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Pre-Meeting Planning and Pre-Meeting Planning and Meeting FacilitationMeeting Facilitation

ETM5361/MSIS5600ETM5361/MSIS5600Managing Virtual Project TeamsManaging Virtual Project Teams

Nicholas C. Romano, Jr., Ph.D.Nicholas C. Romano, Jr., Ph.D.

Nicholas-Romano@mstm.okstate.eduNicholas-Romano@mstm.okstate.edu

Paul E. Rossler, Ph.D., P.E.Paul E. Rossler, Ph.D., P.E.

prossle@okstate.eduprossle@okstate.edu

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OverviewOverview

• What things should be considered in What things should be considered in planning a virtual team meeting? planning a virtual team meeting?

• How does facilitation work in a virtual How does facilitation work in a virtual setting? setting?

• What are the key facilitator roles and What are the key facilitator roles and behaviors? behaviors?

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• What tendencies do virtual teams What tendencies do virtual teams exhibit during meetings? exhibit during meetings?

• What can be done to increase the What can be done to increase the probability of good meeting outcomes?probability of good meeting outcomes?

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Four roles relevant to all virtual Four roles relevant to all virtual meetingsmeetings

• Owner – defines meeting objectives and Owner – defines meeting objectives and outcomesoutcomes

• Participant – prepare for meeting and take Participant – prepare for meeting and take active responsibility for involvementactive responsibility for involvement

• Facilitator – conducts the meeting processFacilitator – conducts the meeting process

• Technology – enables team members to Technology – enables team members to meet and accomplish tasksmeet and accomplish tasks

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All virtual meetings require three All virtual meetings require three activities activities

• Selecting the appropriate technology and Selecting the appropriate technology and type of interaction (synchronous, type of interaction (synchronous, asynchronous)asynchronous)

• Planning for people issues, scheduling the Planning for people issues, scheduling the meeting, and dealing with meeting meeting, and dealing with meeting logisticslogistics

• Developing an effective agenda and Developing an effective agenda and facilitating the effective use of technologyfacilitating the effective use of technology

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Meeting purposes: Almost 2/3 Meeting purposes: Almost 2/3 involve complex group processesinvolve complex group processes

2%

2%

4%

4%

5%

11%

11%

26%

29%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Demonstrate a project or system

Accept Reports

Explore new ideas and concepts

Gain support for a program

Facilitate staff communicaiton

Ensure that everyone understands

Solve a Problem

Reach group decision or judgement

Reconcile conflict

(Monge, P. R., McSween, C., & Wyer, J. 1989)

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Audio TechnologyAudio Technology

• AdvantagesAdvantages– in placein place– easy to useeasy to use– cheapcheap

• DisadvantagesDisadvantages– low media richnesslow media richness– primarily “same time”primarily “same time”– less useful for large groupsless useful for large groups

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Video TechnologyVideo Technology

• AdvantagesAdvantages– personalpersonal– fulfills participant expectationsfulfills participant expectations– high media richnesshigh media richness

• DisadvantagesDisadvantages– not universally availablenot universally available– expensive/lacking standardsexpensive/lacking standards– potential for cultural confusionpotential for cultural confusion

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Data TechnologyData Technology

• AdvantagesAdvantages– widely availablewidely available– more time independentmore time independent– very cheapvery cheap

• DisadvantagesDisadvantages– impersonalimpersonal– low media richnesslow media richness– requires extended supportrequires extended support

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GroupSystemsGroupSystems

• Integration ofIntegration of– Collaborative TechnologyCollaborative Technology– Attention DynamicsAttention Dynamics– Knowledge ManagementKnowledge Management– Customized Repeatable ProcessesCustomized Repeatable Processes

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Information Information SharingSharing

Discussion/ Discussion/ BrainstormingBrainstorming

Decision-Decision-makingmaking

Product-Product-productionproduction

Voice mailVoice mail

Audio conf.Audio conf.

