he m eet ing will be st art ing in X num ber of m inut es. Once you have st art ed t he m eet ing, put a block on any furt her incom ing calls aft er t hree m inut es.

Keep It FacilitatedDon't Take Control of the Decisions As t he chairperson or owner of a conference call, you cont rol all t he part icipat ion and flow of t he call. St ay clear wit h yourself and wit h t he part icipant s about your role as t heir process owner and t heir guide for m aking decisions and t aking act ions. Avoid t he t em pt at ion t o t ake advant age of your cont rol of t he call, or j ust as in a face- t o- face m eet ing, you will lose t he t rust of t he ot her part icipant s. One way t o m aint ain obj ect ivit y and focus is t o engage in a lot of reflect ive list ening. Repeat responses from ot hers and invit e feedback on t he responses.

Keep It DocumentedSend Feedback as Soon as Possible I n a co- locat ed m eet ing, flipchart s, proj ect ed lapt op displays, and ot her inform at ion radiat ors provide feedback t o part icipant s as t hey m ake decisions and plan act ions. Because conference calls lack t hese signals of progress and int ent , you need t o provide t he writ t en docum ent at ion of t he call as soon as possible aft er t he call. Addit ionally, as part of how you docum ent t he call, always ask for feedback about t he call before you end it . I n a face- t o- face m eet ing, you can det ect issues while looking around t he room ; in a call, you have t o request it specifically. So alt hough t his is recom m ended for all m eet ings, it is all t he m ore im port ant for conference call m eet ings. Be sure t o ask: " What worked well? What could be changed for t he next call? Any ot her issues or concerns?"

Real-Time Interactive Technologies for Collaboration To broaden t he com m unicat ions pipe across dist ribut ed t eam s, build in as m any support ing t echnologies as you can t o adj ust for t he lack of face- t o- face com m unicat ion. Rem em ber t hat t he goal is t o m ake up for non co- locat ed m eet ings, not replace t hem . Turn t o t he t eam for it s preferences and advice about which t ools t o use for t heir dist ribut ed collaborat ion. As a t eam , select and st andardize on a variet y of t he visually and aurally rich m edia as well as real- t im e com m unicat ions t ools versus asynchronous t ools. I n select ing t echnologies, consider t he following: Frequency of collaborat ion ( im m ediat e problem resolut ion, daily t eam st at us, m ont hly proj ect ret rospect ion) Audience ( one- on- one, group- wide) Purpose of t he collaborat ion ( expert input , priorit izat ion of it erat ion st ories, m anagem ent of t ask st at us) Form alit y ( casual feedback, proj ect m et rics, weekly t eam review) Beyond conference calls, consider using t hese ot her form s of int eract ive com m unicat ion and int eract ive docum ent at ion for t eam collaborat ion.

Web-Based Meeting Managers As wit h conference calls, web- based conferencing t ools need guidelines t o prom ot e t heir use as collaborat ion t ools: Send out inst ruct ions, guidelines, and Ground Rules in advance. Test your set up at least 30 m inut es prior t o t he st art t o m ake sure it is funct ioning properly. Have a backup plan if t he service or host is not available: an em ail alert , conference call, or alt ernat e service, for exam ple. Encourage part icipant s t o set up t heir soft ware and phone int eract ions five t o t en m inut es prior t o t he st art of t he m eet ing. Block out lat ecom ers. Consider lim it ing t he num ber of at t endees. Decide how t o m anage com m ent s and quest ions ( live or chat ) prior t o t he st art of t he conference, and include t his guidance in t he inst ruct ions you send out in advance. Decide in advance how t o t urn over cont rol of t he conference should som eone need t o provide expert input . Provide as m uch advance m at erial as possible t o keep t he m eet ing flowing and int eract ive. St ay in a facilit at ive role; ask for frequent feedback and t rack inform at ion and decisions in t he m at erials broadcast in t he m eet ing.

Video Conferencing Prepare, prepare, prepare. Technologies are im proving, but video conferencing is st ill dist ract ing. Follow t he advice for conference calls and for host ed m eet ing et iquet t e. And be sure t o run a t est of t he t echnologies prior t o t he st art of t he m eet ing t o ensure t hat all sit es are com m unicat ing properly.

Instant Messaging and Chat I nst ant Messaging or " I M" prom ot es quick t urnaround t o quest ions or com m ent s for one- onone com m unicat ions. As wit h any of t he ot her t echnologies, m ake sure t hat it is broadening t eam collaborat ion, not collapsing it . Use I M when no broader m eans of com m unicat ion ( facet o- face whit eboard discussion, phone call, host ed m eet ing) is available.

Interactive Whiteboards Visually rich, t hese applicat ions pull dist ribut ed part icipant s t oget her t o collaborat e in t he whit eboard st yle of brainst orm ing and inform at ion sharing. The int eract ion goes beyond a keyboard conversat ion or a phone conversat ion int o t he creat ive world of t he whit eboard.

Presence-Based Applications These applicat ions, built on and ext ending t he I M capabilit ies, m anage t he " current ly online" st at us of part icipant s t o creat e a virt ual office environm ent for sharing inform at ion. They can be proj ect - based or organizat ion- based and usually offer docum ent and file m anagem ent as well as a rudim ent ary proj ect plan int egrat ion capabilit y.

Survey Applications Polling t he t eam and m aint aining t eam feedback t hrough surveys can be a real- t im e or nonreal- t im e collaborat ion t ool. Part icipant s can provide guiding feedback t o each ot her about t eam norm s, t eam com m it m ent s, daily proj ect flow, release ret rospect ives, and proj ect ret rospect ives. Use surveys as a m eans t o collect group feedback prior t o a virt ual ret rospect ive for dist ribut ed t eam s. Using a host ed applicat ion will allow t he t eam s t o view t heir result s online independent of t he ret rospect ive conference call or virt ual m eet ing.

Non-Interactive Tools for Collaboration Because dist ribut ed t eam s very oft en cannot rely on int eract ive inform at ion exchange, t he non- int eract ive collaborat ion t ools m ust be woven int o t he fabric of t he t eam 's com m unicat ion st yle. As wit h int eract ive t ools, have t he t eam select t he set of t ools t hat will best suit t he t eam m em bers' st yle of collaborat ion wit h any of t hese applicat ions.

Conversation Management Applications Tools such as wikis and t eam int ranet s m anage t eam - specific, non- int eract ive conversat ions and inform at ion. Use t hese t ools t o help t eam s collaborat e on design discussions, process flow, schedules, t eam cont act inform at ion, proj ect m eet ing docum ent at ion, and free- form dialogues.

Process Management Applications Typically host ed solut ions, t hese applicat ions are designed t o specifically m anage soft ware developm ent proj ect t eam com m it m ent s and t o incorporat e real- t im e dashboard inform at ion across all proj ect part icipant s, beyond t he t echnical st aff alone. They in essence creat e virt ual cont ent - rich inform at ion radiat ors t hat m aint ain and broaden t he collaborat ion inform at ion creat ed in a planning m eet ing and t hen exchanged in a daily st andup m eet ing.

Document Management Applications The least collaborat ive of all t he support applicat ions for dist ribut ed t eam s, docum ent m anagem ent applicat ions creat e virt ual libraries for t he proj ect archive. They can m anage experience report s, m odels, t rouble logs, and ot her proj ect docum ent s, m aking t hem available for t he ent ire proj ect t eam whet her co- locat ed or dist ribut ed. Addit ionally, t hey can creat e relat ional inform at ion for t he m anaged cont ent .

Chapter 23. Collaboration for Organizations Collaborat ive t eam s t urn int o collaborat ive organizat ions by broadening and nurt uring collaborat ion pract ices beyond proj ect boundaries. The collaborat ive organizat ion builds in learning, m ent oring, com pet ence, and reflect ion around it s collaborat ion expert ise.

The Shu-Ha-Ri of Collaboration Alist air Cockburn refers t o t he Shu- Ha- Ri m odel wit h regard t o agile soft ware developm ent pract ices, com m unicat ion, and learning. [ 1] You can t hink about t his Aikido learning m odel as your guide for engendering collaborat ion expert ise int o your organizat ion: [1]

Cockburn, Agile Software Development , 17.

Sh u Following : We underst and t he principles and are able t o copy t he pract ices very well. H a Det aching : We use t he principles as guides and m ake alt erat ions t o pract ices t hat fit our circum st ances. Ri Transcending ( a.k.a. Fluent ) : We j ust do what needs t o be done for t he desired effect wit hout regard t o whet her we are following an exact pract ice or not . Collaborat ive organizat ions fost er t he growt h and m aint enance of high- perform ing soft ware t eam s by explicit ly creat ing sust ainable pract ices around part icipat ory decision m aking. You can t hink of expert ise as t he abilit y t o m ove init ial, highly prescript ive guidelines ( Shu) for collaborat ion int o t he organizat ion's " DNA" ( Ri) . Proj ect m anagers, t eam leads, and t eam m em bers no longer have t o t hink about t he explicit st eps of brainst orm ing, priorit izat ion, conflict resolut ion, or act ion planning; it is sim ply built int o how t hey collaborat e day- t o- day. I have a friend who st udied fencing for several years, and he has described a sim ilar organizat ional growt h pat t ern. " Le Maît re," t he fencing inst ruct or, t akes on a group of st udent s and guides t hem t hrough fencing principles: physical balance, m ent al balance, posit ion, t im ing, dist ance, and m om ent um . These principles and pract ices are t hen put int o a very st rict set of drills for foot work and st rikes, eit her as a single drill or as a pair. Drill pat t erns are m ade m ore and m ore com plex unt il t he full variet y of st ances, st rikes, and count erst rikes are sim ply ingrained for t he st udent . At t hat point , t hey can fence wit hout reference t o Le Maît re or t o t he drills. They have m oved from Shu t o Ha t hrough t o Ri.

Creating Organizational Shu-Ha-Ri for Collaboration Organizat ions can provide " Le Maît re" st yle m ent ors in collaborat ion by creat ing pract ices of " collaborat ion consult ant s." I n one com pany in which I worked, we had a group referred t o as " The Piranhas" whose j ob it was t o spread t he use of Ext rem e Program m ing ( XP) t hroughout t he I T organizat ion. Alt hough t heir specialt y t ended t o be t he engineering pract ices of XP and t heir ferocit y about t hose pract ices ( hence t he nam e " Piranha" ) , t hey soon learned t hat t hey also had t o be expert facilit at ors in bringing about highly collaborat ive, part icipat ory decisions wit hin t he t eam s. The organizat ion aggressively sought out individuals who could m ove from t eam t o t eam as an obj ect ive facilit at or t o coach t he t eam s t hrough t heir init ial Release Planning m eet ings and t hen t hrough t heir subsequent I t erat ion Planning m eet ings. I n t his way, t he organizat ion creat ed and sust ained a group of individuals who were bred for highpowered, obj ect ive, facilit at ive guidance around t he collaborat ion required for XP proj ect s. Working wit h t he Piranhas and in ot her large organizat ions, I have seen t he grace of Shu- HaRi and also t he guidance of Musashi, as provided by Alist air Cockburn in Agile Soft ware Developm ent : [ 2] [2]

Cockburn, Agile Software Development , 254.

" Do not develop an at t achm ent t o any one weapon or any one school of fight ing" Survey t he canon of collaborat ion pract ices and find out what works for you. " Pract ice and observe reflect ively" Cont inue t o build a t oolkit of collaborat ion t ools and t echniques based on your own variat ions. " Win" I call t his t he t ranscendence of decision m aking and decision enabling. An organizat ion has " won" when it s t eam s have becom e self- sufficient , high- perform ing, m ight y forces fully enabled for part icipat ory, collaborat ive decision m aking. I n applying t he guidance set fort h in t his book, t hink about how t o creat e an organizat ional DNA t hat pays at t ent ion t o Musashi's advice. Use sufficiency as a guide and goal. Don't overlegislat e what it t akes t o build collaborat ion in and across t eam s. And be ext rem ely t olerant of variat ion in individual st yles of collaborat ion for t eam s, for proj ect m anagers, and for t eam s of t eam s. Consider a m odel sim ilar t o t he Piranhas. Creat e a pract ice wit hin t he Proj ect Managem ent Office around collaborat ion expert ise. Or, define a career specialt y in collaborat ion consult ancy where individuals act as int ernal consult ant s t o guide organizat ion in defining and expanding t heir collaborat ion t ools and t echniques.

Facilitation Training and Certification As an Agile Coach and Ment or, I consult in a variet y of organizat ions, bringing m y facilit at ion and collaborat ion st yle wit h m e as a nat ural part of m y consult ancy. I n m any of t hese engagem ent s, I end up also becom ing a counselor about t he specifics of collaborat ion and in part icular t he specifics out lined in t his book about facilit at ing t he m eet ings of collaborat ion. This has been part icularly t rue in m y role as an XP Coach and as a Cert ified Scrum Mast er. Organizat ions ready t o m ove int o collaborat ive, servant leader- driven form s of decision m aking should seek out t raining in facilit at ion, eit her t hrough public courses or t hrough program s cust om ized for t heir in- house t raining needs. Training can eit her t arget specific individuals ( such as a group of collaborat ion consult ant s) , or it can be organizat ion- wide, wherein all m em bers of t he organizat ion receive t raining about t he ins and out s of act ing collaborat ively and facilit at ively in t heir proj ect t eam s. Finally, you can consider building a cert ificat ion around collaborat ion and facilit at ion, sim ilar t o t he Scrum Mast er cert ificat ion. The I nt ernat ional Associat ion of Facilit at ors has a cert ificat ion for professional facilit at ors. Or, you can craft a collaborat ion program specific t o your organizat ion t hat could include cert ificat ion of general facilit at ion skills as well as specifics on your organizat ion's proj ect collaborat ion approach. An organizat ional cert ificat ion should dem onst rat e a grasp of t he collaborat ion fundam ent als, as well as t he com plet ion of a m ent oring program and set of experience reflect ions and ret rospect ives.

Measurement and Reflection (Surveys and Retrospectives) No organizat ional init iat ive about collaborat ion would be com plet e wit hout an explicit program for m easurem ent of and reflect ion upon t he success of t he collaborat ion work. I have learned from t alking wit h Est her Derby, Diana Larsen, Deborah Schrat z, Gerhardt Ackerm ann, and ot her ret rospect ion expert s t hat ret rospect ion at t he organizat ion level is t he t ruest and m ost vit al key t o bringing collaborat ion int o t he organizat ional DNA. Team successes can t ranslat e int o a viral spread of collaborat ion as m em bers m ove t o new proj ect t eam s. However, at t he organizat ional level, t hese t eam learnings m ust be capt ured in survey, reflect ion, and ret rospect ion t hat can t hen be t racked from t eam t o t eam and from proj ect t o proj ect . " How well do we list en? How well do we invit e and respond t o change? How collaborat ive are we in our decision m aking? Who is being left behind? And what can we em brace as change t o bring about m ore high- perform ing t eam s?" The ret rospect ion fract al t akes flight , em erging from t he daily ret rospect ion at t he daily st andup m eet ing, t o t he I t erat ion Ret rospect ive, t o t he Release Ret rospect ive, t o t he Proj ect Ret rospect ive, and finally t o an organizat ional change m anagem ent ret rospect ive. All of t hese collaborat ive reflect ions host t he growt h of t ruly collaborat ive organizat ions t o m ove t hem from j ust Form ing- level set s of workgroups t o High- Perform ing- level groups of t eam s.

Section IV: Collaborative Facilitation Guides Agile soft ware developm ent proj ect s m aint ain a heart beat of collaborat ion t hrough t heir various m eet ings, from proj ect incept ion t o proj ect ret rospect ion. For t his reason, t he drum beat I offer around t he agile processes t akes t he form of agendas rat her t han proj ect plans, docum ent t em plat es, or det ailed role definit ions. This sect ion t akes you t hrough a set of sam ple proj ect m eet ing agendas t hat pull t oget her all t he guidance from Sect ions I I and I I I . Along wit h t he agendas for generic proj ect m eet ings, m ore m et hodology- specific agendas are provided for Cryst al Clear, Scrum , and XP and I ndust rial XP. These m et hodology- driven guides represent m y part icular st yle of defining agendas wit hin t hese realm s; t hey are not m eant t o be t he definit ive, solely sanct ioned approach. As wit h any of t he guidance around collaborat ion and facilit at ion, play wit h t he det ails set fort h in t hese agile soft ware developm ent cont ext s and discover what holds m ost useful and t rue for you and your t eam s. Ult im at ely, it com es down t o what serves you best . Agendas are present ed for general proj ect heart beat s as well as for som e of t he prim ary m eet ings associat ed wit h agile soft ware developm ent proj ect s. Each agenda present s guidance on: Meet ing purpose and out put s Meet ing part icipant s Agenda order and t opics Process suggest ions Ot her considerat ions ( Com m ent s) These guides are purposefully det ailed and so m ay look rigid or const rict ing. They are highly direct ive in order t o define a very clear pat h t o a very clear purpose. As such, t hey are t he ant idot e t o m eet ings wit h ill- defined purposes and lit t le or no clear agenda. Addit ionally, t he det ail here is m eant t o obviat e t he need for det ails once capt ured in docum ent t em plat es and role descript ions. I n t hat regard, t hey are m inim al and open t o int erpret at ion. For each agenda provided, you'll want t o consider your own useful t weaks and variat ions: level of form alit y ( m inim al versus det ailed docum ent at ion and preparat ion) , t im ings for each agenda it em , processes appropriat e t o your audience ( a Form ing t eam versus a High- Perform ing t eam ) , variat ions helpful t o t he cont ext ( sm all co- locat ed groups versus large dist ribut ed groups) , and your own collaborat ion st yle ( processes and approaches you find t he m ost useful and rewarding) . As a rem inder, Sect ion I I I holds t he lit any of " building blocks" for processes and t ools t hat can be applied t hroughout t hese agenda t ypes. Use t his t able as a quick reference t o t he chapt ers in Sect ion I I I t hat hold t hose t echniques and approaches:

Te ch n iqu e

Ch a pt e r

Meet ing st art up

Chapt er 10, " St art ing t he Collaborat ive Meet ing" Chapt er 9, " The Organizing Tools"

Organizing t ools ( Purpose, Agenda, Parking Lot , Act ion Plan, Decisions Board, Com m unicat ion Plan, et c.)

Brainst orm ing

Chapt er 12, " Gat hering t he I nform at ionBrainst orm ing and List ing"

List ing Facilit at or- led Callout Post - it Not es Round Robin Pass t he pen Pass t he card Chapt er 15, " Processing t he I nform at ion" Grouping, Cat egorizing Chapt er 15, " Processing t he I nform at ion" Priorit izing, Weight ing T- Shirt Sizing Wideband Delphi Est im at es Chapt er 14, " Team Est im at ing Approaches" Velocit y Est im at es

I ndividual and Dyad Work

Sm all and Large Group Dialogue

Expert I nput Tim elining Proj ect Visioning Giving an A

Chapt er 13, " Dialogues, Sm all Groups, and Expert I nput Approaches"

Chapt er 13, " Dialogues, Sm all Groups, and Expert I nput Approaches"

Chapt er 13, " Dialogues, Sm all Groups, and Expert I nput Approaches"

Pict ure This

Meet ing closing

Chapt er 16, " Visioning, Ret rospect ion, and Ot her Approaches" Chapt er 20, " Closing t he Collaborat ive Meet ing"

Chapter 24. Generic Project Meetings The guides in t his chapt er provide general guidance for conduct ing collaborat ive proj ect event s; t hey rem ain m et hodology- neut ral but reflect som e basic det ailed st eps for accom plishing each m eet ing's purpose collaborat ively. They form ulat e som e fundam ent al collaborat ive event s wit hin a proj ect lifecycle: St at us Meet ing St rat egic Act ion Planning Process Change Workshop Proj ect St art up Meet ing Proj ect Ret rospect ive Typically, t he Proj ect Manager is responsible for calling t he m eet ing, invit ing t he part icipant s for t he m eet ing, facilit at ing t he m eet ing, and ensuring t hat all out put s of t he m eet ing are appropriat ely dist ribut ed or post ed. St at us Meet ing

M e e t in g N a m e :

St a t u s M e e t in g

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To det erm ine t he progress of t he t eam 's work and t o not e any act ions necessary t o help t he t eam reach it s goal

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

Act ions for t he next t im e period

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

All m em bers of t he developm ent t eam

Com m e n t s:

The St at us Meet ing should only collect st at us and creat e Act ion I t em s from t he t eam . I t is not a problem - solving m eet ing. I f t his is a daily m eet ing, use a t im er t o t im ebox all individual st at us report s as well as t he lengt h of t he m eet ing. Always m anage any problem solving by m aking it an Act ion I t em for a lat er discussion. You m ay also consider m aint aining a Parking Lot t hat can be reviewed at t he end of t he m eet ing t o see if any act ions should be form ulat ed based on t he parked t opics. St anding up is a high m ot ivat or for com plet ing st at us report ing quickly.

Age n da I t e m

A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: Don't bot her wit h Personal Obj ect ives for such a short m eet ing. Just check in wit h everyone on t he Purpose and rem ind t hem of t he t im e lim it s. For t eam s t hat have been m eet ing daily, skip t his form alit y ent irely.

B. W h a t is t h e st a t u s on t h e Act ion I t e m s w e ga t h e r e d in t h e la st st a t u s m e e t in g?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : ( Use t he agenda quest ion)

C. W h a t w or k h a s be e n com ple t e d sin ce t h e la st st a t u s m e e t in g?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Think back on t he last st at us m eet ing we held on ( dat e) . We had a lot of work we accom plished since t hat t im e, as individuals and as a group. Now t ell us, what work has been com plet ed since t he last st at us m eet ing?"

Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Review Com m e n t s: Use t he Act ion list from t he previous m eet ing as t he prom pt for report s. Keep report s short . Make sure t hey don't go int o problem solving or det ailed solut ion descript ion; t hat should occur in a separat e or follow- on m eet ing as appropriat e.

Pr oce ss: Round Robin Com m e n t s: Use t he t im er. Capt ure any problem solving as discussions/ m eet ings t hat need t o occur aft er t he st at us m eet ing. Also capt ure who should be involved in t he follow- on discussions/ m eet ings. For a Daily St andup, skip t he Prom pt quest ion and go st raight t o t he Round Robin. Encourage part icipant s t o address one anot her, not you. D . W h a t a r e ou r n e x t pr opose d a ct ion s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given what we have learned about what we have com plet ed, we now need t o t hink about what work st ill rem ains or has arisen as a result of t he st at us. Wit h t his inform at ion in m ind, what are our next proposed act ions?" Pr oce ss: Round Robin Com m e n t s: You can eit her perform t his Round Robin independent of t he previous Round Robin or have each person provide bot h responses at t he sam e t im e.

E. W h a t a r e a n y r isk s or con ce r n s w e h a ve a bou t ou r pr opose d a ct ion s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Considering what we have com plet ed and proposed, you m ay have inform at ion t hat could help m anage our success. What are any risks or concerns we have about our proposed act ions?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Brainst orm ing Com m e n t s: This is sim ilar t o t he " What is get t ing in m y way; what is dist ract ing m e?" quest ion from t he Daily St andup in Scrum . Here, t he quest ion invit es broader group- wide inspect ion of risks or concerns.

F. W h a t is ou r Act ion Pla n ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : ( No prom pt quest ion necessary) Pr oce ss: Act ion Planning Com m e n t s: Keep t his very quick and brief. But don't leave t he m eet ing wit hout owners of t he act ions t hat m ust t ake place in order for t he new pract ices t o be absorbed.

G. Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Have we m et our purpose t oday?" Pr oce ss: n.a. Com m e n t s: For daily st andups, a group hug is sufficient t o close t he m eet ing.: - )

St rat egic Act ion Planning

M e e t in g N a m e :

St r a t e gic Act ion Pla n n in g

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To creat e a plan of proposed act ions based on specific recom m endat ions from a proj ect , program , or product st rat egy

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

A list of act ions wit h t he owner of t he act ion and t he due dat e of t he out com e of t he act ion, wit h cost opt ionally list ed

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

All m em bers of t he t eam

Com m e n t s:

Conduct a st rat egic Act ion Planning session at t he very st art of defining a program , proj ect , or product when you have form ulat ed a high- level st rat egy or a list of recom m endat ions t o set t he work in m ot ion. This planning can eit her be from a previous st rat egy m eet ing or in t he sam e m eet ing wit h t he st rat egy form ulat ion. This agenda guides you t hrough t he st eps for com plet ing t he Act ion Plan and adds considerat ions not in t he st andard "Act ion Plan" organizing t ool.

An Act ion Planning Workshop should produce one or m ore flipchart s wit h t he following form at :

Act ion Pla n W hat

W hen

W ho

Cost

Age n da I t e m A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: Once you have com plet ed t he m eet ing st art up wit h Purpose, Agenda, Organizing Tools, et c., collect Personal Obj ect ives. Be sure t o go t hrough t he " What 's I n I t For Me" and t he Scope of Aut horit y for t he ent ire t eam .

B. W h a t is t h e st r a t e gy w e Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Earlier, we com plet ed a highh a ve se t for t h for t h is level st rat egy for our program / proj ect in order t o pr ogr a m / pr oj e ct / pr odu ct ? deliver t he defined product . What is t he st rat egy we have set fort h?" Pr oce ss: Expert I nput Com m e n t s: Som eone needs t o represent t he st rat egy or recom m endat ions t o t he t eam . This m ay be t he Execut ive Sponsor, t he Program Manager, t he Product Manager, or t he Archit ect . They represent t he high- level st rat egy t hat m ust be set int o act ion. C. W h a t a r e a ll t h e a ct ion s t h a t w e n e e d t o u n de r t a k e in or de r t o su ppor t t h is st r a t e gy?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given what we have j ust heard, t hink about all t he work t hat we need t o com plet e around t hat st rat egy. What are all t he act ions t hat we need t o undert ake in order t o support t his st rat egy?" Pr oce ss: Brainst orm ing Com m e n t s: Do t his work in dyads or in groups of t hree. I t will generat e m ore ideas t hat can be considered by t he group at large when creat ing t he act ual plan. When t he t im ebox is over, have each group report t heir result s and discard any duplicat es.

D . W h a t is t h e h igh - le ve l t im e lin e for ou r st r a t e gy?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Based on t he out line of t he st rat egy, t he dat es t hat have been proposed, and t he act ions t hat you have j ust ident ified, what is t he high- level t im eline for our st rat egy?'" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Dialogue Com m e n t s: The t eam should be considering inform at ion revealed by t he Expert I nput , inform at ion already published about t he st rat egy, and t hen t he act ions t hey have j ust accum ulat ed. This should be a very high- level view of t he st rat egy t arget t im ing: weeks, m ont hs, quart ers, et c. The decision here will define t he st ruct ure of t he wall chart t hat will capt ure t he act ion t im eline in agenda it em F.

E. W h a t is t h e pr ior it y of t h e a ct ion s t h a t w e n e e d to take?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Reviewing all t hese act ions, t hink about what it em s m ust be com plet ed, whet her because of urgency, or because ot her act ions rely on t heir com plet ion. What is t he priorit y of t he act ions t hat we need t o t ake?" Pr oce ss: Mult i- vot ing Com m e n t s: Follow t he rules of m ult i- vot ing once all t he responses have been brought forward.

F. W h a t is t h e or de r in w h ich t h e se pr ior it y a ct ion s sh ou ld be st a r t e d?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Som e of t hese priorit ies have been set due t o t im e dependencies or dependencies am ong t he act ions. Consider all t hese possible dependencies and t hen det erm ine 'What is t he order in which t hese priorit y act ions should be st art ed?'" Pr oce ss: Silent Grouping Com m e n t s: Allow t he t eam t o rearrange t he responses along t he t im eline in a silent grouping exercise. When t he t im ebox is up, give t hem t im e t o reflect on t he act ions and t heir placem ent in t he t im eline.

G. W h a t is t h e du e da t e of e a ch of t h e a ct ion s t h a t h a ve be e n m a ppe d on t h e t im e lin e ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Each of our act ions has been placed on t he t im eline in ant icipat ion of t he order in which each should be com plet ed. Given t his ordering and any ot her considerat ions, what is t he due dat e of each of t he act ions t hat have been m apped on t he t im eline?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Dialogue, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: Moving from t he t im eline t o act ual dat es should only t ake place in t his order. Get t he t im eline first , t hen allow and encourage t he m anagem ent of due dat es. Be prepared t o j um p in t o m anage any negot iat ions around t he final dat es decided.

H . W h o w ill be t h e ow n e r for r e por t in g on t h e com ple t ion of e a ch a ct ion it e m on t h e t im e lin e ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " For each of our recom m ended act ions, t hink about which ones for which you are willing t o t ake responsibilit y t o ensure it is im plem ent ed. Now, who will be t he owners for report ing on t he com plet ion of each act ion it em ?" Pr oce ss: Call- out Com m e n t s: Keep t his short , but don't leave t he m eet ing wit hout owners of t he act ions t hat MUST t ake place in order for t he st rat egy t o be im plem ent ed.

I . W h a t is t h e cost a ssocia t e d w it h e a ch of t h e a ct ion s in t h e t im e lin e ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Som e of t hese act ions m ay present som e subst ant ial cost . They m ay involve scarce resources, new hires, new hardwares, et c. What is t he cost associat ed wit h each of t he act ions in t he t im eline?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Dialogue, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: Keep cost s at as broad a level as possible. This is a good t im e t o keep t he Parking Lot ready t o hold discussions t hat go int o det ail not useful for t his m eet ing's purpose and agenda. Budget t alks should be handled in det ail in a separat e m eet ing.

J. Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Have we m et t oday's m eet ing purpose?" Pr oce ss: Meet ing Close Com m e n t s: Review t he ent ire Act ion Plan and get t he t eam 's com m it m ent t o t he plan. Then proceed wit h t he rest of t he closing.

Process Change Workshop

M e e t in g N a m e :

Pr oce ss Ch a n ge W or k sh op

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To creat e a list of process im provem ent s along wit h an Act ion Plan for im plem ent ing t he plan

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

A list of pract ice im provem ent s, t he Act ion Plan t o carry out t he im provem ent s

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

All m em bers of t he t eam

Com m e n t s:

This is a good basic workshop t o spark discussion around change. I t can be used as t he basis for defining m et hodology, defining t eam pract ices, reflect ing on a part icular st rat egy t hat has been com plet ed, or j ust reviewing t he com m unicat ions am ong t eam m em bers, st akeholders, vendors, et c. I f t he process st eps involve m ore t han t he people current ly in t he room , you m ay need t o post pone t he m eet ing unt il all can be in at t endance. I f t he st eps im pact ext ernal groups, consider building a det ailed com m unicat ion plan for int roducing t he new approach. Also consider t hat t he process m ay be in need of help wit h regard t o m ore t han st eps; it m ay need adj ust m ent t o t he defined roles, out put s, report s, et c. Help t he t eam figure out what needs t o be addressed here.

Age n da I t e m A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: St ick t o t he st andard form at of t he Meet ing St art up. Keep a flipchart available for t he Com m unicat ion Plan. This is a good m eet ing in which t o collect Personal Obj ect ives and t hen t o recheck t hem at t he end of t he m eet ing.

B. W h a t is ou r cu r r e n t se t of pr a ct ice s a n d pr oce du r e s in ou r pr oce ss?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " We have a process and set of procedures right now t hat we are following in our organizat ion. To clarify our st art ing point , what is t he current set of pract ices and procedures in our process?" Pr oce ss: Expert I nput , Sm all Group Dialogue Com m e n t s: The group needs t o bring a com m on view of t he current process int o t he m eet ing. Aft er Expert I nput , allow t he group t o t alk about what t hey t hink m ay be different or m issing from t he input .

C. W h a t is good a bou t t h e pr oce ss?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Som e of what we are doing now works well for us. Think about your role in t his process and how you benefit from t he pract ices and procedures. What is good about t he process?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Brainst orm ing Com m e n t s: Capt ure t hese brainst orm s in a list on a flipchart .

D . W h a t is ca u sin g u s ch a lle n ge s a bou t t h e pr oce ss?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given t he definit ion of t he process and how it is working t oday, t hink about t he im pact on your role and how you work. What is causing us challenges about t he process?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Brainst orm ing Com m e n t s: Capt ure t hese responses in a list on anot her flipchart .

E. W h a t a r e t h e r oot ca u se s for t h e se ch a lle n ge s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " For each of t hese challenges capt ured, consider what m ay be t he underlying 'Why?' t hat m ay live below t he surface of t he problem . As you ask yourself why t he challenge exist s consider, 'What are t he root causes for t hese challenges?'" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Dialogue Com m e n t s: Depending on t he size of t he group, you m ay want t o split t his work int o t eam s of 3- 5 people t o engage in deeper discussion t han could be possible wit h t he ent ire group. Consider having each t eam hold a variet y of t eam roles: m anagem ent , developers, st akeholders, t est ers, et c.

F. W h a t a r e ou r r e com m e n da t ion s for a ddr e ssin g t h e se r oot ca u se s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " These root causes m ay look very different from t he act ual challenge t hey creat e. Therefore, we need t o t hink about how t o address t hem specifically. What are our recom m endat ions for addressing t hese root causes?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Dialogue, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: You m ay eit her engage t he ent ire t eam now t o declare recom m endat ions, or you m ay have t he sm all t eam s cont inue t heir work and t hen report t heir findings and recom m endat ions.

G. W h a t is ou r Act ion Pla n for im ple m e n t in g t h e se r e com m e n da t ion s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : ( No quest ion necessary.) Pr oce ss: Act ion Planning Com m e n t s: You m ay want t o first priorit ize t he recom m endat ions before m oving int o Act ion Planning, part icularly if t here are m any recom m endat ions and a very short window for change.

H . Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" Pr oce ss: Walking t he walls Com m e n t s: Review Purpose ( " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" ) , process Personal Obj ect ives, process Decisions Board, process Parking Lot , process Act ions Board, creat e Com m unicat ion Plan, and evaluat e t he m eet ing ( " What worked well for you t oday?" " What would you change for t he next m eet ing?" ) . Celebrat e!

Proj ect St art up Meet ing

M e e t in g N a m e :

Pr oj e ct St a r t u p M e e t ing

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To kick off a proj ect wit h a vision, a chart er, a set of st andards and norm s, ident ificat ion of roles, t im elines, and a com m it m ent t o all of t hese

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

A com plet e proj ect chart er wit h scope, norm s, roles, t im eline, and ot her useful proj ect st andards

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

All m em bers of t he developm ent t eam , st akeholders, product m anager, Proj ect Manager

Com m e n t s:

This is pot ent ially t he very first m eet ing of t his group of people. Therefore, t hey are in a " Form ing" m ode of operat ing. This requires very st rong, at t ent ive facilit at ion. Pay at t ent ion t o t he conflict s t hat will arise. Keep t he group focused on t he work, and do frequent consensus checks. This m eet ing m ay t ake half a day or a full day, depending on t he proj ect t eam size. I t is a very im port ant st ep in helping t he t eam gel, so be sure t o t ake adequat e t im e t o prom ot e t he dialogue needed t o gain consensus on t he m any proj ect at t ribut es: it s norm s, it s values, it s Com m unicat ion Plan.

Age n da I t e m A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: Once you have com plet ed t he m eet ing st art up wit h Purpose, Agenda, Organizing Tools, et c., collect Personal Obj ect ives. I t will be an im port ant first inst ance of applying collaborat ion in t he proj ect cont ext . Be sure t o go t hrough t he " What 's I n I t For Me" and t he Scope of Aut horit y for t he ent ire t eam .

B. W h a t is t h e Pr odu ct Vision ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given what we know about t he product t hat t his proj ect is support ing, what is t he Product Vision?" Pr oce ss: Expert I nput , Sm all Group WorkProduct Elevat or St at em ent Com m e n t s: Aft er t he Expert I nput on t he product has been provided, have sm all t eam s creat e t heir own Product Elevat or St at em ent based on Geoffrey Moore'sCrossing t he Chasm : For ( t arget cust om er) Who ( st at em ent of need) The ( product nam e) is a ( product cat egory) That ( st at em ent of key benefit t hat is, com pelling reason t o buy) Unlike ( prim ary com pet it ive alt ernat ive) Our product ( st at em ent of prim ary different iat ion) [ 1]

C. W h a t is t h e Pr oj e ct Scope for t h is pr oj e ct w it h in t h a t vision ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Our Proj ect Scope should define what we int end t o deliver of t he Product Vision as a result of t his proj ect . Given what we underst and of t he Product Vision and t he beginning discussions of our proj ect , what is t he Proj ect Scope for t his proj ect wit hin t hat vision?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Dialogue Com m e n t s: n.a.

D . W h a t is t h e pr oj e ct da t a sh e e t t h a t su ppor t s t h a t scope ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " We can t hink of t his Proj ect Scope in t erm s of a num ber of at t ribut es: who is involved, which cust om ers are being support ed, what t he benefit s will be. To capt ure t hese at t ribut es, what is t he proj ect dat a sheet t hat support s t he Proj ect Scope?" Pr oce ss: Group Dialogue Com m e n t s: A proj ect dat a sheet is a one- page set of fact s t hat quickly capt ure t he essence of t he proj ect : Proj ect Manager, Product Manager, Feat ures, Proj ect Obj ect ive, Key Benefit s. ( Consider using a t em plat e like Jim Highsm it h's in Agile Proj ect Managem ent t o begin t o capt ure all t his inform at ion in a very t ight form at .) [ 2]

E. W h a t is t h e pr oj e ct sch e du le ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Review t he Proj ect Scope and t he inform at ion t hat has been provided around t he Product Vision and t he scope of t he proj ect . Using a calendar as a guide, what is t he proj ect schedule?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led List ing, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: Capt ure all t he dat es, m ilest ones, t im eboxes, and release t hem es from t he group. Be sure t o get consensus before you proceed t o t he next agenda it em .

F. W h a t a r e a ll t h e pr oj e ct con st r a in t s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: List ing, Grouping Com m e n t s: Team s should consider any possible const raint s such as budget , geography, resources, t echnology, archit ect ure, perform ance, cost s, et c. Aft er t he list ing, you can lead t he t eam in a grouping t o see t he nat ural cat egories of const raint s. This inform at ion should t hen feed back int o t he proj ect dat a sheet form ed earlier.

G. W h a t a r e a ll t h e issu e s a n d r isk s t h a t cou ld im pa ct t h is pr oj e ct ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given t hese const raint s and t he Proj ect Scope, t hink about what could derail t he proj ect . Think about what you have experienced in t he past in delivering sim ilar product s. What are all t he issues and risks t hat could im pact t his proj ect ?" Pr oce ss: List ing, Grouping Com m e n t s: Just as in t he const raint s exercise, t he group should go t hrough list ing and t hen grouping t o discover t he m aj or areas of risk. This inform at ion should t hen feed int o t he proj ect dat a sheet .

H . W h a t a r e ou r Pr oj e ct N or m s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " As a t eam , you have t o t hink about ways t o work t oget her t hat will m ake you t he m ost successful in delivering t he Proj ect Scope. Think about pract ices, st andards, or t eam t echniques t hat you feel will help t he t eam , especially given our const raint s and risks. Given t his guidance, what are our Proj ect Norm s?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Brainst orm ing, Group Dialogue, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: First guide t he t eam in brainst orm ing as dyads or groups of t hree. Resolve duplicat e responses am ong t eam s. Then lead t he ent ire group in dialogue t o weigh t he pros and cons of t he responses. Gain consensus on t he final list of norm s before proceeding.

I . W h a t a r e ou r five Pr oj e ct Va lu e s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " We need t o declare a way t hat we will t reat one anot her and t hat we will expect ot hers t o t reat us. We call t hese our Proj ect Values. Given your experiences in effect ive t eam work and given our Proj ect Scope and norm s, what are our five proj ect values?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Brainst orm ing, Mult i- vot ing, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: Lead t he group in brainst orm ing a set of values. Have t hem vot e using m ult i- vot ing in order t o find t he t op five values list ed. Gain consensus and post t hese values.

J. W h a t w ill ou r Pr oj e ct Com m u n ica t ion Pla n be ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " I n order t o keep in st ep wit h one anot her, wit h our cust om er, and wit h our st akeholders, we need t o com m it t o how we will com m unicat e our progress, issues, dist ract ions, and roadblocks. What will our proj ect com m unicat ion plan be?" Pr oce ss: List ing Com m e n t s: Lead t he t eam in list ing all t he com m unicat ions t hat need t o t ake place. For each com m unicat ion, ask t hem t o decide how oft en it needs t o t ake place, in what form at , and by whom . ( You can use t he guidance on t he "Com m unicat ion Plan" in Chapt er 9, " The Organizing Tools." ) Before closing t he m eet ing wit h Act ion I t em s, consider leading t he t eam in a " Proj ect Nam e" brainst orm .

K. W h a t is ou r Act ion Pla n ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Act ion Planning Com m e n t s:

L. Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" Pr oce ss: Walking t he walls Com m e n t s: Review Purpose ( " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" ) , process Personal Obj ect ives, process Decisions Board, process Parking Lot , process Act ions Board, creat e Com m unicat ion Plan, and evaluat e t he m eet ing ( " What worked well for you t oday?" " What would you change for t he next m eet ing?" ) . Celebrat e!

[1]

Moore, Crossing the Chasm , 159

[2]

Highsmith, Agile Project Management , 103.

Proj ect Ret rospect ive

M e e t in g N a m e :

Pr oj e ct Re t r ospe ct ive

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To reflect on a proj ect 's t im eline, m em bers, t he out com es, t he highlight s, and t he lowlight s in order t o form observat ions for recom m endat ions on fut ure proj ect s

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

A wall chart of t he proj ect t im eline, populat ed wit h event s, t eam m em bers, highs and lows; recom m endat ions on what lessons were learned and what best pract ices were harvest ed

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

All m em bers of t he t eam

Com m e n t s:

A Proj ect Ret rospect ive is a way of helping a proj ect t eam put a proj ect t o rest , be done wit h it , and prepare t o m ove on by bringing observat ions, recom m endat ions, and act ions out of t he ret rospect ive. You m ay consider having t eam m em bers fill out a survey prior t o com ing t o t he m eet ing if t he proj ect ext ended over a long t im e span or if t eam m em bers are widely dist ribut ed. For t he m apping and t im elining exercises, encourage silent act ivit y. Each person wit h it em s for t he t im eline should silent ly place t heir it em s on t he t im eline. I f t he proj ect has been rough, t he t eam could be in a " St orm ing" m ode, not having ever achieved " Perform ing." Be prepared t o deal wit h conflict and em ot ion. Em phasize your neut ral role. Build in lot s of t im e for silence and reflect ion once t he t im eline has been creat ed and t he t eam st art s t o populat e it wit h t heir highlight s and lowlight s. Addit ionally, you m ay want t o add an ext ra agenda it em aft er t he com plet ion of t he t im eline wit h highlight s and lowlight s. Ask t eam m em bers t o draw a pict ure of what t he proj ect felt like t o t hem . These can be post ed on t he wall along wit h t he t im eline. Plan t o conduct a t wo- day event if at all possible: day one for t he t im eline and m ining of t he t im eline, and day t wo for delving int o t he challenges and t he result s of t he t eam 's responses t o t hose challenges.

Age n da I t e m A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: Personal Obj ect ives are very im port ant in a Proj ect Ret rospect ive. Also, be sure t o st ress t he WI I FM aspect of t he m eet ing.

B. W h o w e r e t h e m e m be r s of t h e pr oj e ct t e a m a n d w h a t w e r e t h e ir r ole s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " I 'd like you t o t hink about t his proj ect in it s m any form s; in part icular right now, I 'd like you t o t hink about all t he people who were involved in t his proj ect . Think about t he ent ire com m unit y of proj ect part icipant s from incept ion t o com plet ion. Who were all t he m em bers of t he proj ect t eam and what were t heir roles?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led List ing Com m e n t s: You are looking for t he full list of proj ect part icipant s. Pay at t ent ion t o t he various roles. Even if som eone was only on t he proj ect a short while, t hey should be list ed here. Their st art and end t im es on t he proj ect will be t racked in t he proj ect t im eline.

C. W h a t w a s t h e pr oj e ct t im e lin e ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Think back on t he act ual st art of t his proj ect and all t he event s t hat kicked it off. Also consider what t he event s were t hat signified t he end of t he proj ect . Wit h t hose event s in m ind, what was t he proj ect t im eline?" Pr oce ss: Dialogue, Tim elining Com m e n t s: Encourage dialogue around t he act ual st art of t he proj ect in t erm s of incept ion of t he product idea, t he approval for t he proj ect funding, and t hen t he resourcing of t he proj ect wit h t he proj ect kickoff. Also help t he t eam evaluat e what t he act ual " end" dat e m ight be: What event signified t he end? For m apping, you should creat e a wall chart of a t im eline in which each segm ent represent s a useful m easure, such as a m ont h. Lat er, t he t eam will use t he segm ent dem arcat ions t o help t hem m ap people, event s, act ivit ies, and opt ionally, m oods.

D . W h e n did e a ch pe r son j oin / le a ve t h e pr oj e ct ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given t he proj ect t im eline and t he full list of proj ect m em bers, I 'd like you t o now form a m ap of when each person was involved in t he proj ect . Be t hinking about event s you know engaged each person. When did each person j oin/ leave t he proj ect ?" Pr oce ss: List ing, Mapping Com m e n t s: You can conduct t his it em in t wo st eps. First use t he list of part icipant s and record each st art and end dat e. Then, wit h t wo st icky not es per person ( one t hat signifies when t hey j oined t he proj ect and one t hat signifies when t hey left t he proj ect ) , you can fill in t he t im eline wall chart . Consider using one color for when a person j oins and anot her color for when a person leaves t he proj ect .

E. W h a t w e r e t h e k e y e ve n t s in t h e pr oj e ct t im e lin e ( m ile st on e s, ph a se s, a n d de live r a ble s) ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Looking at t he proj ect t im eline wit h it s defined st art and end dat es, you can t hink about a num ber of very proj ect - specific event s t hat occurred during t hat t im e. These m ay have been com plet ion of a phase, or reaching a m ilest one, or finishing a deliverable. What were t hese key event s in t he proj ect t im eline?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group List ing, Mapping Com m e n t s: Form several sm all groups and have each group brainst orm all t he proj ect t im eline event s. A m em ber from each group should t hen m ap t heir event s on t he t im eline wall chart . Responses are m apped on t he t im eline wall chart wit h all duplicat es rem oved.

F. W h a t w e r e t h e t e a m h igh ligh t s a n d low ligh t s in t h e t im e lin e ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " I n t his sam e t im eline, t here are also non- deliverable orient ed m om ent s, m om ent s when t he t eam j ust felt as t hough it was really flowing well, or perhaps m om ent s when t he t eam was feeling low and st ruggling. Thinking about all t his, what were t he t eam highlight s and lowlight s in t he t im eline?" Pr oce ss: Brainst orm , Mapping Com m e n t s: I ndividuals should brainst orm on t heir own, one response per st icky, and t hen silent ly place t heir cont ribut ions on t he m ap. You m ay want t o creat e a layer across t he ent ire t im eline for t hese t eam highlight s and lowlight s, using a different color for each.

G. W h a t w e r e t h e pe r son a l a n d in dividu a l h igh ligh t s a n d low ligh t s in t h e t im e lin e ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Now t hink about what was happening for you during t his t im e in t he proj ect . What was going on wit h your fam ily, your hom e, your career? Did you m ove, have a baby, get m arried, lose a loved one? What were your personal and individual highlight s and lowlight s in t he t im eline?" Pr oce ss: Brainst orm , Mapping, Dialogue Com m e n t s: This agenda it em and t he next one m ay bring out em ot ion in a t eam t hat st ruggled or had t o deal wit h t he proj ect being shut down. I f t here is a sense of failure about t he t eam , t he proj ect , or t he individual, t his agenda it em and t he previous one will bring it out . Be prepared t o engage in careful dialogue. Encourage sharing of reflect ion but discourage blam e or at t ack.

