GTD - Workshop
The proper task management, and especially the task execution, can be challenging to cope with during daily business. The GTD-Workshop gives the Project Team the necessary freedom to do so - without distraction.
Karl Rabes
Business Design Coach
Content
1. Purpose
The GTD - Workshop (="Getting Things Done") is a great opportunity to work, with concentration, on pre-defined tasks. The project team focuses specific tasks in 90 min. sessions and reflects the common output. All the results are documented. Examples are:
A GTD - Workshop can be used to plan experiments in detail based on the results of the Design Workshop. Let's say you want to talk to customers and users. There are a lot of things to consider and to do upfront. During the workshop, you can discuss the selection of interviewees, make appointments, come up with a guideline, define customer investments and discuss appropriate prototypes.
Building prototypes is a great task for a GTD - Workshop. Here, you reconsider the results from the Design Workshop and define requirements for different kinds of prototypes to support your experiments. In time boxed sessions of 90 min., you define, visualise and even develop or implement prototypes based on the purpose agreed on earlier. Make sure a product designer or prototyping expert is in the room!
2. Duration
Depending on workload, e.g. 1 day
3. Participants
Product Designer (optional)
Prototyping Expert (optional)
4. Preparation
As a Project Team Member
The GTD-Workshop gives you and your team members the necessary freedom to work on the most important tasks of your Business Design project together. The goal is to execute and conclude all, or at least the most important tasks - so make sure to stay focussed and get your things done!
Communicate your highest priority tasks that should be executed together with the team and the coach
Collect and share documents and other information gathered regarding the topic you are responsible for
Free up your calendar for the day and make sure you can attend the workshop with 100% attention
Arrange travel and accommodation in cases needed
As a Business Design Coach
As mentioned above, GTD-Workshops are a great way to focus specific and important tasks. GTD-Workshops can be necessary directly after the Kick-off Workshop and the Design Workshop, or throughout the Validate Phase. Make sure to communicate openly with your Project Team and try to asses their overall workload. It happens a lot of times, that team members are pressed for time with their daily business and loose focus, wherefore GTD-Workshops are a reasonable solution. Concluding important tasks together can be source of motivation and fuels team spirit - especially when you "build" something together. It's your job to initiate it!
Ensure with the Team Manager that all team members are invited, travels, accommodations and room setup incl. catering is arranged
Plan with the Team Manager the topics that will be part of the GTD-workshop and define the agenda
Distribute preparation for selected topics to the project team
Invite experts (e.g. designers, prototyping engineers) to join
Book and organise room & catering
Prepare and print all tools & materials
5. Tools & Materials
1x Flipchart with paper
See Prototyping
6. Documentation
Results documented and shared among the project team
7. Room & Infrastructure
1x Table with chairs
Hot & cold drinks, snacks or finger food
Optional: Projector
8. Example Agenda
In some cases the Design Workshop has to take place in a virtual work environment, which influences the agenda. Check out our Miro Board to facilitate the Design Workshop online.
Time | Activities | Format* | Stakeholders |
08:30 - 09:00 | Arrival and "Good Morning Coffee" | B | All |
09:00 - 09:30 | Welcome, introduction and definition / collection of topics | P | Team manager & Coach |
09:30 - 11:00 | Session 1: Teamwork (60 min.) and team's reflection (30 min.) | T | All |
11:00 - 12:30 | Session 2: Teamwork (60 min.) and team's reflection (30 min.) | T | All |
12:30 - 13:30 | Lunch break | B | All |
13:30 - 15:00 | Session 3: Teamwork (60 min.) and team's reflection (30 min.) | T | All |
15:00 - 16:30 | Session 4: Teamwork (60 min.) and team's reflection (30 min.) | T | All |
16:30 - 17:00 | Task management | T | All |
17:00 - 17:30 | Wrap-up and farewell | D | Coach |
* P = Presentation | D = Discussion | B = Break | T = Teamwork