Phase 1 is called Defining and requires the time be spent ensuring that the team understands the project, its goals, and roles of each team member. It is important to invest this time and build relationships. Phase 1 work sets the trajectory for the project and the team’s performance.
For each phase, one through six, I will follow the format of discussing what’s happening from three perspectives; the project, the team, and the individual. I will also cover some of the pitfalls to avoid and considerations for leaders.
For the Project—Defining
The goal is to ensure that the task and business case for change is clear. This requires a considerable amount of work. The project owner writes a white paper with the input of the sponsor and other stakeholders. The white paper becomes the guide and launch charter for the team.
We do not advocate the use of a particular format or template for the white paper. We will coach the project owner on the types of information they should cover and we provide them two books that offer helpful ideas:
• The Team Handbook, by Peter Scholtes, Brian Joiner, and Barbara Streibel.
• Change the Way You Lead Change: Leadership Strategies that Really Work by David Herold and Donald Fedor.
The owner, sponsor, and key stakeholders discuss each component of the whitepaper until they agree and have a clear definition of the project. This important work can take weeks or months to complete.
Co-Create project white papers combine information typically found in business plans, project plans, and executive briefings. Each is unique in its content, voice, and length, but they all cover the following sections:
• Situation summary: Definition of the opportunity including its purpose and an analysis of the situation/market, and the internal and external environment. What needs changing and why? Who will the change most impact? This section might also share new learning that is the impetus for the change. How will this change benefit the business and how does it support our strategies and mission?
• Scope, phases, and resources: Project scope, resources, and roles, including broad project timelines. Specific team members are identified.
• Deliverables: Specific project objectives including outcomes, measures of success, and anticipated impacts to the business.
The team facilitator guides the group through a 2- to 3-hour kick-off meeting that we use to jump-start the team development process. Here is a typical agenda for this first meeting:
• Review the meeting agenda.
• Initial self-introductions.
• Review the whitepaper.
• Review the Co-Create model.
• Discuss the “Big Idea” questions (something greater; connections; gifts; doubt). Record if appropriate.
• Generate group norms and record them. This creates an intentional starting point. This really comes to life when the group works through storming in Phase 2 and truly develops an understanding of what norming looks like in practice.
• Housekeeping: Determine ongoing meeting times and locations (typically three hours per week, but can be up to a full day at a time for larger projects). Review discovery assignments for next meeting
• Closing comments around the table: What are your thoughts about the project we are embarking on?
During Phase 1, we want to make sure that group members understand what they are going to be working on—the tasks—and something about the people they will be working with. During team forming, team members internally size each other up and form initial opinions about each other.
Here are a few more details about this first team meeting. When the group meets for the first time the project sponsor goes over situation summary and scope. The project owner goes over deliverables, project phases, and resources described in the whitepaper and then both leaders engage the team in a discussion about the white paper and the project. By the end of this discussion, team members are clear about what they will be working on and the results they should achieve.
The team facilitator takes over to begin the forming work, which will help group members create a team identity and connect to the project. The facilitator reviews the Co-Create model, including the six phases and four big ideas, to give the participants an overview of their purpose and path. This is done in four rounds—one for each big idea. The discussion must be participative and engaging, not just a review of information. Depending on the project this information might be recorded on a flip chart or in the meeting notes. Here are some typical questions we have team members discuss about the four big ideas:
• We are here to serve something greater than ourselves: How does this principle specifically relate to this project? How might we define something greater for this project?
• We are connected and interdependent—existing in complex systems: Who are the stakeholders connected to this project? What is at stake for each? What connections and partnerships will be needed to succeed? How are various project stakeholders connected and what expectations might they have for the team because of these relationships? How well has the relationship worked in the past?
• Doubts: What doubts or concerns do you have about this work? What are the forces driving this project forward? What barriers do you see to saying yes to this work? What’s at risk? What crossroads are we at? How will this change affect you?
• We are here to contribute gifts: What gifts are you bringing to this project? What gifts do you see around the table? Are there other gifts we may need to accomplish the work? For example, we use a Gifts Discussion Guide, Example 4.1 shown in the following, to help team members identify and share their unique gifts. This is also an opportunity to discuss other personality assessment if they are available. Tools such as Insight Discovery, Myers-Briggs, PI, and DISC are helpful.
Co-Create—Gifts Discussion Guide
Please think about what you are bringing to this work.
1. Knowledge:
• I have specific knowledge and experience with this process or issue.
• I have experience in another setting (company, outside organization) that will be helpful.
• I have formal education or training that will be helpful.
• I have considerable experience and knowledge of this business model.
2. Soft skills:
• Analyze and solve problems
• Make sound decisions
• Innovate
• Establish plans
• Manage execution
• Influence others
• Build relationships
• Display organizational savvy
• Manage disagreements
• Prepare written communication
• Act with integrity
• Commit to quality
• Focus on customer needs
3. Technical skills:
• I am highly skilled in the following software packages: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Visio, or Other.