H . W h a t a r e ou r obse r va t ion s a bou t t h is t im e lin e w it h t h e se k e y e ve n t s, and the team and pe r son a l h igh ligh t s a n d low ligh t s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " We now have a fairly ext ensive view int o what our proj ect looked like from a variet y of angles. There m ay be surprises t o you, som e revelat ions about event s and colleagues. Take som e t im e now t o review t he ent ire t im eline and reflect . What are your observat ions about t his t im eline wit h it s highlight s and lowlight s?" Pr oce ss: Dialogue Com m e n t s: Encourage people t o silent ly walk along t he t im eline chart . They should t ake at least five m inut es t o look over t he t ot al set of m at erials. You m ay also want t o encourage t hem t o writ e down som e of t heir observat ions. Once t he t im e of observat ion is over, lead t he group in sharing observat ions t hrough group dialogue.

I . W hat a ppr e cia t ion s do w e h a ve t o offe r on e a not he r ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Having reflect ed on t he proj ect and it s t im eline, you now have an opport unit y t o t hink about t he special cont ribut ions various t eam m em bers have m ade. Think about t hose very specific act ions an individual t ook t hat im pact ed you posit ively during t he proj ect . What are t he appreciat ions we have t o offer one anot her?" Pr oce ss: Dialogue Com m e n t s: Guide part icipant s t o respond by using t he form at : " I appreciat e t hat ( person's nam e) …" as in " I appreciat e t hat Gail was always willing t o pair on writ ing aut om at ed t est script s." Also consider having an awards cerem ony ( oldest art ifact , funniest art ifact , m ost represent at ive art ifact ) . You should alert people t o t his in advance of t he ret rospect ive.

J. W h a t a r e ou r r e com m e n da t ion s ba se d on t h e se obse r va t ion s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given our observat ions and reflect ion on t hose observat ions, we now have an opport unit y t o apply som e useful int erpret at ion t o our views and creat e change. What are our recom m endat ions based on all of our observat ions?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led List ing, Dialogue Com m e n t s: Ret rospect ion should creat e int erpret at ion and direct ion. This is t he pivot al agenda it em in t he ent ire ret rospect ive. List recom m endat ions verbat im and m aint ain open dialogue.

K. W h a t is ou r Act ion Pla n ba se d on ou r r e com m e n da t ion s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Act ion Planning Com m e n t s: You m ay want t o first priorit ize t he recom m endat ions before m oving int o Act ion Planning, part icularly if t here are m any, cont roversial, or cont radict ory recom m endat ions.

L. Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" Pr oce ss: Walking t he walls Com m e n t s: Review Purpose ( " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" ) , process Personal Obj ect ives, process Decisions Board, process Parking Lot , process Act ions Board, creat e Com m unicat ion Plan, and evaluat e t he m eet ing ( " What worked well for you t oday?" " What would you change for t he next m eet ing?" ) . Celebrat e!

Chapter 25. Crystal Clear I n his book on t he Cryst al Clear m et hodology, Alist air Cockburn has capt ured a recom m ended set of " Techniques" for guiding t eam s in t heir agile and collaborat ive approach t o soft ware developm ent and proj ect m anagem ent . The first t hree of t hese Cryst al t echniques set t he proj ect collaborat ive t one as t eam m eet ings or workshops: Met hodology Shaping, t he Blit z Planning Meet ing, and t he Reflect ion Workshop. I n each of t hese collaborat ive event s, t eam s form and grow t hrough agendas t hat st ep t hem t hrough brainst orm ing and com m unicat ion around t heir proj ect persona: How shall we work ( Met hodology Shaping) What is t he size and shape of our upcom ing work ( Blit z Planning) How will we cont inually im prove as we work and deliver ( Reflect ion Workshop) As wit h any of t he collaborat ion agendas in t his sect ion, t he Cryst al Clear m eet ing form ulas docum ent ed here provide a very prescript ive approach. This level of det ail support s m eet ings for a newly form ed t eam wit h a new collaborat ive leader. As your t eam s m at ure and your com fort level wit h t hese m eet ings m at ures, pick your way t hrough t he m at erials wit h a pract iced eye, open t o guidance but seasoned enough t o det erm ine what would be m ost appropriat e for you. For furt her inform at ion about rich guidelines t hat accom pany t hese Cryst al Clear t echniques, consult Cryst al Clear: A Hum an- Powered Met hodology for Sm all Team s by Alist air Cockburn. Met hodology Shaping

M e e t in g N a m e :

M e t h odology Sh a pin g

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To creat e a list of ideas, rules, and convent ions t o be used by t he proj ect t eam at it s st art

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

A set of proj ect pract ices t hat will define m et hodology, t eam st andards, and norm s based on what has worked well in t he past and what has not worked well

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

All m em bers of t he developm ent t eam

Com m e n t s:

For a sm all t eam , t his m eet ing will norm ally t ake 2- 4 hours. Team s m ine t heir collect ive wisdom in order t o discover t he m ost useful set of convent ions t hey can adopt as individuals in order t o work m ost effect ively as a t eam . Use lot s of wall chart s t o keep brainst orm ing inform at ion very visible and accessible. Consider j um pst art ing your Met hodology Shaping event wit h proj ect int erviews, perform ed one- on- one in advance of t he workshop wit h each of t he proj ect m em bers. I n t he int erviews, you can capt ure:

A sam ple work product produced A short hist ory of t he proj ect What t hings went wrong t hat you would not want t o do again What t hings went right t hat you would want t o do in your next proj ect What are t he crit ical, priorit y it em s t o preserve in your next proj ect Was t here anyt hing t hat surprised you in your last proj ect Anyt hing else useful about t he proj ect

Age n da I t e m A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: I f t his is t he first t im e t he group has gone t hrough such an exercise, collect personal obj ect ives. They'll need t o be able t o feel right from t he st art t hat t hey have a real voice in t his process. Collect ing personal obj ect ives get s an early win for all.

B. W h a t a r e t h e cu r r e n t " fix e d r u le s" a bou t soft w a r e de ve lopm e n t for ou r or ga n iza t ion ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Think about t he proj ect s you have part icipat ed in recent ly in t his organizat ion and all t he built - in st andards and fixed rules t hat guided you in t hose proj ect s. Think about proj ect st art up, ongoing proj ect procedures, and proj ect deploym ent . Given your knowledge, what are t he current fixed rules about soft ware developm ent for our organizat ion?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led List ing Com m e n t s: Capt ure it em s on a flipchart for reference lat er.

C. W h a t a r e a ll t h e pr a ct ice s you lik e d a n d w ou ld w a n t t o k e e p fr om you r la st pr oj e ct ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Thinking back again on t hese proj ect s, now t hink about t he pract ices you felt really m ade t he proj ect work for you. These are t hings t hat you know you would use again. Wit h t hat in m ind, what are all t he pract ices t hat you liked and would want t o keep from your last proj ect ?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Brainst orm ing Com m e n t s: Use flipchart s and have t eam s of 3- 5 people keep list ing very quickly wit h lit t le discussion. Keep t he work t o a very t ight t im ebox, 5- 10 m inut es.

D . W h a t a r e a ll t h e pr a ct ice s you dislik e d a n d w ou ld w a n t t o a void fr om you r la st pr oj e ct ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " I n t hese sam e proj ect s, I want you t hink about sit uat ions in t he proj ect s t hat felt as t hough t hey j ust didn't work. Think back on anyt hing t hat you t old yourself you would never do again! What are all t he pract ices you disliked and would want t o avoid from your last proj ect ?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Brainst orm ing Com m e n t s: Rem ain in t he sam e t eam s as before and cont inue wit h a very quick list ing of it em s in a t ight t im ebox.

E. Give n a ll t h is in for m a t ion , of t h e " lik e d/ k e e p," w h ich on e s ca n w e a pply in ou r u pcom in g pr oj e ct ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Now let 's review t he suggest ions you have accum ulat ed around what t o do again. Given t he inform at ion we learn about each suggest ion, we'll be able t o priorit ize which ones t o t ake forward wit h us in t his proj ect ." Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Dialogue, Priorit izing ( Mult ivot ing) Com m e n t s: I n t his exercise, t eam m em bers need t o discuss t he ideas accum ulat ed in each of t he sm all groups, elim inat ing duplicat es. They t hen priorit ize what would be crit ically useful t o adopt versus what m ight not be feasible t o adopt .

F. W h a t pr a ct ice s ca n w e a dopt t h a t w ou ld h e lp u s a void t h e " dislik e d/ a void" it e m s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " As a group, you now have a set of recom m endat ions for pract ices t o m aint ain for t his proj ect . Review t hese recom m endat ions and t hink about t he it em s on your 'disliked' list . What pract ices or convent ions m ight we adopt t hat would help us avoid t he 'disliked/ avoid' it em s?" Pr oce ss: Large Group Dialogue, Priorit izing Com m e n t s: This is a first cut at bringing new approaches int o t he t eam based on t he collect ive t eam wisdom .

G. Give n t h e m e s t h a t w e se e a cr oss ou r or ga n iza t ion w it h r e ga r d t o " lik e s" ve r su s " a voids," w h a t a r e ou r r e com m e n da t ion s for h a n dlin g t h e se ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " We have our t eam pract ices here now. Given what we know about t he organizat ion in which we work, and where we will want t o be applying our recom m ended pract ices, t hink about organizat ional t hem es we should address. What are our recom m endat ions for handling t hese known t hem es and t rends?" Pr oce ss: Large Group Dialogue, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: You m ay want t o precede t his agenda it em wit h a brainst orm ing around organizat ional challenges and t hen cat egorize t hem t o learn t he m aj or t hem es. This is a bit broader t han t he last agenda it em . The t eam is looking t hrough all t he ways t hey succeed versus fail and t hen are m aking recom m endat ions about pract ices/ convent ions t hat can t ake advant age of t heir st rengt hs while m inim izing t he im pact of t heir weaknesses.

H. W hat " dislik e / a void" it e m s st ill r e m a in t h a t w e ca n t r a ck t h r ou gh t h e cou r se of ou r pr oj e ct ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Let 's review t he rem aining it em s on t he 'dislike/ avoid' list . Given our recom m endat ions, what should we st ill t rack t hrough t he course of t he proj ect ?" Pr oce ss: List ing Com m e n t s: Find out what st ill poses a problem but for which t he group it self has no answer. Track t his as an ongoing problem and check in on it s im pact during t he " Reflect ion Workshops" conduct ed periodically t hrough t he proj ect .

I . W h a t is ou r fin a l list of ide a s, r u le s, a n d con ve n t ion s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given all t he inform at ion we have accum ulat ed here, what are we prepared t o declare as our m et hodology m oving forward in t erm s of ideas, rules, and convent ions?" Pr oce ss: Consensus Check Com m e n t s: This consensus check helps t he t eam pull t oget her all of it s work and declare t he use of t he m et hodology t hat has em erged. This is a good t im e t o rem ind t hem t hat t he " Reflect ion Workshops" will be used t o m ake t he useful t weaks and adj ust m ent s t o help t he t eam as t hey progress t hrough t he proj ect .

J. W h a t is ou r Act ion Pla n for im ple m e n t in g t h is pr oj e ct t im e lin e ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Consider t he act ionable it em s t hat have arisen as a result of our work here t oday. Think about which you are willing t o t ake responsibilit y for seeing im plem ent ed. Now, who are t he owners of each of t hese Act ion I t em s?" Pr oce ss: Act ion Planning Com m e n t s:

K. Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" Pr oce ss: Walking t he walls Com m e n t s: Review Purpose ( " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" ) , process Personal Obj ect ives, process Decisions Board, process Parking Lot , process Act ions Board, creat e Com m unicat ion Plan, and evaluat e t he m eet ing ( " What worked well for you t oday?" " What would you change for t he next m eet ing?" ) . Celebrat e!

Blit z Planning Workshop

M e e t in g N a m e :

Blit z Pla n n in g W or k sh op

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To build an opt im ized proj ect m ap and t im eline wit h t asks, dependencies, and deadlines

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

All t asks wit h est im at es, dependencies, and required t ask cont ribut ors; a definit ion of a walking skelet on by funct ion and deadline; a set of ot her releases by t asks and deadlines

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

Execut ive sponsor, expert user, business analyst , and t he ent ire developm ent t eam ( lead designer, developers, t est ers, doc, deploym ent , et c.)

Com m e n t s:

The Cryst al Clear Blit z Planning workshop gat hers m aj or proj ect st akeholders and t eam m em bers t o collaborat ively creat e a set of proj ect t asks t hat can t hen be form ulat ed int o a proj ect m ap and t im eline t hrough brainst orm ing, est im at ing, priorit izing, and grouping t echniques. The t eam will know t hey are done when t hey can answer t hese t hree quest ions:

I n what order are we delivering what funct ionalit y? What are we building next ? What are t he dependencies wit hin and bet ween our releases? For a sm all- sized t eam in perform ing m ode, t his m eet ing will norm ally t ake 2- 4 hours; a newly form ed t eam or a large t eam will t ake longer. Don't exceed six hours. Think of it as a j am session t hat brings t he ent ire t eam t oget her t o est ablish t heir vision and t heir com m it m ent t o t he proj ect 's success. The execut ive sponsor will guide priorit izat ion decisions; t he developm ent t eam will guide est im at ion decisions. All will creat e t he final opt im ized proj ect m ap and t im eline.

For t he est im at ing work, st ay at a high level of effort est im at e ( unit s of one week) . Avoid applying st affing const raint s unt il aft er dependencies have been applied. Also, consider clust ering groups or t asks t hat can be considered focused on a part icular funct ional com ponent or release. You can t hen m odel dependencies from clust er t o clust er. Consider com plet ing t his work eit her at flipchart s or at a set of long t ables, using st icky not es or index cards t o capt ure and shuffle t he inform at ion. Each t ask should be capt ured on it s own card, wit h t he m aj or cont ribut ors list ed on t he upper left and t he est im at e on t he lower left . Dependencies will flow from t he lower- right corner of one t ask t o t he upperright corner of t he next t ask. A sam ple t ask card form at t o use in t he Blit z Planning Workshop: Cont ribut or Nam e

TASK NAME

Est im at e # Dependency ( A)

Age n da I t e m A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: Once you have com plet ed t he m eet ing st art up wit h Purpose, Agenda, Organizing Tools, et c., be sure t o collect personal obj ect ives, part icularly if t his is t he first Blit z Planning Meet ing for t he part icipant s. You m ay also want t o provide five m inut es t o t he execut ive sponsor t o define t he " What 's I n I t For Me" for t he ent ire t eam .

B. W h a t a r e a ll t h e t a sk s a ssocia t e d w it h t h is pr oj e ct ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " I m agine it is t he end of t he proj ect and all your work is done. Think about all t he specific t asks t hat t he t eam com plet ed in order t o m ake t he proj ect a success. What are all t hese t asks associat ed wit h t his proj ect ?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group List ing Com m e n t s: Blit z Planning st resses t asks. Help t he t eam underst and t hat t his is anyt hing t hat m ust be done, funct ionally or t echnically, for t he archit ect ure, or t he docum ent at ion, or t he deploym ent .

C. W h a t is a n a t u r a l or de r in g of t h e se t a sk s in a m a p ba se d on t h e ir ch r on ology a n d de pe n de n cie s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given t he t asks t hat have been gat hered, t hink about a nat ural ordering of t hose t asks in relat ion t o one anot her. What is t he ordering of t hese t asks based on t heir chronology and dependencies?" Pr oce ss: Silent Grouping Com m e n t s: Allow at least 10 m inut es for t he silent grouping, but keep m em bers as quiet as possible! Discussion now will bog down t he flow of t hought and energy.

D. W hat are any ot h e r t a sk s t h a t w e m a y h a ve m isse d, a n d w h e r e do t h e y fit in t h e m a p?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Review t he set of accum ulat ed and sort ed t asks. Think about any ot her work t hat could support t his proj ect . What are any ot her t asks t hat we m ay have m issed and where do t hey fit in?" Pr oce ss: Dialogue Com m e n t s: Open dialogue is now welcom e. Ask som eone t o scribe t he new t asks as you m ove t hrough t he rem ainder of t he exercise.

E. W h a t a r e a ll t h e t a sk e st im a t e s, in t e r n a l a n d external de pe n de n t s, a n d a n y r e qu ir e d con t r ibu t or s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " I m agine once again t hat it is t he end of t he proj ect and all your work is done. Now t hink about all t he various aspect s of each t ask com plet ed: est im at es, dependencies, and assigned resources. What are all t hese t ask est im at es, t heir dependent s, and t heir key cont ribut ors?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Dialogue, Est im at ing, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: For est im at ing, t he groups can use Wideband Delphi if t hey discover t hat t he est im at es are t oo broadly differing. Always m ake sure part icipant s can com e t o a good consensus on all t hese it em s. A proj ect m ap at t his early st age of t he t eam building leans heavily on a sense of collaborat ion and consensus.

F. Ba se d on t h e t a sk de pe n de n cy in for m a t ion , w h a t is t h e sor t e d se t of pa r a lle l st r e a m s a n d se qu e n t ia l st r e a m s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Review all t he defined dependencies. Not e what work could be st art ed in parallel versus what work needs t o be com plet ed sequent ially. What is t he sort ed set of parallel st ream s and sequent ial st ream s of t he proj ect t asks? " Pr oce ss: Grouping Com m e n t s: Grouping can be funct ionally driven as well as dependency driven. Let t he t eam decide what works best for t heir sense of flow of t heir proj ect t asks.

G. W h a t is t h e fir st a n d sm a lle st se t of fu n ct ion a lit y t o be de live r e d a s t h e w a lk in g sk e le t on ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Review t he defined st ream s of t asks. Think about t he funct ionalit y associat ed wit h t he beginning t asks in t he st ream s. Given t he t asks and t heir dependencies, what is t he first and sm allest set of funct ionalit y t hat can be delivered as t he walking skelet on?" Pr oce ss: Large Group Dialogue, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: Here you are creat ing a " walking skelet on" piece of funct ionalit y t hat t he t eam can use as a proof point , not only of t he funct ionalit y, but also of t he t eam com m it m ent and abilit y t o work t oget her. A large group dialogue is t he best way t o do t his.

H . W h a t a r e a ll t h e r e m a in in g r e le a se s w it h t h e ir fu n ct ion a lit y a n d de a dlin e s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Look at all t he rem aining funct ionalit y defined in t he proj ect t im eline. Think about nat ural breakpoint s wit h regard t o t im e or clust ers of funct ionalit y. Given t hese considerat ions, what are t he rem aining releases wit h t heir funct ionalit y and deadlines?" Pr oce ss: Large Group Dialogue, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: Keep t he group working as one t eam once you have t he walking skelet on defined. All of t hese rem aining decisions m ust flow int o one anot her as an ent ire t eam vision.

I . W h a t is a n im pr ove d, opt im ize d ve r sion of ou r sch e du le ?

Pr om pt : " I m agine t hat part way t hrough t he proj ect , you were t old t o com press t he t im eline and deliver m uch earlier, and you in fact achieved t hat . Reflect on t he ways in which you shift ed dependencies, out sourced t asks, and reallocat ed work. What changes did you m ake t o achieve t his im proved opt im ized version of t he schedule?" Pr oce ss: Large Group Dialogue, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: Look for individuals who have t oo m any t asks laid on t hem and unload t hem . Look for t asks t hat can be split and m oved forward in t he schedule. Look for ways t o increase parallelism and out source work. Look for ways t o deliver usable, even revenuegenerat ing funct ionalit y earlier. This exercise is t he " j am m ing" part of t he act ivit y. All roles present need t o share and evaluat e ideas.

J. Give n t h e r e su lt in g se t of r e le a se de a dlin e s a n d t h e pr oj e ct pr ior it ie s, w h a t is t h e fin a l r e com m e n de d pr oj e ct t im e lin e ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : Given t he result ing set of release deadlines and t he proj ect priorit ies, what is t he final recom m ended proj ect t im eline? Pr oce ss: Large Group Dialogue Com m e n t s: This is j ust a final check on all t he decisions t hat have accum ulat ed t o t his point .

K. W h a t is ou r Act ion Pla n for im ple m e n t in g t h is pr oj e ct t im e lin e ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Consider t he act ionable it em s t hat have arisen as a result of our work here t oday. Think about which you are willing t o t ake responsibilit y for seeing im plem ent ed. Now, who are t he owners of each of t hese Act ion I t em s?" Pr oce ss: Act ion Planning Com m e n t s: The decisions should have creat ed act ions for t he group. At t he very least , you m ust t ake an act ion t o fully docum ent t he out put s of t he Blit z Planning.

L. Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" Pr oce ss: Walking t he walls Com m e n t s: Review Purpose ( " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" ) , process Personal Obj ect ives, process Decisions Board, process Parking Lot , process Act ions Board, creat e Com m unicat ion Plan, and evaluat e t he m eet ing ( " What worked well for you t oday?" " What would you change for t he next m eet ing?" ) . Celebrat e!

Reflect ion Workshop

M e e t in g N a m e :

Re fle ct ion W or k sh op

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To creat e a list of proposed pract ices for t he proj ect 's next t im e period

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

A list of pract ices t o preserve, a list of new pract ices t o t ry, a list of ongoing problem s, and a list of " t abled" it em s t o preserve for lat er discussion

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

All m em bers of t he developm ent t eam

M e e t in g N a m e :

Re fle ct ion W or k sh op

Com m e n t s:

The Reflect ion Workshop act s as a lit t le gardening t ool for t he ongoing t ending of t he proj ect garden. We use t he Reflect ion Workshop t o find out what t o keep, what t o weed out in t he running of t he proj ect , and som et hing t o t ry right away for t he next 10 days or so, keeping t he goals bot h t act ical and m easurable. When running such a m eet ing, keep t he m eet ing short ( no m ore t han 30 m inut es) and keep t he t eam very focused. Be sure t o bring t he flipchart / docum ent at ion from t he last Reflect ion Workshop so t hat t he t eam can check in on it s decisions and act ions. To keep t he reflect ion focused, hold t he num ber of " Try These" it em s t o six or less. Team s are looking very t act ically for ideas about what t o t ry next ; t hey are concent rat ing on pract ices t hat t hey can absorb specifically int o t he t eam . These new ideas m ust be t hings t hat t he t eam it self can act upon. Just as wit h " Act ion I t em s," t he " Try These" it em s cannot be assigned t o som eone not present in t he m eet ing. I nst ead, consider capt uring an " Act ion I t em " t hat com pels a m em ber of t he t eam t o approach t he ext ernal organizat ion about t he issue ( " Work wit h Group XYZ t o deal wit h t he I ssue W" ) by a cert ain deadline wit h a response t o t he problem . Ongoing problem s m ay reflect issues t hat lie out side t he scope of aut horit y of t he group. These m ust ult im at ely be addressed at a st akeholder/ execut ive level and so t end t o be non- act ionable by t he t eam . A Reflect ion Workshop should produce one flipchart wit h t he following form at :

Keep t hese:

( Table These) :

Ongoing Problem s:

Age n da I t e m

Try These:

A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: Don't bot her wit h personal obj ect ives for such a short m eet ing. Just check in wit h everyone on t he Purpose, Agenda, and Act ion Plan t hat will guide t he m eet ing. Use one flipchart t o capt ure all inform at ion. This em phasizes t he sense of quick, im m ediat e fixes t o be fost ered by t he reflect ion. Keep act ions lim it ed t o pract ices t he group it self can begin t o perform or act on.

B. W h a t a r e a ll t h e pr a ct ice s/ it e m s t h a t you w ou ld w a n t t o k e e p ( do/ u se a ga in ?)

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Think back over our last t im e period and all t hat we have accom plished. You m ay have learned som e new t hings or t ried som e new t hings t hat you felt cont ribut ed posit ively t o our proj ect work. Given t hese reflect ions, what are all t he pract ices/ it em s t hat you would want t o keep?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led List ing Com m e n t s: This form s t he " Keep These" list on t he left side of t he flipchart . This is a good place t o get t he group engaged in reflect ion. Subsequent agenda it em s lead t hem int o a bit m ore problem solving and decision m aking.

