Facilitated Work Sessions - Revision history

Tkokotas at 14:03, 18 December 2018

2018-12-18T14:03:24Z

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			''Developed by Rosa Elisabeth Lindqvist''


	Have you ever heard about projects that struggled to meet deadlines? Or where the quality of the deliverables was not high enough? Or of a project team that struggles with ownership or poor group dynamic? These are all relatively common issues of the project management practice. This article describes a concept for remedy of these issues, <b>facilitated work sessions</b>. Facilitated work sessions exist to speed up projects by producing project deliverables through participatory processes and group dynamics that works, while increasing ownership of the results as well as quality. The general purpose with facilitation is to make it easy for groups to reach a certain goal, and further to make the group achieve more together than the sum of their individual inputs. The participants can focus on the content, the objectives, while the facilitator manages the process and the people. A capable facilitator will possess a certain mind-set, skill-set and competences. Besides a capable facilitator, a successful work session involves thorough planning, engaging the right participants and the right choice of approach and techniques not to mention distribution of the work session results.		Have you ever heard about projects that struggled to meet deadlines? Or where the quality of the deliverables was not high enough? Or of a project team that struggles with ownership or poor group dynamic? These are all relatively common issues of the project management practice. This article describes a concept for remedy of these issues, <b>facilitated work sessions</b>. Facilitated work sessions exist to speed up projects by producing project deliverables through participatory processes and group dynamics that works, while increasing ownership of the results as well as quality. The general purpose with facilitation is to make it easy for groups to reach a certain goal, and further to make the group achieve more together than the sum of their individual inputs. The participants can focus on the content, the objectives, while the facilitator manages the process and the people. A capable facilitator will possess a certain mind-set, skill-set and competences. Besides a capable facilitator, a successful work session involves thorough planning, engaging the right participants and the right choice of approach and techniques not to mention distribution of the work session results.

Relindqvist: /* Further Reading */

2016-09-26T19:19:58Z

Further Reading

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	* For a deeper understanding of facilitation with focus on leadership read Facilitating to Lead!: Leadership Strategies for a Networked World, <b> Ingrid Bens</b>, Jossey-Bass, 2006.		* For a deeper understanding of facilitation with focus on leadership read Facilitating to Lead!: Leadership Strategies for a Networked World, <b> Ingrid Bens</b>, Jossey-Bass, 2006.

	* Read about eight interactive methods to facilitate change, practical experiences and theory on e.g. ~~brainstorm~~ in Facilitating Change: Using interactive methods in organizations, communities and networks, <b>Rasmussen, Lauge Baungaard ed.</b>, Polyteknisk Forlag, 2011.		* Read about eight interactive methods to facilitate change, practical experiences,brainstorm methods and theory on e.g. diverging/converging phases in Facilitating Change: Using interactive methods in organizations, communities and networks, <b>Rasmussen, Lauge Baungaard ed.</b>, Polyteknisk Forlag, 2011.

	* Get introduced to facilitated work sessions in Accelerating Your Projects Using Facilitated Work Sessions, <b>Adams, Tammy and Means, Jan</b>, PMI Global Congress Proceedings, 2005. http://www.facilitatingprojects.com/documents/Accelerating_Projects.pdf.		* Get introduced to facilitated work sessions in Accelerating Your Projects Using Facilitated Work Sessions, <b>Adams, Tammy and Means, Jan</b>, PMI Global Congress Proceedings, 2005. http://www.facilitatingprojects.com/documents/Accelerating_Projects.pdf.

Relindqvist: /* Delivery-building Activities */

2016-09-26T19:18:20Z

Delivery-building Activities

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	These are the activities, which together are supposed to bring about the deliverable(s) one step at a time. It requires active participation and collaboration from the participants and guidance from the facilitator. It is important to provide clear instructions and explain how the activity contributes to achieving the objectives. The activities will vary, but often they will have a <i>diverging</i> or <i>converging</i> nature, i.e. creation a solution space or narrowing it down, respectively. Some activities are meant for gaining a deeper understanding and others are meant for specifying and making a decision.<ref name="Rasmussen"/>		These are the activities, which together are supposed to bring about the deliverable(s) one step at a time. It requires active participation and collaboration from the participants and guidance from the facilitator. It is important to provide clear instructions and explain how the activity contributes to achieving the objectives. The activities will vary, but often they will have a <i>diverging</i> or <i>converging</i> nature, i.e. creation a solution space or narrowing it down, respectively. Some activities are meant for gaining a deeper understanding and others are meant for specifying and making a decision.<ref name="Rasmussen"/>
	~~The~~ facilitator ~~must~~
			It is the responsibility of the facilitator to:
	* Ask questions to dig deeper, sometimes get more specific – sometimes more abstract.		* Ask questions to dig deeper, sometimes get more specific – sometimes more abstract.
	* Use active listening, and listen in order to understand and hence ask the right questions that will take the team further.		* Use active listening, and listen in order to understand and hence ask the right questions that will take the team further.