These questions will come back into consideration in later project phases as team members build their understanding of the work and each other. In addition, the team facilitator will use these questions to help the team if it gets off track or loses momentum.
For Individuals—Sensing–Redirecting
During Phase 1, individual team members seek to reduce the natural ambiguity that comes with a new project launch. By engaging in the project and process review meetings, they will build an understanding of the need for change and the implications for them personally. Our goal is that each team member feels committed, comfortable, and clear about his or her path forward. But before that occurs, it sometimes begins with some discomfort. We ask team members to think about:
• How will this change affect you?
• Specifically what part(s) of your job may need to be done differently?
• Will any of your key relationships be impacted?
• What are your personal pluses or minuses? Will life become better, worse or no different?
At this stage it’s more important to ask these questions than to get definitive answers. It may be too early for the person to know or they may need to think about it. On the individual level this is about opening up the thought process.
Pitfalls to Avoid
It is important to take the time to adequately define the project. Don’t skimp on the amount of analysis and description you do to prepare a great white paper. It is also important to engage team members in a thorough review of the white paper and the Co-Create model. Time spent now is an investment.
Considerations for Leaders
Leaders are often project owners or sponsors and thus play a big role during Phase 1 of the Co-Create model. Help ensure that each project is adequately defined and resourced. Then take the time to share the back story—the “whys” behind the need and context for the change. Be available and eager to engage the team in dialogue.
The team is ready to move on to Phase 2 when as a result of this participation the following are complete: the white paper has been completed, reviewed, the sponsor has committed the resources to complete the project, and the team is clear about their objectives and roles.
Output Example—The White Paper
Here are several short excerpts from a white paper from a successful project. You will notice that this whitepaper retains the style and individual tone of the project owner. This is typical and desired. We want white papers to contain helpful information that is both factual and emotional. You will find another example of a white paper in Addendum C.
Project Name: Database Publishing
Defining Database Publishing
Although database publishing (DBP) significantly impacts the production of all catalogs, this document will address the effect on the full line. DBP can best be described as the effective throughput of data from merchandising through publishing. Since “data” is the key word, it is only fitting that DBP packages are a collection of relational databases, which fully integrate all the elements used in analyzing and publishing catalogs.
Purpose
DBP will create tools for merchandising, direct marketing, and advertising to produce catalogs more efficiently. This will allow Hubert to respond quickly to market change and position itself for future trending of smaller runs and variable printing. These changes are projected to reduce throughput and possibly personnel (or increase capacity) by quicker page assembly, less proofing (mistakes) stages, less copy and price input, and faster and more accurate analysis of pages.
A Hubert goal is to create partnerships with customers by anticipating their needs. An intimacy with the customer is enhanced through meeting these needs both fully and timely. Important factors in becoming more intimate include: (a) the development of custom catalogs specifically designed for them; (b) quick implementation of custom programs; and (c) the assembly and offering of the right products for that customer.
Typical DBP Changes Include:
1. A centralized storage of copy/text for multiple uses with immediate availability, which can be easily edited and entered only once. This drastically cuts down on human error and enhances continuity. Additionally, copy may be custom written for specific customers and stored and quickly retrieved for multiple uses.
2. A centralized storage of images for multiple uses and immediate availability, which can be easily maintained, but more importantly, viewed by all users.
3. A centralized price table, which is easily maintained and downloaded. This will eliminate up to six price entries.
4. A centralized document management distribution database provides process integrity.
5. Analytical tools for merchandising, which will give them quicker, easier, and more accurate information about product, presentation, page sales, and profit data.
Project Process (Objectives)
• The first objective for Hubert was to document the existing literature development process from concept through delivery of files to the printer.
• The second step for Hubert will be to define the optimal workflow. To accomplish this, a team will be assembled with members from each of the key areas: information systems, merchandising, direct marketing, and advertising. This will be a biweekly standing meeting for four weeks.
• The third step will be the refining of job definitions.
• The fourth step will be the development of the request for proposal (RFP).
• The fifth step will be the evaluation of the different proposals.
• The sixth and final step will be the implementation of DBP in conjunction with an outside software vendor.
Scope
Issues covered in this step were:
• Who is responsible for each step?
• What forms are used in the process? Form function? (Accumulated in central binder.)
• Issues yet to be covered, but under way, are:
○ How much time does the process take from beginning to end? (See attached Gantt chart.)
○ What costs are documented in ABC costing for this process? (Reviewing.)
○ What are the bottlenecks in the process? (To be defined in the Optimal Workflow section.)
○ What skills are required to work within this process? (Will partly be defined by DBP vendor.)
Output
This project will establish current performance benchmarks with the expectation for significant reductions or improvements in the following areas: