Structured meetings and workshops positively impact organizations and stakeholders—even permeating cultures. Here are a few straightforward benefits for facilitation training that support structured meetings. Business wisdom demands the application of knowledge, stuff that is ‘in−formation’ (not static). Compound dynamism of information with the challenge of organizing a group of people, where nobody is smarter than…
What is a Design Sprint? Created at Google Ventures, a Design Sprint represents a methodology that helps teams complete a five-day workshop for building and testing some problem-solving product or solution (prototype). A prototype might include a product on a screen, on paper, a service, a physical space, or an object. Created by Google Venture’s…
A professional facilitator handles several types of assignments, from planning through design. However, most facilitators must also provide a method for securing the deliverable. Although a different role, the ‘methodologist’ responsibilities make up the most important part of preparing for many meetings. How will you lead the group successfully from the Introduction through the Wrap? When…
Have you ever heard someone say in a meeting “I don’t know why we’re doing this project in the first place?” Odds are, the meeting is being held to advance the project, not re-validate it. The person asking the question has now imposed their agenda on the group. They have forced scope creep [1]. Whenever…
Welcome to the Facilitation Forum You asked and we responded. Now you can ask questions, get answers, and join in peer-to-peer conversations about meeting challenges and experiences. Some of you may just want to hover… that’s okay too. Some of the ‘socialware’ platforms we tried in the past were either not moderator-friendly and/or biased by their…
The Agile mindset demands frequent, if not constant, interaction among its project stakeholders. Perhaps more so with Scrum, than other frameworks. From Daily Scrum activities to Sprint Retrospective events held every one to four weeks, having a formal facilitator or being a facilitative participant adds tremendous value to successful Sprints. So, who facilitates Scrum events…
In an earlier article (see: Risk Analysis – Method and Questions to Facilitate a Portfolio of Projects) we defined “best” by projects that scored favorably in an Innovation test by looking at the relative technology and market risks associated with new ideas (eg, process, product, etc.). With this article (geared for experienced facilitators and methodologists, but…
Successful leaders have one thing in common: Strong facilitation skills. What are these facilitation skills and how many do you need to lead a successful meeting? Depending on who you ask, there may be: 6 Essential Facilitator Skills 9 Meeting Facilitation Skills 9 Facilitation Skill Competencies Top 11 Facilitator Skills and of course, many, many…
You know that project portfolios focused on the best opportunities accelerate innovation. So how do you build consensus around the term “best”? George Day’s article[1] provides excellent logic to help you drive a consensual view of risk analysis. “The risk analysis matrix employs a unique scoring system and calibration of risk. It helps estimate the…
To build an action plan that transfers ownership and accountability to your meeting participants, begin with the right questions, in the right sequence. Be one of the few facilitators who understands that ownership transfers instantly because participants offer their own “WHO does WHAT by WHEN,” the primary components of any action plan. Consequently, whether you’re…