C. W h a t pr oble m s did w e e n cou n t e r in t h is la st t im e pe r iod?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Som e of our work m ay not have gone as sm oot hly as we would have liked. Think about areas t hat caused you part icular difficult y. Now t ell m e, what problem s did we encount er t his last t im e period?" Pr oce ss: Group Dialogue, Act ion Planning Com m e n t s: Solicit and list en t o problem st at em ent s. I nvit e discussion around t he problem t o get clarit y about t he source of t he problem . I f t he problem sounds like a recurring t rend, ask t he group if t hey would like you t o t rack it as an " Ongoing Problem " on t he left side of t he flipchart . You m ay also begin t o solicit ideas t o fix it . Once t he group has converged on t he recom m ended group of solut ions, ask for a recom m endat ion ( or set of recom m endat ions) t o capt ure eit her in t he " Try These" sect ion ( for group- wide ongoing problem s) or in t he " Act ion Plan" if it is a one- t im e fix wit h a deadline and an owner.

D . W h ich of t h e On goin g Pr oble m s it e m s fr om t h e pr e viou s se ssion ca n w e fix , a n d w h ich n e e d e sca la t ion ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " We had capt ured som e ongoing problem s during t he last Reflect ion Workshop. I n t his session we m ay have seen t hose problem s disappear, or we m ay have seen t hem int ensify. Which of t he ongoing problem s from t he previous session can we now fix, and which need escalat ion?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Dialogue, Act ion Planning Com m e n t s: Review t he ideas from t he last session's Ongoing Problem s. For each one, encourage t eam dialogue t o brainst orm ideas about how t o fix t he problem . I f a solut ion arises, capt ure t he Act ion I t em t hat will lead t o t he solut ion.

E. W h a t a r e t h e con ve n t ion s a n d pr a ct ice s you w ou ld lik e t o t r y in t h e n e x t t im e pe r iod t o a ddr e ss t h e se pr oble m s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " There m ay have been som e of t hese problem s in t he last period t hat you'd like t o t ackle explicit ly t o im prove our work. Think of convent ions and st andards you've relied upon in t he past t o help alleviat e or avoid problem s. What are som e of t he convent ions and pract ices you would like t o t ry in t he next t im e period t o fix problem s we've had?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Brainst orm ing, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: Go t hrough each of t he problem st at em ent s capt ured on a separat e flipchart and discuss possible solut ions and issues. Have t he t eam brainst orm ideas from t heir bag of t ricks around st andards and convent ions t hat t hey have used in t he past ( engineering pract ices, t eam com m unicat ions) . I f no workable idea for fixing t he problem get s suggest ed, ask whet her t he t eam want s t o drop t he problem for now or want s t o capt ure it in t he " Ongoing Problem s" area. Cont inue t o do t his work unt il all problem st at em ent s have been briefly discussed. The goal is t o creat e a " Try This," an " Act ion I t em ," or an " Ongoing Problem " ent ry. Rem em ber t hat t his t echnique get s applied every m ont h or t wo, so t he list s ( aft er t he very first session) should not be very long.

F. W h a t a r e a n y a ddit ion a l pr a ct ice s you w ou ld lik e t o t r y in t h e n e x t t im e pe r iod?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given what we have learned about what our problem areas are, and t he st andards and convent ions you've used in t he past , t hink about any ot her creat ive ideas you m ay have about t his work. Thinking very creat ively, what are any addit ional pract ices you would like t o t ry in t he next t im e period?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Brainst orm ing, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: This brainst orm ing cont inues t o form t he " Try These" colum n on t he right side of t he flipchart . Keep t he list t o six it em s m axim um , but encourage creat ivit y and " out - of- t he- box" t hinking here. Use t he " Table" sect ion t o hold any overflow it em s t hat t he t eam would st ill like t o consider at som e point in t he fut ure. Get consensus on what t he t eam will im plem ent in t he next t im e period.

G. W h a t a r e t h e pr a ct ice s w e a r e goin g t o de fe r ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Wit h t he recom m endat ions on 'Try These' and our list of 'Ongoing Problem s,' we've specifically t abled som e of t he suggest ions. This is our opport unit y t o explicit ly declare our int ent ion t o delay using t hese pract ices. What are t he pract ices we are going t o defer?" Pr oce ss: Consensus Check Com m e n t s: The t eam is j ust validat ing what has em erged from all t he discussions about t he last t im e period and what pract ices t hey are willing t o defer. This is sim ply t he final check on t hose decisions.

H . W h a t is ou r Act ion Pla n for im ple m e n t in g t h e se n e w pr a ct ice s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Consider t he act ionable it em s t hat have arisen as a result of our recom m endat ions here t oday. Think about which you are willing t o t ake responsibilit y for seeing im plem ent ed. Now, who are t he owners of each of t hese Act ion I t em s?" Pr oce ss: Act ion Planning Com m e n t s: Keep t his very quick and brief. But don't leave t he m eet ing wit hout assigning owners of t he act ions t hat m ust t ake place in order for t he new pract ices t o be absorbed.

I . Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" Pr oce ss: Review t he capt ured it em s in t he flipchart and any Act ion Plan. Com m e n t s: Perform a quick check on t he Purpose of t he Reflect ion Workshop: " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" Confirm wit h t he t eam t hat t hey are prepared t o t ake on t he act ions capt ured.

Chapter 26. Scrum The Scrum m et hodology form ulat es an agile cont ext t hrough a series of m eet ings t hat bookend it s t im eboxes of soft ware delivery: What product funct ionalit y can we com plet e in t he next 30 daysSprint Planning Meet ing How well are we m eet ing our com m it m ent sDaily Scrum What product funct ionalit y have we deliveredSprint Dem o and Review Meet ing While ot her m eet ings t ake place, t hese m eet ings form t he backbone of collaborat ion, t eam building, business focus, and inspect ion for t he Scrum t eam . The Scrum Mast er plans t he m eet ings, invit es t he at t endees, facilit at es t he m eet ings, and t racks t he out com es and act ions. Team m em bers part icipat e in each m eet ing. Proj ect St akeholders and ot her cust om ers are invit ed as observers t o t he Daily Scrum ; t hey m aint ain full part icipat ion in t he Sprint Planning Meet ing and in t he Sprint Dem o and Review Meet ing. The t hread t hrough each of t he m eet ings is t eam com m it m ent as capt ured in t he form of backlogs and Burndown Chart updat es. As wit h any of t hese collaborat ion agendas, t he approach capt ured here is very prescript ive and provides t he det ail t hat could work for a newly form ed t eam . As your t eam s m at ure and go t hrough t hese m eet ings cont inuously over t im e, you'll be able t o sail t hrough t he m at erials wit h t he level of ballast useful t o your t eam 's profile. For background on how t hese m eet ings reflect t he work and int ent of Scrum , consult t hese t wo canonical works: Agile Soft ware Developm ent wit h Scrum Agile Proj ect Managem ent wit h Scrum Sprint Planning Meet ing

, Ken Schwaber and Mike Beedle

, Ken Schwaber

M e e t in g N a m e :

Spr in t Pla n n in g M e e t in g

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To com m it t o a Sprint goal for t he next 30- day Sprint wit h a com plet e Sprint Backlog of priorit ized product request s, t heir t asks, est im at es, and resource assignm ent s

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

A Sprint Backlog wit h t asks, est im at es, and assignm ent s defined for t he highest priorit y Product Backlog it em s and t he t eam 's com m it m ent t o t he Sprint

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

Execut ive sponsor, Scrum Mast er, expert user, business analyst , and t he ent ire developm ent t eam ( lead designer, developers, t est ers, doc, deploym ent , et c.)

Com m e n t s:

The Sprint Planning Meet ing creat es a 30- day com m it m ent am ong t eam m em bers and St akeholders t o deliver a cert ain product increm ent around a Sprint goal. The com m it m ent is based on inform at ion about t he priorit ized Product Backlog, t he t eam 's current m em bers and t heir capabilit ies, t he current business condit ions, t he archit ect ural and t echnology fram ework, and t he definit ion and dem onst rat ion of an execut able product increm ent . Because Scrum em phasizes self- organizing, crossfunct ional t eam s, t he group uses t he Sprint Planning Meet ing t o form ulat e t heir t eam st ruct ure: who will perform what t asks and roles, what t heir working m ode will look like, and how t hey will self- m anage. The first agenda it em s of t he m eet ing gat her fact ual dat a about how t he Sprint will m ove forward. Because t hese are not brainst orm ing, det ailed list ing, or dialogue event s, t hey do not require a " Prom pt " quest ion and should be kept as brief as possible. Process suggest ions: For Sprint s wit h sm all t eam s, you can have all t he brainst orm ing as a facilit at or- led, groupwide act ivit y. I f t he Product Backlog has not yet been priorit ized, you m ay want t o insert an agenda it em of Silent Grouping t hat creat es t im e for t he Product Owner t o m ove it em s in priorit y wit h silent collaborat ion of int erest ed part ies.

Age n da I t e m

A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: Once you have com plet ed t he m eet ing st art up wit h Purpose, Agenda, Organizing Tools, et c., collect personal obj ect ives if t his is t he first Sprint Planning Meet ing for t he part icipant s. You m ay also want t o provide five m inut es t o t he execut ive sponsor t o define t he " What 's I n I t For Me" for t he ent ire t eam .

B. W h a t is t h e pr odu ct vision for t h e Spr in t ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Expert I nput wit h Quest ion and Answers Com m e n t s: Always kick off t he Sprint Planning Meet ing wit h a product vision st at em ent from t he Product Owner. This set s t he t one and m ot ivat ion for t he ent ire m eet ing. I t also set s t he " What 's I n I t For Me" cont ext for each m em ber of t he t eam . As t he Scrum Mast er, be sure t o capt ure any Act ion I t em s or Parking Lot it em s t hat m ay com e out of t his Q&A.

C. W h a t is t h e t e a m com posit ion for t h is Spr in t ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Considering all our roles and t he product vision we have j ust out lined, what is t he t eam com posit ion expect ed t o be for t his Sprint ?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led List ing Com m e n t s: Because t eam m akeup can shift from Sprint t o Sprint , explicit ly collect t he nam es of each of t he t eam m em bers who will be involved in t his next 30- day Sprint .

D . W h a t is t h e t ot a l t e a m ca pa cit y for t h e Spr in t ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " As a t eam , consider what your capacit y was for t he last t eam Sprint ( using t he Burndown Chart as a guide) . Now also consider what your individual capacit y is expect ed t o be in t his Sprint . Wit h t his inform at ion, what is t he t ot al t eam capacit y for t he Sprint ?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led List ing Com m e n t s: For each of t he t eam m em bers list ed, det erm ine what t heir availabilit y and capacit y will be for t he Sprint . Use t he previous Sprint Burndown Chart as a guide for est im at ing capacit y. Accum ulat e t he num ber of ideal effort hours per person per day for t he t ot al num ber of working days in t he 30- day Sprint . Or, you m ay choose t o work wit h ideal days or point s as a st art ing point for t his est im at e. Com bined, t his num ber defines t he t ot al capacit y of t he t eam t o t ake on work t asks for t he Sprint . Post t his on a wall chart .

E. W h a t a r e a ll t h e pr ior it ize d it e m s in t h e Pr odu ct Ba ck log and w hat in for m a t ion su ppor t s t h e ir pr ior it y?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " We've been accum ulat ing ent ries in our Product Backlog in a priorit ized fashion. These ent ries represent any of t he funct ional and non- funct ional it em s t hat could define t he product increm ent . They are priorit ized based on t he Product Owner's vision for t he Sprint . Given t his list of ent ries, what are all t he priorit ized it em s in t he Product Backlog and what inform at ion support s t heir priorit y?" Pr oce ss: Expert I nput , Dialogue Com m e n t s: The Product Owner reviews t he t op it em s in t he Product Backlog, providing descript ive inform at ion wit h regard t o t he int ent of each of t he it em s. Each it em is also explained in t he cont ext of t he product vision of t he Sprint . This debrief helps t he t eam t o prepare for t heir t asking and est im at ing exercise. Keep t his overview brief and focused. Team m em bers will be able t o go int o det ail int o each it em in subsequent agenda it em s. Any dialogue here should be quickly capt ured by t he Scrum Mast er on flipchart s in order t o proceed t o t he sm all group w or k.

F. W h a t a r e t h e t e ch n ica l con ce r n s a r ou n d t h e pr ior it y it e m s in t h e Pr odu ct Ba ck log?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Based on t he inform at ion we have j ust heard about t he priorit y it em s in t he Product Backlog, t hink about what t he t echnical aspect s of t he product are t hat m ust be in place t o support t hese priorit ies. Think about t he archit ect ure, t he language, t he t est ing, et c. Given t his underst anding, what are t he t echnical concerns around t he priorit y it em s in t he Product Backlog?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Brainst orm ing, Dialogue, Facilit at or- led List ing Com m e n t s: Groups of t hree should brainst orm wit h one anot her about all t heir concerns about t he t echnical aspect s of t he product . Once t he brainst orm ing is com plet e ( t ake no m ore t han five m inut es for t his part of t he agenda it em ) , engage t he ent ire group in debriefing t heir responses and discussing t he im pact s of t hese concerns. Capt ure concerns on a flipchart .

G. W h a t a r e t h e ot h e r con ce r n s or r isk s a ssocia t e d w it h t h e pr oj e ct t e a m a n d t h e goa l of t h e Spr in t ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " We've looked at t he t echnical concerns around t he priorit y it em s in t he Product Backlog. But you m ay have ot her issues and concerns about t he goal for t he Sprint : business, t eam , organizat ional, logist ics, et c. What are t hese ot her concerns or risks associat ed wit h t he proj ect t eam and t he goal of t he Sprint ?" Pr oce ss: Round Robin, Dialogue Com m e n t s: Use a round- robin brainst orm ing survey of all part icipant s t o collect a broad view int o any ot her concerns or risks. The round robin will keep t hings m oving, given t hat t he t eam has already done som e sm all group brainst orm ing. Collect it em s first , t hen invit e discussion once all it em s have been docum ent ed on a flipchart . Collect any recom m endat ions or act ions so t hat , when t he group is asked t o com m it t o t he Sprint lat er in t he agenda, t hey will have a clear view of t he com m it m ent t hey are m aking around m anaging t he issues.

H . Give n a ll of t h is in for m a t ion , w h a t a r e t h e t a sk s, e st im a t e s, a n d a ssign m e n t s for t h e se it e m s t h a t w ill for m t h e Spr in t Ba ck log?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " I m agine it is t he end of t he Sprint and all your work is done. Think about all t he specific t asks t hat t he t eam com plet ed in order t o m ake t he Sprint a success wit h t he highest priorit y it em s from t he Product Backlog. What were all t he t asks, est im at es, and assignm ent s t hat form ed t he Sprint Backlog?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group List ing, Wideband Delphi Est im at ing Com m e n t s: This part of t he planning works best when groups can work in sm all t eam s, collect ing m aj or backlog it em s for which t hey are m ost qualified t o provide t ask, est im at e, and assignm ent values. Encourage visit ing from group t o group so t hat all cont ribut ing expert s can provide guidance around t he collect ed inform at ion. Once each sm all group has com plet ed it s work, hold a group- wide readout of t he result s so t hat all inform at ion is shared at a high level wit h all part icipant s.

I . Give n t h e se e st im a t e s, w h a t pr ior it ie s h a ve sh ift e d t h a t w ou ld im pa ct t h e Spr in t Ba ck log?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Now t hat we have creat ed a set of t asks, est im at es, and assignm ent s, we m ay have discovered com plexit y or effort t hat is larger t han was init ially expect ed. Given t hese est im at es, what priorit ies have shift ed t hat would im pact t he Sprint Backlog?" Pr oce ss: Group Dialogue Com m e n t s: This dialogue seeks feedback from t he Product Owner t o consider changing priorit ies if som e t asks are t aking t oo m uch of t he t eam effort . The t eam m em bers are invit ed t o give any addit ional inform at ion t o help t he Product Owner m ake a final decision about t he priorit ies. This m ay involve det erm ining new t asks, est im at es, and assignm ent s t o accom m odat e t he shift in priorit ies.

J. W h a t is ou r fin a l Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Based on t his inspect ion and com m it m e n t for t h is dialogue around our work, are we prepared t o Spr in t ? declare t his set of t asks and est im at es as our Sprint Backlog?" Pr oce ss: Consensus Check Com m e n t s: This is t he final st at em ent by t he ent ire group t hat t hey are prepared t o com m it t o t he product vision for t he Sprint , t he t eam m akeup, t he plans for m anaging issues and concerns, and t he det ailed Sprint Backlog. Before asking for t his consensus check, you m ay want t o survey t he t eam one last t im e for any recom m endat ions about t he running of t he Sprint t hat were not expressed as backlog, vision, issues, or concerns. Once t he full consensus is reached, celebrat e! Take a pict ure of t he t eam showing t heir "Fist of Five" and hang it on t he wall. I t is a great way t o kick off t he high visibilit y of t he t eam 's Sprint com m it m ent . K. W h a t a ct ion s do w e need to take fr om t h is m e e t in g a s a r e su lt of ou r com m it m e n t , a n d w h o a r e t h e ow n e r s of t h ose a ct ion s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Consider t he act ionable it em s t hat have arisen as a result of our planning here t oday. Think about which you are willing t o t ake responsibilit y for seeing t hem im plem ent ed. Now, what act ions do we need t o t ake from t his m eet ing as a result of our com m it m ent , and who are t he owners of t hose act ions?" Pr oce ss: Act ion Planning Com m e n t s: n.a.

L. Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Have we m et our m eet ing purpose t oday?" Pr oce ss: Walk t he walls Com m e n t s: Review Purpose ( " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" ) , process Personal Obj ect ives, process Decisions Board, process Parking Lot , process Act ions Board, creat e Com m unicat ion Plan, and evaluat e t he m eet ing ( " What worked well for you t oday?" " What would you change for t he next m eet ing?" ) . Celebrat e!

Daily Scrum ( St andup)

M e e t in g N a m e :

D a ily Scr u m

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To det erm ine t he progress of t he t eam 's com m it m ent s from t he previous Scrum and t o not e any act ions necessary t o help t he t eam reach it s 30day Sprint goal

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

An updat ed Sprint Backlog and/ or Burndown Chart wit h rem aining effort hours per t ask; t he t eam 's com m it m ent for t he day's work; and, a list of post m eet ing act ions

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

Team m em bers provide t heir st at us; t he Scrum Mast er docum ent s updat es and act ions. Proj ect St akeholders observe.

Com m e n t s:

The Daily Scrum is t he st andup st at us m eet ing t hat keeps t he t eam focused on it s Sprint com m it m ent s, as individuals and as a t eam . The purpose of t he m eet ing is t o det erm ine what im pedim ent s need t o be rem oved and t o elim inat e dist ract ions t hat m ay be harm ing t he t eam 's progress. Though t he m eet ing guidance here m ight appear t o suggest t hat t he Scrum Mast er asks all t he quest ions, t hese are j ust a guide for t he flow of t he m eet ing. Team m em bers provide t his inform at ion t o one anot her and t o t he st akeholder observers at t he m eet ing. ( St akeholders are invit ed t o observe but are not allowed t o part icipat e/ speak; t hey consult wit h t he Scrum Mast er about t heir observat ions aft er t he m eet ing.) During t he m eet ing, t he Scrum Mast er list ens for act ion it em s and docum ent s t hese, bot h for t eam act ions and for personal follow- up wit h St akeholders. Addit ionally, t he Scrum Mast er updat es t he Sprint docum ent at ion ( Burndown Chart , Sprint Backlog, Task Board, et c.) . Part icipant s should st ick t o st at us only, no problem solving. The m eet ing is always conduct ed st anding up.

Age n da I t e m A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Are we ready t o st art t he Daily Scrum ?" Pr oce ss: n.a. Com m e n t s: Because it occurs daily, don't bot her wit h a form al opening. I nst ead, use t he opening as t he t im e t o enforce t he " St art ing on t im e" rules t he t eam has agreed t o use ( penalt y, fine, singing, charit y) . Once t he m eet ing is ready t o st art , use round robin t o query each t eam m em ber for his or her st at us. Each t eam m em ber provides st at us t o t he t hree agenda quest ions B, C, and D before t he Round Robin cont inues t o t he next part icipant .

B. W h a t did you do sin ce t h e la st D a ily Scr u m ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " What did you do since t he last Daily Scrum ?" Pr oce ss: Round Robin Com m e n t s: Keep part icipant s specific t o t heir com m it m ent s t hat t hey m ade in t he last St andup m eet ing. Did t hey m eet t heir com m it m ent s or not ?

C. W h a t a r e you com m it t in g t o com ple t in g be for e t h e n e x t Scr u m ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " What are you com m it t ing t o com plet ing before t he next Scrum ?" Pr oce ss: Cont inuat ion of t he Round Robin Com m e n t s: Here again, keep t eam m em bers focused on t he com m it m ent s t hey are willing t o m ake t o ot her t eam m em bers wit h regard t o t he t eam 's Sprint Backlog.

D . W h a t is ge t t in g in you r w a y?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " What is get t ing in your way?" Pr oce ss: Cont inuat ion of t he Round Robin Com m e n t s: This is t he Scrum Mast er's chance t o find out how t o serve t he t eam . Find im pedim ent s and rem ove t hem . Any blockage or im pedim ent report ed here should becom e an Act ion I t em , eit her for t he Scrum Mast er t o handle out side of t he t eam , or for a subset of t he t eam t o resolve as prom pt ed and arranged by t he Scrum Mast er. The Scrum Mast er always t racks t hese Act ion I t em s.

E. W h a t is t h e u pda t e t o t h e t e a m Bu r n dow n Ch a r t ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Based on all t he st at us provided here, what is t he updat e t o t he t eam Burndown Chart or Task Board?" Pr oce ss: List ing Com m e n t s: The Scrum Mast er ensures t hat each t eam m em ber has provided " To Do" est im at es and records t he responses in t he Sprint 's Burndown Chart . Any changes t o st ory, t ask, or t est st at us are also not ed in t he Task Board.

F. Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " What are all our act ions as a result of t his st at us inform at ion?" Pr oce ss: Act ion Planning Com m e n t s: Close t he Daily Scrum by reviewing any collect ed act ion it em s wit h t heir due dat es and t he owner of t he act ions. These should be part of t he round- robin review for each subsequent Daily Scrum . Lim it t he m eet ing t o 15 m inut es.

Sprint Dem o and Review Meet ing

M e e t in g N a m e :

Spr in t D e m o a n d Re vie w

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To dem onst rat e t he pot ent ially shippable funct ionalit y com plet ed by t he t eam during t he Sprint , t o updat e t he Product Backlog based on inform at ion from t he dem o, and t o learn about t eam pract ices t o keep, change, or add

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

Updat ed Product Backlog wit h new it em s and priorit ies, any new t eam pract ices, recom m endat ions for t he next Sprint

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

Product Owner, Scrum Mast er, Developm ent Team , St akeholders

Com m e n t s:

The Sprint Dem o and Review m eet ing brings t he t eam 's Sprint com m it m ent t o life. Planned by t he Scrum Mast er, t eam m em bers dem onst rat e t he funct ionalit y t hat t hey have com plet ed for t he Sprint increm ent and t hen collect feedback from t he Product Owner and St akeholders. Based on t he dem o and discussion, t he m eet ing part icipant s t hen review t he im pact of t he Sprint on any subsequent Sprint s: What priorit ies have changed, what t eam st ruct ure has alt ered, what t eam pract ices should shift , what issues and concerns m ust be addressed? Don't allow t he t eam t o t ake m ore t han four hours t o prepare t he dem o for t he m eet ing; keep t he m eet ing under t wo hours. Som e process suggest ions: Dem o should be prepared in advance. Mem bers should t ake t urns running t he m eet ing. The person who accept ed t he it em should dem o it s accept ance. Keep t he m eet ing t o t wo hours. What did t his Sprint look like? ( " Pict ure This" Exercise) . What are our appreciat ions from t he Sprint ? ( " I appreciat e t hat …" ) .

