Course 176:
Dynamic Facilitation

(2 days)

 

Course Description

Facilitation is an invaluable tool used to leverage the best practices of software development utilizing iterative and collaborative group meetings. Effective use of facilitator lead session and related techniques often leads to an accelerated time schedule along with reduced overall project cost.

The purpose of this course is to illustrate and teach best practices in facilitation that lead to effective and efficient meetings. Applied workshops and role-playing techniques are used to emphasize learning concepts.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the multiple roles and procedures of a facilitator
  • Learn to develop an agenda
  • Apply time management to meetings
  • Control meeting situations
  • Diffuse conflict
  • Gain experience through workshops in key aspects of planning, executing, and closing meetings.

Who Should Attend

Audience includes business managers and analysts, software process engineers, quality assurance professionals, project managers, and software practitioners, with an interest in facilitating and to increase their own insights and help improve organizational processes.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Course Outline

Introduction and Overview

  • Course Objectives

Chapter 1: Introduction

  • Chapter Objectives
  • Concepts
    • Facilitator Defined
    • Purpose of Facilitation
    • Learning to Work Together
    • Facilitation Guidelines
  • Chapter Summary and Best Practices

Chapter 2: Facilitator Preparation and Planning

  • Chapter Objectives
  • Meetings
    • Good Meetings
    • Bad Meetings
    • Logistics
    • Potential Meeting Tools
    • Preparing the Participants
  • Planning Overview
    • Why
    • Who
    • When
    • Where
    • What
    • Charters
    • Agendas
  • Workshop 2.1: Creating an Agenda
  • Chapter Summary and Best Practices

Chapter 3: Facilitating the Meeting

  • Chapter Objectives
  • The Meeting Process
    • Ice Breakers
    • Ground Rules
    • Role of the Facilitator
  • Workshop 3.1: Starting the Meeting
  • Focusing the Meeting
    • Questioning Techniques
    • Common Situations
    • Process Intervention and Desired Outcomes
    • Group Behavior
    • When to Intervene
    • How to Intervene
  • Workshop 3.2: Facilitating Group Situations
  • Staying on Time
    • Possible Situations
    • Controlling the Situation
  • Workshop 3.3: Managing Time to Agenda Schedule
  • Chapter Summary and Best Practices

Chapter 4: Reaching Consensus

  • Chapter Objectives
  • Tools and Techniques
    • Poll the Room
    • Constructive Responses
    • Written Thoughts
    • Parking Lot
    • Brainstorming
    • Nominal Group Technique
    • Multi-Voting
    • Guided Discussions
    • Fish Bowl
  • Workshop 4.1: The Group Isn’t Agreeing: Take Control
  • Chapter Summary and Best Practices

Chapter 5: Closing the Meeting

  • Chapter Objectives
    • Summarize the Meeting
    • Review Actions Items
    • Discuss Follow-Up
    • Dropping Out
  • Workshop 5.1: The Group wants to Know Status and I don’t Know the Answers?
  • Chapter Summary and Best Practices

Chapter 6: Facilitator Traits and Skills

  • Chapter Objectives
  • Facilitator Skills
    • Specialized Skills
    • Flexible Ego
    • Confidence
    • Patience
    • Fast Thinker
    • Articulate
    • Sense of Humor
    • Creativity
  • Workshop 6.1: I Get No Respect!
  • Chapter Summary and Best Practices

Chapter 7: Applying Facilitation to Business Process

  • Chapter Objectives
  • Potential IT Sessions
    • Vision
    • JAR
    • JAD
    • Data Modeling
  • Chapter Summary and Best Practices

Chapter 8: The Bottom Line

  • Course Summary
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