Institute of Design: Teaming Workshop By Chris Bernard

Chris Bernard ID teaming workshop Look for me on Twitter, FaceBook and LinkedIn This presentation is for educations purposes only. Photos from istockphoto.com unless otherwise noted.

What’s going to happen today?

We’ll learn about collaborating effectively

Making hard things easier

Picking the right approaches

Understanding how we’re different

Learn how to not ignore dysfunction

Push our teams in the right direction

What to do when we get stuck

Details

Introductions (Discussion) 60 minutes 08:30am to 09:30am

Teaming Frameworks (Lecture) 30 minutes 09:30am to 10:00am Break 15 minutes 10:00am to 10:15am Understanding each other (Lecture) 30 minutes 10:15am to 10:45am

Feedback (Lecture) 15 minutes 10:45am to 11:00am

Exercises (Team-based) 60 minutes 11:00am to 12:00pm Lunch 60 minutes 12:00am to 01:00pm Understanding our team (Lecture) 15 minutes 01:00pm to 01:15pm Exercises (Team-based) 90 minutes 01:15pm to 02:45pm Break 15 minutes 02:45pm to 03:00pm Exercise summary (Discussion) 60 minutes 03:00pm to 04:00pm Getting unstuck (Lecture) 45 minutes 04:00pm to 04:45pm Break 15 minutes 04:45pm to 05:00pm Wrap up (Discussion) 30 minutes 05:00pm to 05:30pm Offsite (Optional) 05:30pm to…

Who am I?

An ID alumni, MDM 2006

Designer

Consultant

Equal mix of work at small companies and the enterprise

What do people think of designers?

Designer Tracker Project

Methodology: 10k designers, 15 countries

Goal: surface key “essence” of the designer audience

Results have guided v1 of product offerings

95% black is favorite color (except Japan, where charcoal black is top) 55% wear turtlenecks 5+ days a month (81% of those are black) Ponytails are disproportionately common (32% of men 86% of women)

Leadership Stewardship Resource Management Marketing Technology Design = = = = = = CEO COO CFO CMO CTO ?

Identifying Opportunities GOOD BAD GOOD Vision + Invention =

Design icons are different for all of us Source: Microsoft

Meet the designer Source: Microsoft

What do our peers think ? Clement Mok “ There has clearly been a steady decline in the design profession for over 30 years, and the source of that decline is the profession’s intractable stasis . We are unchanged professionals in a changing professional climate, clutching at old idols, while failing to create new offerings, failing to reinvent and reinvigorate the practice when needed, failing to inculcate a professional culture that is accessible and fair.” Source: Communication Arts

Nobody knows how much to spend

It’s the process and not the pocketbook

Collaboration is the key

What does business think ? Source: Strategy+Business

What do we think?

Which of the following have been characteristics of good team experiences at ID?

Source: Dave McGaw, ID

Team members have a mix of levels of experience

Team members have a mix of skills

At least one person has project management skills

People take turns leading the project

Team makes clear assignments at each meeting for who does the work

Team has regular weekly meetings scheduled

Teams use tools like blogs…etc., to collaborate and share files remotely

Teams meet socially at least once during the project

Teams members evaluate each other periodically during the project

What do we think? Source: Dave McGaw, ID

What do we think?

Which of the following have been characteristics of bad team experiences at ID?

What do we think?

Team members have the same skills

The same person is the leader for most of the project

The project operates by consensus —no single leader at any time

Teams improvising solutions just before presenting

What do we want?

I expect good teamwork skills to be an important part of my design career

I have good teamwork skills right now

I would benefit from improving my teamwork skills

Agenda

We have a full day

We have three 15 minute breaks

We have 60 minutes for lunch

Code of conduct

Engage , turn off the cell-phone, use the laptop for notes only

One voice at a time

Respect your fellow participants

Meet your fellow participants

Things I’ve learned

The best insights in this class come at the seams

During team exercises

During team feedback

During the breaks and ad hoc conversations over lunch, after class and online

Details

A framework for teams 30 Minutes

Are you really a team?

