Comments on: How To Get The Most Out Of Your Design Sessions http://www.skorks.com/2009/07/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-design-sessions/ For the betterment of the software craft... Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:57:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Nirav Assarhttp://www.skorks.com/2009/07/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-design-sessions/comment-page-1/#comment-3220 Nirav Assar Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:07:21 +0000 http://www.skorks.com/?p=843#comment-3220 Alan I completely agree. This is a systemic problem for the culture of the client. It is very difficult to change. Alan I completely agree. This is a systemic problem for the culture of the client. It is very difficult to change.

]]> By: Alan Skorkinhttp://www.skorks.com/2009/07/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-design-sessions/comment-page-1/#comment-3206 Alan Skorkin Tue, 06 Oct 2009 06:49:17 +0000 http://www.skorks.com/?p=843#comment-3206 I design session should never be a pissing contest, it is important to remember that everyone ultimately shares the same goal. Doesn't matter who comes up with the best solution, as long as someone does. There is a reason we work in a team, because we can't do the work with just one person, no point trying to earn status by outdoing your teammates. Earn status by making your team and your teammates look good instead. You'll get lot more out of that in the long run. I design session should never be a pissing contest, it is important to remember that everyone ultimately shares the same goal. Doesn’t matter who comes up with the best solution, as long as someone does. There is a reason we work in a team, because we can’t do the work with just one person, no point trying to earn status by outdoing your teammates. Earn status by making your team and your teammates look good instead. You’ll get lot more out of that in the long run.

]]> By: Nirav Assarhttp://www.skorks.com/2009/07/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-design-sessions/comment-page-1/#comment-3204 Nirav Assar Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:35:29 +0000 http://www.skorks.com/?p=843#comment-3204 At my client site, we have meetings that talk about design, but they are not really design sessions. It basically turns into a competition to see who can blurt out the "best idea" and egos play a huge role. It is more important who says the idea, rather than what the idea is. And its like a the supreme court, where "precedence" plays a huge role. Its always, "well what has been done in the past, and let's default to that." There is no brainstorming, thinking out side the box or visual modeling. Older engineers get there ego hurt when someone challenges an idea or actually has an idea better than theirs. I think a good rule to alleviate these characteristics of a meeting is to check the "ego" at the door. Have a theme "it doesn't matter who comes up with the solutions, its whether or not we come up with the right solution." At my client site, we have meetings that talk about design, but they are not really design sessions. It basically turns into a competition to see who can blurt out the “best idea” and egos play a huge role. It is more important who says the idea, rather than what the idea is. And its like a the supreme court, where “precedence” plays a huge role. Its always, “well what has been done in the past, and let’s default to that.” There is no brainstorming, thinking out side the box or visual modeling. Older engineers get there ego hurt when someone challenges an idea or actually has an idea better than theirs.

I think a good rule to alleviate these characteristics of a meeting is to check the “ego” at the door. Have a theme “it doesn’t matter who comes up with the solutions, its whether or not we come up with the right solution.”

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