Agile Ways of Working Workshop - Practical Guide

In this lesson we will cover:

• Introduction to Agile WOW: Understanding the purpose of the Agile WOW workshop, tailored for teams new to Agile.

• Course Contents Explained: Insight into the structure and flow of the Agile WOW course

• Facilitation Essentials: Emphasizing the role of facilitation skills, energy, and adaptability in leading an effective workshop.

What is covered in this lesson:

1. Understanding Key Outcomes:

   • Customer Centricity: Emphasizing the importance of engaging with and understanding customer needs to maximize value.

   • Iterative Delivery: Experiencing the benefits of breaking work into shorter iterations for flexibility and incorporating feedback.

   • Agile and Servant Leadership: Recognizing the shift in leadership style in an Agile environment, focusing on empowerment, facilitation, and collaboration across teams.

2. Workshop Mechanics and Management:

   • Overview of the workshop's structure, comparing traditional waterfall and Agile approaches.

   • Guidance on managing the workshop effectively to ensure participants can experience both approaches.

3. Importance of Debrief and Reflection:

   • Emphasizing the need for a comprehensive debrief to allow participants to internalize and discuss learnings and insights gained from the workshop.

4. Preparation for Facilitation:

   • Reminder to adhere to the workshop rules, follow the structured agenda, and allocate sufficient time for each segment.

In this lesson we cover:

1. Two-Phase Workshop Structure:

   • Waterfall Phase: Teams build a park with assigned roles of team leader, customer representative, and builders. Emphasis on traditional command and control approach.

   • Agile Phase: Transition to Agile with an Agile leader, product owner, and builders focusing on collaboration, iterative development, and customer feedback.

2. Role Dynamics and Team Collaboration:

   • Exploration of different team roles and their impact on project outcomes.

   • Highlighting the importance of customer engagement and team communication in delivering successful results.

3. Learning Through Reflection:

   • The significance of debrief sessions after each phase to document and discuss what went well, challenges faced, and potential improvements.

   • Emphasis on the learning process as a key outcome of the workshop.

4. Key Takeaways:

   • Understanding the stark contrasts between Waterfall and Agile approaches.

   • The critical role of customer feedback and Agile leadership in project success.

   • Insights into how resource sharing and cross-team collaboration enhance project outcomes.

In this lesson we cover:

1. Workshop Logistics and Team Composition:

   • Overview of the optimal team structure for the workshop, with a focus on having at least 5 builders per team and the essential roles for each round.

   • Guidance on managing teams for different group sizes and the importance of an Agile leader for multiple teams in round two.

2. Materials and Preparation:

   • Detailing the necessary materials including LEGO sets, craft supplies, and role/instruction cards.

   • Importance of diverse and limited resources to encourage collaboration and creativity in round two.

3. Facilitation and Retrospective Setup:

   • Tips on effective facilitation tools such as timers, bells, and microphones for larger groups.

   • Suggestions for conducting retrospectives using giant Post-its, whiteboards, or sticky notes for collaborative reflection.

In this lesson we will cover:

• Concept of Priming in Facilitation: Exploring the idea of priming and how it influences the thinking and behavior of workshop participants, with insights from Daniel Kahneman's "Thinking, Fast and Slow."

• Importance of Language in Workshop Setting: Discussing the significance of using neutral and unbiased language when introducing the different phases of the workshop to avoid creating preconceived notions about Waterfall and Agile.

• Effective Workshop Integration in Training: Sharing strategies for successfully incorporating this workshop into larger training programs, ensuring it remains an effective learning tool without being influenced by the participants' prior knowledge or expectations.

In this lesson we will cover:

• Round One Scenario Overview: Diving into the detailed scenario for the first round of the workshop, where each team builds a park with specified elements like a children's playground, pond area, café, parking lot, and park entrance.

• Team Assignments and Role Distribution: Explaining the team composition for round one, which includes a leader and builders, with instructions on task assignments based on team size and the possibility of adapting tasks if necessary.

• Timeline and Phases of Round One: Outlining the specific time allocations for each phase in round one, including planning (3 minutes), building (15 minutes), finalizing (2 minutes), and feedback delivery.

• Strategies for Effective Teamwork and Engagement: Discussing the implicit rules and encouragements for the teams, such as interacting with the customer representative during the building phase, resource sharing, and observing competitors' strategies.

• Preparation for Facilitators: Emphasizing the importance of understanding the rules and team assignments thoroughly to facilitate the round effectively.

In this lesson we will cover:

• Selection Criteria for Team Leaders: Analyzing how teams should choose their leaders, with a preference for non-managers to encourage flat hierarchy, yet considering managers to potentially highlight traditional command-and-control behaviors.

• Detailed Role Analysis of Team Leaders: Discussing the specific responsibilities and actions expected from team leaders in round one, such as supervising team members, controlling resources, and ensuring compliance with the given requirements.

• Balancing Command-and-Control with Agile Flexibility: Exploring the nuances of the team leader’s role, where they are guided towards a more hierarchical approach but are not explicitly restricted from adopting Agile practices like engaging with customers and fostering team collaboration.

• Strategic Approach to Team Dynamics: Emphasizing the importance of how team leaders are presented with their roles and responsibilities, aiming to subtly encourage certain behaviors that can later be addressed in debrief sessions for learning purposes.

In this lesson we will learn:

• Detailed Overview of Builder Role: Understanding the specific tasks and expectations for builders, including adherence to instructions and focus on task completion.

• Rules on Resource Usage and Access: Analyzing how builders can access and request resources, and the role of the team leader in resource distribution.

• Potential for Team Dynamics and Communication: Exploring the scenarios where builders may collaborate, communicate with team leaders, and potentially engage with customers, and how these interactions shape the team’s approach to the project.

