Laying a collaborative process foundation

The design and analysis techniques described in this book are supported by an essential set of collaboration and modeling techniques.

Effective collaboration is critical to the success of many of the design and analysis techniques best practiced in the context of a collaborative work session. The essentials of the collaborative work session and the facilitation techniques to support it

Most of the design an analysis techniques start by using low fidelity modeling techniques. There are some essential details about building models, and low-fi models in particular that we'll cover here.

Finally, you'll talk with and work with people to both collaborate and gather useful information. Basic person-to-person interview and collaboration skills are covered here to make those situations go more smoothly.

Let's get started.

In this section we'll cover:

1. A technique foundation is critical to success
2. Modeling essentials
   • Model using index cards
3. Working with people
4. Collaborative work session
5. Collaboration techniques support work sessions
   • Build up a tool kit of collaboration supplies
   • Use parking lots to defer discussion
   • Pace keeping signals help groups self-regulate
   • Play an icebreaker game
   • CardStorm to get ideas on the table
   • Filter and prioritize ideas
   • Affinity Diagram
   • Ask for parting takeaways
   • Create a model movie
   • Model poster
   • Model photo
   • Electronically Document Models
6. Working with people outside the work session
   • Paired Work
   • Acquire information using interviews
   • Consolidate data collaboratively