I Hate Sports But I Love Kickoffs: How to create a successful project culture, from the first meeting.

#kickoffs@kevinmhoffman

HATE SPORTS.I


HATE SPORTS.I


HATE SPORTS.I DON’T


SPORTS.I DON’T


UNDERSTAND SPORTS.I DON’T







How to create a successful project culture, from the first meeting.


Does a great kickoff meeting guarantee a great project?



NO!



NO!

Does a lousy kickoff guarantee project problems?



NO!

Does a lousy kickoff guarantee project problems?

YES.



1First impressionsare powerful & lasting.


1

2

First impressionsare powerful & lasting.

Roles are unclear or hidden.


1

2

3

First impressionsare powerful & lasting.

Roles are unclear or hidden.

Time & money is wasted.


Trust.


Good Meeting Design


Meeting Basics



Is a neutral servantDoesn’t evaluateDoesn’t contributeCoordinates/Manages

Facilitator



Facilitator Creates group memory

Records publiclyIs silentFollows up afterwards

Recorder



Facilitator

Contributes ideasStays positiveIsn’t defensiveChecks/balances

Group Member

Creates group memoryRecords publiclyIs silentFollows up afterwards

Recorder



Facilitator

Contributes ideasStays positiveIsn’t defensiveChecks/balances

Group Member

Designs the meetingSelects attendees & rolesDecides upon goalsBecomes a group member

Leader

Creates group memoryRecords publiclyIs silentFollows up afterwards

Recorder


Good Meeting Design


Good Meeting Design


Good MeetingKickoff Design


Kickoff


1 Open process

Kickoff


12

Open process

Actionable meeting goals

Kickoff


12

3

Open process


Good ideas are everyone’s job

Kickoff


12

3

Open process


Good ideas are everyone’s job

Kickoff

4 Learn more than people’s names

12

34


1

2

3

4


Conference1

2

3

4


Conference

Business Strategy

1

2

3

4


Design Studio

Conference

Business Strategy

1

2

3

4


Design Studio

Conference

Business Strategy

Culture

1

2

3

4


Conference1


★ Editorial direction

Conference1


★ Editorial direction★ Divide and conquer

Conference1


★ Editorial direction★ Divide and conquer★ Open but custom attendance

Conference1


★ Editorial direction★ Divide and conquer★ Open but custom attendance★ Sufficient preparation

Conference1


Conduct your full stakeholder interview phase before you hold your kickoff meeting.

This provides content for kickoff exercises and a framework for you to test the expectations of stakeholders against the larger organization.

Stakeholder “Frontloading”


Find a personal connection to the subject early.

Gather specific expectations regarding features and functionality.

Be sure to inquire what are risks for project failure.

Maintain an “off-the-record” tone.

Stakeholder “Frontloading”: Tips


Stakeholder “Frontloading”: RolesThis technique requires:


Stakeholder “Frontloading”: RolesThis technique requires:

Recorder

Group Member

Facilitator


Kickoffs at Happy Cog are never a single meeting.

We define a core team, and then branch out from that core team into meetings that tackle the different layers of a project in different, appropriately sized and staffed sub-groups.

Multiple Meetings


Multiple Meetings: RolesThis technique requires:


Multiple Meetings: RolesThis technique requires:

Recorder

Group Member

Facilitator

Leader


Business Strategy2


Business Strategy★ Identify must-haves

2


Business Strategy★ Identify must-haves★ Work across the organization

2


Business Strategy★ Identify must-haves★ Work across the organization★ Assess fit between groups

2


Business Strategy★ Identify must-haves★ Work across the organization★ Assess fit between groups★ Surface points of contention

2


Card sorts aren’t just for building sitemaps.

A variation on the poker game “Pass the Trash,” you can use this technique to assess the priorities of a large organization, and if you play your cards right, assess the amount of variance between two organizations.

Prioritization Card Sort


Prioritization Card Sort: Step 1


Prioritization Card Sort: Step 1Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Topic 4

Topic 5 Topic 6 Topic 7 Topic 8







Topic 7 Topic 8

Topic 4Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3

Topic 6Topic 5



Topic 7

Topic 8Topic 4Topic 1Topic 2Topic 3Topic 6Topic 5



Topic 7Topic 8Topic 4Topic 1Topic 2Topic 3Topic 6Topic 5


Prioritization Card Sort: Step 4Topic 7

Topic 8

Topic 4

Topic 1Topic 2Topic 3Topic 6Topic 5


Prioritization Card Sort: Step 5 Variation

Topic 7Topic 8Topic 4Topic 1Topic 2Topic 3Topic 6Topic 5

KEVIN


Prioritization Card Sort: Step 5 Variation

Topic 7Topic 8Topic 4Topic 1Topic 2Topic 3Topic 6

Topic 5

SAVEREMOVE

KEVIN







Topic 5 Topic 6Topic 7 Topic 8



Topic 5 Topic 6Topic 7 Topic 8KH KH KH KH

1 2 3 4


Prioritization Card Sort: AnalysisTopic Passes Average Client Avg. Happy Cog Avg. Variation