Are you ready for heavy lifting?

Two things to ask yourself when thinking about teaming… Source: Wisdom of Teams

What we want to learn

How to determine if a team is the right choice

How to chose the right kind of team

Understanding what is required to enable the success of the team

Source: Wisdom of Teams

At the Institute of Design we care about…

High Performance Teams

But, be careful

Sometimes you don’t need a high performance team to get the job done

Effective Groups

An effective group doesn’t require the discipline and rigor of a performance unit.

When the characteristics of a performance unit are applied to a group it can frustrate and overburden users.

Typical effective groups merely requires an…

understandable charter

good communication

defined member roles

time-efficient processes

reasonable accountability

Effective groups versus high performance teams Source: Wisdom of Teams

Single-leader Units

Single-leader units versus high performance teams

Single-leader units function differently than a performing team in that the traditional management style of leadership is imposed with a designate that…

makes the key decisions

delegates and monitors individual assignments and accountability

chooses how and when to modify specific approaches.

The benefit of this approach is that it is more agile and familiar to most individuals than the techniques required to be a performing team.

High Performance Teams

Six things to know about teams

In The Wisdom of Teams Katzenbach and Smith identified six basics criteria that were required for effective performing teams.

Characteristics of high performance teams Source: Wisdom of Teams

Small numbers

Large numbers of people have trouble interacting constructively as a group.

Performing teams typically function best when there are a small number of people working together with four to six people often being a good target.

Single leader and effective groups also benefit from smallness but the less resource intensive nature of process required for this types of teams typically means they can be a little larger, in the range of twelve to twenty-five people.

Complementary skills

In the enterprise high performance companies build teams based on complementary skills—this of course requires an understanding of what skills people have.

It’s further complicated in a learning institution around not only understanding what skills people have but also what skills they would like to develop.

Insights into technical and functional expertise, problem solving and decision making skills and interpersonal skills are all factors that go into the creation of effective teams.

Common purpose

A team’s eventual performance is directly correlated to its purpose . If team members have a different purpose or that the purpose of the team is unknown, it’s difficult for teams to perform effectively.

Common goals Common goals

Common set of specific performance goals

Specific performance goals are also essential for most teams to function effectively and they need to be defined for or developed by the team.

Common working approach

Commonly agreed upon working approach

Teams that can’t standardize on the same working environments and tools often do not function well. Incompatible software and collaboration tools can cripple teams and cause massive hits to productivity and effectiveness.

Mutual accountability

Teams need to hold themselves accountable and be evaluated as a team .

Organizations that expect team performance but only reward individual contribution in absence of accountability to a team are often ineffective. If we don’t incent the performance we want, we wont get the performance we want.

ID Teaming Workshop Source: Wisdom of Teams

Take a Break 15 minutes

Details

Understanding each other 30 Minutes

We’re different

Individual differences

What makes it hard to work with other folks?

How does this manifest itself at ID?

Do we have similarities, what are they?

How can we learn more about similarities and differences before we start teaming?

What is a Meyers Briggs Type Indicator?

The Meyers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality profiling tool that has over 50 years of data behind it.

There are no right or wrong answers and the findings are not absolute, it’s not fate and it’s not destiny.

It’s simply a tool to help facilitate your understanding of your own patterns of behavior and have a common language and set of tools to understand others.

Source: Description for Self-Discovery

Personality has several aspects

The contextual self

The developed self

The true self

Understanding personality… …patterns, processes, structure, purpose

If you prefer to direct your energy to deal with people, things, situations, or "the outer world", then your preference is for Extraversion . This is denoted by the letter "E".

If you prefer to direct your energy to deal with ideas, information, explanations or beliefs, or "the inner world", then your preference is for Introversion . This is denoted by the letter "I".

Where, primarily, do you prefer to direct your energy? Source: Team Technology

Where, primarily, do you prefer to direct your energy?

