Time is a Protocol's Ally
When working with new groups on the use of collaborative protocols, I almost always ask them to complete the following prompt at some point in the training:
This easy sentence stem can produce a wide variety of encouraging responses, allowing me to see the growth the group has experienced in the first part of our training. But while there is always variety, there is one response that is most common in groups that are composed of many people who are new to protocols. They say something similar to this response, which I received at a recent training:
I used to think protocols were time consuming and ineffective, but now I think protocols are an efficient way to honor voices and a critical component of true collaboration.
The truth is...protocols do take time! However, expertly designed protocols focus the group on key pieces of conversation and eliminate the kind of conversation that takes away from the work. The construction of Critical Friends Protocols, designed by the National School Reform Faculty (NSRF), provides time for participants to think deeply and to use the input of one another dig deeply into featured topics. The protocols are also designed to limit the voices of some participants, encouraging them to choose their most important points to be made; at the same time, the protocols are designed to require participation of others who otherwise may have sat silently through the group's collaborative conversation.
One of many NSRF protocols that push participants to use time effectively is the "Structured Charrette" Protocol. The purpose of this protocol is to replace "a typical brainstorming session when you want to improve a piece of work in progress and are feeling 'stuck.'" This gives the presenter of the project just five minutes to explain it before participants have just three minutes to ask clarifying questions. Some people will argue that it may be impossible to thoroughly understand a person's project in 8 minutes...and they are right! However, it is amazing how well a project can be understood in 8 minutes. Time and again, when using this protocol, I see participants who are able to wrap their minds around so much in 8 minutes. Participants may not be able to understand everything the presenter of the project understands, but even if we spent an hour introducing the project and answering clarifying questions, we still wouldn't understand it the way the presenter of the project does.
The 8-minute approach keeps the protocol succinct, and it keeps the conversation focused. Consequently, the minds of individual participants also stay focused on the most important points that individual needs to understand. The protocol then allows participants two minutes to reflect and to compose their best ideas before an initial 10-minute brainstorm begins and ideas may be shared. After that, the presenter of the project comes back to focus conversation (if necessary) for 2 minutes before the participants have another chance to reflect and then to brainstorm some more. In total, the protocol takes less than 40 minutes.
For any professional, spending around 40 minutes discussing a topic may be time that is challenging to give. However, with a protocol such as the Structured Charrette, so many ideas can surface in this short amount of time...and usually ideas surface that go beyond the project that was being discussed!
If you are facilitating NSRF Critical Friends Protocols, I have two other tips relative to time:
I used to think ___________, but now I think ___________.
This easy sentence stem can produce a wide variety of encouraging responses, allowing me to see the growth the group has experienced in the first part of our training. But while there is always variety, there is one response that is most common in groups that are composed of many people who are new to protocols. They say something similar to this response, which I received at a recent training:
I used to think protocols were time consuming and ineffective, but now I think protocols are an efficient way to honor voices and a critical component of true collaboration.
The truth is...protocols do take time! However, expertly designed protocols focus the group on key pieces of conversation and eliminate the kind of conversation that takes away from the work. The construction of Critical Friends Protocols, designed by the National School Reform Faculty (NSRF), provides time for participants to think deeply and to use the input of one another dig deeply into featured topics. The protocols are also designed to limit the voices of some participants, encouraging them to choose their most important points to be made; at the same time, the protocols are designed to require participation of others who otherwise may have sat silently through the group's collaborative conversation.
One of many NSRF protocols that push participants to use time effectively is the "Structured Charrette" Protocol. The purpose of this protocol is to replace "a typical brainstorming session when you want to improve a piece of work in progress and are feeling 'stuck.'" This gives the presenter of the project just five minutes to explain it before participants have just three minutes to ask clarifying questions. Some people will argue that it may be impossible to thoroughly understand a person's project in 8 minutes...and they are right! However, it is amazing how well a project can be understood in 8 minutes. Time and again, when using this protocol, I see participants who are able to wrap their minds around so much in 8 minutes. Participants may not be able to understand everything the presenter of the project understands, but even if we spent an hour introducing the project and answering clarifying questions, we still wouldn't understand it the way the presenter of the project does.
The 8-minute approach keeps the protocol succinct, and it keeps the conversation focused. Consequently, the minds of individual participants also stay focused on the most important points that individual needs to understand. The protocol then allows participants two minutes to reflect and to compose their best ideas before an initial 10-minute brainstorm begins and ideas may be shared. After that, the presenter of the project comes back to focus conversation (if necessary) for 2 minutes before the participants have another chance to reflect and then to brainstorm some more. In total, the protocol takes less than 40 minutes.
For any professional, spending around 40 minutes discussing a topic may be time that is challenging to give. However, with a protocol such as the Structured Charrette, so many ideas can surface in this short amount of time...and usually ideas surface that go beyond the project that was being discussed!
If you are facilitating NSRF Critical Friends Protocols, I have two other tips relative to time:
- Use a timer (even if it is the Timer on your phone) and let is count down. A stopwatch counts up and requires the person holding the timer to interrupt the conversation when it is time to move on to the next piece of the protocol, whereas using a timer allows time to count down and a sound to interrupt the conversation. This can help participants to recognize that it was the time and not a colleague that cut the conversation where it needed to be cutoff.
- If time is something that is limited for your team, NSRF features several protocols that can be adjusted to be carried out over multiple weeks. While I would not suggest doing this with the Structured Charrette, Protocols such as "Microlabs, "Speed Success Analysis," "Save the Last Word for Me," and more can be adjusted to have one round take place in 15 minutes of one meeting and the next round to take place at the next meeting. Think creatively about how to use the protocols and to maintain the integrity of their structure while also squeezing it into the time your team has.
Comments
Post a Comment