If you've participated in a collaborative worksession, and taken the advice given thus far you've created an artifact.

I'm not sure I like this word so much, but it's the word that software developers use to describe something physical created as part of the process of building software. The picture I first get in my head when I hear the word artifact isn't the model I've likely just built…. But rather something old and dusty unearthed from an ancient ruin somewhere. The word itself sounds a bit dusty. If you get a similar image in your head, keep it. Think of it as cautionary. The models you create can quickly get old and dusty without proper attention.

Although the word artifact sounds like something physical, in software development it often isn't. Rather the artifact is often stored in some form of electronic document. While this has a number of advantages (just try to email someone rolled up poster paper with index cards taped all over it), it has a large number of disadvantages. Many of those disadvantages aren't understood until too late. If you intend to preserve artifacts electronically, consider these issues.

Electronic Tools Impede Collaboration

If your goal is to create an electronic artifact, there's often a temptation to begin by working electronically. However, in a collaborative setting this immediately constrains input to the single person controlling the keyboard or mouse. A group of six participants recording ideas or modeling is limited to the speed that a single person can type it all in. And, that single person is often so busy typing that they can't effectively collaborate. The result is a poorly performing group that quickly loses enthusiasm and interest in the work they're doing.

Lost Information

Much of the information exchanged during a worksession comes through in tone of voice, facial expression, gesture, or body language. Much of the value of models built is in the spatial arrangement of cards. Valuable information is contained in the ad hoc notes written on cards or the poster paper backing of a model. Scribbled notes on cards and simple drawings help the viewer recall the person and the conversation that occurred while the note or drawing was being made.

Not only is it very difficult to achieve this richness of information in an electronic format, placing things in an electronic format disconnects all those handy triggers that help participants recall the actual conversations that took place.

When reproducing notes or models electronically, include a digital photo of the original low-fidelity artifact.

The digital photo can be used to validate the electronic information. Details of the digital photo can be referred to directly by the electronic information.

Change and Synchronization

Once an artifact does get converted to an electronic form, we're often left with two representations of the information: the original low-fidelity model and the new electronic version. As your understanding of the information changes and progresses, the models must change to reflect that.

Paper to Electronic

If a paper model is posted visibly in a team room or work area, it's easy to make changes directly to the model by moving cards, adding cards, or making additional notes directly on the model. If, however, you have electronic versions that must be kept in sync, you must distinguish your changes from the originally documented model's details.

On a routine basis (weekly is good) make changes to the electronic document to bring it in sync with the physical document. On a routine basis (monthly is good) rebuild the physical model so that it no longer contains all the change notes or discarded information.

Electronic to Paper

If changes are made to an electronic model, the same synchronization must occur with a physical model.

Replace the physical model with a poster sized print of the electronic model. As changes occur, make notes directly on the poster printout and merge them back into the physical model.

Alternatively manually track changes you've made to the electronic model, and make them directly to a physical model.

Visibility, Information Radiators, and Keeping Models In Sync

In Alistair Cockburn's Agile Software Development, specifically his discussion of convection currents of information, he describes a poster on the wall as radiating information - aptly naming it an information radiator.

Models form an excellent backdrop for ad hoc design discussions, or standup meetings. Keeping a common current understanding in everyone's peripheral view helps keep everyone's understanding common.

If information is posted visibly, it's important it stay current, in-sync with other representations, and useful. Follow a few simple rules to keep information radiators "radiating."

• Hang pens, post-its, tape, and index cards near posted models. Encourage consumers to make notes directly on models to keep them current.
• Note the creation date and creators directly on the model so those viewing it know who to ask questions of.
• Note an expiration date on the model. Before the expiration date agree to rebuild the model or remove it outright from the development area.

Simple models created from cards or post-its fixed to poster paper serve as the foundation for the specific models we'll build to describe capture our understanding of our project's strategy, scope, and user interface details. Keep a toolkit of these materials ready. You never know when a meeting might actually turn productive and you'll be able to turn it into a full fledged collaborative work session.

Presentable Electronic Distillation

Throughout the software design and development process, information will be collected, distilled and modeled, and design will be created and represented. While displaying this information as a model poster is useful for the day to day needs of the team, it's less useful to external stakeholders that need visibility into an ongoing design and development process. In addition, large models may contain a level of detail that isn't useful for an external stakeholder with the goal of quickly gaining a broad but shallow level of understanding.

External stakeholders need ready access to distilled product information and design decisions to provide suitable transparency into the design and development process.

Often those with the responsibility of communicating information outward create ad hoc presentation using tools like PowerPoint or KeyNote. Often those with the responsibility of communicating weren't present when the information was created, so distilling the information to its most meaningful parts are difficult. If distillation is ad hoc it often results in different messages being communicated at different times. This can be especially confusing to outside stakeholders when critical information such as business goals or risks are communicated inconsistently.

After modeling it's valuable to prepare a presentable electronic distillation of the model to support easy, consistent communication of high level details.

This presentable distillation is best prepared by someone present during the modeling session using a tool that's accessible to the likely consumers of that information. For that reason I prepare lots of PowerPoint slides to represent the models and information we produce. PowerPoint slides containing business goals, risks, user constituencies, user interface prototypes, test results, or other valuable information can be very valuable to project managers or other with the responsibility of keeping external visibility high. Preparing and keeping these distillations updated keeps messages clear and consistent.

Often these distillations of information are sufficient to communicate important details to the entire design and development team. Enlarged versions of PowerPoint slides can work well as model posters. Distilling the information into a very small display such as a slide calls for models to clearly identify what their important elements are, which is always good.

While electronic slides are valuable, short electronic documents can be equally valuable. Try to keep electronic documents short - 1-2 pages regarding a particular model or information area is ideal.

Always refer back to original information collected or models produced in these distillations. Use thumbnail or reduced size versions of model photos to show how information was gathered and modeled.