Extraversion (E)

Sociability

Interaction

External

Breadth

Outside thrust

Relationships

Action

External events

Do-think-do

75%

Introversion (I)

Solitary

Concentration

Internal

Depth

Inside pull

Deep friendship

Reflection

Internal reations

Think-do-think

25%

Source: IBM

If you prefer to deal with facts, what you know, to have clarity, or to describe what you see, then your preference is for Sensing . This is denoted by the letter "S".

If you prefer to deal with ideas, look into the unknown, to generate new possibilities or to anticipate what isn't obvious, then your preference is for Intuition . This is denoted by the letter "N" (the letter I has already been used for Introversion).

How do you prefer to process information? Source: Team Technology

Sensing (S)

The five senses

What is real

Practical

Facts

Present orientation

Sensible

Perspiration

Down-to-earth

75%

Intuition (N)

Hunches

What could be

Theoretical

Insights

Possibilities

Imaginative

Inspiration

Head-in-clouds

25%

How do you prefer to process information? Source: IBM

How do you prefer to make decisions?

If you prefer to decide on the basis of objective logic, using an analytic and detached approach, then your preference is for Thinking . This is denoted by the letter "T".

If you prefer to decide using values and/or personal beliefs, on the basis of what you believe is important or what you or others care about, then your preference is for Feeling . This is denoted by the letter "F".

Source: Team Technology

Thinking (T)

Head

Logical system

Objective

Critique

Reason

Firm but fair

Impersonal

Firmness

50%

Feeling (F)

Heart

Value system

Subjective

Compliment

Empathy

Compassionate

Personal

Persuasion

50%

How do you prefer to make decisions? Source: IBM

How do you prefer to organize your life?

If you prefer your life to be planned, stable and organized then your preference is for Judging (not to be confused with 'Judgmental', which is quite different). This is denoted by the letter "J".

If you prefer to go with the flow, to maintain flexibility and respond to things as they arise, then your preference is for Perception . This is denoted by the letter "P".

Source: Team Technology

Judging (J)

Planning

Control

Settled

Run one’s life

Set goals

Decisive

Organized

Structured

50%

Perceiving (P)

Spontaneous

Adapt

Tentative

Let life happen

Get information

Open

Flexible

Unstructured

50%

How do you prefer to organize your life? Source: IBM

Things to keep in mind

The MBTI doesn’t measure ability, skills, or potential.

The MBTI merely gives you (and others) insights into dominant preferences that you may exhibit in different environments.

Teams don’t function well without feedback

Giving feedback 15 Minutes

Three concepts around feedback

How to listen

How to give

How to receive

How can we listen more effectively?

We can…

Establish rapport

Suspend judgment

Demonstrate interest

Encourage the person to talk

Maintain appropriate silence

Clarify understanding

Respond to the message

Source: IBM

How should we give feedback?

Use a positive approach

Be specific

Give feedback on things that a person can change

Check for understanding

Discuss what you way or heard

Source: IBM

How should we receive feedback?

Relax

Listen carefully, avoid interrupting

Ask questions for clarity

Acknowledge valid points

Take time to sort out what you heard

Source: IBM

A word about coaching

Sharing experience, giving feedback, and enabling people can be augmented with coaching.

Coaching is like fishing and therapy all wrapped up into one

Good coaches help people understand how to solve their own problems

Source: IBM

A coaching model

Let’s try it

Team Exercises 60 Minutes

Conclusions

What have we learned so far?

Details

Eat Lunch

45 minutes

Details

Understanding our teams

Introduction 15 minutes

The Basadur Creative Problem Solving Profile (CPSP) Inventory measures an individual's unique blend of preferences for four stages of what is defined as the creative process. One's largest quadrant on the graph represents one's preferred or dominant style, while the sizes of the other quadrants represent supporting orientations in turn. The resulting unique blend of styles is one's profile.