E-mailE-mail

Bulletin boardBulletin board

Real-time data Real-time data conf., no a, vconf., no a, v

Video conf. w/o Video conf. w/o shared docsshared docs

Real-time data Real-time data conf. w/ a, v, t, gconf. w/ a, v, t, g

Electronic Electronic meeting systemmeeting system

Collaborative Collaborative writing w/ a, vwriting w/ a, v

Based on Duarte and Snyder, 2001Based on Duarte and Snyder, 2001

Mtg.Mtg.Tech.Tech.

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Team ProcessesTeam Processes

IdeaIdeaGenerationGeneration

Idea Idea OrganizationOrganization

Idea Evaluation Idea Evaluation and Prioritizationand Prioritization

Idea Idea ExplorationExploration

Idea DevelopmentIdea Developmentand Expositionand Exposition

BrainstormingBrainstormingTopic CommenterTopic CommenterIdea OrganizerIdea OrganizerCategorizerCategorizerGroup OutlinerGroup OutlinerGroup MatrixGroup MatrixAlternative EvaluatorAlternative EvaluatorVoteVoteStake Holder AnalysisStake Holder AnalysisAssumption SurfacingAssumption SurfacingGroup WriterGroup WriterTeam GraphicsTeam GraphicsScreen PrototyperScreen Prototyper

GSS ToolsGSS Tools

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Collaborative Technology UsesCollaborative Technology Uses

Data StandardizationData Standardization

Logical Data ModelingLogical Data Modeling

Physical Data Modeling & PopulationPhysical Data Modeling & Population

Legacy System AnalysisLegacy System Analysis

Migration Systems IdentificationMigration Systems Identification

Functional Requirements DefinitionFunctional Requirements Definition

Functional Feedback on Prototype SystemsFunctional Feedback on Prototype Systems

Business Re-engineering/ModelingBusiness Re-engineering/Modeling

Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning

Proposals (DEIS II, TASC, CIM Tools, SBPR)Proposals (DEIS II, TASC, CIM Tools, SBPR)

Division (SED) LogisticsDivision (SED) Logistics

Functional User Conferences & DemosFunctional User Conferences & Demos

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Bra

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Cat

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Cat

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Act

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A

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Mod

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Mod

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Oth

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Oth

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ools

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Guidelines for who Guidelines for who to invite to meetingsto invite to meetings

• Relevant experienceRelevant experience• Must be in on decisionMust be in on decision• Are crucial to Are crucial to

implementationimplementation• Most affected by the Most affected by the

problem addressedproblem addressed• Responsible to resolve Responsible to resolve

or implement decisionor implement decision

• Direct responsibility Direct responsibility and authority over and authority over topic of discussiontopic of discussion

• Enough knowledge to Enough knowledge to contribute contribute meaningfullymeaningfully

• Information Information unavailable elsewhereunavailable elsewhere

Summarized in Romano, N.C. and J.F. Nunamaker. Meeting analysis: Findings from research and Summarized in Romano, N.C. and J.F. Nunamaker. Meeting analysis: Findings from research and practice. In Proceedings of 34th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. 2001: practice. In Proceedings of 34th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. 2001: IEEE.IEEE.

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Optimal traditional meeting sizesOptimal traditional meeting sizes

Meeting TypeMeeting TypeMaximum # Maximum # ParticipantsParticipants CommentsComments

Problem solvingProblem solving 55

Decision makingDecision making 55

Problem identificationProblem identification 1010 More may bog down processMore may bog down process

Training seminarTraining seminar 1515 Especially hands onEspecially hands on

InformationalInformational 3030 To promote interactionTo promote interaction

Review or presentationReview or presentation 3030

MotivationalMotivational No limitNo limit

Source: 3M Meeting Management Team and J. Drew, Source: 3M Meeting Management Team and J. Drew, Mastering meetings: Mastering meetings: Discovering the hidden potential of effective business meetingsDiscovering the hidden potential of effective business meetings. 1994, New York: . 1994, New York: McGraw-Hill.McGraw-Hill.

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Developing an agendaDeveloping an agenda

List List potential potential

topicstopics

Define Define goal goal

for eachfor each

Handle Handle before before

meetingmeeting

Handle Handle duringduring

meetingmeeting

PrioritizePrioritizetopics and topics and

specify specify success for success for

eacheachHandle Handle

afteraftermeetingmeeting

Based on Kaner, S., Based on Kaner, S., Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-MakingFacilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making . . 1996, Gabriola Island, British Columbia: New Society Publishers.1996, Gabriola Island, British Columbia: New Society Publishers.