Relindqvist: /* Delivery-building Activities */

2016-09-26T19:17:19Z

Delivery-building Activities

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	==== Delivery-building Activities ====		==== Delivery-building Activities ====

	These are the activities, which together are supposed to bring about the deliverable(s) one step at a time. It requires active participation and collaboration from the participants and guidance from the facilitator. It is important to provide clear instructions and explain how the activity contributes to achieving the objectives.		These are the activities, which together are supposed to bring about the deliverable(s) one step at a time. It requires active participation and collaboration from the participants and guidance from the facilitator. It is important to provide clear instructions and explain how the activity contributes to achieving the objectives. The activities will vary, but often they will have a <i>diverging</i> or <i>converging</i> nature, i.e. creation a solution space or narrowing it down, respectively. Some activities are meant for gaining a deeper understanding and others are meant for specifying and making a decision.<ref name="Rasmussen"/>
	The facilitator must		The facilitator must
	* Ask questions to dig deeper, sometimes get more specific – sometimes more abstract.		* Ask questions to dig deeper, sometimes get more specific – sometimes more abstract.
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	* Make sure the work and atmosphere stays constructive and professional.		* Make sure the work and atmosphere stays constructive and professional.
	* Keep time – the agenda can be reviewed and changed if fitting, but the team must reach meet the objectives by the end of the work session.<ref name="Book"/>		* Keep time – the agenda can be reviewed and changed if fitting, but the team must reach meet the objectives by the end of the work session.<ref name="Book"/>


	==== Closing Activities ====		==== Closing Activities ====

Relindqvist: /* Opening Activities */

2016-09-26T18:44:46Z

Opening Activities

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	How are we going to work?		How are we going to work?
	* Make clear what the ground rules are, and ask the participants to confirm them.		* Make clear what the ground rules are, and ask the participants to confirm them.
	* Explain the overall process and take them through the agenda. Make sure the agenda is visible during the work session.<ref name="Rasmussen"><b>Rasmussen, Lauge Baungaard</b>, Facilitating Change, Polyteknisk Forlag, 2011.</ref>		* Explain the overall process and take them through the agenda. Make sure the agenda is visible during the work session.<ref name="Rasmussen"><b>Rasmussen, Lauge Baungaard ed.</b>, Facilitating Change: Using Interactive methods in communities, organizations and networks, Polyteknisk Forlag, 2011.</ref>

	Also, give practical information about restrooms, coffee availability and other information that they will need in the location. Most of this goes for the first day of the work session. If the work session takes several days, opening activities is still recommended for the rest of the days. However, only briefly reminding where the process ended the day before and going through the agenda of the day to open content and process - and then a quick warm up activity to open relations, e.g. a check-in exercise.

			Also, give practical information about restrooms, coffee availability and other information that they will need in the location. Most of this goes for the first day of the work session. If the work session takes several days, opening activities is still recommended for the rest of the days. However, only briefly reminding where the process ended the day before and going through the agenda of the day to open content and process - and then a quick warm up activity to open relations, e.g. a check-in exercise.

	==== Delivery-building Activities ====		==== Delivery-building Activities ====

Relindqvist: /* 2. Plan effectively */

2016-09-26T18:40:03Z

2. Plan effectively

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	=== 2. Plan effectively ===		=== 2. Plan effectively ===
	The facilitator plans the work session process, but in order to do so, it will be necessary to talk to the project manager and team. This goes especially for the first part of the planning, where the staging takes place, see Figure 2. Setting the stage is e.g. about defining the objectives for the work session and that should be done together with the project manager and perhaps also the project owner. Setting the stage is about creating the framework where the work session is taking place, what should be done, who should be there and when. Logistical planning covers the practical part of the work session, but is important to plan properly to make sure the work session runs smooth and professional. The final preparation step planning is where the design of the process~~, that~~ is ~~going~~ to make it easy for the group to achieve the objectives~~, takes place~~. The facilitator will choose activities that will be appropriate in terms of the objectives, the participants, time and that will be best at bringing the participants’ joint knowledge into play.<ref name="Book"/>		The facilitator plans the work session process, but in order to do so, it will be necessary to talk to the project manager and team. This goes especially for the first part of the planning, where the staging takes place, see Figure 2. Setting the stage is e.g. about defining the objectives for the work session and that should be done together with the project manager and perhaps also the project owner. Setting the stage is about creating the framework where the work session is taking place, what should be done, who should be there and when. Logistical planning covers the practical part of the work session, but is important to plan properly to make sure the work session runs smooth and professional. The final preparation step, planning, is where the design of the process takes place. This is what in the end has to make it easy for the group to achieve the objectives. The facilitator will choose activities that will be appropriate in terms of the objectives, the participants, time and that will be best at bringing the participants’ joint knowledge into play.<ref name="Book"/>