What is the Creative Problem Solving Profile (CPSP)? Source: Min Basadur and GK Van Patter (www.nextd.org)

Each unique style reflects individual preferences for ways of gaining and using knowledge. Some people prefer to understand things more by experiencing while others prefer to use abstract thinking and analysis to understand. Also, some prefer to use understanding for generating options while others prefer to use understanding to evaluate options.

The Basadur CPS Profile is not a personality test.

It measures states , not traits .

What is the Creative Problem Solving Profile (CPSP)? Source: Min Basadur and GK Van Patter (www.nextd.org)

The creative problem solving profile is constructed on two of these dimensions.

First, by two opposite ways of gaining knowledge:

(1) By direct experience and

(2) By abstract, analytical, logical thinking.

Second, by two opposite ways of using knowledge:

(1) By ideation (making new possibilities, breaking connections, diverging)

(2) By evaluation (testing and verifying new possibilities, making connections, converging).

The CPSP looks at how people get knowledge and how they use it Source: Min Basadur and GK Van Patter (www.nextd.org)

The CPSP is a way of diagnosing and explaining the different creative

problem solving inclinations and skills one person has relative to another so

that the two can understand how to team together for synergy and increased

creativity, combining their strengths.

The CPSP looks at how people get knowledge and how they use it Source: Min Basadur and GK Van Patter (www.nextd.org)

Let’s try it 90 minutes

Details

Take a Break 15 minutes

Details

Summary on the CPSP 45 minutes

Some stuff is missing…

This next section contains copyrighted content that I’ve pulled from this presentation because I’m not permitted to show it out of a classroom setting.

However you can get the gist of everything I’m saying by going to NextD.org where they’ve thoughtfully posted all this content. Check it out for yourselves and make the investment of profiling yourself and your teams. It’s the best tool I’ve found for creative teams.

Generator Description

The Generator’s two dominant creative problem solving inclinations are (1) learning by

direct experience, that is, sensing the world around by touch, smell, taste, hearing and

seeing; absorbing knowledge by getting involved personally and experiencing and

gathering information, and (2) ideation, that is, imagining possibilities, seeing relevance

in everything, seeing different points of view; dreaming about what might be; wondering

why things seem to be what they are; speculating about the future. The combination of

these two inclinations indicate a preference for problem sensing and fact finding kinds of

activities in the creative process. The Generator is an initiator, a proliferator of

opportunities, problems, facts and feelings - very sensitive to the world around, absorbing

diverse information and possibilities that might have relevance to the organization or to

oneself. The Generator is very comfortable with high ambiguity and proliferation of

much information and potential opportunity. He loves to get things started and is likely

strong in Steps 1 and 2 of the creative process. Generators are idea starters.

Source: Min Basadur

Conceptualizer Description

The Conceptualizer’s creative problem solving inclinations are (1) using knowledge for

ideation (as above) and (2) learning by abstract analysis, logic and conceptualization

(trying to develop an understanding or explanation or theory which offers an explanation

of a situation; being detached and objective; doing rational, logical thinking; having

things make sense in the abstract). The Conceptualizer’s combination of these two

inclinations indicate a preference for problem definition and idea generation (Steps 3 and 4 of the Basadur creative process) via a propensity to patiently take a wide range of

seemingly disparate facts or idea fragments and possibilities and combine or assimilate

them into integrated explanations, theories, problem definitions and ideas to be tested.

Conceptualizers are good at extracting and defining the opportunity or problem posing it

and developing a list of ideas which may solve it. They are idea developers.

Source: Min Basadur

Optimizer Description

The Optimizer’s creative problem solving inclinations are (1) learning by abstract

analysis, logic and conceptualizing and (2) using the knowledge for evaluation by testing

possibilities, that is, experimentation (trying to verify theories; confirming ideas and

notions; learnings and pinning down practical knowledge gained during testing).

These two inclinations indicate the optimizer to be involved in the practical application of

ideas, planning how to make ideas work in the real world and optimizing solutions.

In the creative process, this involves testing and rational, logical evaluation of ideas, selection of the best ones and planning concrete steps for making them practical and

implementable (Step 5 and 6 of the process). Optimizers are solution developers.

