SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH JOINT SESSIONS

Involving all key decision makers in the definition stage of any system is critical to building the right product.

This practical 2-day workshop will provide facilitators of Joint Sessions with the essential skills required to guide and direct successful facilitation workshops.

Because of its highly practical nature, the class size of this workshop is restricted to ten delegates per course.

PREREQUISITES

Delegates should be competent systems staff having better than average communications skills, plus some familiarity with the basic concepts of JAD (Joint Application Development) or Joint Sessions.  

COURSE OBJECTIVES

To increase facilitator’s skills in conducting, monitoring and facilitation in the IT systems environment.

WHO WILL THE COURSE BENEFIT?

This workshop is provided for the Business Manager, Business Analyst, or Systems Analyst  who needs Facilitation skills in their own profession.  It is also suitable for Managers who will supervise others performing facilitation.

WHAT SKILLS WILL THE DELEGATE GAIN FROM THIS TRAINING?
This course will enable delegates to:

1. Understand the history, purpose and objectives of group sessions.

2. Define and plan the session.

3. Conduct a Kick-off meeting.

4. Prepare session materials and check lists.

5. Develop techniques to conduct successful sessions.

6. Identify conflict and resolution techniques.

7. Build consensus.

8. Monitor facilitation effectiveness.

WHAT METHODS ARE USED TO IMPART THESE SKILLS?

	Lectures supported by visual aids.
	Class examples with student involvement.
	Syndicate case study work.
	Small group experiments, with analysis.
	Presentation of syndicate findings, with critique.
	Video recording issued to delegates of their practical facilitation work.
	Comprehensive student manual, complete with miniatures of all slides used in the presentation, as well as checklists and flowcharts.

                         COURSE STRUCTURE

 DAY 1:

n   Course Introduction
n   The Purpose and Objectives of Group Session Facilitation
n   Nominal Group Technique and Group Session Facilitation
     1.      Facilitation Preparation
              n   Defining the Project Scope
                 •    Acquiring Project Orientation
              n   The Four Vital Steps and the Sense of Purpose
              n   Planning the Session Agenda
              n   Planning the Session Structure
                    •    Establishing Topic Areas & sequence of Deliverables
                    •    Identifying Appropriate Session Exercises to elicit information
                    •    Preparing the Session Graphical Material
                    •    Determining the Content, Participation, Number, and Length of Workshops
              n   Analysing the Work
                    •    Selecting Appropriate Participants
              n   Getting Approval for the Plan
              n   Briefing the Participants
                    •    Kick-off Meeting Contents
              n   Conducting a Kick-off Meeting
                   (Practical Delegate Work: Each delegate must prepare and conduct a Kick-off meeting (videotaped and critiqued))
              n   Preparing the Session Materials
              n   Typical Checklists
     2.      Conducting the Session
              n   How to Facilitate
              n   How to Promote Discussion
              n   How to Manage the Discussion
              n   How to Actively Listen (Videotape)
              n   Obtaining Full Participation
              n   Maintaining the Discussion Focus

DAY 2:

              n   Encouraging Participant Creativity
              n   Converting Abstract Ideas to Useable Documents
              n   How to Conclude a Discussion
              n   Problem Resolution Methods (PracticalDemonstration)
              n   How to Resolve Conflict (Videotape)
              n   How to Build Consensus

     3.      Using the Tools of Facilitation Effectively
n   Using the Ishikawa Fishbone
n   Using Pareto Analysis
n   Using Brainstorming
      •    Von Oech’s Ten Locks (PracticalDemonstration)
n   Using Affinity Diagramming
n   State Transition Diagramming
n   Action Diagramming
n   Entity Relationship Diagramming
n   First Normal Form (Practical Delegate Work: Preparing Target and Facilitated Session Plan)

     4.      Transition and Validation
n   Validating the Session output
n   Preparing the Deliverable
n   Integrating the Deliverable (Practical Delegate Work: Running a Facilitated Target Meeting (Videotaped and Critiqued)).
n   Typical Checklists

n  Monitoring Facilitation Quality
n   Analysing the Effectiveness of the Facilitated Session
n   Analysing the Effectiveness of the Facilitator
n   How to Improve Facilitator Effectiveness

n  Facilitation in the IT Systems Environment
n   Facilitation and RAD
n   Facilitation and Information Engineering
n   Facilitation and Change Management
n   Facilitation and BPR  

n  Course Summary and Conclusion  

PRACTICAL INVOLVEMENT

Throughout the course, delegates will conduct practical sessions and receive a videotape of their Facilitation work.