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Example meeting planning Example meeting planning formatformat

Agenda Agenda ItemItem ProcessProcess

Technology Technology SelectedSelected

Facilitation Facilitation GoalsGoals

Duarte and Snyder, 2001Duarte and Snyder, 2001

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Building the agendaBuilding the agenda

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Deciding participant privilegesDeciding participant privileges

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Example virtual team meeting Example virtual team meeting agendaagenda

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Factors that influence meeting Factors that influence meeting effectivenesseffectiveness

• Ability to recall what was saidAbility to recall what was said

• Opportunity to contributeOpportunity to contribute

• Social statusSocial status

• Motivation to participateMotivation to participate

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Relationship between meeting Relationship between meeting factors and facilitationfactors and facilitation

Factors that Influence Factors that Influence Meeting EffectivenessMeeting Effectiveness Facilitator TasksFacilitator Tasks

Ability to recall what was Ability to recall what was saidsaid

Help people find and Help people find and remember informationremember information

Opportunity to contributeOpportunity to contribute Provide opportunity for Provide opportunity for people to contributepeople to contribute

Social statusSocial status Reduce social pressure Reduce social pressure that limits participationthat limits participation

Motivation to participateMotivation to participate Increase motivation to Increase motivation to participateparticipate

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Source of facilitation lies on a Source of facilitation lies on a continuumcontinuum

One or more peopleOne or more people

EmbeddedEmbeddedin softwarein software

(Source: Doug Vogel)(Source: Doug Vogel)

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A variety of problems lead to A variety of problems lead to unproductive meetingsunproductive meetings

• PacePace

• Poor meeting designPoor meeting design

• Poor focusPoor focus

• Lack of closureLack of closure

• Poor processPoor process

Research findings summarized in Bostrom, R.P., R. Anson, and V.K. Clawson, Research findings summarized in Bostrom, R.P., R. Anson, and V.K. Clawson, Group facilitation and group support systems, in Group facilitation and group support systems, in Group Group Support Support SystemsSystems, L.M. , L.M. Jessup and J.S. Valacich, Editors. 1993, MacMillan Publishing: New York. p. 146-Jessup and J.S. Valacich, Editors. 1993, MacMillan Publishing: New York. p. 146-168.168.

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Interventions that improve group Interventions that improve group processes and outcomesprocesses and outcomes

1.1. Applying Structured ProceduresApplying Structured Procedures– providing instructions to group members providing instructions to group members – extending problem formulationextending problem formulation– extending idea generationextending idea generation– separating idea generation from evaluationseparating idea generation from evaluation– delaying solution adoption delaying solution adoption 

Research findings summarized in Bostrom, R.P., R. Anson, and V.K. Clawson, Group facilitation and group support systems, in Group Support Systems, L.M. Jessup and J.S. Valacich, Editors. 1993, MacMillan Publishing: New York. p. 146-168.

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2.2. Encouraging Effective Task BehaviorsEncouraging Effective Task Behaviors– discussing task proceduresdiscussing task procedures– applying explicit criteriaapplying explicit criteria– using factual informationusing factual information– maintaining focus on task goalsmaintaining focus on task goals

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3.3. Encouraging Effective Relational Encouraging Effective Relational BehaviorsBehaviors

– encouraging broad participation and influenceencouraging broad participation and influence– managing conflict constructivelymanaging conflict constructively– emphasizing consensus acceptance over emphasizing consensus acceptance over

majority votesmajority votes– applying active listening techniquesapplying active listening techniques– discussing interpersonal processes discussing interpersonal processes 

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4.4. TrainingTraining– training group members and/or leaderstraining group members and/or leaders– training external facilitatorstraining external facilitators

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Facilitator behaviorsFacilitator behaviors

• Recognizing stages of group processRecognizing stages of group process

• Providing motivationProviding motivation

• Establishing a model of behaviorEstablishing a model of behavior

• Managing group creativity, anxiety, and Managing group creativity, anxiety, and conflictconflict

