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David Sherwin, profile picture
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Creating Creative Superteams

The document outlines principles for creating effective creative superteams, emphasizing the importance of trust, shared norms, open dialogue, and adaptive learning. It introduces frameworks like the 'form-norm-storm-perform' model and timeboxing techniques to enhance team collaboration and productivity. The author also provides practical tools and strategies for teams to communicate and improve their work processes through structured engagement.

Leadership & Management◦Design◦Technology◦
Related topics:
Team-Building•
Image 12916031 by Wok on Flickr / CC Attribution 2.0 License creating creative SUPERTEAMS David Sherwin | @changeorder | davidsherwin.com ©2014 David Sherwin. All rights reserved.
the world’s largest air guitar ensemble
2,377 performers at San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino's annual Rock n' Roll Bingo event more info at http://bit.ly/1v0XxV
the world’s largest designer air guitar ensemble
This Is It - Beat It (Solo) - Michael Jackson & Orianthi / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3C-xpkyK_o
you all rock!
was that easy? was that hard? why?
what superteams need: trust shared norms dialogue adaptive learning
what tools do I use to create creative superteams?
the constraints: multidisciplinary teams cross-location talent build the brief as you go extreme collaboration
form norm storm perform Framework from Bruce Tuckman’s article “Developmental sequence in small groups.” Psychological Bulletin 63.
form norm storm perform Framework from Bruce Tuckman’s article “Developmental sequence in small groups.” Psychological Bulletin 63.
form norm storm perform Skill Share Team Norms The Four- Player Model Timeboxing Framework from Bruce Tuckman’s article “Developmental sequence in small groups.” Psychological Bulletin 63.
form norm storm perform Skill Share Team Norms TimeboxingThe Four- Player Model
how you work values interests hobbies skills learning style habits
these things are rarely communicated.
conversation about how a team works? it works!
here’s how you can do it.
fill out a sheet of paper with this information.
who am I? (name, hometown, position on the team) my work style my skills my hobbies/interests my goals for this project/collaboration
who am I? (name, hometown, position on the team) my work style my skills my hobbies/interests my goals for this project/collaboration David Fairfax ,VA creative lead user research information architecture wireframing motion prototyping visual design drumming rock climbing yoga dark chocolate eating create structures to improvise, work hrs 9-6 PM learn how to model responsive content for smart watches
share your info with the group. everyone else listens.
“I’d rather get to work than do a skill share…”
form norm Skill Share Team Norms storm perform The Four- Player Model Timeboxing
get a bigger sheet of paper (or whiteboard).
team name & members team normsteam skills team hobbies/interests
team name & members team skills team hobbies/interests David, Fred, Amy, Jen, Alice user research** info arch wireframing motion prototyping visual design*** PM’ing front end dev** database dev back-end dev volunteering**** foosball running** painting pour-over coffee field trips to art galleries*** team norms
when you want to work how long? how often? for what durations? how you want to work collaboratively? alone? balancing the two? encouraging growth what goals and skills do you want to learn? team life/work balance what activities encourage individual/group reflection? types of team norms
team name & members team skills team hobbies/interests David, Fred, Amy, Jen, AliceDavid, Fred, Amy, Jen, Alice user research** info arch wireframing motion prototyping visual design*** PM’ing front end dev** database dev back-end dev volunteering**** foosball running** painting pour-over coffee field trips to art galleries*** 1. Work 10 AM-7 PM 2. Need 3 hrs heads down time every day 3. Open critiques required every morning 4. All of us learn CSS 5. Friday field trips for inspiration 6. Telework Tuesdays 7. Client meetings only Tuesday through Thursday team norms
post it publicly so you hold yourself to your norms.
revise this every time your team changes.
form norm perform Skill Share Team Norms Timeboxing storm The Four- Player Model
storming happens when teams avoid dialogue
productive dialogue requires four stances
“here’s a direction I think we can take…” MOVE
“I’m going to help make that idea happen…” FOLLOW
(I need to think… is this the right thing to do next?) BYSTAND
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, for these reasons…” OPPOSE
MOVE without movers, there is no direction FOLLOWBYSTAND OPPOSE without followers, there is no completion without opposers, there is no correction without bystanders, there is no perspective The Four-Player Model Four-Player Framework by David Kantor
be aware of your stance.
shift stances to advance team goals (not agendas).
