Concepts
Conducting a collaborative design session can significantly amplify the values of transparency, inspection, and adaption that Scrum methodology holds at its core. As part of the Certified Scrum Professional for Developers (CSP-D) exam preparation, one must harness powerful facilitation methodologies to drive innovative problem-solving and effective decision-making in regards to iterative development projects. This article focuses on discussing three supportive facilitation techniques that can be applied to collaborative design sessions: The Brainwriting Technique, Nominal Group Technique (NGT), and the KJ Method.
1. Brainwriting Technique
The Brainwriting technique aims to encourage creativity, innovation and equal participation within a group. Unlike brainstorming where ideas are verbally expressed, brainwriting involves individuals writing down their ideas on sticky notes or pieces of paper, reducing the intimidation that may exist in environments prone to dominance by certain individuals. After each member writes down their ideas, everyone passes their notes to the person on their right who then builds on the initial ideas or generates new ones. This rotation continues until everyone has contributed to each idea.
Example: Let’s say a Scrum Team is working on a mobile banking app. The Product Owner expresses a need for innovative security features. The team can employ the Brainwriting technique, generating a myriad of ideas ranging from biometric authentication to behavioral pattern analysis.
2. Nominal Group Technique (NGT)
The Nominal Group Technique, is a structured method for gathering data from multiple participants. It involves an initial phase where individuals independently generate ideas. Then, in a round-robin feedback session, each person shares one idea at a time. All ideas are documented without critique or discussion. After all ideas have been shared, the group discusses each for clarity, after which members anonymously vote on the best ones.
Example: A Scrum team tasked with developing a diverse content strategy could employ NGT. Team members could individually generate ideas, share them, discuss for clarity and finally, vote on the most impactful and feasible content types to implement.
3. KJ Method (Affinity Diagramming)
Named after its originator, Japanese anthropologist Jiro Kawakita, the KJ Method, or Affinity Diagramming, aims to sift through large amounts of data or ideas, find common themes, then sort and prioritise tasks or ideas. Participating members write and discuss ideas, grouping similar ideas together into ‘affinities’. Once the affinities are agreed upon, they are prioritized by the group for implementation.
Example: A Scrum team could use Affinity Diagramming when they have a large amount of user feedback data to process. They would group similar feedback together (such as UI, functionality, and performance), understand common themes, and then prioritize the ones most significant to the user experience for improvement in the next sprint.
| Facilitation Technique | Aim | Ideal Scenario |
|---|---|---|
| Brainwriting | Encourage creativity, innovation, and equal participation | Scenarios demanding out-of-box ideas |
| Nominal Group Technique (NGT) | Gather data, promote equality, and prioritize prominent ideas | Capturing varied perspectives on complex topics |
| KJ Method (Affinity Diagramming) | Sift through large data, find common themes, and prioritize accordingly | Filtering and categorizing large volumes of data |
Each of these facilitation techniques holds importance in its own right, and each stands to be utilized optimally based on the unique requirements of the Scrum Team’s context. As developers navigate through their CSP-D journey, mastering these techniques is critical to draw from a diverse set of skills to elevate their Scrum practice.
Answer the Questions in Comment Section
True or False: Supportive facilitation techniques are not essential for conducting a collaborative design session.
- Answer: False
Explanation: Supportive facilitation techniques are critical in conducting a collaborative design session, as they promote active participation, ensure effective communication, and improve productivity.
Which of the following is NOT a supportive facilitation technique in a collaborative design session?
- a) Brainstorming
- b) Icebreakers
- c) Lecture presentation
- d) Round Robin
Answer: c) Lecture presentation.
Explanation: While lectures are a common method for disseminating information, they do not involve active participation from the team, which is necessary in a collaborative design session.
Multiple Select: What are the three major roles in the Scrum framework?
- a) Product Owner
- b) Scrum Master
- c) Team Member
- d) Stakeholder
Answer: a) Product Owner, b) Scrum Master, c) Team Member.
Explanation: The major roles in Scrum framework are the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and the Team Member. Although stakeholders play a crucial role, they are not counted among the primary roles.
True or False: Supportive facilitation techniques like brainstorming and round robin help to create an environment of trust and mutual understanding in a team.
- Answer: True
Explanation: Brainstorming and round robin techniques encourage every team member to contribute to the discussion, thereby creating a trusting and understanding environment.
Which of the following facilitation techniques encourages everyone to have a say in the discussion?
- a) Open discussion
- b) Brainstorming
- c) Round Robin
- d) Nominal Group Technique
Answer: c) Round Robin.
Explanation: The round robin technique ensures that everyone gets a turn to speak, which encourages equal participation.
True or False: In a collaborative design session, facilitation techniques can help develop better solutions because they stimulate diverse thought and creativity.
- Answer: True
Explanation: Facilitation techniques promote creativity and divergent thinking, which leads to the development of innovative and effective solutions.
Multiple Select: Which of the following are supportive facilitation techniques for collaborative design sessions?
- a) Icebreakers
- b) Mediation
- c) Non-agenda meetings
- d) Delphi Method
Answer: a) Icebreakers, b) Mediation, d) Delphi Method.
Explanation: Icebreakers, mediation, and Delphi Method are facilitation techniques that promote effective communication and decision-making in a team. Non-agenda meetings, however, can divert focus away from the objectives of the session.
In a collaborative design session, what is the role of a facilitator?
- a) To dictate the flow of the session
- b) To participate actively in the discussion
- c) To ensure all voices are heard and manage conflicts
- d) None of the above
Answer: c) To ensure all voices are heard and manage conflicts.
Explanation: The main role of the facilitator is to ensure an inclusive and open discussion, and manage any arising conflicts effectively.
True or False: Supportive facilitation techniques can also help in resolving conflicts in a collaborative design session.
- Answer: True
Explanation: Facilitation techniques, especially those like mediation, can help manage conflicts and maintain a collaborative and productive environment.
What is the purpose of using supportive facilitation techniques in a collaborative design session?
- a) To make the session more fun/li>
- b) To ensure active participation from all members
- c) To speed up the decision-making process/li>
- d) None of the above/li>
Answer: b) To ensure active participation from all members.
Explanation: Supportive facilitation techniques are aimed at encouraging active participation and communication in order to gain comprehensive insights, stimulate creativity, and build better solutions.
Using visual facilitation techniques like sketching and whiteboarding can significantly improve collaborative design outcomes.
Appreciate the blog post! It was very helpful.
Timeboxing sessions to maintain focus and productivity is another technique that works wonders for us.
Great post! Applying supportive facilitation techniques in a collaborative design session is crucial. I particularly liked the emphasis on using open-ended questions.
Can someone explain how the ‘Parking Lot’ technique can be effectively used during a design session?
I believe involving all team members in brainstorming using dot voting is another effective technique. Any thoughts?
Using visual aids like whiteboards or digital tools can significantly enhance a design session. What are your favorite tools?
Thanks for this informative post!