In this lesson we will learn:

• Detailed Understanding of Customer Role: Delve into the customer's responsibilities in the exercise, focusing on their silent observation and interaction with the team.

• Importance of Briefing Customers: Discuss the necessity of pre-workshop briefings for customer representatives to ensure they understand their role and the importance of withholding certain information.

• Managing Customer Expectations and Feedback: Explore how to guide customer representatives in providing realistic and objective feedback, and how this impacts the team’s understanding of customer needs and requirements.

In this lesson we will learn:

• Structure of Debrief Session: Understanding how to effectively organize and facilitate a debrief session, including time allocation for individual and group reflection based on team size.

• Critical Questions for Reflection: Delving into specific questions to prompt teams to consider aspects like customer engagement, cross-team learning, and leadership dynamics during the building process.

• Assessing Team Output and Dynamics: Learning how to evaluate the final product's cohesiveness and aesthetics, and discussing the importance of team communication and collaboration in achieving a unified result.

In this lesson we will learn:

• Structure and Goals of Round Two: Understanding the shift to a more Agile approach in round two, where teams build various city elements and focus on maximizing customer value.

• Point System and Customer Interaction: Exploring the point system based on customer satisfaction and the strategic importance of delighting the customer with completed items.

• Effective Sprint Management: Learning how to guide teams through the sprint process, ensuring they adhere to planning and review phases and understand the importance of completing tasks for maximum customer value.

In this lesson we will learn:

• Transition of Roles in Round Two: Understanding the shift from builder to product owner, and how former team leaders in round one should ideally take on a builder role in this round.

• Key Responsibilities of a Product Owner: Delving into the product owner's role in driving prioritization, clarifying requirements, and balancing the team’s workload.

• Adapting to Agile: Learning how the product owner navigates the Agile framework, focusing on maximizing value delivery while maintaining a non-hierarchical team structure.

In this lesson we will learn:

• Builder’s Evolved Role in Agile Environment: Understanding how the builder's role shifts in an Agile setting, emphasizing teamwork, shared decision-making, and alignment with sprint plans.

• Importance of Team Collaboration: Exploring how builders are encouraged to collaborate within the team and with other teams, as well as seek guidance from the Agile leader.

• Balancing Individual Insight and Customer Needs: Learning the balance between builders' personal insights and the necessity of adhering to customer feedback for successful project outcomes.

In this lesson we will cover:

• Optimal Allocation of Agile Leaders: Exploring recommendations for the number of teams an Agile Leader should support, and the importance of pre-selecting and briefing these leaders.

• Empowering Teams and Resource Management: Understanding how Agile Leaders can help teams by providing resources, facilitating knowledge sharing, and solving problems that arise during the activity.

• Maintaining Agile Leadership Principles: Learning the nuances of ensuring Agile Leaders adhere to servant leadership principles, focusing on empowering rather than controlling teams, and maintaining a supportive, non-competitive environment.

In this lesson we will learn:

• Customer’s Active Yet Reserved Role: Understanding how the customer's role evolves in round two to be more engaged yet restrained, teaching teams to seek out and value customer input actively.

• Feedback Dynamics and Acceptance Criteria: Learning how customers should approach giving feedback during reviews, including the nuances of accepting, rejecting, or expressing delight over team outputs.

• Consistency in Requirements and Prioritization: Exploring how customers should handle their secret requirements, ensuring consistency in their initial demands while being open to clarifying details without completely altering their requirements.

In this lesson we will learn:

• Debriefing Strategies for Round Two: Understanding how to guide teams through a reflective debrief, encouraging them to consider their use of planning and review phases and the effectiveness of their collaboration.

• Key Questions for Insightful Discussion: Learning which questions to ask to unearth deeper insights about team dynamics, customer interaction, and the overall approach to the project.

• Evaluating the Effectiveness of Agile Practices: Examining how teams prioritized tasks, managed resources, and whether they achieved a balance between individual tasks and the overall team goal.

In this lesson we will learn:

• Conducting an Effective Final Debrief: Learning how to guide participants through a comprehensive debrief that synthesizes experiences from both rounds and relates them to their professional environment.

• Facilitating Reflective Conversations: Exploring techniques for encouraging participants to share their insights and learnings, whether in large groups, small teams, or pair discussions.

• Encouraging Personal Commitments to Change: Focusing on helping each participant identify at least one actionable takeaway or change they can implement in their daily work based on the workshop’s learnings.

In this lesson we will learn:

• Pre-Workshop Best Practices: Exploring best practices for preparing to run the session, including adjusting timelines, preparing materials, and coordinating with co-facilitators.

• Professional and Engaging Facilitation Style: Learning how to maintain a balance between being engaging and energetic, without talking down to participants or treating them like children.

• Managing Workshop Dynamics: Understanding strategies for managing large groups, keeping time, and making announcements effectively during the workshop.

In this lesson we will cover:

• Facilitation Skills in Action: Exploring techniques for managing the workshop effectively, including how to handle instructions, time management, and participant engagement.

• Personalized Interaction with Participants: Learning the benefits of interacting with teams individually, which can provide insights for later discussions and debriefs.

• Creating an Enjoyable Workshop Environment: Understanding how to create a conducive environment for learning and enjoyment, including using background music and maintaining a fun yet professional demeanor.

In this lesson we will learn:

• Crafting and Managing Debriefs: Understanding how to effectively conduct debrief sessions, using prepared questions to guide discussion and reflection.

• Maintaining a Respectful and Supportive Facilitator Role: Learning to balance humor and seriousness, ensuring participants feel respected and valued in their contributions.

• Ensuring Continuity and Real-World Application: Exploring strategies for ensuring the workshop's learnings are revisited and applied in participants' everyday work, enhancing the long-term impact of the workshop.