“Hey, you’ve been quiet. What do you think?” “So, what I’m hearing is…” “Yes, and…” “Want to help lead this?” Four-Player Framework by David Kantor Cues to Shift A Person’s Stance MOVE FOLLOWBYSTAND OPPOSE
“structure determines behavior” —Peter Senge
collaboration structures expand or limit team dialogue working individually MOVE (OPPOSE) working in parallel MOVE (OPPOSE) working in the round MOVE FOLLOW (OPPOSE) design improv MOVE FOLLOW BYSTAND (OPPOSE)
design critique is challenging FOLLOWBYSTAND OPPOSE
moving beyond the crap sandwich of design critique 1. Ask if someone would like to enter into a critique, and when to start (right now? later?) 2. Set a time limit + goal for what you want to accomplish in the critique: refine? combine? extend? downselect? 3. Capture the criteria for excellence as you go (it varies based on what you’re critiquing) 4. Know where you are on the “ladder of abstraction” 5. Capture in writing every new idea that’s created during the critique
form norm storm Skill Share Team Norms The Four- Player Model perform Timeboxing
timeboxing: short structured sprints to reach stated goals
when should I use timeboxing? 1. you need to align and motivate your team 2. deadline is only a few hours away 3. challenge seems too big to tackle 4. it's hard to focus on getting things done
types of timeboxes what to do how long you’ll do it required output desired fidelity ACT ARTICULATE what else needs to be done? how much time will it take? what output is needed? what fidelity is required? EVALUATE did you do it? do you need more time? was the output appropriate? should the fidelity be changed?
types of timeboxes generate low-fi design ideas do it for 10 minutes at least 8 ideas sketches on Post-Its created low-fi design ideas did it for 10 minutes created 10 ideas!! sketches on Post-Its want to go deeper on 3 topics discovered in previous timebox write names of 3 topics create 10 ideas for each sketches on Post-Its ACT ARTICULATEEVALUATE
example: technoyoga
first action: planning how to use your time
be willing to adapt based on new information
increase the fidelity? increase the challenge.
why timeboxing works
why timeboxing works
why timeboxing works
form norm storm perform Skill Share Team Norms The Four- Player Model Timeboxing
Retrospectives storm perform ms The Four- Player Model Timeboxing adjourn
how did it feel? what did you learn?
the emotional seismograph
HAPPY UNHAPPY TIME Couldn’t think of ideas Excited to get started We settled on an idea John and I argued over the typeface Made up! Push to finish Strong final presentation!
lessons learned
what worked well for us? what could be improved next time? what didn’t work so well?
write down your personal lessons learned individually
share your lessons learned + merge them onto one sheet. as a group
what worked well for us? what could be improved next time? what didn’t work so well? We didn’t manage internal client expectations on the time necessary to make some big changes at the last minute Team had great energy, critiques were awesome Happy with the end product that we shipped Clearly communicate timelines to internal clients Hold fast to what team’s capable of under time constraints *** *
so, how do you create creative superteams?
our teams have to: 1. create explicit trust 2. agree to shared norms 3. foster open dialogue 4. learn from failure
be systematic about how teams communicate & collaborate
teams need (just enough) structure to perform
superteams work best when they feel the rhythm
Photo 377872266 by Kevin Delaney on Flickr Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic leading from the front?
Photo 377872266 by Kevin Delaney on Flickr Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic providing the feel
THANK YOU ©2014 David Sherwin. All rights reserved. and keep on rocking! david@changeorderblog.com @changeorder changeorderblog.com get the slides for this talk at slideshare.net/changeorder