Age n da I t e m A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: Once you have com plet ed t he m eet ing st art up wit h Purpose, Agenda, Organizing Tools, et c., be sure t o go t hrough t he " What 's I n I t For Me" and t he Scope of Aut horit y for t he ent ire t eam .

B. W h a t w a s ou r Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. com m it m e n t for t h is Pr oce ss: Expert I nput Spr in t ? Com m e n t s: The Scrum Mast er or a t eam m em ber reviews all t he it em s t hat had been put in t he Sprint Backlog during t he last Sprint Planning m eet ing. C. W h a t w a s ou r fin a l se t of com ple t e d it e m s for t h e Spr in t ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given what we have accom plished in our work wit h t he Sprint Backlog, what were all our com plet ed, accept ed it em s?" Pr oce ss: Expert I nput Com m e n t s: The Scrum Mast er or a t eam m em ber reads out t he t ot al set of Sprint Backlog it em s t hat were com plet ed during t he 30- day Sprint . This will set up t he set of dem os of funct ionalit y.

D . W h a t is ou r de m on st r a t ion of t h e se it e m s fr om t h e Spr in t ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given t he work t hat has been com plet ed and accept ed, who has work t o dem onst rat e for t his Sprint ?" Pr oce ss: Expert I nput , Dialogue Com m e n t s: Have each t eam m em ber dem onst rat e t he funct ionalit y t hat has been delivered as part of t he product increm ent from t he Sprint . Open dialogue is now welcom e. Ask som eone t o scribe any recom m endat ions or Act ion I t em s t hat com e out of t he dialogue. Keep a close eye on t he agenda it em and encourage use of t he Parking Lot in order t o keep t he dem onst rat ion flowing wit hout digging int o problem solving t hat should occur in subsequent m eet ings.

E. W h a t w a s ou r fin a l Bu r n dow n Ch a r t ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Expert I nput , Dialogue Com m e n t s: The Scrum Mast er reviews t he det ails of t he Burndown Chart wit h regard t o daily t rends, overall t rends, except ion sit uat ions, and m aj or t urning point s. Capt ure any insight s from t he t eam and St akeholders on a flipchart .

F. W h a t did w e le a r n a bou t ou r e st im a t e s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Looking at t he backlog it em s we were able t o com plet e, t he dem os we were able t o conduct , and our Burndown pat t erns, t hink about what we have observed. What did we learn about our est im at es?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Brainst orm Com m e n t s: The t eam reviews t he result s of t he dem o and t he t rend of t he Burndown Chart in order t o m ake recom m endat ions about how t hey will est im at e t heir next Sprint Backlog. This m ay also im pact t he high- level est im at es for it em s current ly in t he Product Backlog. The facilit at or capt ures result s on a flipchart .

G. W h a t ch a n ge s a r e t h e r e in t h e Pr odu ct Ba ck log it e m s, pr ior it ie s, or e st im a t e s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given what we have learned about t he product , we m ay want t o recom m end som e changes in t he Product Backlog. This m ay be due t o t echnology, funct ionalit y, usabilit y, et c. Thinking about t hese t hings, what changes are t here in t he Product Backlog it em s, priorit ies, or est im at es?" Pr oce ss: Large Group Dialogue Com m e n t s: Here you are explicit ly drawing out guidance from t he t eam and t he St akeholders t o t he Product Owner in order t o m ake recom m endat ions or decisions about t he st at e of t he Product Backlog. This m ay include adding it em s, rem oving it em s, repriorit izing it em s, or reest im at ing it em s. Be sure each recom m endat ion is recorded explicit ly and t hat t he group has consensus about each change. I f not , put t he it em in t he Parking Lot for lat er considerat ion, or creat e an Act ion I t em t o hold a separat e m eet ing t o det erm ine backlog changes.

H. W hat docum e nt e d issu e s/ con ce r n s w e r e w e a ble t o a ddr e ss?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Looking back on t he issues and concerns we had docum ent ed at t he st art of t he Sprint , t hink about how we eit her m anaged t hose issues or wat ched t hem end up being non- issues. What docum ent ed issues/ concerns were we able t o address?" Pr oce ss: Large Group Dialogue Com m e n t s: Keep t he group working as one t eam t o t alk t hrough how t hey faced t heir docum ent ed issues and concerns. This will feed recom m endat ions about t eam pract ices for t he next Sprint or Act ion I t em s following t his m eet ing.

I . W h a t a r e ou r cu r r e n t issu e s/ con ce r n s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Think about how we were able t o m eet our com m it m ent and what m ay st ill be a challenge in t erm s of m eet ing fut ure Sprint com m it m ent s. You m ay recognize eit her a persist ent problem or a newly em erging one. What are our current issues/ concerns?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group List ing Dialogue Com m e n t s: Have each group work t hrough t heir own set of issues and concerns. This prom ot es open dialogue t hat t hen helps t he ent ire group underst and what t he t ot al set of issues and concerns are. For a sm all enough t eam , use Facilit at or- led List ing.

J. W h a t w or k e d w e ll Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " During t he 30 days of t he t h a t w e 'd do a ga in ? Sprint , we engaged in any num ber of t eam pract ices t o help us get t o t his dem o and review. Considering how our Sprint worked, what worked well t hat we'd do again?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Brainst orm ing Com m e n t s: Capt ure all recom m endat ions on a flipchart t hat can be post ed for use in t he next Sprint Planning m eet ing. K. W h a t pr a ct ice s w ou ld w e a lt e r or dr op?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Thinking back over t he Sprint , we m ay have had som e difficult ies in how we were working, com m unicat ing, delivering, com m it t ing, et c. Considering t he ways t hat we chose t o work, what pract ices would we alt er or drop?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Brainst orm ing, Dialogue Com m e n t s: Encourage open dialogue around brainst orm responses so t hat t he t eam can fully agree on what pract ices really should be alt ered or dropped. I n part icular, pay at t ent ion t o any suggest ion t hat would alt er a fundam ent al pract ice of Scrum . Only a high- perform ing t eam should alt er or change t hese basic pract ices.

L. W h a t n e w pr a ct ice s w ou ld w e w a n t t o in t r odu ce in t o ou r n e x t Spr in t ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given our list of what t o keep and what t o change or drop, you m ay also be able t o t hink about new pract ices, eit her som et hing you have t ried in a different t eam , or som et hing you have learned since t he last Sprint Planning m eet ing. What new pract ices would we want t o int roduce int o our next Sprint ?" Pr oce ss: Facililt at or- led Brainst orm ing, Dialogue Com m e n t s: Lead t he t eam in brainst orm ing any new ideas wit hout rem arking on t heir applicabilit y, posit ive or negat ive. Then go t hrough t he it em s oneby- one t o gain consensus around which pract ices t o absorb for t he next it erat ion. Use t his inform at ion capt ured on a flipchart in t he next Sprint Planning m eet ing.

M . Ba se d on ou r w or k ove r t h e la st 3 0 da ys, w h a t a ppr e cia t ion s do w e h a ve for in dividu a ls?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Before we close t he m eet ing, we have an opport unit y t o openly ext end grat it ude t o ot hers for som et hing t hey did t hat had a part icularly valuable im pact on t he success of t he Sprint . This m ay be a t eam m em ber, a st akeholder, or som eone out side t he t eam who had support ed t he t eam . Based on our work over t he last 30 days, what appreciat ions do we have for individuals?" Pr oce ss: Brainst orm ing Com m e n t s: Ask part icipant s t o form t heir sent ences in a way t hat direct ly applies t o a part icular individual and an act ion t hat person t ook: " I appreciat e t hat Michele creat ed t he calendar of t eam event s and com m it m ent s and didn't com plain about doing it for everyone else."

N . W h a t is ou r Act ion Pla n for n e x t st e ps?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Based on all t he inform at ion and recom m endat ions we have accum ulat ed here, what is our set of act ions for next st eps?" Pr oce ss: Act ion Planning Com m e n t s: Work wit h t he t eam t o ensure t hat t hey have t he appropriat e set of act ions t hat can m ove t heir decisions forward from t he dem onst rat ion and review.

O. Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" Pr oce ss: Walking t he walls Com m e n t s: Review Purpose ( " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" ) , process Personal Obj ect ives, process Decisions Board, process Parking Lot , process Act ions Board, creat e Com m unicat ion Plan, and evaluat e t he m eet ing ( " What worked well for you t oday?" " What would you change for t he next m eet ing?" ) . Celebrat e!

Chapter 27. XP and Industrial XP Ext rem e Program m ing ( XP) and I ndust rial XP t eam s rely on t he Planning Gam e t o creat e t he Release Plans and I t erat ion Plans t hat t im e box t he t eam 's work and com m it m ent s. I n t hese cont ext s, planning is int ended t o be a concise, disciplined, highly focused collaborat ion wit h t he various m em bers of t he proj ect com m unit y. Cust om ers priorit ize st ories of cust om er value. Developers est im at e t he work it will t ake t o com plet e t he st ories. Test ers provide guidance t o bot h about how t o ensure delivery of t he expect ed funct ionalit y. Toget her, t hese proj ect t eam m em bers form a com m it m ent about how t o deliver t he work and how t o com m unicat e progress around t hat com m it m ent . You can t hink of t his highly focused planning act ivit y alm ost as a cont inuous process, an ongoing gam e. Team s m ove from t he highest - level plan ( Proj ect Chart er) int o t he next level of plan ( Release Plan) t hat t hen set s a series of plans t oget her ( I t erat ion Plan) each of which ult im at ely t racks t o daily planning ( Daily St andup) . I m proving t he qualit y of t he ongoing planning com es from adapt at ion at all levels, t he highest being Release Ret rospect ive. Therefore, t he m ain m eet ings t hat form t he backbone of planning and adopt ion for XP and I ndust rial XP t eam s are: Proj ect Chart ering ( I ndust rial XP) m eet ing Release Planning m eet ing I t erat ion Planning m eet ing Daily St andup I t erat ion Dem o and Review Release Ret rospect ive The XP Coach is responsible for planning t he m eet ing, invit ing all part icipant s t o t he m eet ing, facilit at ing t he m eet ing, and assuring t hat t he m eet ing result s are appropriat ely dist ribut ed and post ed. As in all t he agile approaches, m any ot her collaborat ions occur day- t o- day in XP and I ndust rial XP. These part icular collaborat ion event s and t heir focused agendas serve t o est ablish t he necessary heart beat of t im eboxes t hrough which t hose daily collaborat ions m at ure in nat ure and cont ent . I t is t hrough t hese m eet ings t hat XP and I ndust rial XP creat e t he specific m om ent s in t im e where we aggressively plan, inspect , and ret rospect . For m ore inform at ion on t he values, principles, and pract ices of XP t hat guide t he fabric of t hese m eet ings, consult t hese t hree guides on im plem ent ing XP: Ext rem e Program m ing Explained: Em bracing Change

, Kent Beck

Planning Ext rem e Program m ing , Mart in Fowler and Kent Beck Ext rem e Program m ing Explored , William Wake Proj ect Chart ering

M e e t in g N a m e :

Pr oj e ct Ch a r t e r in g M e e t in g

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To declare a proj ect com m unit y around a com m on purpose and set of values

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

A list of all m em bers of t he proj ect com m unit y, a priorit ized list of proj ect values, and a st at em ent of t he proj ect purpose and goals

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

Cust om er, developm ent t eam , t est ers, proj ect sponsor, and any ot her key personnel needed t o successfully com plet e t he proj ect

Com m e n t s:

The Proj ect Chart ering Meet ing set s a proj ect in m ot ion by declaring t he key at t ribut es of t he proj ect , ensuring t hat t he ent ire proj ect t eam underst ands t he purpose of t he proj ect , how t hey will be able t o j udge t heir own success, and how t hey will coordinat e as a t eam . Because it precedes t he first Release Planning m eet ing of t he proj ect , it plays a pivot al role in creat ing t rust and com m it m ent am ong t he proj ect t eam m em bers. Addit ionally, it est ablishes com m unicat ion norm s or working agreem ent s t hat are applied in t he ot her Planning Gam e m eet ings.

Age n da I t e m A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: Once you have com plet ed t he m eet ing st art up wit h Purpose, Agenda, Organizing Tools, et c., collect personal obj ect ives if t his is t he first Proj ect Chart ering Meet ing for t he part icipant s. You m ay also want t o provide five m inut es t o t he execut ive sponsor t o define t he " What 's I n I t For Me" for t he ent ire t eam .

B. W h a t is t h e vision for t h is pr oj e ct ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Expert I nput wit h Quest ion and Answers Com m e n t s: This is t he t im e for t he prim ary or execut ive sponsor of t he proj ect t o st ep forward wit h t heir vision for t he proj ect . This should be a concise " elevat or st at em ent " declarat ion t hat should invit e clarificat ion from t he t eam m em bers.

C. W h a t a r e ou r m e a su r e s of su cce ss?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " For t he defined vision and t he scope of t his proj ect , t hink about t he various ways t hat we would be able t o t ell t hat we have succeeded. This m ight be in t erm s of funct ionalit y, budget , delivery dat e, or ot her proj ect at t ribut es. Wit h t his in m ind, what are our m easures of success?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group List ing, Grouping, Priorit izing Com m e n t s: Have each group debrief t he rest of t he t eam . Perform a grouping exercise t o discover t he cat egories of t hese m easurem ent s. The t eam m ay want t o t hen priorit ize which cat egory is t he m ost crit ical or im port ant .

D. W hat are the va lu e s t h a t gu ide t h is pr oj e ct t e a m ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " We need t o declare what we hold m ost valuable and wort hy about our proj ect , how we define ourselves t o ot hers. We call t hese our Proj ect Values. Given your experiences in effect ive t eam work and given our proj ect scope and resources, what are our proj ect values?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Brainst orm ing, Mult i- vot ing, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: Lead t he group in brainst orm ing a set of values. Have t hem vot e using m ult i- vot ing in order t o find t he t op five values list ed. Gain consensus and post t hese values.

E. W h o a r e a ll t h e m e m be r s of t h e pr oj e ct com m u n it y?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Each proj ect 's success relies on a group of people larger t han t he im m ediat e proj ect t eam . We are support ed by a broad net of people around us in a variet y of roles, from st akeholders t o end- users t o support st aff. Thinking about t he m any people who will be support ing our success, who are all t he m em bers of t he proj ect com m unit y?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group List ing Com m e n t s: Have each group of t hree people list all t he possible m em bers of t he proj ect com m unit y. When each t eam debriefs, rem ove all duplicat es and gain consensus on t he accum ulat ed list .

F. W h a t a r e a ll t h e pr oj e ct con st r a in t s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " We have set a vision and a set of m easures of success wit hin t hat vision. This m ay bring t o m ind roadblocks or lim it at ions t hat we know about even before we st art t he proj ect . What are all t hese proj ect const raint s?" Pr oce ss: List ing, Grouping Com m e n t s: Team s should consider any possible const raint s such as budget , geography, resources, t echnology, archit ect ure, perform ance, cost s, et c. Aft er t he list ing, you can lead t he t eam in a grouping t o see t he nat ural cat egories of const raint s. This inform at ion should t hen feed int o t he proj ect dat a sheet .

G. W h a t a r e ou r w or k in g a gr e e m e n t s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " As a t eam , you have t o t hink about ways t o work t oget her t hat will m ake you t he m ost successful in delivering t he proj ect scope despit e t he const raint s and t he various levels of com m it t ed resources. Think about pract ices, st andards, or t eam t echniques t hat you feel will help t he t eam , especially given our const raint s and risks. Given t his guidance, what are our working agreem ent s for t his proj ect ?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Brainst orm ing, Group Dialogue, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: First guide t he t eam in brainst orm ing as dyads or groups of t hree. Resolve duplicat e responses am ong t eam s. Then lead t he ent ire group in dialogue t o weigh t he pros and cons of t he responses. You m ay want t o guide t hem t o include a sort of "Com m unicat ion Plan" as part of t heir working agreem ent s. Gain consensus on t he final list of working agreem ent s before proceeding.

H . W h a t is ou r Act ion Pla n ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Based on all t he work t hat we have done in defining our Proj ect Chart er, are t here act ions we should plan now t hat can cont ribut e t o our success?" Pr oce ss: Act ion Planning Com m e n t s: n.a.

I . Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" Pr oce ss: Walking t he walls Com m e n t s: Review Purpose ( " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" ) , process Personal Obj ect ives, process Decisions Board, process Parking Lot , process Act ions Board, creat e Com m unicat ion Plan, and evaluat e t he m eet ing ( " What worked well for you t oday?" " What would you change for t he next m eet ing?" ) . Celebrat e!

Release Planning

M e e t in g N a m e :

Re le a se Pla n n in g M e e t in g

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To com m it t o a release goal in a set of it erat ions, t heir st ories, and t eam velocit y

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

A release t hem e and m et aphor, a release dat e, a roadm ap of t im eboxed it erat ions, a set of User St ories per it erat ion, and a rough est im at e for each st ory

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

Cust om er, developm ent t eam , t est ers, and any ot her key personnel needed t o appropriat ely assess t he high- level priorit ies and est im at es for t he release goal

Com m e n t s:

The Release Planning Meet ing creat es a t im eboxed com m it m ent am ong t eam m em bers and st akeholders t o deliver a cert ain series of product increm ent s ( it erat ions) around a release goal. The com m it m ent is based on t he form at ion of priorit ized User St ories, t he t eam 's current m em bers and t heir velocit y, t he current business condit ions, t he archit ect ural and t echnology fram ework, and t he definit ion of a shippable product increm ent . Release Planning set s t he collaborat ive t one in m ot ion for t he rem ainder of t he release. For t his reason, it invit es t rem endous int eract ion, com m unicat ion, feedback, and consensus building. For t eam s t hat have an ext ensive hist ory of product delivery, t he processes described here should be far less form al, far m ore relaxed. Newer, form ing t eam s need a clear, facilit at ive guide as a life raft for m oving am ong t he new current s of agile soft ware developm ent : accept ing incom plet eness, t aking responsibilit y, let t ing go of old power dom ains, and learning t o com e t o sust ainable, collaborat ive agreem ent s prior t o m oving forward wit h t he proj ect . Process suggest ions for large t eam s: For very large t eam s, you will have t o m anage breakout sessions across t he various t eam dom ains, such as com ponent by com ponent . Use t he sam e inform at ion- gat hering processes and t im ings for all t eam s. Always have t he ent ire group check in aft er each agenda it em . Provide lot s of ext ra t im e in t he agenda in order t o allow for t hese logist ics and regroupings. Plan t o have m ini- checkins t hroughout t he m eet ing ( " What is working well; what needs im provem ent ; what would you like t o t ry new? " ) in order t o keep t he m eet ing product ive, collaborat ive, and on t arget for it s purpose. Use m ult iple coaches, one for each t eam breakout session if possible, t o m ake sure each t eam can get guidance and sufficient check- in. The final release com m it m ent will need am ple t im e t o creat e consensus across t eam s and t o com pare issues and concerns t hat have been gat hered from each t eam . Sim ilarly, dependencies across t eam s m ust be resolved

before t he final com m it m ent can be t aken.

Age n da I t e m A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: Once you have com plet ed t he m eet ing st art up wit h Purpose, Agenda, Organizing Tools, et c., collect personal obj ect ives if t his is t he first Release Planning m eet ing for t he part icipant s. You m ay also want t o provide five m inut es t o t he execut ive sponsor t o define t he " What 's I n I t For Me" for t he ent ire t eam .

B. W h a t is t h e Re le a se t h e m e a n d pr odu ct m e t a ph or for t h is Re le a se ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Expert I nput wit h Quest ion and Answers Com m e n t s: Always kick off t he Release Planning m eet ing wit h a look int o t he Release t hem e. This should be based on a product m et aphor. I f a m et aphor has not been defined in a previous Release Planning m eet ing, consider adding an agenda it em here t o conduct a sm all- group brainst orm exercise around t he m et aphor. The product m et aphor creat es a language for sim ple explanat ion of t he product concept . The Release vision becom es t he guiding light and t rue m easure of success for t he release wit hin t hat m et aphor. The cust om er should present t his t hem e and invit e quest ions from t he t eam . For t eam s t hat have already com plet ed a Release, t he subsequent Release Planning m eet ings should include a debrief on t he st at us of t he j ust - com plet ed Release and t he Release Ret rospect ive t hat occurred at it s end: What was our t hem e from t he last release? What was our com m it m ent ? What were our t ot al accept ed st ories? What ot her m et rics did we accum ulat e ( point s, act uals, num ber of aut om at ed t est s, num ber of defect s) ? What did we learn from t he Release Ret rospect ive? How can t his inform at ion guide us in t his Release Planning m eet ing?

C. W h a t is t h e t im e box for t h is Re le a se a n d it s I t e r a t ion s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given t he defined t hem e for t he Release and any ot her driving fact ors, what is t he t im ebox for t he Release?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Dialogue Com m e n t s: The Cust om er should present a view of t he Release t im ebox based on t he t hem e and any ot her driving fact ors ( cust om er request s, m arket ing event s, m aj or t echnical changes) . The Cust om er and t he t eam t hen det erm ine t he num ber of it erat ions and t he lengt h of each it erat ion. Keep a calendar on hand t o help t rack t he st art and st op dat e of t he Release as well as for each I t erat ion wit hin t he Release. Post t he t able of dat es on t he wall.

D . W h a t is t h e e x pe ct e d t e a m com posit ion for t h is Re le a se ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " There will be a num ber of people assum ed t o be involved in t he successful delivery of t his release vision. That m eans t hey are com m it t ed t o t he rest of t he t eam and t heir work. Wit h t hat in m ind, what is t he expect ed t eam com posit ion for t his Release?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led List ing Com m e n t s: Because t eam m akeup can shift from release t o release, creat e a list of all t eam m em bers and t heir roles. Find out if t here is ot her t eam m em ber inform at ion t hat would be useful for t he list ( locat ion, full or part t im e) . Use t his as a reference when t he t eam has com plet ed t he Release Planning and is ready t o com m it t o t he Release. All of t hese people m ust be able t o personally com m it ( i.e., no one can accept t heir com m it m ent for t hem ) .

E. W h a t is t h e e x pe ct e d t e a m ve locit y for t h e Re le a se ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given t he t eam m akeup defined on t he t eam list , t hink about your expect ed t eam velocit y. This is your capacit y t o creat e com m it m ent s around t he Release based on what we know t oday. What is t he expect ed t eam velocit y for t he Release?" Pr oce ss: Dialogue, Consensus Check Com m e n t s: For new t eam s, list each of t he t eam m em bers and det erm ine what t heir availabilit y and capacit y will be for t he Release. This m ay be in t erm s of point s, ideal weeks, or ideal days. Keep t eam s est im at ing at a high level. Do not let t hem go int o det ailed resource allocat ions or t ot al dedicat ed hours. These num bers are first best guesses at expect ed release velocit y per individual, or by t eam , not a final det ailed com m it m ent . Moreover, because t he list of st ories for t he Release is assum ed t o be incom plet e, a det ailed resource allocat ion is a wast ed invest m ent . Com bine all individual gross est im at es. This num ber defines t he t ot al velocit y ( or capacit y) of t he t eam t o t ake on st ories for t he Release. Post t his on a wall chart .

For t eam s t hat have already com plet ed a release, t his agenda it em should inst ead be a dialogue around " Yest erday's Weat her" What was our average t eam velocit y in t he last Release ( how m any point s were we able t o accept over t he course of t he Release) ? How can t hat velocit y help us det erm ine our t eam velocit y for t his Release? F. W h a t a r e a ll t h e cu r r e n t pr ior it ize d st or ie s for t h is Re le a se ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " We've been accum ulat ing st ories for t his proj ect as a m eans t o underst and t he vision for t he product and hence t he t hem e for t his Release. These st ories m ay also already have been priorit ized wit h a bit of background on t heir priorit y and int ent . What are all t he current priorit ized st ories for t his Release?" Pr oce ss: Expert I nput , Dialogue Com m e n t s: The Cust om er provides high- level inform at ion about all t he current ly ident ified, priorit ized st ories t hat m ay be planned int o t he Release. Help t he group st ay focused on t he current st ories and specific inform at ion around t hese st ories by gat hering discussion t opics on a flipchart ; lat er agenda it em s will bring out ot her st ories and list s of issues and concerns.