Donate to a Specific Program 8 1.31 1 1.67 -0.67

Get Help 1 5.23 5.42 5 0.42

Integrated Events Calendar 12 1 0.14 2 -1.86

Reviews of New Technology 2 3.38 4.71 1.83 2.88

Services Organized by Topic 2 6 3.57 8.83 -5.26

Sign Up to be a Volunteer 0 1.53 1.28 1.83 -0.55

Simulations 0 2.31 3 0.33 2.67

Volunteer for a Specific Program 1 0.46 0 1 -1

Out of 10, n=13 Out of 10, n = 7 Out of 10, n = 6


Prioritization Card SortThis technique requires:

Recorder

Group Member

Facilitator


This is something we picked up from Henning Fischer at Adaptive Path’s UX Intensive.

Have all participants evaluate a list of proposed features on a scale of 1 to 5, but limit the total allowed points to 3X the number of features. Plot the results.

Priority & Feasibility Plot


Priority & Feasibility Plot: Step 1Feature or Functionality Priority Feasibility

Donate to a Specific Program 2 5

Get Help 4 5

Integrated Events Calendar 5 1

Reviews of New Technology 3 1

Services Organized by Topic 1 3

Sign Up to be a Volunteer 3 3

Simulations 4 4

Volunteer for a Specific Program 2 2

Must total 24 24 24


Priority & Feasibility Plot: Analysis5

4

3

2

1

1 2 3 4 5

Priority

Feasibility

Get Help

Simulations

Volunteer

Donate

Volunteer for a Specific Program


Priority & Feasibility MatrixThis technique requires:

Group Member

Facilitator


Design Studio3


Design Studio★ Develop shared vocabulary

3


Design Studio★ Develop shared vocabulary★ Volume of ideas

3


Design Studio★ Develop shared vocabulary★ Volume of ideas★ Low risk

3


Design Studio★ Develop shared vocabulary★ Volume of ideas★ Low risk★ Build something!

3


Design studios have been around for awhile, but Todd Zaki Warfel made them sexy with his Prototyping book.

Everyone starts with a blank grid, a pencil, and a time limit. Have them prototype, form groups of 2, present, then critique.

Repeat until you get down to two large groups.

Design Studio/Prototyping




Design Studio/PrototypingUnited States Holocaust Memorial MuseumNovember 9, 2009

Your Name: United States Holocaust Memorial MuseumNovember 9, 2009

Your Name(s):



Design Studio/PrototypingUnited States Holocaust Memorial Museum






Design Studio/PrototypingThis technique requires:

Group Member

Facilitator

Group Member

Recorder


Based in part on their recent O’Reilly book Designing Social Interfaces, Social Mania is a card game created by Christian Crumlish and Erin Malone that allows encourages players build & ship hypothetical social experiences.

It’s a great way to help “non-web” people understand the social web. Make sure you have prizes.

Social Mania


Social Mania


Social Mania!This technique requires:

Group Member

Facilitator

Group Member


Social Mania!This technique requires:

Group Member

Facilitator Facilitator

Group Member


Culture4


Culture★ Create a new culture

4


Culture★ Create a new culture★ Explore and define values

4


Culture★ Create a new culture★ Explore and define values★ Build trust & relationships

4


Culture★ Create a new culture★ Explore and define values★ Build trust & relationships★ Identify challenges & colleagues

4


Show someone a series of websites. Give them 20 seconds to score their reaction to that site on a scale of 1 to 5.

Compare the overall averages, averages by organizational division, and then follow up with folks on high and low scorers.

20 Second “Gut” Test


20 Second “Gut” TestExample

A Rate your reaction to this website:

1 2 3 4 5Dislike Like


20 Second TestThis technique requires:

Group Member

Facilitator


We adapted the basic framework behind Austin Govella and Livia Labate’s User Experience Health Check to evaluate the visual aesthetic of individual functional components.

Uses a methodology similar to the 20 second test, but evaluates individual interface components outside of their larger context.

Design X Health Check


Design Experience Health CheckExample Rate this element:

Importance1 2 3 4 5

Aesthetic Appeal1 2 3 4 5

Bad Good

A2


Design Experience Health CheckThis technique requires:

Group Member

Facilitator


Design Experience Health CheckThis technique requires:

Group Member

Facilitator

Leader


Projects excel when you can identify shared values between you and your client.

Internally, agree upon your own values about a particular aspect of your work, for example visual design. Then prepare an open discussion based on examples of each value.

Values Exploration


Values ExplorationHappy Cog Visual Design ValuesBeautiful TypographyUsabilityLess is MoreUnderstand Convention to Innovate


Values ExplorationThis technique requires:

Recorder

Group Member

Facilitator

Leader


A Few


A Few


A Few


A FewContinuity.


A FewAdaptation.


A FewDepth.


A FewTrust.



http://www.goodkickoffmeetings.com

@kickoffmeeting

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Q&A


I Hate Sports But I Love Kickoffs: How to create a successful project culture, from the first meeting.

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