Post on 22-Jan-2018
Do Your Product Owners Speak A Foreign Language?
Techniques for creating shared understanding
Marilyn Powers+
Sue Johnston
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Who are we?
MARILYN POWERS
• Curious about interactions that make good teams great
• Work on a remote team• Believe communication is at
the root of why things go great or fail
@PowersMarilyn
Senior Product ManagerPowers Tech
SUE JOHNSTON
@itsunderstood
Communication SpecialistIt’s Understood
• Goal is to make organizations fit for humans
• Years of work in and study of workplace communication
• Train coaches for agile workplace
What is language?
The method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way
A system of communication used by a particular country or community
Bla, bla Agreed! Hmm! Bla, bla Really?
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1 2 3
The Shape of the Session
Intro Big Idea Who? What? How? Wrap
ExerciseExerciseExerciseExercise
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Each table needs a volunteer to be the “official communicator.”They’ll have a photograph of one unusual but real product the team will imagine building.
Exercise
1 Without showing the team the picture, “communicator” describes the product to build.
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When drawings are done, communicator shares the picture. As a group, observe how close people come to the real thing
2Based on this story, team members will create the
product by sketching it.
Whyalwaysmatters
1 2 3TheBig
Idea
Talkabout
it!
1 2 3TheBig
Idea
How important is effective communication?
TheBig
Idea
How effective is communication where you work?
Good
Poor
Nonexistant
TheBig
Idea
Structure
Culture
Process
Mindset
Personal Behaviour
BARRIERS
Structure
Culture
Process
Mindset
Personal Behaviour
ENABLERS
Structure
Culture
Process
Mindset
Personal Behaviour
MAGIC WAND
TheBig
Idea
Pros, Cons + Dreams
So, what can we control?
Be intentional about and conscious of
all communication
TheBig
Idea
What happens when we don’t think about
communication?
TheBig
Idea
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Improve the Conversation
1 WHO? Do we know how to communicate with our teams?
3HOW? Do we know how to have an explicit conversation?
2 WHAT? Are we having the right conversation?
As well as being intentionalcommunication practices, all of
these invite us to interrogatewhat we believe is reality.
1 2 3
1. WHO?
Do we know how to communicate with our team?
Team Agreements
1
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Exercise
1 In your table groups, recall the original conversation about the product.
3Write down some questions you could ask to help the team’s communication.
2 Discuss how the conversation might have improved had you been thinking and
conversing like a team.
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1 2 3
2. WHAT?
Do we know we’re having the right conversation?
2. Do we know we’re having the right conversation?
Makeyour work
visible!
DRAW ALL
THE
THINGS
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Impact Mapping
Idea: Gojko Adzic, https://gojko.net/ Image: Karl Scotland, availagility.co.uk
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2
Story mapping
Image: Steve Rogalsky, www.winnipegagilist.blogspot.ca
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Exercise
1 In your table groups, build on the conversation about the product.
3Capture on the sheet, for future reference.
2 Discuss how the techniques introduced might ensure you’re talking about the
right things.
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1 2 3
3. HOW?
How do we
know?
How can we
find out?
What
would have
to be true
for that to
work?
Do we know how to have an explicit conversation?
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Exercise
1 In your table groups, discuss how comfortable you or colleagues would feel asking about assumptions.
3Capture ideas on work sheet, for future reference.
2 If it doesn’t feel safe or comfortable,
what could you do to change that?
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1 2 3
Summary
DO YOU RECOGNIZE THE
CHALLENGE?
1 2 3
ARE YOU INTENTIONAL +
CONSCIOUS ABOUT
CONVERSATIONS?
ARE YOU TALKING AS ONE
TEAM?
WHO?
ARE YOU USING TECHNIQUES TO MAKE
CONVERSATION VISIBLE?
WHAT?
WHAT WILL YOU DO
ABOUT IT?
ARE YOU MAKING
ASSUMPTIONS EXPLICIT?
HOW?
What will YOU do?
Useful References
Steve Rogalsky’sblog
Google: “Winnipeg Agilist
Story Map”
Kitchener-Waterloo
Find us here
Sue Johnstonsue@itsunderstood.com
@itsunderstood
Marilyn PowersMarilyn.Powers@icloud.com
@PowersMarilyn