G. W h a t a ddit ion a l st or ie s ca n con t r ibu t e t o t h e t h e m e of t h is Re le a se ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Based on t he inform at ion we have j ust heard about t he st ories, t hink about what addit ional inform at ion we m ay have learned about t he business clim at e, m arket shift s, request ed funct ionalit y, et c. Given what we know about t hese fact ors and influences, what addit ional st ories can cont ribut e t o t he t hem e of t his Release?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Brainst orm ing, Dialogue, Grouping Com m e n t s: Groups of t hree should brainst orm wit h one anot her any new st ories t hey m ay have. Aft er all t eam s have com plet ed t heir st ories ( use a t im er t o t im ebox t his) , have each t eam debrief wit h open dialogue about t he st ories and t heir cont ent . Resolve duplicat es. Then have t he Cust om er arrange t he st ories in a priorit y order eit her t hrough silent grouping or wit h engagem ent of ot her t eam m em bers as appropriat e.

H. W hat are the t e ch n ica l con ce r n s a r ou n d t h e se st or ie s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Based on t he inform at ion we have j ust heard about t he st ories, t hink about what t he t echnical aspect s of t he product are t hat m ust be in place t o support t hese priorit ies. Think about t he archit ect ure, t he language, t he t est ing, et c. Given t his underst anding, what are t he t echnical concerns around t he st ories we have accum ulat ed?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Brainst orm ing, Grouping Com m e n t s: Capt ure brainst orm it em s on a flipchart . I f t he list becom es very long, you also m ay want t o lead t he t eam in grouping t he responses in order t o bet t er underst and t he general sense of t echnical risk.

I . W hat are the ot h e r con ce r n s or r isk s a ssocia t e d w it h t h e pr oj e ct team and the them e of t h e Re le a se ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " We've looked at t he t echnical concerns around t he priorit y st ories and added new st ories. But you m ay have ot her issues and concerns about t he goal for t he Release: business, t eam , organizat ional, logist ics, et c. What are t hese ot her concerns or risks associat ed wit h t he proj ect t eam and t he goal of t he Release?" Pr oce ss: Round Robin, Dialogue Com m e n t s: Use a round robin brainst orm ing survey of all part icipant s t o collect a broad view int o any ot her concerns or risks. The round robin will keep t hings m oving, given t hat t he t eam has already done som e sm all group brainst orm ing. Collect it em s first , t hen invit e discussion once all it em s have been docum ent ed on a flipchart . List en for and capt ure any recom m endat ions or act ions around t he concerns so t hat , when t he group is asked t o com m it t o t he Release lat er in t he agenda, t hey will have a clear view of t he com m it m ent t hey are m aking wit h regard t o m anaging t he ident ified issues.

J. Give n a ll of t h is in for m a t ion , w h a t a r e t h e e st im a t e s for t h e se st or ie s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Think about how t he t eam has worked in t he past and what it s observed velocit y has been for part icular st ory t ypes. You m ay have not iced which st ories are bigger or m ore com plex t han ot her st ories. We've now j ust reviewed t he st ories and our issues and concerns around t hem . Given all t his inform at ion, what are t he est im at es for t hese st ories?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group List ing, Wideband Delphi Est im at ing Com m e n t s: This part of t he planning works best when groups can work in sm all t eam s, collect ing st ories for which t hey are m ost qualified t o provide t ask, est im at e, and assignm ent values. The cust om er, developers, and t est ers work t oget her t o share inform at ion so t hat t he developers can t hen creat e est im at es for each st ory under considerat ion. Encourage visit ing from group- t o- group so t hat all

cont ribut ing expert s can provide guidance around t he collect ed inform at ion. Once each sm all group has com plet ed it s work, hold a group- wide readout of t he result s so t hat all inform at ion is shared at a high- level wit h all part icipant s. K. Give n t h e se e st im a t e s, w h a t pr ior it ie s h a ve sh ift e d t h a t w ou ld im pa ct t h e se t of Re le a se st or ie s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Now t hat we have creat ed a set of est im at es for t he st ories, we m ay have discovered com plexit y or effort t hat is larger t han was init ially ant icipat ed. Given t hese est im at es, what priorit ies have shift ed t hat would im pact t he st ories com m it t ed t o t he Release?" Pr oce ss: Group Dialogue Com m e n t s: This dialogue seeks feedback from t he Cust om er t o consider changing priorit ies if som e st ories appear t o m onopolize t he t eam 's com m it m ent . The developm ent t eam is invit ed t o give any addit ional inform at ion t o help t he Cust om er m ake a final decision about t he priorit ies.

L. W h a t is t h e m a ppin g of t h e se st or ie s t o e a ch of t h e Re le a se 's it e r a t ion s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " We have declared a set of it erat ions for t his Release, and we have declared a set of priorit ized, est im at ed st ories for t he Release. What is t he m apping of t hese st ories t o each of t he Release's it erat ions?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group List ing and Grouping, Dialogue Com m e n t s: This work, coupled wit h t he est im at ing work is som e of t he real heart of Release Planning. I n large t eam s, t he sm all- group approach encourages parallel work t hat can be evaluat ed once all t eam s com e back t oget her. For a sm all t eam , have all m em bers work at flipchart s t oget her t o discuss and arrange st ories from it erat ion t o it erat ion. When t he m apping of st ories across it erat ions is com plet e, m ake sure all part icipant s of t he m eet ing review t he work. Then lead t he group in a dialogue around t he m appings.

M . W h a t is t h e fin a l se t st or ie s a n d ve locit y for t h is Re le a se ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Based on t his inspect ion and dialogue around our m apping of st ories across t he Release it erat ions, are we prepared t o declare t his as our Release Plan?" Pr oce ss: Consensus Check Com m e n t s: This is a final check- in on all t he work t hat has been accom plished in t he m eet ing. By now, t he st ories, t heir priorit ies, t heir est im at es, and t heir m apping int o it erat ions should be ready for a consensus com m it m ent by t he t eam . This m ay include revising t he original Release t hem e t o accom m odat e what has been learned. Make sure t hat you have full consensus on t his agenda it em before you m ove t o close t he m eet ing. Once t he full consensus is reached, celebrat e! Taking a pict ure of t he t eam showing t heir " Fist of Five" and hanging it on t he wall is a great way t o kick- off t he high visibilit y of t he t eam 's Release com m it m ent .

N . Ba se d on t h is com m it m e n t , w h a t a r e ou r a ct ion s fr om t h is Re le a se Pla n n in g m e e t in g?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Based on all t he inform at ion and recom m endat ions we have accum ulat ed here, what is our set of act ions for next st eps?" Pr oce ss: Act ion Planning Com m e n t s: Work wit h t he t eam t o out line each act ion and it s owner. These act ions from t he Release Planning m eet ing set t he plan in m ot ion.

O. Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Have we m et our m eet ing purpose t oday?" Pr oce ss: Walk t he walls Com m e n t s: Review Purpose ( " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" ) , process Personal Obj ect ives, process Decisions Board, process Parking Lot , process Act ions Board, creat e Com m unicat ion Plan, and evaluat e t he m eet ing ( " What worked well for you t oday?" " What would you change for t he next m eet ing?" ) . Celebrat e!

I t erat ion Planning

M e e t in g N a m e :

I t e r a t ion Pla n n in g M e e t in g

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To com m it t o a set of st ories, t heir t asks, t heir est im at es, and a t eam velocit y t o support t hese

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

St ories wit h t asks, est im at es, and assignm ent s defined for t he highest priorit y Release st ories

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

Cust om er, ot her st akeholders who m ay hold inform at ion about t he request ed st ories, and t he ent ire developm ent t eam ( lead designer, developers, t est ers, doc, deploym ent , et c.)

Com m e n t s:

Age n da I t e m A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: For a new t eam , det ail t he WI I FM aspect of t he I t erat ion Planning m eet ing.

B. W h a t a r e a ll t h e st or ie s pla n n e d for t h is I t e r a t ion ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Expert I nput wit h Quest ion and Answers Com m e n t s: Always kick off t he I t erat ion Planning Meet ing wit h a recount by t he Cust om er about what was originally planned for t he it erat ion ( during Release Planning) , and what has changed as a result of preceding it erat ions and t heir result s.

C. W h a t is t h e t e a m com posit ion for t h is Spr in t ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led List ing Com m e n t s: Because t eam m akeup can shift from it erat ion t o it erat ion ( vacat ions, roles needed) , explicit ly collect t he nam es of each of t he t eam m em bers who will be involved in t his next it erat ion.

D . W h a t is t h e t ot a l t e a m ve locit y for t h e Spr in t ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led List ing Com m e n t s: I f you have used point s for est im at ing st ories in t he past , use " Yest erday's Weat her" t o declare your velocit y ( how m any point s have we t ended t o deliver in past it erat ions?" ) . Ot herwise, for each of t he t eam m em bers list ed, det erm ine what t heir availabilit y and capacit y will be for t he it erat ion ( num ber of days t hey will be available and num ber of ideal hours per day) . The sum of t hese velocit y est im at es from each person represent s t he t eam velocit y for t he it erat ion. Post t his inform at ion on t he wall for use in t he rem ainder of t he planning.

E. W h a t in for m a t ion do w e n e e d in or de r t o e st im a t e t h e se st or ie s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " The st ories we have are j ust t he st art of a conversat ion. Furt her elaborat ion m ay be needed in order t o declare t asks and est im at es for t he work of each st ory. What inform at ion do we need in order t o est im at e t hese st ories?" Pr oce ss: Dialogue Com m e n t s: As t he XP Coach, you should go t hrough each st ory and ask t he group what quest ions t hey m ay have around t he st ory, and what elaborat ion t hey m ay need from t he cust om er for t hat st ory. Have som eone record inform at ion as useful for lat er work and t est ing.

F. W h a t a r e a ll t h e t a sk s a n d t h e ir e st im a t e s for e a ch st or y ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Based on t he inform at ion we have j ust heard, we can now m ove t o t he next level of det ail about t he st ory est im at es. Think about how you have com plet ed sim ilar work in t he past , t he t asks t hat you used and t he est im at es for t hose t asks. What are all t he t asks and t heir est im at es for each st ory. Pr oce ss: Sm all Group Dialogue, List ing, Wideband Delphi Est im at ing Com m e n t s: Sm all groups should be form ed based on com ponent s or expert ises. Each group should discuss st ory cont ent and com ponent s, as well dependencies and any ot her fact ors around st ory accept ance. For each st ory, list all t he t asks necessary t o com plet e t he st ory t hrough t o accept ance. Then use Wide- Delphi Est im at ing t o converge on useful est im at es for each t ask. Com plet e a list ing of all st ories and t asks and est im at es for debrief t o t he ent ire t eam . You can do t his in a m arket place set t ing, where each t eam shares it s set of st ories, t asks, and est im at es around t he room and collect s feedback from all t he ot her t eam m em bers visit ing t heir " st all."

G. W h a t a r e t h e con ce r n s or r isk s a ssocia t e d w it h t h e se t a sk e st im a t e s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given t he inform at ion you have shared in creat ing each st ory's t asks and est im at es, you m ay have learned about som e concerns or risks t hat weren't known during t he Release Planning t hat originally m apped out t his it erat ion. What are t he concerns or risks associat ed wit h t hese t ask est im at es?" Pr oce ss: Round Robin Brainst orm Com m e n t s: Use a round robin brainst orm ing survey of all part icipant s t o collect a broad view int o any ot her concerns or risks. The round robin will keep t hings m oving, given t hat t he t eam has already done som e sm all group brainst orm ing and dialogue work. Collect it em s first , t hen invit e discussion once all it em s have been docum ent ed on a flipchart . Collect any recom m endat ions or act ions so t hat , when t he group is asked t o com m it t o t he it erat ion in t he next agenda it em , t hey will have a clear view of t he com m it m ent t hey are m aking t o m anaging t he issues.

H . Give n a ll of t h is in for m a t ion , w h a t is ou r com m it m e n t t o t h is it e r a t ion 's t im e box , ve locit y, a n d st or ie s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " I m agine it is t he end of t he it erat ion and all your work is done. Think about all t he specific t asks t hat t he t eam com plet ed in order t o m ake t he it erat ion a success wit h it s accept ed st ories. Also t hink about t he concerns and risks we m aneuvered during t he it erat ion in order t o accom plish t his. Given all t his inform at ion, what is our com m it m ent t o t his it erat ion's t im ebox, velocit y, and st ories?" Pr oce ss: Consensus Check Com m e n t s: This is a final check- in on all t he work t hat has been accom plished in t he m eet ing. By now, t he st ories, t heir t asks, and t heir est im at es should be ready for a consensus com m it m ent by t he t eam . Use a " Fist of Five" consensus, t ake a pict ure of t he t eam , and hang it on t he wall as a way t o kick- off t he it erat ion.

I . Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Have we m et our m eet ing purpose t oday?" Pr oce ss: Walk t he walls Com m e n t s: Review Purpose ( " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" ) , process Personal Obj ect ives, process Decisions Board, process Parking Lot , process Act ions Board, creat e Com m unicat ion Plan, and evaluat e t he m eet ing ( " What worked well for you t oday?" " What would you change for t he next m eet ing?" ) . Celebrat e!

Daily St andup

M e e t in g N a m e :

D a ily St a n du p

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To det erm ine t he progress of t he t eam 's com m it m ent s from t he previous st at us m eet ing and t o not e any act ions necessary t o rem ove im pedim ent s and t o help t he t eam reach it s it erat ion goal

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

An updat ed " To Do" list and/ or Burndown Chart wit h rem aining effort hours per t ask; a list of post m eet ing act ions based on any im pedim ent s raised as obst acles

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

Team m em bers provide t heir st at us; t he XP Coach/ Tracker docum ent s updat es and act ions. Proj ect St akeholders observe.

Com m e n t s:

The Daily St andup is t he st and- up st at us m eet ing t hat keeps t he t eam focused on it s it erat ion com m it m ent s, as individuals and as a t eam . The purpose of t he m eet ing is t o det erm ine what im pedim ent s need t o be rem oved and t o elim inat e dist ract ions t hat m ay be harm ing t he t eam 's progress. Team m em bers provide t his inform at ion t o one anot her and t o t he st akeholder observers at t he m eet ing; t he XP coach sim ply facilit at es t hese com m unicat ions. ( St akeholders are invit ed t o observe but are not allowed t o part icipat e/ speak; t hey consult wit h t he XP Coach about t heir observat ions aft er t he m eet ing.) During t he m eet ing, t he XP Coach list ens for act ion it em s and docum ent s t hese, bot h for t eam act ions and for personal follow- up wit h St akeholders. Addit ionally, t he Coach updat es any I t erat ion docum ent at ion ( Burndown Chart , Task Board, et c.) . Part icipant s should st ick t o st at us only, no problem solving. The m eet ing is always conduct ed st anding up.

Age n da I t e m

A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Are we ready t o st art t he Daily St andup?" Pr oce ss: n.a. Com m e n t s: Because it occurs daily, don't bot her wit h a form al opening. I nst ead, use t he opening as t he t im e t o enforce t he " St art ing on t im e" rules t he t eam has agreed t o use ( penalt y, fine, singing, charit y) . Once t he m eet ing is ready t o st art , use round robin t o query each t eam m em ber for his or her st at us. Each t eam m em ber provides st at us t o t he t hree agenda quest ions B, C, and D before t he Round Robin cont inues t o t he next part icipant .

B. W h a t did you do sin ce t h e la st m e e t in g?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " What did you do yest erday?" Pr oce ss: Round Robin Com m e n t s: Keep part icipant s specific t o t heir com m it m ent s t hat t hey m ade in t he last st at us m eet ing. Did t hey m eet t heir com m it m ent s or not ?

C. W h a t a r e you com m it t in g t o com ple t in g be for e t h e n e x t m e e t in g?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " What are you com m it t ing t o com plet ing t oday?" Pr oce ss: Cont inuat ion of t he Round Robin Com m e n t s: Here again, keep t eam m em bers focused on t he com m it m ent s t hey are willing t o m ake t o ot her t eam m em bers wit h regard t o t he t eam 's I t erat ion Backlog.

D . W h a t is ge t t in g in you r w a y?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " What is get t ing in your way?" Pr oce ss: Cont inuat ion of t he Round Robin Com m e n t s: This is t he XP Coach's chance t o find out how t o serve t he t eam . Find im pedim ent s and rem ove t hem . Any blockage or im pedim ent report ed here should becom e an Act ion I t em , eit her for t he XP Coach t o handle out side of t he t eam , or for a subset of t he t eam t o resolve as prom pt ed and arranged by t he Coach. The XP Coach or Tracker always t racks t hese Act ion I t em s.

E. W h a t is t h e u pda t e t o t h e t e a m Bu r n dow n Ch a r t ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Based on all t he st at us provided here, what is t he updat e t o t he t eam Burndown Chart ?" Pr oce ss: List ing Com m e n t s: The XP Coach ensures t hat each t eam m em ber has provided " To Do" est im at es from each m em ber and records t he responses in t he I t erat ion's Burndown Chart .

F. Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " What are all our act ions as a result of t his st at us inform at ion?" Pr oce ss: Act ion Planning Com m e n t s: Close t he Daily St andup by reviewing any collect ed act ion it em s wit h t heir due dat e and t he owner of t he act ion. These should be part of t he round robin review for each subsequent Daily St andup. Lim it t he m eet ing t o 15 m inut es.

I t erat ion Ret rospect ive Meet ing

M e e t in g N a m e :

I t e r a t ion D e m o a n d Re vie w

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To learn feat ure funct ionalit y from t he accept ed st ories in t he it erat ion, and t o det erm ine t he im pact on t he Release plan, priorit ies, and subsequent it erat ions

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

New list of priorit ized st ories, furt her elaborat ion of int ended funct ionalit y, a list of issues and concerns, and a list of recom m endat ions about t eam pract ices

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

Cust om er, St akeholders, developers, t est ers, XP Coach, and any ot her int erest ed part ies

Com m e n t s:

The I t erat ion Dem o and Review m eet ing dem onst rat es t he t eam 's it erat ion com m it m ent t o t he Cust om er and any ot her St akeholders. Planned by t he XP Coach, t eam m em bers dem onst rat e t he funct ionalit y t hat t hey have com plet ed during t he it erat ion and collect feedback from t he Cust om er and st akeholders. Based on t he dem o and discussion, t he m eet ing part icipant s t hen review t he im pact of t he it erat ion on t he Release and any subsequent it erat ions: what priorit ies have changed; what t eam st ruct ure has alt ered; what t eam pract ices should shift ; what issues and concerns m ust be addressed? Finally t he m eet ing ends wit h an I t erat ion Ret rospect ive t hat draws out t he t eam 's recom m endat ions about it s pract icess t hat can be applied in t he next I t erat ion. Don't allow t he t eam t o t ake m ore t han four hours t o prepare t he dem o for t he m eet ing. Keep t he m eet ing under t wo hours. Som e process suggest ions: Dem o should be prepared in advance. Mem bers should t ake t urns running t he m eet ing. The person who accept ed t he st ory could be t he person who dem os it s accept ance; t his is a

powerful st at em ent about accept ance. Consider adding an agenda it em : " What did t his it erat ion look like?" ( " Pict ure This" Exercise) for t eam s j ust st art ing XP or for t eam s when t he it erat ion has been part icularly har d.

Age n da I t e m A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: Once you have com plet ed t he m eet ing st art up wit h Purpose, Agenda, Organizing Tools, et c., collect personal obj ect ives. I t will be an im port ant point for bringing out ret rospect ion and reflect ion. Be sure t o go t hrough t he " What 's I n I t For Me" and t he Scope of Aut horit y for t he ent ire t eam .

B. W h a t w a s ou r com m it m e n t of st or ie s for t h is I t e r a t ion ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " We kicked off t his it erat ion wit h a planning m eet ing t hat defined a set of st ories wit h t heir t asks and est im at es. What was our com m it m ent of st ories for t his it erat ion?" Pr oce ss: Expert I nput Com m e n t s: The XP Coach or a t eam m em ber reviews all t he st ories t o which t he t eam had com m it t ed in t he I t erat ion Planning m eet ing.

C. W h a t w a s ou r fin a l se t of a cce pt e d st or ie s for t h is it e r a t ion ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a.

D . W h a t is ou r de m on st r a t ion of t h e se st or ie s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given t he st ories t hat have been accept ed, what is our dem onst rat ion of t hese st ories?"

Pr oce ss: Expert I nput Com m e n t s: The XP Coach or t eam m em ber reviews which st ories had been com plet ed t hrough t o accept ance. This helps set up which dem os will be present ed.

Pr oce ss: Expert I nput , Dialogue Com m e n t s: Here, t he Cust om er or t eam m em bers dem onst rat e what has been accept ed during t he it erat ion. Observers and t eam m em bers provide feedback and recom m endat ions based on t he dem onst rat ed funct ionalit y. Make sure t his does not t urn int o problem solving. Use t he Parking Lot t o t able lengt hy discussions, or creat e an Act ion I t em for a follow- up m eet ing around t he issue.

E. W h a t w a s ou r e st im a t e d ve locit y ve r su s ou r a ct u a l ve locit y?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " At t he beginning of t he I t erat ion, we est im at ed a velocit y based on det ailing of t asks for each of t he st ories in t he I t erat ion. Our act ual velocit y is based on t he st ories t hat were accept ed. What was our est im at ed velocit y versus our act ual velocit y?" Pr oce ss: Expert I nput , Dialogue Com m e n t s: The XP Coach reviews t he det ails of t he t eam 's original velocit y est im at e and t hen covers t he det ails of t he act ual velocit y: daily t rends, overall t rends, except ion sit uat ions, m aj or t urning point s, unexpect ed com plexit ies, or im pedim ent s.

F. W h a t did w e le a r n a bou t ou r e st im a t e s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given what we had proposed as our velocit y versus what we have been able t o observe as our velocit y, what did we learn about our est im at es?" Pr oce ss: Large Group Dialogue Com m e n t s: The t eam reviews t he result s of t he dem o and t he com parison of t he est im at ed velocit y versus t he act ual velocit y in order t o m ake recom m endat ions about how t hey will est im at e t heir next it erat ion. This m ay also im pact t he high- level est im at es for it em s current ly planned for t he Release.

G. W h a t ch a n ge s a r e t h e r e in t h e se t of pr ior it ize d st or ie s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " The dem o helps us not only t o see funct ionalit y in act ion, but also t o ponder t he current vision for t he Release and t he st ories t hat support it . Given what we have seen in t he dem o and what we have learned from our est im at es, what changes are t here in t he set of priorit ized st ories?" Pr oce ss: Large Group Dialogue Com m e n t s: I n t his agenda it em , t he Cust om er provides feedback on what she has learned based on all t he m eet ing work t o t his point . This includes dialogue t o draw out guidance from t he t eam and t he St akeholders in order t o m ake useful changes. This m ay include adding st ories, rem oving st ories, repriorit izing st ories, or reest im at ing st ories. Keep t his act ivit y ext rem ely focused and away from in- dept h problem solving. The t eam should provide guidance t hat is specific t o t he high- level view of st ories. When discussion becom es in- dept h, use t he Parking Lot , or creat e an Act ion I t em for a lat er conversat ion.

H. W hat docum e nt e d issu e s/ con ce r n s w e r e w e a ble t o a ddr e ss?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Looking back on t he concerns and risks we had docum ent ed at t he st art of t he it erat ion, t hink about how we eit her m anaged t hose concerns or wat ched t hem end up becom ing nonissues. What docum ent ed concerns and risks were we able t o address?" Pr oce ss: Large Group Dialogue Com m e n t s: Keep t he group working as one t eam t o t alk t hrough how t hey faced t heir docum ent ed issues and concerns. This will feed recom m endat ions about t eam pract ices for t he next I t erat ion or act ion it em s following t his m eet ing.

