Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Facilitation and facilitated workshops
Keith RichardsManaging Director
KRC
How to harness the power of agile’s hidden gem
Presentation Structure
• Introductions
• The basics of facilitation
• The benefits of facilitation
• Facilitation - how and when
• A look at some techniques
• Advanced areas – conflict, listening
• Further information / Next steps
• Close and questions.
Introductions
• KRC is a pioneering training and consultancy company
• Specialising in Agile approaches
• Focusing on improving Agile capability at scale
• 15 years experience in PRINCE2 and DSDM Atern
• DSDM Membership Director (formerly Technical
Director)
• IAF Accredited Facilitator
• Author of ‘Agile Project Management’ (TSO)
• Voted ‘Most Valuable Agile Player’ UK Agile Awards
2011.
What is facilitation?
“Facilitation is a way of providing leadership without taking
the reins. A facilitator’s job is to enable others to assume
responsibility and take the lead” – Ingrid Bens
“With its focus on asking (instead of telling), listening and
building consensus facilitation is the essential skill for
anyone working collaboratively with others” – Ingrid Bens
Our definition
Creating a creative environment to help
(a group of) people to reach a goal
efficiently.
Facilitated workshops are a subset of
facilitation
It is important to understand the differences between
Facilitated Workshops, Facilitation and ‘being facilitative’.
What does a facilitated workshop looked like?
Typically 6 to 12 people in a room for several hours
Used for idea generation, e.g. requirements gathering
...but it covers much more, perhaps in a dozen standard
situations• planning• reviewing• problem solving• kick-off meetings• risk assessments• assessing options• many more.
Why do it!
• Communication is perhaps the single biggest problem
• Several one-to-one discussions is inefficient
• Group discussion is much preferred
• But this has to be managed!
• When a group is discussing something who is
managing:
the process
the dynamics
the content.
What are the benefits?
• High speed
• High quality
• Ownership
• Creativity
• ... but it has to be done right!
How do you do it well?
• It is all about preparation, preparation and preparation!
• Follow this five-step process:
Objective and owner
Attendees
Agenda
Logistics
Pre-reading.
When can you use facilitated workshops?
• You can use them at any time
• Not just at the beginning of a project or task
• Perhaps use them sparingly
• Remember you can use facilitation all the time.
Some well-known techniques
• SWOT
• Ishikawa or Fishbone diagramming
• Perhaps it is better to keep it simple (KISS)
• Two columns, four boxes
• Gap analysis
• MoSCoW prioritisation
...do not let the technique get in the way!
Some simple tips to make big improvements
• Learn the power of the ‘nod’
• Understand the importance of silence
• Learn and practice key expressions
What does anyone think about that?
What shall I write on a flipchart?
• Practice stacking - it will make you look really cool.
How do you handle conflict?
• The most common question asked
• The answer is somewhat counter intuitive
• Get it out into the open
• Allow it to breath
• You cannot allow it to fester
• ... so you must move quickly.
Advanced areas of facilitation
• Understanding facilitation can be a long journey
• The more you learn the less you know
• You need to understand how groups work
• You need to let go
• You need to trust the group
• How much structure is the key
• Ironically less is usually more!
Listening and understanding
• Always remember the Furby!
• If you are talking; the group isn’t
• Listening is different to staying silent
• Manage your team facilitatively
• This is really powerful stuff.
How to get trained in facilitation
• Choose your training carefully
• Avoid dated ‘happy clappy’ facilitation
• Look for a corporate focus
• You can only learn by doing
• You can also learn by receiving
• No one is a ‘natural’.If you were a flower what
would you be?
Further Information / Next Steps
• KRC offer facilitation services and on-site training in this area
• Next webinar is on April 27th, 12.00 – 12.40pm:
“Modelling in agile environments: a lot simpler and more powerful than you might think!”
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/267127598
• KRC help organisations with their transition to Agile
• Next AgilePM public course is on April 30th – May 3rd in London
• Maturity assessment (project ‘health check’)
• Free downloads at www.agilekrc.com
• Twitter @agilekrc; Facebook “KRC”; or join The DSDM Group on
