Guide toConducting Meetings and

RAP sessions

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Contents Conducting meetings

Planning the meeting

Running the meeting

After the meeting

What is a RAP sessions?

Why hold a RAP session?

Main principles of RAP

When to hold RAP sessions

Guidelines for holding a RAP session

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Conducting meetings

There are three stages to conducting meetings:

• planning the meeting

• running the meeting

• after the meeting

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Planning the meeting

Guidelines to planning effective meetings:

• determine the outcomes that are wanted from the meeting

• identify who needs to attend

• prepare an agenda to satisfy the outcomes

• ensure all the agenda items can be realistically covered in the allotted time for the meeting

• book the meeting room

• notify the participants of the meeting (why, where, when, how long, agenda)

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Running the meetingGuidelines to running effective meetings:

• arrive early and make sure the meeting room is set up

• start on time, do not wait for late arrivals as it encourages lateness

• identify a chairperson to coordinate the meeting

• identify someone to take minutes

• state the purpose of the meeting at the start

• Review the agenda, get agreement and then stick to the agenda

• allocate time on each agenda item and do not run over time for each item

• avoid getting bogged down in too much detail or in side issues.

• If more information or a solution needs to be workedthrough make this an action item to be addressedprior to the next meeting.

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Running the meeting (cont.)…Guidelines to running effective meetings:

• chairperson must control the meeting and not let individuals dominate

• record minutes

• identify action items, assign to one owner and specify when to be actioned by

• finish on time

• if some agenda items are not covered agree to reconvene

• If it is a regular meeting, or a follow up meeting is required, state when the next meeting will be

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After the meeting

• tidy the meeting room so it is left as you found it (clean whiteboards, remove papers, cups etc)

• file a record of the meeting (minutes and action items) in the project folder and add actions to the project action items log

• distribute minutes and action items to all participants of the meeting.

• follow up with people assigned actionitems near to the “action by” date.

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What is a RAP* session?

• RAP is an abbreviation for Rapid Planning.

• RAP is collaborative planning for a project.

• the common principle of RAP is to engage the stakeholders of the project in the activities of the planning phase to gain their contribution and commitment to the project plan.

*Source: Rob Thomsett, Radical Project Management, Yourdon Press, 2002.

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Why hold a RAP session?A RAP session:

• increases the involvement of stakeholders in the project plan.

• gains input to the plan from a greater audience than traditional project planning.

• may reduce the time taken to develop the project plan.

• may increase the overall effort taken to produce the project plan (because of the number of people involved)

• improves communication

• facilitates team building

• develops team commitment to the project plan

• ensures the key players in the project are on the same page

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Main principles of RAP

A RAP session is:

• Participative: all attendees are encouraged to contribute to the session

• Facilitative: format is interactive rather than formal and prescriptive

• Proactive: style is creative (similar to brainstorming)

• Open and trusting: information is shared, individual views are respected

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When to hold RAP sessions

Type of meetings where a RAP session is useful:

• project kick-off meetings

• determining requirements

• determining costs and benefits

• work breakdown sessions

• estimating sessions

• resourcing and scheduling sessions

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Guidelines for holding a RAP session• A RAP session is a meeting, and as such should

follow the basic guidelines for meetings

• RAP sessions are normally longer sessions (2-4 hours) than meetings (1 hour)

• In identifying the agenda for the RAP session ensure this can be achieved within the time allowed for the session

• RAP sessions involve more discussion and development of ideas rather than meetings where action items are used to reduce the discussion time

• Can be held over a series of days ifnecessary

See www.thomsett.com.au for more details.