Source: Min Basadur

Implementer Description

The Implementer’s combination of inclinations toward (1) using knowledge for

evaluation and (2) learning by direct experience indicate a great deal of implementation

activity - gaining acceptance from others for changes and making those changes work

and stick. (Steps 7 and 8 of the creative process) The Implementer does not worry a great

deal about understanding the theory behind the new idea, plan or product. He wants to

take it and “run with it”, work with it, show others how to use it, fit it to others’ needs,

adapt it to various circumstances, try it one way and if it doesn’t work, try it another way.

The Implementer’s combination of inclinations toward (1) using knowledge for

evaluation and (2) learning by direct experience indicate a great deal of implementation

activity - gaining acceptance from others for changes and making those changes work

and stick. (Steps 7 and 8 of the creative process) The Implementer does not worry a great

deal about understanding the theory behind the new idea, plan or product. He wants to

take it and “run with it”, work with it, show others how to use it, fit it to others’ needs,

adapt it to various circumstances, try it one way and if it doesn’t work, try it another way.

Source: Min Basadur

Conclusions about how to use the CPSP

For any organizational team to be an effective creative problem solver, strengths in all four quadrants is important. This is achieved through the blend of people on the team. It is also important that the individuals in that organization or team use their strengths in a complementary way and not get frustrated by others who may have opposite inclinations (e.g., optimizers and generators, implementers and conceptualizers).

To achieve the best outcomes, projects in organizations need to move through the “generation conceptualization- optimization-implementation” cycle. Ideas for new projects must start somewhere - that is, the generator function, to be sensitive to the world around picking up data and cues and suggesting possible opportunities. Thus, the generator function raises a wealth of ideas and facts - usually not fully thought through, but simply in the form of starting points for new projects.

Next the conceptualizer function is needed to pull together the facts and idea fragments from the generator phase into well thought out and developed ideas and defined problems and concepts worthy of further development. The conceptualizers give sound structure to fledgling ideas and problems. The optimizer function is to take the selected structured project, problem or idea and find a practical solution or action plan that is well detailed, efficient and optimum.

Finally, it is up to the implementation function to carry the practical solutions and plans for the project forward and get them implemented - convincing management or customers or other employees as necessary and adapting the solutions and plans as necessary to make them fit into the real world.

Source: Min Basadur

When you get stuck

Getting unstuck 45 minutes

Some stuff is missing…

This next section contains some content that is copyrighted that I can’t display out of an academic setting.

The good news is that you can get the gist of this presentation by going to www.unstuck.com , explore the site, buy the book!

But first, look at www.unstuck.com/pdf/UNSTUCK_excerpt.pdf to get an idea of what this section is about.

So, how stuck are you?

Do you have a clear, inspiring purpose?

Do you have the right people, in the right roles to make a difference?

Do you work effectively as a team? Can you always get the right stuff done?

Does the team truly get the most from diversity—in skills, geography, gender, age, ethnicity—to broaden it’s thinking?

Source: Unstuck

So, how stuck are you?

Do you know how to make decisions?

Do those decisions stick?

Is your team capable of radical ideas?

If your team leader quit today, could your team carry on?

Source: Unstuck

Figuring out why we’re stuck

Diagnosing why you’re stuck

The serious seven

Source: Unstuck

Diagnosing why you’re stuck

Overwhelmed

Exhausted

Directionless

Hopeless

Battle-torn

Worthless

Alone

Source: Unstuck

Details

Take a Break 15 minutes, but be on time, we’re almost there!

Connecting the dots 15 minutes

Resources & what’s next

So, we’re doomed , what do we do now?

We take the learnings from this workshop and apply them to our design methods toolkit.

We already know how to solve hard business problems and the serious seven are simply a more contained version of the problems we address every day.

Source: Unstuck

If you buy two books buy these

Institute of Design: Teaming Workshop By Chris Bernard

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