Generative processes are critical to future oriented or strategic thinking efforts. It is from these processes that opportunities, ideas, and choices are identified and more fully articulated. Often, some of the best new approaches to strategies are generated in ideation, applying the prototyping approach to develop the best and more appropriate generative processes for the overall effort can be quite useful. I will describe ways I have done so.
Designing a strategic planning process through prototyping. I created a tool to prototype strategic crafting. Recently, I used the tool to help a large executive team develop a comprehensive strategic planning process. The group was set to launch a year-long strategic planning effort during a multi-day retreat and did not have a long history of integrated strategic planning. Most of the individual units had deep strategies and were showing success in execution, but this new effort was going to be different. It required strategies to be crafted that integrated activities and outcomes across the units. A key part of the crafting process was going to be generative, identifying and articulating a long list of potential opportunities from broad constituencies, testing them, and selecting the best ones for future strategy.
We worked with a card deck composed of 30+ strategic planning tools and processes and conducted the prototyping sessions live at a leadership retreat. The goal of the prototyping was to design the strategic planning process. Each card included the name of the tool and a short but illustrative description of what the tool was and what was hoped to result from using the tool. There were blank cards for adding tools not in the original deck. There were also three different colors of cards: white cards with core tools that were required in any prototype, yellow cards that were optional to be included or discarded, and green cards with more advanced or innovative tools that awarded bonus points for use.
The cards were about three by five inches printed on heavy cardstock. Here are some samples:
Prior to the retreat, I worked with a local design team of executives that also would be participants. The goal of this pre-work was to test the language and tools to ensure they would make sense and include local necessary requirements for the planning process. At the retreat, after a day and a half of exploring challenges, opportunities, and models of planning processes used in other places, I conducted the 3 hour prototyping workshop. There were six teams composed of six or seven individuals each and we started building prototypes out of six tool decks. The cards were randomly spread across each table. They also had large-format sheets of paper, markers, and tape. The teams were asked to review the card deck and select the planning tools they believe would be the best moving forward. They also were asked to develop a planning timeline then arrange the tool cards in chronological order across the timeline. The teams had 60 minutes to build the prototype and develop a graphical representation that goes along with a 5-7 minute verbal presentation. It was shared that it was a competition and the group with the best prototype would win.
The groups started in a concentrated effort to inventory and understand the tools. Within 15 minutes, nearly everyone in the room was standing, moving the cards around, cutting and pasting sheets of paper, and being generally boisterous – good results. By about 45 minutes of process, six distinct prototypes began to emerge, some of them quite novel. I found that almost every group created a new planning tool, some more than one. After 60 minutes, I was able to quiet the room and begin the presentations. The team had fun and produced creative results.
During the processing of the results, we further refined the prototyping by selecting the one that appeared to most meet the needs of the entire group. It was a simple vote by the entire group. We then moved on to discuss what characteristics from the non-winning prototypes should be included in the next iteration. A new prototype began to emerge. We had significant buy in, if not complete consensus. The whole process moved forward and more refinements were made in subsequent sessions, but I felt at the time that we had made tremendous progress in a short time, perhaps doing in three hours what might had taken weeks or months without using a prototyping process.
Collaborative facilitation mapping. Much of my work involves developing small to large group interactive sessions for clients, typically CEOs or senior leaders. I often work with client side teams and collaborate with one or more facilitators. I also use a variety of generative processes in most of my projects. Unless they have worked with me in the past, when building proposals, I tend to have a difficult time explaining to the clients what these processes are, why they take up some much time, and why I recommend that so many people get involved. One approach that I am using more and more to design and deliver generative processes is online collaborative facilitation mapping with full prototyping flare.
There are a number of emerging online tools that allow teams to collaborate real time, either across distances or asynchronously at varying times and places. I like to build initial process prototypes, get everyone connected to be able to view and manipulate the model, and turn loose the power of prototyping to let the ideas evolve. I typically include data about the events, like dates, locations, and length of time. For each of the generative processes, I also write and vet outcome and output statements. Outcomes are those things we like to have resulted from the process such as new ideas, an increased sense of engagement, or enhanced teamwork. Outputs are those things that are tangibly created during the process such as lists, pictures, models, or other artifacts. The final component of the facilitation maps are the minute by minute details of the activities, which include timelines, speaking roles, process plans, and required materials.
We then iterate these maps, adjusting activities and outcomes along the way. Typically, the process starts with a small group and expands over time to all of those involved in planning and delivering the generative processes. This prototyping approach generates buy in, creates alignment in expected outcomes and outputs, and help to keep the event or process on track when it is happening live. Speaking roles are clarified and participant engagement is maximized.
In summary, you might find a lot of what I’ve written here a bit down in the weeds, but I wanted to give detail to how the prototyping approach can be applied not only to visual and physical object, but also to activities and processes. So give these methods a try, create one of your own, and explore the power of prototyping for process generation.
Robert Brodnick, Ph.D.
Vice President for Strategy & Innovation
530.798.4082
|
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.