	[[File:Planning.png\|thumb\|none\|800px\|Figure 2: Planning. <ref name="Article"/>]]		[[File:Planning.png\|thumb\|none\|800px\|Figure 2: Planning. <ref name="Article"/>]]

Relindqvist: /* Further Reading */

2016-09-26T18:31:20Z

Further Reading

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	* Get introduced to facilitated work sessions in Accelerating Your Projects Using Facilitated Work Sessions, <b>Adams, Tammy and Means, Jan</b>, PMI Global Congress Proceedings, 2005. http://www.facilitatingprojects.com/documents/Accelerating_Projects.pdf.		* Get introduced to facilitated work sessions in Accelerating Your Projects Using Facilitated Work Sessions, <b>Adams, Tammy and Means, Jan</b>, PMI Global Congress Proceedings, 2005. http://www.facilitatingprojects.com/documents/Accelerating_Projects.pdf.

	* To get more information about facilitation, the practise, the newest knowledge and movements visit IAFs website <b> The International Association of Facilitators </b>, https://www.iaf-world.org/site/		* To get more information about facilitation, the practise, the newest knowledge and movements or finding a certified facilitator visit IAFs website <b> The International Association of Facilitators </b>, https://www.iaf-world.org/site/

	== Bibliography ==		== Bibliography ==
	<references/>		<references/>

Relindqvist: /* Further Reading */

2016-09-26T18:30:29Z

Further Reading

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:30, 26 September 2016
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	* Get introduced to facilitated work sessions in Accelerating Your Projects Using Facilitated Work Sessions, <b>Adams, Tammy and Means, Jan</b>, PMI Global Congress Proceedings, 2005. http://www.facilitatingprojects.com/documents/Accelerating_Projects.pdf.		* Get introduced to facilitated work sessions in Accelerating Your Projects Using Facilitated Work Sessions, <b>Adams, Tammy and Means, Jan</b>, PMI Global Congress Proceedings, 2005. http://www.facilitatingprojects.com/documents/Accelerating_Projects.pdf.

	* To get more information about facilitation, the practise, the newest knowledge and movements visit IAFs website <b> The International Association of Facilitators </b>, https://www.iaf-world.org/site/~~professional/core-competencies~~		* To get more information about facilitation, the practise, the newest knowledge and movements visit IAFs website <b> The International Association of Facilitators </b>, https://www.iaf-world.org/site/

	== Bibliography ==		== Bibliography ==
	<references/>		<references/>

Relindqvist: /* Further Reading */

2016-09-26T18:29:41Z

Further Reading

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:29, 26 September 2016
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	To obtain a deeper understanding of facilitated work sessions, how to do it, templates, agendas, techniques read Facilitating the Project Lifecycle: Skills & Tools to Accelerate Progress for Project Managers, Facilitators, and Six Sigma Project Teams, <b> Adams, Tammy and Means, Jan</b>, John Wiley & Sons , 2005.		* To obtain a deeper understanding of facilitated work sessions, how to do it, templates, agendas, techniques read Facilitating the Project Lifecycle: Skills & Tools to Accelerate Progress for Project Managers, Facilitators, and Six Sigma Project Teams, <b> Adams, Tammy and Means, Jan</b>, John Wiley & Sons , 2005.

	For a deeper understand of facilitation in general and underlying theory read Understanding Facilitation, <b> Hogan, Christine</b>, Kogan Page Publishers, 2002.		* For a deeper understand of facilitation in general and underlying theory read Understanding Facilitation, <b> Hogan, Christine</b>, Kogan Page Publishers, 2002.

	For a deeper understanding of facilitation with focus on leadership read Facilitating to Lead!: Leadership Strategies for a Networked World, <b> Ingrid Bens</b>, Jossey-Bass, 2006.		* For a deeper understanding of facilitation with focus on leadership read Facilitating to Lead!: Leadership Strategies for a Networked World, <b> Ingrid Bens</b>, Jossey-Bass, 2006.