I . W h a t a r e ou r cu r r e n t issu e s/ con ce r n s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Think about how we were able t o m eet our com m it m ent and what m ay st ill be a challenge in t erm s of m eet ing fut ure it erat ion com m it m ent s. You m ay recognize eit her a persist ent problem or a newly em erging one. What are our current issues and concerns?" Pr oce ss: Sm all Group List ing Com m e n t s: Have each group work t hrough t heir own set of issues and concerns. This prom ot es open dialogue t hat t hen helps t he ent ire group underst and what t he t ot al set of issues and concerns are. For a sm all enough t eam , use Facilit at or- led List ing for t he ent ire group.

J. W h a t w or k e d w e ll Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " During t he it erat ion, we t h a t w e 'd do a ga in ? engaged in any num ber of t eam pract ices t o help us get t o t his dem o and review. Considering how our it erat ion worked, what worked well t hat we'd do again?" Pr oce ss: Brainst orm ing Com m e n t s: This is t he group's chance t o validat e t heir pract ices and st andardize as appropriat e. You are now invit ing t he t eam t o m ove beyond t he m echanics of t he I t erat ion and t o ret rospect about it s own norm s, t eam pract ices, st andards, et c. K. W h a t pr a ct ice s w ou ld w e a lt e r / dr op?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Think back over t he it erat ion. We m ay have had som e difficult ies in how we were working, com m unicat ing, delivering, com m it t ing, et c. Considering t he ways t hat we chose t o work, what pract ices would we alt er or drop?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Brainst orm ing, Dialogue Com m e n t s: Encourage open dialogue around brainst orm responses so t hat t he t eam can fully agree on what pract ices really should be alt ered or dropped. I n part icular, pay at t ent ion t o any suggest ion t hat would alt er a fundam ent al pract ice of XP. Only a high- perform ing t eam should alt er or change t hese basic pract ices.

L. W h a t n e w pr a ct ice s w ou ld w e w a n t t o in t r odu ce in t o ou r n e x t I t e r a t ion ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given our list of what t o keep and what t o change or drop, you m ay also be able t o t hink about new pract ices, eit her som et hing you have t ried in a different t eam , or som et hing you have learned since t he last I t erat ion Planning m eet ing. What new pract ices would we want t o int roduce int o our next it erat ion?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Brainst orm ing, Dialogue Com m e n t s: Lead t he t eam in brainst orm ing any new ideas wit hout rem arking on t heir applicabilit y, posit ive or negat ive. Then go t hrough t he it em s oneby- one t o gain consensus around which pract ices t o absorb for t he next it erat ion. Docum ent t he recom m endat ions on a flipchart for use in t he next I t erat ion Planning m eet ing.

M . Ba se d on ou r w or k ove r t h e la st it e r a t ion , w h a t a ppr e cia t ion s do w e h a ve for in dividu a ls?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Before we close t he m eet ing, we have an opport unit y t o openly ext end grat it ude t o ot hers for som et hing t hey did t hat had a part icularly valuable im pact on t he success of t he I t erat ion. This m ay be a t eam m em ber, a st akeholder, or som eone out side t he t eam who had support ed t he t eam . Based on our work over t he last it erat ion, what appreciat ions do we have for individuals?" Pr oce ss: Brainst orm ing Com m e n t s: Ask part icipant s t o form t heir sent ences in a way t hat direct ly applies t o a part icular individual and an act ion t hat person t ook: " I appreciat e t hat Biada pulled t oget her all t he t est dat a and m ade sure t hat t he t est plat form was set up in t im e for us t o get our final accept ance com plet ed before t he end of t he it erat ion."

N . W h a t is ou r Act ion Pla n for n e x t st e ps?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Based on all t he inform at ion and recom m endat ions we have accum ulat ed here, what is our set of act ions for next st eps?" Pr oce ss: Act ion Planning Com m e n t s: Work wit h t he t eam t o ensure t hat t hey have t he appropriat e set of act ions t hat can m ove t heir decisions forward from t he dem onst rat ion and review.

O. Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" Pr oce ss: Walking t he walls Com m e n t s: Review Purpose ( " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" ) , process Personal Obj ect ives, process Decisions Board, process Parking Lot , process Act ions Board, creat e Com m unicat ion Plan, and evaluat e t he m eet ing ( " What worked well for you t oday?" " What would you change for t he next m eet ing?" ) . Celebrat e!

Release Ret rospect ive Meet ing

M e e t in g N a m e :

Re le a se Re t r ospe ct ive

M e e t in g Pu r pose :

To reflect on a release's t im eline, m em bers, t he out com es, t he highlight s, and t he lowlight s in order t o form observat ions for recom m endat ions on subsequent releases for t he t eam

M e e t in g Ou t pu t s:

A wall chart of t he proj ect t im eline, populat ed wit h event s, t eam m em bers, highs, and lows; recom m endat ions on what lessons were learned and what best pract ices were harvest ed

M e e t ing Pa r t icipa n t s:

All m em bers of t he t eam

Com m e n t s:

Because XP and I ndust rial XP are so fundam ent ally linked t o creat ing and absorbing change, t he Release Ret rospect ive creat es a crit ical healt h check for t he t eam . Through t he reflect ion gained in t his m eet ing, t he t eam can t ake a larger view of t heir set of ongoing pract ices and how t his im pact s t heir longt erm viabilit y as an XP t eam . The Release Ret rospect ive differs slight ly from t he I t erat ion Ret rospect ive t hat t akes place wit h t he I t erat ion Dem o and Review in t hat it is m ore focused on t he passage of t im e and t he event s t hat occurred during t hat t im e. I t erat ion Ret rospect ives t end t o focus on specific m et rics and pract ices around t he I t erat ion; a Release Ret rospect ive m ay draw t hat out based on inform at ion in t he t im eline, but it doesn't necessarily focus on m et rics t hat have already been accum ulat ed in each I t erat ion Ret rospect ive m eet ing. I f t he release involved a num ber of organizat ions, or if t he work involved dist ribut ed sub- t eam s, you m ay consider having t eam m em bers fill out a survey prior t o com ing t o t he m eet ing. As in a silent grouping exercise, for t he m apping and t im elining exercises of t he ret rospect ive, encourage silent act ivit y. Each person wit h it em s for t he

t im eline should silent ly place t heir it em s on t he t im eline. I f t he release has proven t o be a rough one, t he t eam could be in a " St orm ing" m ode, not having ever achieved " Perform ing." Be prepared t o deal wit h conflict and em ot ion. Em phasize your neut ral role. Build in lot s of t im e for silence and reflect ion once t he t im eline has been creat ed and t he t eam st art s t o populat e it wit h t heir highlight s and lowlight s. Addit ionally, you m ay want t o add an ext ra agenda it em aft er t he com plet ion of t he t im eline wit h highlight s and lowlight s. Ask t eam m em bers t o draw a pict ure of what t he release felt like t o t hem . These pict ures can be post ed on t he wall along wit h t he t im eline. Plan t o conduct a one- day event if at all possible. This allows am ple t im e t o creat e t he t im eline and t o m ine t he inform at ion it holds. Addit ionally, t he t eam will need t im e t o delve int o t he specific release challenges and t he result s of t he t eam 's responses t o t hose challenges. Finally, a release ret rospect ive m ust produce act ions t hat can direct ly and posit ively im pact t he t eam 's success in t he next Release.

Age n da I t e m A. Ope n in g

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : n.a. Pr oce ss: Meet ing St art up Com m e n t s: Personal obj ect ives are very im port ant in a Release Ret rospect ive. Also be sure t o st ress t he WI I FM aspect of t he m eet ing.

B. W h o w e r e t h e m e m be r s of t h e pr oj e ct t e a m , a n d w h a t w e r e t h e ir r ole s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " I 'd like you t o t hink about t his release in it s m any form s; in part icular right now, I 'd like you t o t hink about all t he people who were involved in t he release. Think about t he ent ire com m unit y of t eam m em bers, cust om ers, and ot hers who cont ribut ed t o t he release at som e point in t he release t im eline. Who were all t he m em bers of t he proj ect t eam , and what were t heir roles?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led List ing Com m e n t s: You are looking for t he full list of people who cont ribut ed t o t he Release. Pay at t ent ion t o t he various roles. Even if som eone was only involved in t he Release for one it erat ion, t hey should be list ed here. Their st art and end t im es in t he Release will be t racked in t he release t im eline.

C. W h a t w a s t h e t im e lin e of t h is Re le a se ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Think back on t he act ual st art of t his Release and how it was subdivided int o m ult iple it erat ions t hat ended on t he Release enddat e. There m ay have been ot her significant dat es during t hat t im e as well. What was t he t im eline of t he Release?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or Tim elining Com m e n t s: Creat e a wall chart wit h t he Release st art and end dat es on it . This is divided int o large segm ent s, one for each it erat ion of t he Release. Now solicit im port ant dat es from t he t eam and list t hose as well.

D . W h e n did e a ch pe r son j oin / le a ve t h e Re le a se ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given t he release t im eline and t he full list of t eam m em bers, I 'd like you t o now form a m ap of when each person was involved in t he Release. Be t hinking about event s you know t hat engaged each person. When did each person j oin or leave t he Release?" Pr oce ss: List ing, Mapping Com m e n t s: I f t his was a short release, or if t he t eam was whole for t he durat ion of t he Release, you can skip t his agenda it em . Conduct t his it em in t wo st eps. First use t he list of part icipant s and record each st art and end dat e. Then, wit h t wo st icky not es per person ( one t hat signifies when t hey j oined t he proj ect and one t hat signifies when t hey left t he proj ect ) , you can fill in t he t im eline wall chart . Consider using one color for when a person j oined and anot her color for when a person left t he Release.

E. W h a t w e r e t h e t e a m h igh ligh t s a n d low ligh t s in t h e t im e lin e ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " I n t his t im eline of it erat ion t im eboxes, t here are also non- t im eboxorient ed event s wort h not ing, m om ent s or event s when t he t eam j ust felt as t hough it was really flowing well. Or perhaps t here were specific event s or t im es when t he t eam was feeling low and st ruggling. Thinking about all t his, what were t he t eam highlight s and lowlight s in t he t im eline?" Pr oce ss: Brainst orm , Mapping Com m e n t s: I ndividuals should brainst orm on t heir own, one response per st icky, and t hen silent ly place t heir cont ribut ions on t he m ap. You m ay want t o creat e a layer across t he ent ire t im eline for t hese t eam highlight s and lowlight s, using a different color for each. Make sure t o give t his act ivit y a good am ount of t im e for t he brainst orm ing. A t eam not used t o reflect ing on it s highlight s and lowlight s will need t im e t o have t hese em erge.

F. W h a t w e r e t h e pe r son a l a n d in dividu a l h igh ligh t s a n d low ligh t s in t h e t im e lin e ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Now t hink about what was happening for you during t his Release. What was going on wit h your fam ily, your hom e, your career? Did you m ove, have a baby, get m arried, lose a loved one? What were your personal and individual highlight s and lowlight s in t he t im eline?" Pr oce ss: Brainst orm , Mapping, Dialogue Com m e n t s: This agenda it em and t he next one m ay bring out em ot ion in a t eam t hat st ruggled or had t o deal wit h a very st ressful Release. I f t here is a sense of failure about t he t eam , t he Release, or t he individual, t his agenda it em and t he previous one will bring it out . Be prepared t o engage in careful dialogue. Encourage sharing of reflect ion but discourage blam e or at t ack.

G. W h a t a r e ou r obse r va t ion s a bou t t h is t im e lin e w it h t h e se k e y e ve n t s, and the team and pe r son a l h igh ligh t s a n d low ligh t s?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " We now have a fairly ext ensive view int o what our Release looked like from a variet y of angles. There m ay be som e t hings t hat surprise you, perhaps som e revelat ions about event s and colleagues. Take som e t im e now t o review t he ent ire t im eline and reflect . What are your observat ions about t his t im eline wit h it s highlight s and lowlight s?" Pr oce ss: Dialogue Com m e n t s: Encourage people t o silent ly walk along t he t im eline chart . They should t ake at least five m inut es t o look over t he t ot al set of m at erials. You m ay also want t o encourage t hem t o writ e down som e of t heir observat ions. Once t he t im e of observat ion is over, lead t he group in sharing observat ions t hrough group dialogue. This is anot her agenda it em t hat needs lot s of t im e. Give t his an hour in a full- day ret rospect ive. Reflect ion on t he t im eline should bring out a lot of dialogue and observat ion as well as m oving int o int erpret at ion of why event s, high or low, occurred in t he Release as t hey did.

H . H ow did w e a ddr e ss ou r issu e s a n d r isk s t h a t w e r e ide n t ifie d a t t h e st a r t of t h e Re le a se ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " During Release Planning, we capt ured issues and risks t hat could pot ent ially have a negat ive im pact on t he t eam 's com m it m ent t o t he Release t hem e. Reviewing t hese it em s, how did we address our issues and risks t hat were ident ified at t he st art of t he Release?" Pr oce ss: Dialogue Com m e n t s: Bring t he Release Planning m eet ing issues and risks t o t his m eet ing as a flipchart so t hat t he t eam can be rem inded of what t hey had docum ent ed. Engage t he t eam in reflect ing on t he flow of t he t im eline event s and where t hey were able t o address part icular issues or risks. Find out what were ongoing issues or risks t hat didn't go away and capt ure t hese on a flipchart .

I . Ba se d on t h e se obse r va t ion s, w h a t pr a ct ice s w ou ld w e k e e p for t h e n e x t Re le a se ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Having reflect ed on t he proj ect and it s t im eline as well as t he issues and risks of t he Release, you now have an opport unit y t o t hink about m odes of working, report ing, or creat ing decisions t hat worked well for you. Based on t hese observat ions, what pract ices would you keep for t he next Release?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Brainst orm , Dialogue Com m e n t s: This is a pivot al agenda it em for t he Ret rospect ive: learning what t he t eam would bring forward t o subsequent releases. Aft er t he brainst orm ing, invit e dialogue so t hat t he group can creat e som e consensus on t heir recom m endat ions.

J. W h a t pr a ct ice s w ou ld you a lt e r or dr op?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Think back over t he release. We m ay have had som e difficult ies in how we were working, com m unicat ing, delivering, com m it t ing, et c. Considering t he ways t hat we chose t o work, what pract ices would we alt er or drop?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Brainst orm ing, Dialogue Com m e n t s: Encourage open dialogue around brainst orm responses so t hat t he t eam can fully agree on what pract ices really should be alt ered or dropped. I n part icular, pay at t ent ion t o any suggest ion t hat would alt er a fundam ent al pract ice of XP. Only a high- perform ing t eam should alt er or change t hese basic pract ices.

K. W h a t n e w pr a ct ice s w ou ld you lik e t o t r y in t h e n e x t Re le a se ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Given our list of what t o keep and what t o change or drop, you m ay also be able t o t hink about new pract ices, eit her som et hing you have t ried in a different t eam , or som et hing you have learned since t he last Release Planning m eet ing. What new pract ices would we want t o int roduce int o our next release?" Pr oce ss: Facilit at or- led Brainst orm ing, Dialogue Com m e n t s: Lead t he t eam in brainst orm ing any new ideas wit hout rem arking on t heir applicabilit y, posit ive or negat ive. Then go t hrough t he it em s oneby- one t o gain consensus around which pract ices t o absorb for t he next release.

L. W h a t a ppr e cia t ion s do w e h a ve t o offe r on e a not he r ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Having reflect ed on t he Release and it s t im eline, you now have an opport unit y t o t hink about t he special cont ribut ions various t eam m em bers have m ade. Think about t hose very specific act ions an individual t ook t hat im pact ed you posit ively during t he Release. What are t he appreciat ions we have t o offer one anot her?" Pr oce ss: Brainst orm ing Com m e n t s: Guide part icipant s t o respond by using t he form at : " I appreciat e t hat ( person's nam e) …" as in " I appreciat e t hat Gail was always willing t o pair on writ ing aut om at ed t est script s." Also consider having an awards cerem ony ( oldest art ifact , funniest art ifact , m ost represent at ive art ifact ) . You should alert people t o t his in advance of t he ret rospect ive.

M . W h a t is ou r Act ion Pla n fr om ou r r e t r ospe ct ion ?

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Based on all t he inform at ion and recom m endat ions we have accum ulat ed here, what is our set of act ions for next st eps?" Pr oce ss: Act ion Planning Com m e n t s: You m ay want t o first priorit ize t he recom m endat ions about alt ered pract ices, dropped pract ices, and new pract ices before m oving int o act ion planning, part icularly if t here are m any cont roversial, or cont radict ory recom m endat ions.

N . Close

Pr om pt Qu e st ion : " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" Pr oce ss: Walking t he walls Com m e n t s: Review Purpose ( " Have we m et t his purpose t oday?" ) , process Personal Obj ect ives, process Decisions Board, process Parking Lot , process Act ions Board, creat e Com m unicat ion Plan, and evaluat e t he m eet ing ( " What worked well for you t oday?" " What would you change for t he next m eet ing?" ) . Celebrat e!

Bibliography Abrashoff, Capt ainD. Michael. I t 's Your Ship: Managem ent Techniques from t he Best Dam n Ship in t he Navy . New York: Warner Books, 2002. Am bler, Scot t . Agile Modeling: Effect ive Pract ices for Ext rem e Program m ing and t he Unified Process . New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2002. Beck, Kent . Ext rem e Program m ing Explained: Em brace Change Pearson Educat ion, 2005.

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Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z]

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] ***search italic

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] Abrashoff, D. Michael acceptance Ackermann, Gerhardt acocuntability collborative teams Action Plan 2nd 3rd action plans completing completing action plans completing communication plans 2nd adding tem members agendas [See also meetings] backlogs, maintaining 2nd evaluating 2nd introducing mapping ogranizing tools, posting with 2nd 3rd 4th planning 2nd accomplishing outcomes 2nd defining purpose of determining deliverables/outcomes 2nd mapping natural progression of stating agenda items as questions 2nd 3rd steps for 2nd reviewing setting Agile Manifesto Agile modeling design meetings Agile Practices Planning meetings 2nd AI (Appreciative Inquiry) Ambler, Scott 2nd applications conversation management documentation management presence-based process management survey Appreciative Inquiry (AI) arguments, destructive 2nd 3rd artful making assignment of projects limiting commitments attendee charts (as organizing tools) Austin, Rob 2nd authority, scope of

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] backlogs (agendas), maintaining 2nd Bacon, Tim bad facilitation experiences in the past bad status meetings, characteristics of ballpoint pens BDUF (big design up front) Beck, Kent 2nd 3rd 4th being your own person Bens, Ingrid 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Best Thinking big design up front (BDUF) blame, eliminating 2nd Blitz Planning Workshop 2nd 3rd 4th bolters, managing Booch, Grady brainstorming 2nd 3rd dyad mode 2nd sharing 2nd group brainstorming of labels 2nd individual mode 2nd sharing 2nd small-group work 2nd deligating dialogues 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Personal Objectives Excerise 2nd techniques 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th applying for listing 2nd 3rd 4th breakout room lists (as organizing tools) breaks (meetings), providing food and drinks for bridging meetings 2nd 3rd business scope meetings 2nd butcher paper

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] carbohygrates categories of meetings Agile modeling design Agile Practices Planning 2nd business scope 2nd design Iteration Planning 2nd one-on-one 2nd planning 2nd 3rd 4th Release Planning 2nd retrospection 2nd 3rd status 2nd 3rd 4th 5th unnecessary 2nd categorizing information 2nd creating timelines defining Impact/Effort Grids 2nd 3rd facilitator-led 2nd facilitator-led labeling group brainstorming of labels 2nd MoSCoW PRL 2nd multi-voting/dot voting PRL 2nd 3rd Pass the Cards PRL 2nd prioritizing and weighting 2nd priority/weighting grids 2nd 3rd 4th silent grouping celebrating the work Center for Applied Ethics certification facilitation change collaborative teams responses to Process Change Workshops 2nd 3rd 4th characteristics of bad status meetings characteristics of collaboration cultures characteristics of collaborative teams commitment 2nd consensus-driven 2nd constructive and useful disagreements empowerment participatory in decision making 2nd self-organizing trust vision on success chartering Project Chartering Meeting 2nd project meetings projects

charts Teams Self-Assessment Chart Wolrd Impact chat Chicago Bulls clearing the parking lot closing meetings bridging 2nd 3rd celebrating the work clearing the parking lot completing action plans completing communication plans 2nd reflecting on reviewing personal objectives reviewing purpose and agendas Cockburn, Alistair 2nd 3rd 4th coercion coffee Cohn, Mike 2nd 3rd collaboration Agile Manifesto cultures 2nd 3rd 4th competence cultivating customers 2nd definition of distributed teams applying frequent communications conference calls 2nd 3rd 4th maintaining metaphors managing conflict non-interactive tools 2nd real-time interactive technologies 2nd 3rd generic project meetings Process Change Workshops 2nd 3rd 4th Project Retrospective Meetings 2nd 3rd Project Startup Meetings 2nd 3rd Status Meetings Strategic Action Planning 2nd 3rd guerilla 2nd 3rd 4th 5th management 2nd 3rd asking questions 2nd consensus, driving to 2nd corporate 2nd eliminating blame 2nd establishing convictions 2nd facilitation lessons 2nd fostering self-organization 2nd 3rd information sharing, encouraging 2nd maintaining positive attitudes principles of D. Michael Abrashoff principles of Phil Jackson reducing power of presence servant leadership principles 2nd 3rd organizations facilitation training and certification measurement and reflection Shu-Ha-Ri model 2nd 3rd participants

determining interviewing 2nd preparing for 2nd 3rd setting expectations 2nd 3rd surveying 2nd small teams decision making processes follow-up 2nd managing 2nd planning for two members 2nd collaborative conflict resolution 2nd 3rd 4th collboration teams [See also teams] Collins, Jim 2nd commitment teams 2nd commitments projects assigning communication distributed teams meetings Agile Practices Planning 2nd business scope 2nd defining Iteration Planning 2nd planning 2nd 3rd 4th Release Planning 2nd status 2nd 3rd 4th 5th organizing tools 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Action Plan 2nd 3rd Communication Plan 2nd consensus 2nd 3rd Decisions Board defining 2nd Ground Rules 2nd 3rd 4th Parking Lot 2nd 3rd posting agendas with 2nd 3rd 4th selecting 2nd 3rd 4th setting meeting purpose with 2nd 3rd 4th Communication Plan 2nd communication plans completing 2nd competence cultures completing action plans communication plans 2nd composure, maintaining 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th compromises conference calls distributed teams 2nd 3rd 4th video conflict distributed teams encouraging 2nd 3rd history of between participants non-productivity and reacting to 2nd resolving 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th consensus

as an organizing tool 2nd 3rd consensus, driving to 2nd consensus-driven teams 2nd consequences of meetings constructive conflict 2nd 3rd constructive disagreements (teams) continuous talking, managing contracts negotiation 2nd convergence evolution of teams 2nd 3rd evolution team reasons for faltering 2nd conversation management applications corporate leadership skills 2nd Covey, Stephen Crystal Crystal Clear Reflection Workshop teams defining Crystal Clear methodology Blitz Planning Workshop 2nd 3rd 4th Methodology Shaping meeting 2nd 3rd Reflection Workshop 2nd 3rd cultivating cultures cultures (collaboration) 2nd 3rd 4th competence cultivating customers collaboration 2nd

