Transparency
Concrete activities
Storytelling
What?
An activity where the groups' knowledge is made clear by graphic material. When we have the opportunity to see things being drawn, we often have a much better chance of understanding what is being described.
Why?
The joint storytelling is important, and gives us an experience of trust and of belonging together.
How?
We facilitate a process in a group made up of smaller groups to develop a shared story or narrative. It can be as part of a current process - or at the forefront, so that a story is created before a new initiative is started.
Our specialists can bring in specialized skills to enhance and strengthen the storytelling.
Who?
The activity requires a facilitator and a minimum of two team members from each side of the storytelling table.
Graphical visualization
What?
An activity where the groups' knowledge is made clear by graphic material. When we have the opportunity to see things being drawn, we often have a much better chance of understanding what is being described.
Why?
For example, you could work with visualization of processes and 'flow'.
In several places, it could perhaps create a better understanding of causes and effects.
It would reduce the use of technical terms, because it would be easier to get the same visual language.
It can be a shortcut to knowledge and insight into a new area or a problem.
How?
Another group is invited in for a mutual presentation of their work. On a blackboard or a planchette, you spend time together creating an understandable representation of one party's work.
This could be an opportunity to create the graphic visualization early in a collaboration process.
Here it would be possible to work with visualizations that are created in advance, some that are co-created and some that are 'bought in' as external advice.
Who?
The activity can be done by anyone in a group (at all organizational levels), but a graphic facilitator is recommended.
We must be aware that everyone can draw, but not necessarily everyone wants or dares.
If we talk about data visualization, we must be aware that it requires special skills.
Demos
What?
An activity where what has been completed in different teams or functional areas is presented. The intention is to create a reconciliation of expectations and insight into the individual areas.
Why?
Increased use of demos can allow specialists to present their specialized knowledge.
The activity can be used to create awareness of the results that you continuously create, and can be used so that you can see where there is a need to collaborate and align expectations.
How?
We invite other groups to a presentation of what has been completed and with what benefit. We encourage feedback and active listening.
It gives us the opportunity to present what we do and learn from it, and it gives us and others the opportunity to gain an insight into the work that goes on in the organisation.
We may do a demo bazaar. It goes quickly with a 10-minute demo with associated questions. Preferably so that the whole house can participate - for example in the canteen, for example over lunch.
Who?
The activity should be done by the developers themselves. For some, it can be borderline-crossing, and possibly require some personal sparring.
Board meetings
What?
An activity which brings together one or more teams in front of a blackboard to create a clear picture of the progress in solving the task. Use of whiteboard meetings is useful for creating visibility, overview and management of the company's improvement activities.
Why?
There is a need to be more visible about one's progress.
It is an easy activity to start and carry out - and it creates transparency and visibility.
How?
We build a set-up where we regularly hold a short meeting at a fixed interval, with one or more themes, with clear goals and an agenda, in a defined team of people and where a whiteboard is used as a management tool. The board is arranged in a number of fields based on the theme, agenda and goals, and is continuously updated at each board meeting.
The meetings are short and frequent, which makes it possible for more people to participate.
The meetings are with physical presence, so it is visible and open to others (also during the day).
'Lean coffee' can possibly be used to get many perspectives on the agenda.
Who?
The activity can be performed by everyone in a group (at all organizational levels).
It may be a good idea to take turns being the facilitator, to ensure that ownership and 'agenda' do not lie with the same person. This also results in better knowledge sharing.