			* Read about eight interactive methods to facilitate change, practical experiences and theory on e.g. brainstorm in Facilitating Change: Using interactive methods in organizations, communities and networks, <b>Rasmussen, Lauge Baungaard ed.</b>, Polyteknisk Forlag, 2011.

	~~Read about eight interactive methods~~ to ~~facilitate change, practical experiences and theory on e.g. brainstorm~~ in ~~Facilitating Change:~~ Using ~~interactive methods in organizations, communities and networks~~, <b>~~Rasmussen~~, ~~Lauge Baungaard ed.~~</b>, ~~Polyteknisk Forlag~~, ~~2011~~.		* Get introduced to facilitated work sessions in Accelerating Your Projects Using Facilitated Work Sessions, <b>Adams, Tammy and Means, Jan</b>, PMI Global Congress Proceedings, 2005. http://www.facilitatingprojects.com/documents/Accelerating_Projects.pdf.

	Get introduced to facilitated work sessions in Accelerating Your Projects Using Facilitated Work Sessions, <b>Adams, Tammy and Means, Jan</b>, PMI Global Congress Proceedings, 2005. http://www.facilitatingprojects.com/documents/Accelerating_Projects.pdf.		* To get more information about facilitation, the practise, the newest knowledge and movements visit IAFs website <b> The International Association of Facilitators </b>, https://www.iaf-world.org/site/professional/core-competencies


	To get more information about facilitation, the practise, the newest knowledge and movements visit IAFs website <b> The International Association of Facilitators </b>, https://www.iaf-world.org/site/professional/core-competencies

	== Bibliography ==		== Bibliography ==
	<references/>		<references/>

Relindqvist: /* Further reading */

2016-09-26T18:29:05Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:29, 26 September 2016
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	== Further ~~reading~~ ==		== Further Reading ==
	~~Understanding Facilitation, <b> Hogan, Christine</b>, Kogan Page Publishers, 2002.~~


	~~Accelerating Your Projects Using Facilitated Work Sessions~~, <b>Adams, Tammy and Means, Jan</b>, ~~PMI Global Congress Proceedings~~, 2005~~. http://www.facilitatingprojects.com/documents/Accelerating_Projects.pdf~~.		To obtain a deeper understanding of facilitated work sessions, how to do it, templates, agendas, techniques read Facilitating the Project Lifecycle: Skills & Tools to Accelerate Progress for Project Managers, Facilitators, and Six Sigma Project Teams, <b> Adams, Tammy and Means, Jan</b>, John Wiley & Sons , 2005.

	Facilitating to Lead!: Leadership Strategies for a Networked World, <b> Ingrid Bens</b>, Jossey-Bass, 2006		For a deeper understand of facilitation in general and underlying theory read Understanding Facilitation, <b> Hogan, Christine</b>, Kogan Page Publishers, 2002.

			For a deeper understanding of facilitation with focus on leadership read Facilitating to Lead!: Leadership Strategies for a Networked World, <b> Ingrid Bens</b>, Jossey-Bass, 2006.

	~~Facilitating the Project Lifecycle: Skills & Tools to Accelerate Progress for Project Managers, Facilitators, and Six Sigma Project Teams, <b> Adams, Tammy and Means, Jan</b>, John Wiley & Sons , 2005~~

	~~Core Competencies~~, <b> ~~The International Association of Facilitators~~ </b>, ~~https://www~~.~~iaf-world.org/site/professional/core-competencies~~		Read about eight interactive methods to facilitate change, practical experiences and theory on e.g. brainstorm in Facilitating Change: Using interactive methods in organizations, communities and networks, <b>Rasmussen, Lauge Baungaard ed.</b>, Polyteknisk Forlag, 2011.

	~~Facilitating Change~~, <b>~~Rasmussen~~, ~~Lauge Baungaard~~</b>, ~~Polyteknisk Forlag~~, ~~2011~~		Get introduced to facilitated work sessions in Accelerating Your Projects Using Facilitated Work Sessions, <b>Adams, Tammy and Means, Jan</b>, PMI Global Congress Proceedings, 2005. http://www.facilitatingprojects.com/documents/Accelerating_Projects.pdf.

	~~A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), Fifth Edition, <b>Project Management Institute</b>, Project Management Institute, 2013~~

			To get more information about facilitation, the practise, the newest knowledge and movements visit IAFs website <b> The International Association of Facilitators </b>, https://www.iaf-world.org/site/professional/core-competencies
	~~Template from work session invitation to brainstorm template to process improvement. http~~://www.~~facilitatingprojects~~.~~com~~/~~tools_templates.htm~~

	== Bibliography ==		== Bibliography ==
	<references/>		<references/>