Source: Hayne, S.C., Source: Hayne, S.C., The facilitators perspective on meetings and The facilitators perspective on meetings and implications for group support systems design.implications for group support systems design. The DATA BASE for The DATA BASE for Advances in Information Systems, 1999. Advances in Information Systems, 1999. 3030(3, 4): p. 72-90(3, 4): p. 72-90

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• Maintaining awareness of own feelings as Maintaining awareness of own feelings as an indicatoran indicator

• Demonstrating flexibilityDemonstrating flexibility

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Facilitator interventionsFacilitator interventions

• Planning the meetingPlanning the meeting

• Observing communication patternsObserving communication patterns

• Determining levels of consensusDetermining levels of consensus

• Creating situations conducive to learningCreating situations conducive to learning

• Synthesizing information and building Synthesizing information and building cognitive maps (categories)cognitive maps (categories)

(Source: Hayne)(Source: Hayne)

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• Recognizing implicit vs. explicit decisionsRecognizing implicit vs. explicit decisions• Detecting variance from structuresDetecting variance from structures• Confronting the group regarding its processConfronting the group regarding its process• Providing structure to focus group limits Providing structure to focus group limits

and boundariesand boundaries• Intervening when appropriate at level of Intervening when appropriate at level of

group instead of individualgroup instead of individual• Providing closureProviding closure

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Facilitator rolesFacilitator roles

• Ensuring members identify and maintain discussion Ensuring members identify and maintain discussion focus and a procedure for that focusfocus and a procedure for that focus

• Ensuring everyone has an opportunity to contribute Ensuring everyone has an opportunity to contribute to the discussion and decisions regarding focus, to the discussion and decisions regarding focus, procedures and decision issuesprocedures and decision issues

• Understanding group values and providing new Understanding group values and providing new values in the processvalues in the process

• Sensitivity to time managementSensitivity to time management

(Source: Hayne)

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Some techniquesSome techniques

• Auditing team commitmentAuditing team commitment

• Nominal group techniqueNominal group technique

• Baby and bathwater techniqueBaby and bathwater technique

• Multi-votingMulti-voting

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Auditing team commitmentAuditing team commitment

CriticalityCriticality Not Urgent Not Urgent Demands Immediate Demands Immediate AttentionAttention

SolvabilitySolvability Beyond Our Control Beyond Our Control Can Solve Can Solve OurselvesOurselves

ScopeScope Easily Solved Easily Solved Requires Extensive Requires Extensive EffortEffort

Account-Account-abilityability

Not Individually Accountable Not Individually Accountable Fully Fully AccountableAccountable

FeasibilityFeasibility Won’t Work Won’t Work Will Definitely Work Will Definitely Work

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Nominal group technique for Nominal group technique for generating/prioritizing ideasgenerating/prioritizing ideas

• Silent generationSilent generation

• Round robin listingRound robin listing

• Clarification (modification, grouping)Clarification (modification, grouping)

• Voting and ranking (vote score, number of Voting and ranking (vote score, number of votes)votes)– 7 = most important, 1 = least important7 = most important, 1 = least important

• Discussion and action planningDiscussion and action planning

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Baby and bathwater technique for Baby and bathwater technique for managing disagreementmanaging disagreement

Person A’s Person A’s ViewpointViewpoint

Person B’s Person B’s ViewpointViewpoint

Points of Points of AgreementAgreement

Points of Points of DisagreementDisagreement

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Multi-voting for sorting out Multi-voting for sorting out strongly held positionsstrongly held positions

• The same idea can look different depending The same idea can look different depending on the criterion usedon the criterion used– Can cast votes based on one or several criteriaCan cast votes based on one or several criteria– Can cast all votes for one or several ideasCan cast all votes for one or several ideas

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SummarySummary

• Four roles must be played in virtual team Four roles must be played in virtual team meetings (owner, participant, facilitator, meetings (owner, participant, facilitator, technology)technology)

• All virtual team meetings require selecting All virtual team meetings require selecting the right technology, developing an agenda, the right technology, developing an agenda, and facilitating that technologies useand facilitating that technologies use

• Structure, process, and facilitation influence Structure, process, and facilitation influence meeting outcomesmeeting outcomes