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] Daily Scrum Meeting 2nd daily short status meetings Daily Standup Meeting 2nd daily standup meetings [See also status meetings] Danforth, Janet 2nd deadlines decision making partipatory in 2nd reevaluating 2nd decision making processes small teams Decisions Board defining organizing tools 2nd project collaboration events Agile Practices Planning meetings 2nd business scope meetings 2nd Iteration Planning meetings 2nd planning meetings 2nd 3rd 4th Release Planning meetings 2nd retrospection meetings 2nd 3rd status meetings 2nd 3rd 4th 5th unnecessary meetings 2nd working sessions 2nd 3rd 4th 5th purpose of meetings teams 2nd defining Impact/Effort Grids 2nd 3rd deligation small-group work sessions deliverables (meetings), determining 2nd Derby, Esther descion-making processes collaboration cultures 2nd 3rd design meetings Agile modeling destructive arguments 2nd 3rd development test-driven Devin, Lee 2nd dialogues small-groups 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th dialogues (teams) principles of 2nd small group discussions 2nd 3rd dietary restrictions, managing disagreements (constructive and useful) DISC model (of team roles) 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th discipline Discovery?Exploration?Decision meeting roadmap

disinterest in meetings distributed teams conference calls 2nd 3rd 4th frequent communication, applying managing conflict metaphors, maintaining non-interactive tools 2nd real-time interactive technologies 2nd 3rd distributing team members 2nd 3rd 4th divergence evolution of teams 2nd 3rd reasons for faltering 2nd documentation management applications meetings bridging documents agenda backlogs, maintaining 2nd dot voting PRL 2nd 3rd drinks (for meetings), providing 2nd dropping out of meetings, managing DSDM (Dynamic Systems Development Methodology) dyad mode (brainstorming) 2nd sharing 2nd Dynamic Systems Development Methodology (DSDM) dysfunction, managing 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] effective dialogue, principles of 2nd electronic whiteboards empowerment collaborative teams encouraging conflict 2nd 3rd Envision phase (of projects) estimation teams T-shirt sizing 2nd 3rd triangulating 2nd velocity-based 2nd Wideband Delphi 2nd 3rd evaluation agendas 2nd events project collaboration Agile Practices Planning meetings 2nd business scope meetings 2nd defining Iteration Planning meetings 2nd planning meetings 2nd 3rd 4th Release Planning meetings 2nd retrospection meetings 2nd 3rd status meetings 2nd 3rd 4th 5th unnecessary meetings 2nd working sessions 2nd 3rd 4th 5th evolution of teams 2nd 3rd expectations for meetings, setting 2nd 3rd expert input 2nd 3rd expert materials (as organizing tools) experts dominates, managing someone who Extreme Programming Extreme Programming (XP) meetings Daily Standup Meeting 2nd Iteration Demo and Review Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th Project Chartering Meeting 2nd Release Planning Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Release Retrospective Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] facilitation guerilla 2nd 3rd 4th 5th training and certification facilitation lessons 2nd facilitation of team meetings facilitator-led callouts 2nd facilitator-led categories 2nd facilitator-led information listing facilitator-led labeling Feature-Driven Development teams feedback (as organizing tools) Felsing, John Fist of Five (consensus check) flipcharts 2nd follow-up meetings bridging folow-up small teams 2nd food (for meetings), providing 2nd forming (team maturity phase) Fowler, Martin 2nd 3rd frequent refactoring

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] gatering personal objectives (meetings) gathering information expert input 2nd 3rd individual and dyad modes 2nd sequential questioning 2nd 3rd sharing individual and dyad modes 2nd techniques 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th techniques: preparing teams 2nd 3rd techniques: processing 2nd techniques: Prompt question 2nd gathering information applying brainstorming techniques for listing 2nd 3rd 4th brainstorming techniques 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th brainstorming versus listing 2nd 3rd generic project meetings Process Change Workshops 2nd 3rd 4th Project Retrospective Meetings 2nd 3rd Project Startup Meetings 2nd 3rd Status Meetings Strategic Action Planning 2nd 3rd Giving an A (project visioning exercise) goal setting goals celebrating the work changing meetings defining Gottesdiener, Ellen 2nd Greenleaf, Robert K. 2nd 3rd greeting meeting participants 2nd grids Impact/Effort, defining 2nd 3rd priority/weighting 2nd 3rd 4th Groan Zone, The Ground Rules 2nd 3rd 4th self-governance through 2nd grouping information 2nd creating timelines defining Impact/Effort Grids 2nd 3rd facilitator-led categories 2nd facilitator-led labeling group brainstorming of labels 2nd MoSCoW PRL 2nd multi-voting/dot voting PRL 2nd 3rd Pass the Cards PRL 2nd prioritizing and weighting 2nd priority/weighting grids 2nd 3rd 4th silent grouping

groups small (brainstorming and listing) 2nd deligating dialogues 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Personal Objectives Exercise 2nd guerilla facilitation 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] Hendricks, Chet Highsmith, Jim 2nd 3rd 4th Holtzman, Red

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] I am here to serve you (establishing meeting roles) 2nd ill-focused discussions (in meetings) IM (Instant Messaging) index cards individual mode (brainstorming) 2nd sharing 2nd industrial making Industrial XP meetings Daily Standup Meeting 2nd Iteration Demo and Review Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th Project Chartering Meeting 2nd Release Planning Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Release Retrospective Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th information categorizing and grouping 2nd defining Impact/Effort Grids 2nd 3rd facilitator-led 2nd facilitator-led labeling group brainstorming of labels 2nd MoSCoW PRL 2nd multi-voting/dot voting PRL 2nd 3rd Pass the Cards PRL 2nd prioritizing and weighting 2nd priority/weighting grids 2nd 3rd 4th silent grouping gathering applying brainstorming techniques for listing 2nd 3rd 4th brainstorming techniques 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th brainstorming versus listing 2nd 3rd expert input 2nd 3rd individual and dyad modes 2nd sequential questioning 2nd 3rd sharing individual and dyad modes 2nd techniques 2nd 3rd 4th information gathering techniques 2nd 3rd preparing teams 2nd 3rd processing 2nd Prompt question 2nd information sharing, encouraging 2nd input (expert) 2nd 3rd Instant Messaging (IM) interaction skills, need for interactive whiteboards interruptions (in meetings) interviews participants (meetings) 2nd sponsors (meetings)

introducing meeting purpose and agendas It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy (italic) Iteration Demo and Review Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th Iteration Planning meetings 2nd

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] Jackson, Phil 2nd Jamieson, David W. Jordan, Michael Justice, Thomas

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] Kaner, Sam 2nd 3rd Katzenbach, Jon Kerth, Norm 2nd 3rd 4th Kukoc, Tony

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] labels facilitator-led labeling group brainstorming of 2nd language as leadership strategies laptops projections Larman, Craig 2nd 3rd 4th Larsen, Diana 2nd 3rd leadership blame, eliminating 2nd collaboration cultures 2nd 3rd corporate 2nd facilitation lessons 2nd principles of D. Michael Abrashoff principles of Phil Jackson servant leadership principles 2nd 3rd consensus, driving to 2nd convictions, establishing 2nd information sharing, encouraging 2nd meetings defining purpose of determining participants interviewing participants 2nd interviewing sponsors preparing for 2nd 3rd settng expectations 2nd 3rd surveying participants 2nd positive attitudes, maintaining power of presence, reducing questions, asking 2nd self-organization, fostering 2nd 3rd listening listing 2nd 3rd brainstorming applying techniques for 2nd 3rd 4th small-group work 2nd deligating dialogues 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Personal Objectives Exercise 2nd logistics of meetings, reviewing 2nd low-noise food packaging low-sugar snacks lunch instructions (as organizing tools)

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] maintainng agenda backlogs 2nd manaagement meetings managing dysfunction management blame, eliminating 2nd collaboration cultures 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th corporate 2nd facilitation lessons 2nd principles of D. Michael Abrashoff principles of Phil Jackson servant leadership principles 2nd 3rd conflict encouraging 2nd 3rd resolving 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th consensus, driving to 2nd convictions, establishing 2nd Crystal Clear methodology Blitz Planning Workshop 2nd 3rd 4th Methodology Shaping meeting 2nd 3rd Reflection Workshop 2nd 3rd dietary restrictions distributed teams applying frequent communucation conference calls 2nd 3rd 4th maintaining metaphors managing conflict non-interactive tools 2nd real-time interactive technologies 2nd 3rd information gathering applying brainstorming techniques for listing 2nd 3rd 4th brainstomring techniques 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th brainstomring versus listing 2nd 3rd information sharing, encouraging 2nd meetings defining purpose of determining participants interviewing participants 2nd interviewing sponsors maintaining composure 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th maintaining participation 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th managing dysfunction 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th participants planning to avoid faulires 2nd 3rd 4th preparing for 2nd 3rd setting expectations 2nd 3rd surveying participants 2nd non-collaborative cultures 2nd 3rd

organizing tools 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Action Plan 2nd 3rd Communication Plan 2nd consensus 2nd 3rd Decisions Board defining 2nd Ground Rules 2nd 3rd 4th Parking Lot 2nd 3rd posting agendas with 2nd 3rd 4th selecting 2nd 3rd 4th setting purpose with 2nd 3rd 4th positive attitudes, maintaining power of presence, reducing questions, asking 2nd Scrum Daily Scrum meeting 2nd Sprint Demo and Review meeting 2nd 3rd 4th Sprint Planning meeting 2nd 3rd self-organization, fostering 2nd 3rd small teams 2nd 3rd decision making processes follow-up 2nd planning for two members 2nd small-group dialogues 2nd Managing Conflict techniques Managing the Meeting Participants techniques Manns, Mary Lynn mapping agendas markers Marston, William Moulton matrixing team members 2nd 3rd 4th maturity phases of teams 2nd McBreen, Pete 2nd measurement organizational collaboration meeting facilitation meetings agendas accomplishing outcomes 2nd defining purpose of determining deliverables/outcomes 2nd evaluating 2nd maintaining backlogs 2nd mapping natural progression of planning 2nd posting with organizing tools 2nd 3rd 4th setting stating agenda items as questions 2nd 3rd steps for planning 2nd Agile Practices Planning 2nd business scope 2nd closing bridging 2nd 3rd celebrating the work clearing the parking lot completing action plans completing communication plans 2nd

reflecting on reviewing personal objectives reviewing purpose and agendas daily short status design Agile modeling disinterest in distributed teams generic project Process Change Workshops 2nd 3rd 4th Project Retrospective Meetings 2nd 3rd Project Startup Meetings 2nd 3rd Status Meetings Strategic Action Planning 2nd 3rd Iteration Planning 2nd leadership asking questions 2nd driving to consensus 2nd eliminating blame 2nd encouraging information sharing 2nd establishing convictions 2nd fostering self-organization 2nd 3rd maintaining positive attitudes reducing power of presence Methodology Shaping 2nd 3rd norms versus Ground Rules one-on-one 2nd organizing tools 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th [See also organizing tools] defining 2nd reviewing selecting 2nd 3rd 4th setting purpose with 2nd 3rd 4th participants maintaining composure 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th managing managing dysfunction 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th participation 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th planning to avoid failures 2nd 3rd 4th planning 2nd 3rd 4th 5th preparing for 2nd 3rd defining purpose of determining participants interviewing participants 2nd interviewing sponsors setting expectations 2nd 3rd surveying participants 2nd project collaboration events defining Release Planning 2nd retrospection 2nd 3rd Scrum Daily Scrum Meeting 2nd Sprint Demo and Review Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th Sprint Planning Meeting 2nd 3rd starting 2nd 3rd 4th 5th status 2nd 3rd 4th 5th unnecessary 2nd venues providing drinks and food 2nd setting up rooms 2nd 3rd

setting up supplies 2nd welcoming participants 2nd XP/Industrial XP Daily Standup Meeting 2nd Iteration Demo and Review Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th Project Chartering Meeting 2nd Release Planning Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Release Retrospective Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th meetingslguerilla faciliation 2nd 3rd 4th 5th message boards (as organizing tools) Methodology Shaping meeting 2nd 3rd middle-out approach milestones military leadership techinques models DISC (team roles) 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th requirements modeling sessions Shu-Ha-Ri 2nd 3rd Mohr, Bernard J. Moir, Bob MoSCoW PRL 2nd multi-voting/dot voting PRL 2nd 3rd multiple round tables multiplexing team members 2nd 3rd 4th

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] naysayers, managing 2nd negotiation contracts 2nd New York Knicks Nies, Ainsley non-collaborative cultures competence cultivating non-interactive tools 2nd non-productivity and conflict norming (team maturityphase) norms versus Ground Rules, meetings

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] objectives meetings, gathering personal observers, managing 2nd off-topic discussions (in meetings) one-on-one meetings 2nd Open Space Technology 2nd 3rd organizations collaboration for facilitation and training certification measurement and reflection Shu-Ha-Ri model 2nd 3rd organizing tools 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Action Plan 2nd 3rd Communication Plan 2nd consensus 2nd 3rd Decisions Board defining 2nd Ground Rules 2nd 3rd 4th meetings posting agendas with 2nd 3rd 4th setting purpose with 2nd 3rd 4th Parking Lot 2nd 3rd reviewing selecting 2nd 3rd 4th outcome of meetings accomplishing 2nd outcome of meetings, determining 2nd ownership Ground Rules projects visioning 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] pair programming Palmer, Stephen Parking Lot 2nd 3rd parking lot clearing participants meetings maintaining composure 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th maintaining participation 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th managing managing dysfunction 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th planning to avoid failures 2nd 3rd 4th teams preparing 2nd 3rd welcoming 2nd participants for collaboration determining interviewing 2nd preparing for 2nd 3rd setting expectations 2nd 3rd surveying 2nd participation in meetings, reviewing 2nd participation, maintaining 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th participatory in decision making 2nd Pass the Card (brainstorming) 2nd Pass the Cards PRL 2nd Pass the Pen (brainstorming) pens performance collaborative teams performing (team maturity phase) personal attacks, managing personal growth Personal Objectives Exercise 2nd personal objectives, gathering personal objectives, reviewing personality types (teams) 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th phases maturity of teams 2nd Picture This (visioning exercise) Pippen, Scottie planning Action Plan 2nd 3rd action plans completing agendas 2nd accomplishing outcomes 2nd defining purpose of determining deliverables/outcomes 2nd

mapping natural progression of stating agenda items as questions 2nd 3rd steps for 2nd communication plans completing 2nd Daily Scrum Meeting 2nd for two member teams 2nd meetings steps to avoid failures 2nd 3rd 4th Release Planning Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Sprint Demo and Review Meeting (Scrum) 2nd 3rd 4th Sprint Planning Meeting (Scrum) 2nd 3rd planning meetings 2nd 3rd 4th Agile Practices 2nd business scope 2nd Iteration 2nd Release 2nd PM (project manager) Poppendieck, Mary Poppendieck, Tom positive attitudes, maintaining Post-it Notes brainstorming 2nd listing Post-it notes power of presence, reducing preparation team participants 2nd 3rd Prepare?Prompt?Gather?Process Prepare?Prompt?Gather?Process formula presence-based applications previous meeting decisions (as organizing tools) principle of systemic neglect principles of effective dialogue 2nd prioritization Prioritized Requirements List (PRL) MoSCoW 2nd multi-voting/dot voting 2nd 3rd Pass the Cards 2nd priority/weighting grids 2nd 3rd 4th prioritizing information 2nd priority/weighting grids 2nd 3rd 4th private multi-voting PRL PRL (Prioritized Requirements List) MoSCoW 2nd multi-voting/dot voting 2nd 3rd Pass the Cards 2nd priority/weighting grids 2nd 3rd 4th probing (Small-Group Problem Probing) 2nd 3rd problems (Small-Group Problem Probing) 2nd 3rd process information gathering 2nd Process Change Workshops 2nd 3rd 4th process ownership agendas evaluating 2nd consensus, driving to 2nd convictions, establishing 2nd information sharing, encouraging 2nd positive attitudes, maintaining

power of presence, reducing questions, asking 2nd self-organization, fostering 2nd 3rd process ownershipblame, eliminating 2nd processes decision making reevaluating 2nd small teams management applications Product Backlog Product Manager productivity cultures collaboration 2nd 3rd competence cultivating increasing teams impact of collaboration on programming pair Project Chartering Meeting 2nd project chartering meetings project manager (PM) Project Retrospective Meetings 2nd 3rd Project Startup Meetings 2nd 3rd projections projects chartering collaboration events Agile Practices Planning meetings 2nd business scope meetings 2nd defining Iteration Planning meetings 2nd planning meetings 2nd 3rd 4th Release Planning meetings 2nd retrospection meetings 2nd 3rd status meetings 2nd 3rd 4th 5th unnecessary meetings 2nd working sessions 2nd 3rd 4th 5th generic meetings Process Change Workshops 2nd 3rd 4th Project Retrospective Meetings 2nd 3rd Project Startup Meetings 2nd 3rd Status Meetings Strategic Action Planning 2nd 3rd timelining 2nd 3rd 4th 5th visioning 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Prompt question 2nd purpose of meetings defining determining deliverables/outcomes 2nd introducing mappng natural progression of reviewing setting with organizing tools 2nd 3rd 4th stating agenda items as questions 2nd 3rd purpose of meetings, defining 2nd

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] questions Prompt 2nd sequential questioning 2nd 3rd stating agenda items as 2nd 3rd questions, asking 2nd

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] rambles, managing someone who 2nd reactions to conflict 2nd real-time interactive technologies, distributed teams 2nd 3rd rectangular tables reevaluation decision making 2nd refactoring frequent Reflction Workshop 2nd 3rd reflecting on meetings reflection organizational reflection Reflection Workshop reflections, applying Release Planning Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Release Planning meetings 2nd Release Retrospective Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th removing team members requirements modeling sessions resolution modes (conflicts) resolving conflict 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th retrospection meetings 2nd 3rd retrospective retrospectives Project Retrospective Meetings 2nd 3rd Release Retrospective Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th retrospectives, applying review meetings reviewing agendas Iteration Demo and Review Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th organizing tools personal objectives purpose of meetings Sprint Demo and Review Meeting (Scrum) 2nd 3rd 4th Rising, Linda Rodman, Dennis roles of meeting participants rooms (meeting venues), setting up 2nd 3rd Rostal, Pam Round Robin listing Round Robin brainstorming round tables Ruiz, Don Miguel rules Action Plan 2nd 3rd Ground Rules 2nd 3rd 4th

self-governance through 2nd

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior (italic) sanctity of teams, preserving Schneider, William Schratz, Deborah Schratz, Debra Schwaber, Ken scope of authority Scrum 2nd 3rd meetings 2nd Daily Scrum Meeting 2nd Sprint Demo and Review Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th Sprint Planning Meeting 2nd 3rd Sprint planning meetings 2nd team defining seating (meeting venues), setting up 2nd 3rd security guidelines (as organizing tools) selection of organizing tools 2nd 3rd 4th self-governance through Ground Rules 2nd self-oragnization, fostering 2nd 3rd self-organized meetings (one-on-one) 2nd self-organizing teams Senge, Peter sequential questioning 2nd 3rd servant leadership principles 2nd 3rd sessions working (projects) 2nd 3rd 4th 5th sharing individual and dyad modes 2nd Shu-Ha-Ri model 2nd 3rd side conversations, managing silent grouping skills interaction, need for small group discussions 2nd 3rd small teams decision making processes follow-up 2nd managing 2nd two members, planning for 2nd Small-Group Problem Probing 2nd 3rd smelly teams Smith, Douglas snacks, providing low-sugar software development Agile Manifesto cultures collaboration 2nd 3rd

competence cultivating sponsors, interviewing sponsors, managing Sprint Backlog Sprint Demo and Review Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th Sprint Demo meetings Sprint Planning Meeting 2nd 3rd Sprint planning meetings (Scrum) 2nd standup meetings [See also status meetings] starting Project Startup Meetings 2nd 3rd starting meetings 2nd 3rd 4th 5th status Daily Standup Meeting 2nd Status Meetings status meetings 2nd 3rd 4th 5th sticky walls 2nd storming (team maturity phase) storybuilding Strategic Action Planning 2nd 3rd strategies negative impact on teams 2nd 3rd Strubing, Jorg Strubing, Jorge success of project visioning 2nd 3rd 4th 5th of status meetings sugar, providing low-sugar snacks supplies (meetings), setting up 2nd surverys survey applications surveying participants 2nd

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] T-shirt sizing (estimating) 2nd 3rd tables meeting venues, setting up 2nd 3rd tape (meeting supplies) TDC (Thinly Disguised Contempt) tea team productivity impact of collaboration on team building Team Performance Curve 2nd teams characteristics of commitment 2nd consensus-driven 2nd constructive and useful disagreements empowerment participatory in decision making 2nd self-organizing trust vision of success conflict encouraging 2nd 3rd resolving 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th cultures collaboration 2nd 3rd competence cultivating defining 2nd dialogues principles of 2nd small group discussions 2nd 3rd distributed applying frequent communication conference calls 2nd 3rd 4th maintaining metaphors managing conflict non-interactive tools 2nd real-time interactive technologies 2nd 3rd estimation T-shirt sizing 2nd 3rd triangulating 2nd velocity-based 2nd Wideband Delphi 2nd 3rd evolution of 2nd 3rd information creating timelines defining Impact/Effort Grids 2nd 3rd facilitator-led categories 2nd

facilitator-led labeling group brainstorming of labels 2nd grouping and categorizing 2nd MoSCoW PRL 2nd multi-voting/dot voting PRL 2nd 3rd Pass the Cards PRL 2nd prioritizing and weighting 2nd priority/weighting grids 2nd 3rd 4th silent grouping management [See management] maturity phases of 2nd meetings [See also meetings] defining purpose of determining participants interviewing participants 2nd interviewing sponsors preparing for 2nd 3rd setting expectations 2nd 3rd surveying participants 2nd negative impact of strategies 2nd 3rd personality types 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th preparing 2nd 3rd productivity increasing projects timelining 2nd 3rd 4th 5th visioning 2nd 3rd 4th 5th reasons for faltering 2nd small decision making processes follow-up 2nd managing 2nd planning for two members 2nd small-group work (brainstorming and listing) 2nd deligating dialogues 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Personal Objectives Exercise 2nd Teams Self-Assessment Chart techniques Crystal Clear methodology Blitz Planning Workshop 2nd 3rd 4th Methodology Shaping meeting 2nd 3rd Reflection Workshop 2nd 3rd information gathering 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th preparing teams 2nd 3rd processing 2nd Prompt question 2nd test-driven development Thinly Disguised Contempt (TDC) Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) 2nd time outcome of meetings, accomplishing 2nd timeboxes timelines (as organizing tools) timelining 2nd 3rd 4th 5th timlines creating TKI (Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument) 2nd tolerance for imperfection Toltec life lessons

tools organizing [See organizing tools] tracking Parking Lot 2nd 3rd training facilitation triangulating estimating 2nd Trosten-Bloom, Amanda trust teams Tuckman, Bruce types of meetings Agile modeling design Agile Practices 2nd business scope 2nd design Iteration Planning 2nd one-on-one 2nd planning 2nd 3rd 4th Release Planning 2nd retrospection 2nd 3rd status 2nd 3rd 4th 5th unnecessary 2nd

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] u-shaped tables unnecessary meetings 2nd US Navy useful disagreements (teams) USS Benfold

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] values velocity-based estimating 2nd venues (meetings) food and drinks, providing 2nd particiapnts, welcoming 2nd setting up rooms 2nd 3rd setting up supplies 2nd video conference calls vision of success (teams) visioning (projects) 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] water Watkins, Jane Magruder web-based conferencing tools weighting information 2nd welcoming meeting participants 2nd What's in it for me? (WIIFM) whiteboards electronic interactive Whitney, Diana Wideband Delphi estimating 2nd 3rd WIIFM (What's in it for me?) withdrawl working sessions (projects) 2nd 3rd 4th 5th workshops Blitz Planning Workshop 2nd 3rd 4th Process Change Workshops 2nd 3rd 4th Reflection Workshop 2nd 3rd World Impact chart

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] XP XP (Extreme Programming) meetings Daily Standup Meeting 2nd Iteration Demo and Review Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th Project Chartering Meeting 2nd Release Planning Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Release Retrospective Meeting 2nd 3rd 4th

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] YAGNI (You Aren't Going to Need It) You Aren't Going to Need It (YAGNI)

Index [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] Zander, Benjamin Zander, Rosamund Stone 2nd