Meeting consensus

Implementing any tool is impossible without consensus on the goals and objectives and the features needed on a product.  It doesn’t matter whether it is SharePoint, Q-Task, PBWiki, Basecamp, eRoom, Telligent or ABC Fantastic Collaboration tool–no buy in=unsuccessful implementation.  How many times have you sat in a meeting and walked out the same way you came in?  Not knowing what you were there for, not accomplishing anything and frustrated that another tool or process was going to be looked at and implemented but you had no idea why.  As a professional faciliator (CPF with the IAF) I have had the opportunity to work with groups and help them to gain consensus on goals and objectives on solutions.  Some tips:

• Have an agenda and make sure everyone knows what it is!
• Invite the right people to the meeting–not just the decision makers but the USERS of the product.
• Define the goals and objectives BEFORE deciding on a product.  Use a business analyst to assist with this.
• Use time limits and ground rules that everyone has agreed to.
• No dominators; everyone participates.

This is challenging to do.  We all know that if this was easy, we would never sit in another meeting that was torture!  A great thing to do is to bring in a Professional Facilitator.  As a facilitator and business analyst I love to be brought into these meetings!  When I am called into a situation, I have a methodology that I use to get participants to consensus.  People leave feeling accomplished and they know what is next.  They actually smile at the end!  For more information on how faciitation can help you and your business, let me know!  Happy Collaborating.

“New” Collaboration Tools

I went to a meeting with TAG Consulting this morning– a panel discussion on Collaboration.  Really interesting.  One panelist works with Sharepoint solutions, which I do myself.  Two other new tools demo’d today that I am going to take for a test ride are www.pbwiki.com and QTask.  The interface seemed easy and they seemed to really encourage collaboration.  Although these two tools were new to me, the reality is that most collaboration tools are new to most everyone.  Most of my experience has been with SharePoint although I have used some others on occasion.  BUT most users out there are still not in the collaboration tool arena.  YET the market and potential are huge!  Who doesn’t want to be more productive and cost effective?  BUT convincing some that using these tools is the answer usually is met with a bit of skepticism and resistance.  Check out these two tools along with me.  I will give you some more thoughts on these and collaboration in general in the upcoming days.  Happy collaborating!