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presentation on new ways of working, and learning to collaborate; the cube must go
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Today’s topic(s)
Collaboration
Communication styles and challenges
What makes a team
Cubicles
To Collaborate (v)
Merriam-Webster says:1 to work jointly with others or
together, especially in an intellectual endeavor
2
3 to cooperate with an agency or instrumentality with which one is not immediately connected
Key words:
Work jointly – together Intellectual endeavor = knowledge
work Cooperate with … not immediately
connected
Is this your experience – or are you stuck in sequential (documentation) development?
aka: Hurry up-and-wait method1. Receive product for documentation2. Write draft texts 3. Send to SME … wait4. Process edits5. Send to SME … wait6. Process final edits7. Circulate for formal sign-off … wait8. Test with users (optional)9. Finalize documents & publish
(print/web)
Collaboration
Let’s play a little game – no words!
Collaboration: simple, not easy Less time and energy wasted with
politicking
More emotionally and psychologically satisfying
Iterative development; faster problem-solving
But: has anyone learned how to collaborate?
Collaboration pre-requisites Trust Check ego at the door Non-territorial Generous sharing Respectful critique
Communication styles
Thank goodness we’re not all the same!
What’s your preferred style?
Communication styles
Visual, Auditory, Digital & Kinetic How to recognize?
+ Yes, I see what you mean Visual - Excuse me, can you show me one more
time? + Yes, I hear what you’re saying Auditory
- Sorry, can you repeat that? + That adds up for me Digital
- Sorry, that’s not a logical sequence + Yes, I’m following you Kinetic
- You’ve lost me, I can’t keep up
Challenges communicating with Engineers … often digital
communicators
Marketing … usually visual communicators
Regulatory Affairs … mostly auditory communicators
Sales reps … definitely kinetic communicators
Definition of ‘team’
Merriam-Webster says:Team (noun) c) a number of persons associated
together in work or activity, see also Crew, Gang
What’s a collaborative team?Or is the term redundant, like ‘white
snow’?
Teams Groups
Size Limited Medium or Large
Selection Crucial Immaterial
Leadership
Shared or Rotating Solo
Perception
Mutual or Shared Understanding
Focus on Leader
Style Role Spread;Coordination
Role Duplication;Conformism
Spirit Dynamic interaction:
“We”
Circle the Wagons:“Us and Them”
Team vs. Group
Real teams have …
Range of disciplines / expertise Different roles for different phases Interdependencies – no single
member can complete the task alone A collective focus on result over
process A common goal
Co-location Co-design
Physical co-location (Virtual) collaboration
Cross-disciplinary input / feedback cross-fertilization of ideas
}Tools & Techniques
Co-design method
1.Message & audience defines documentation need
defines output2.Define and assemble cross-
disciplinary team3.Co-locate team4.Develop product and documentation concurrently, in an iterative process
5.Publish & Ship
The Power of Eavesdropping To know enough about what’s going
on that meetings become rare To see/hear/watch team mates do
their stuff, so you can intelligently comment (and contribute) from outside the discipline
To identify issues that require additional resources
Sorry Dilbert: The Cube Must Go! How can we expect people to think outside of the box, when we put them in one?How can we ask them to look beyond their own world, when all they see is the cubicle wall?
Co-location logistics
Create ‘islands’ of desks facing each other
No visual obstacles between desks Create bulletin board ‘castle walls’
on 2 -3 sides Create a few, small ‘distraction-free’
zones for high-concentration activity
The future of work
New team is assembled for each project
Individuals submit applications to join the project team
Team composition is customized for: High interpersonal compatibility Track record of results Critical team role Collaboration and communication skills
Mind-set
In the future -- the not-too-distant future -- only two groups of people will be in the world of work: entrepreneurs and those who think like entrepreneurs.
Terri Lonier, CEO NY Consultancy
Contact
For more information:
1-604-317-2234
Slides posted to SlideShare.net; keywords: lavacon08, hamer, ‘workplace 2.0’