Circuit and Processors (information and routines)
Would the team be a computer, it would need circuits (meaning information) and processors (meaning routines) to operate their activities.
This sequence allows the team to set up or revisit their information flow and team routines.
Information is power. If you want to empower your team, you need to give them the possibility to get the right information at the right time to operate their activities, but also to develop and grow as a team.
Goal
Define which information is needed by the team, identify their source (intra-team, extra-team) and set up the right information channels
Instructions
Step 1: Define asset needs (20')
(8') Ask each participant to brainstorm individually first on which asset (data, information, product, ...) they need to, as inputs to:
(give this list as en example, source of inspiration)
- operate activities
- understand business context
- understand stakeholders
- reinforce team cohesion
- solve problems
- take decisions
- anticipate changes
- avoid risks and take benefits of opportunities
- grow as a team
- develop personally
- coordinate activities
- welcome newcomers
- ...
And which information they need/have to produce, as outputs:
- as deliverable for customers
- for reporting to external deciders
- for coordination purpose with stakeholders
- ...
(use a poster with these proposed goals, just to inspire them and trigger ideas)
Use one color of sticky notes for assets.
Ask them to write types of asset on sticky notes (one type per note).
(12') Ask participant, in turn, to express their ideas and stick them on the poster (wherever they want). Collect similar ideas from other participants if any and gather them on the poster.
Step 2: Define collaboration needs (20')
(8') Why do we need to meet?
Similarly, ask participants to list collaboration needs (when people need to work together to achieve something together):
- co-build
- align
- inform
- decide
- connect
- organise
- increase cohesion
- review
- ...
First make them brainstorm individually and create sticky notes (chose another color) with collaboration needs (one need per sticky note).
(12') Then gather ideas and cluster. Keep only one sticky note per cluster.
Step 3: Connect circuits and processors
(20') Ask participants to identify one collaboration moment they already have (e.g. the team weekly meeting). Create one sticky note with this collaboration moment. (Note that a collaboration moment will generally be a meeting -physical, virtual, hybrid - but can be another form like live discussion in a chat, comments on a document, ...
With this first collaboration moments, ask the participants to agree on the list of collaboration needs it should cover. Move the 'collaboration needs' sticky note close to the 'collaboration moment'.
Continue with a second collaboration moment (could be an existing one or a new one to be created in order to cover needs).
Pursue until all the collaboration needs are covered or the team consider that most of the needs are covered and the remaining ones are less important and can be dropped.
(40') Create sub-groups (3 participant per sub-group). Ask each sub-group to select one 'collaboration moment' and:
- select 'assets' (listed in step 1) they need (copy the sticky note as one asset could be used in several sub-groups)
- Fill the 'Collaboration Moment ID card'
- For each asset, fill the 'Asset ID card'
'Collaboration moment' ID card should contain:
- Title
- Overall objective
- Type
- Duration
- Frequency
- Location
- Audience
- Agenda
- Scope: Strategic/Tactic/Operational
'Asset' ID card:
- Type of asset:
- Synchronous/asynchronous
- Frequency - if relevant
- Channel - (meeting, F2F, email, space/chat, document, gSite, ...)
Step 4: Conclusion
Wrap up the sessions. If some items are left, decide collectively how to address them (if needed) after the session.
Check how efficient was the session. Perform a ROTI (Return on Time Investment)
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