collaboration techniques that really work
DESCRIPTION
slides from my Web2 Expo Berlin 08 workshopTRANSCRIPT
collaboration techniques that really work
leisa reicheltdisambiguity.com
web 2.0 expo berlin - 21 October 08
are there any morning people in the room?
logistical stuff
the ‘back-channel’
twitter: #w2e_ux (design & UX) or #w2e (entire conference)
webexberlin2008.crowdvine.com
think about how much time you spend with your computer today
our schedule:8.30am: we start
about collaboration, why it’s good, collaboration basics & brainstorming activity
10am-ish: coffee break. yay!war stories and examples, consensus activity, Q&A
11.30am: we end
introductions- your name
- what you do - where you’re from
- three tags
me- leisa reichelt
- freelance user experience consultant- Australian, living in London
- sleepless, sun, opensource
and you?- your name
- what you do - where you’re from
- three tags
what is collaboration?
Collaboration is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together toward an intersection of common goals...by sharing knowledge, learning and building consensus (Wikipedia)
Collaboration is NOT inviting a bunch of different people to a meeting at the beginning of a project
Collaboration is NOT working separately on the same project
why collaborate?• team building & morale
• communication
• cross disciplinary skills
• cross disciplinary insight
• more heads/eyes/perspectives
• team & stakeholder buy in
• fun!
how do you collaborate now?(do you?)
who to collaborate with?
. turn ‘stakeholders’ or a ‘customers’ into a collaborative partners
. build collaboration into your project methodology - collaborate regularly with your project team
. collaborate with your peers (people who do the same thing as you) invite other expert perspectives
. consider wildcard collaborators from outside your field, think tangentally (what other kind of person might have a useful perspective?
does fun matter?
when to collaborate?
• at the beginning of a project
• not JUST at the beginning!
• when you’re stuck (trouble shooting/problem solving) - narrow focus
• when you’re looking for inspiration - broad focus
• regularly!
collaboration tools?
• people (the right ones!)
• sticky notes & marker pens
• whiteboards/flip charts
• fun stuff (stimulus)
• sugar (if it’s the afternoon)
• an objective
• techniques!!
first.lets get this room
collaboration - ready
technique one: brainstorming that works!
what’s been your experience with brainstorming?
why brainstorm?• team building & morale
• communication
• cross disciplinary skills
• cross disciplinary insight
• more heads/eyes/perspectives
• team & stakeholder buy in
• fun!
making brainstorming work
• the right people
• the right preparation
• ‘the rules’
• the tools
• the environment
the importance of a good faciliator
don’t brainstorm without one.
the (usual) brainstorming rules• what’s the problem/question
• appoint a facilitator & a scribe
• listen more than you talk
• listen for your own ideas
• add value to others ideas
• suspend judgement
• have fun....
one very important brainstorming rule
NO QUESTIONS.none. no exceptions.
another very important brainstorming rule
ideas must start with the words:‘i wish....’ or ‘how to....’
i know it sounds dumb.try it anyway.
sticky note basics
• one idea per sticky note
• a sticky note must be able to ‘stand alone’
• use colours coding and other coding for ‘traceability’
• make sure your sticky notes photograph well by:
• choosing the right marker for your sticky note
• writing in capital letters
an exercisebrainstorming that works!
the briefyour client is a pizza restaurant chain who wants to develop an iPhone application that will help either grow their sales or reduce their costs.
as a team, brainstorm ideas to meet their brief that you might develop into a product pitch to them.
(note: any excellent ideas are all yours to keep, but feel free to give me 5% of profits. That would be nice! )
brainstorming rules• what’s the problem/question
• appoint a facilitator & a scribe
• listen more than you talk
• listen for your own ideas
• add value to others ideas
• suspend judgement
• NO QUESTIONS
• ‘I wish...’ or ‘How to...’
• have fun....
debrief:brainstorming that works!
coffee time!
welcome back!
things you’d like to cover before we’re done today.
ways I use collaboration
collaborative analysis
design consequences
drupal.org redesign project
technique two: the KJ Method for Consensus
1. determine the focus question
2. get ‘opinions’ / ‘ideas’ etc. onto stickies
3. affinity sort into groups
4. name groups
5. vote on group importance(three votes)
6. rank groups (two by two)
the method
affinity sorting
voting on groups
an exercisethe KJ Method for Consensus
the brief
take your ideas from the brainstorm (for the pizza restaurant). You need to decide what to pitch to your client.
Affinity sort your ideas to consolidate into a concept, then vote and rank using the KJ Method for Consensus to decide which are the top concepts to develop.
•
1. determine the focus question
2. get ‘opinions’ / ‘ideas’ etc. onto stickies
3. affinity sort into groups
4. name groups
5. vote on group importance(three votes)
6. rank groups (two by two)
the method
debrief:the KJ Method for Consensus
questions&discussion?