Phase IV

GTD Workshop

1. Purpose

The GTD Workshop (="Getting Things Done") is a great opportunity to work, with concentration, on pre-defined tasks. Especially during a sprint in Phase IV: Validation & Refinement. 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 Interview with Prototype, define Validating Hypotheses and discuss appropriate Prototyping.

  • 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 Prototyping 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

4. Preparation

As 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 Team 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

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 Templates "Sprint" 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 & Team 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

Team Coach

* P = Presentation | D = Discussion | B = Break | T = Teamwork