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JAD/Facilitation Workshop
How to Plan & Conduct Effective JAD Sessions

JAD/Facilitation Workshop shows you how to replace endless and unproductive interviews with group work sessions in which issues are resolved, complete information is gathered, and critical decisions are made.  Sometimes called JAD sessions, these group work sessions have proven effective worldwide -- when planned and conducted properly.

JAD/Facilitation Workshop teaches how to plan and manage the conduct of these sessions so that they are successful.  This three-day seminar details how to pick the right people to include and what is needed to prepare them for their role.  The program details all the critical elements for success and how to identify and handle troubles.

JAD/Facilitation Workshop uses a combination of interactive presentation and class work to effect real knowledge transfer.  Exercises guide you step-by-step in the planning of your own Joint Session using standard worksheets.  You will participate in several in-class Joint Sessions and see how the approach works while exploring an interesting Case Study.

JAD/Facilitation Workshop presents a number of techniques that you can include in a session to generate ideas, analyze problems, surface system requirements, and evaluate solutions.  You will see the techniques combined into session agendas that create key project deliverables.

What You Will Learn

• When and where to utilize Joint Sessions to improve timeliness and effectiveness of projects

• How to plan and manage Joint Sessions to produce the desired results

• How to select the right players to have successful Joint Sessions

• How to design a Joint Session game plan (Agenda) for a winning session

• How to apply Joint Sessions in a wide variety of business and systems projects including:

  • Business and Systems Planning

  • Systems Development

  • Business Process Improvement

  • Problem Analysis and Resolution

Who Should Attend

• Project Managers or Leaders

• Business Analysts, Systems Analysts, Systems Designers

• Anyone who wants to improve participation and communications on their projects:

  • IT Managers

  • Business Managers

Seminar Outline

Overview of Joint Sessions

• What are Joint Sessions

• Origins of Joint Session

• Why Have Joint Sessions

• Benefits of Joint Sessions

• What Makes Joint Sessions Work

Example Mini-Session (Uses of Joint Session)
Exercise: Identify Candidate Joint Session

Joint Sessions Players & Participants

• Roles

• Authorities

• Responsibilities

• Qualifications

Exercise: Selecting Participants

The Process of Facilitated Sessions

• Overview of the Facilitated Session Process

• Define The Session

• Plan The Session

• Arrange The Session

• Prepare for The Session

• Conduct The Session

• Complete The Session

• Beyond The Session

Exercise: Session Definition
Exercise: Session Planning

Communication and Group Skills: Understanding Personalities

• Active Listening

• Individuals in a Group

• Process and task behavior

• Group Dynamics

Exercise: Practicing Active Listening

Techniques for Facilitated Session

• Techniques for Generating Ideas

• Techniques for Evaluating Ideas

• Techniques for Decision Making

• Techniques for Consensus Building

• Systems Modeling Techniques

Exercise: Choosing Techniques
Example Mini-Session (Data Requirements)

Application Development Methods

• Joint Session in Business Planning

• Joint Session in Systems Development

  • Planning

  • Analysis

  • Design

• A Joint Session Method

• Joint Session in Business Process Improvement

• Joint Session in Application Package Implementation

Exercise: Building the Agenda
Example Mini-Session (Business Process Definition)

Session Leader Skills

• Session Leader Qualifications

• Facilitation Approach

• Stimulating Participation

• Session Tow Trucks

• Maintain Direction

• Dealing With Difficult People

Lessons Learned from Joint Session Experience

• The Spectrum of Facilitation

• How Joint Session Can Fail/succeed

• The Right Facilitator

• The Importance of Good Organization

• Humor in Sessions

Getting Started with Joint Sessions

• Building Support for Facilitation

• Selecting & Training Session Leaders

• Developing Support Infrastructure

• Monitoring and Evaluating Joint Sessions

Exercise: Develop Action Plan
Example Mini-Session (Joint Session Implementation)