Last week we looked at collaboration tools for project management, here we examine some methods that usually work best when executed in-person. Then we provide examples of appropriate off-line tools, followed by on-line alternatives.
In light of the growing trend towards virtual businesses, telecommuting staff and off-site contractors, personal connections may begin to wither or cease to exist entirely. We hope that at least some of these methods and tools, described below, can be used as a means to re-connect with your team on a personal level, while simultaneously increasing productivity through group collaboration.
These methods and tools complement your web-based project management system to allow for a more creative approach.
Brainstorming
When you need to generate a large number of ideas to solve some sort of problem or come up with a new strategy, the brainstorm is often the right project tool. This guide has some good rules to follow when brainstorming in a team setting, then check out this resource for additional reading.
Off-line Tools:
- Plain Paper – whether it be a standard 8 1/2 by 11” sized piece of paper, a napkin, or a huge piece of poster paper, this tool can always get the job done. That is, until someone spills coffee on the paper. Just be sure to take photographs or scans of your brainstorm when complete as a form of backup and for later processing.
- White Board – the whiteboard has the advantage of easy erasability vs. plain paper. Just make sure your white board is big enough for the scope of your brainstorm. Don’t forget to photograph the white board before erasing.
- Projector – do you remember those old projectors your professor used? Well they still exist and offer a sort of mini-whiteboard where the medium (the transparency) is in a more manageable size. Although, we suggest you use a modern projector combined with a computer equipped with a Wacom tablet or similar.
On-line Tools:
- Document Sharing – in some cases a simple word processor that can be updated collaboratively is all you need.
- Online BrainstormingTools – these tools offer greater structure, yet don’t intrude on the creative process.
Mind Mapping
When you have completed your brainstorming and come up with some useable ideas, it’s time to take those ideas and move them one more step towards reality. Mind maps are a great tool for this. A mind map is a structured and visual means of organizing thoughts around an idea. When you are ready to explore mind mapping in greater depth, check out these 99 Mind Mapping resources.
Off-line Tools:
- The same tools you can use for brainstorming can also be used for mind mapping with the assistance of a few rules.
On-line Tools:
- There are many mind mapping tools available for both off-line and on-line use. Here is an additional resource (30+ tools) to help you get started.
Use Cases
When it’s time to translate your structured ideas into requirements, use cases are a good in-person method to utilize. Use cases are primarily used for software development; however, this method can easily be applied to other types of projects.
Off-line Tools:
- Index cards – this is a popular method to capture use cases, especially when you have the stakeholders all in the same room.
On-line Tools:
- Use cases are a subset of UML, for which there are many free tools available. Here are a few online solutions:
User Stories
Agile methods have become the methodology of choice to capture requirements for many small teams, particularly those developing software. When using agile methods, use cases are replaced by user stories. If you are not sure which method would be best for your particular situation, check out this post.
Off-line Tools:
- Similar to use cases, index cards are the preferred off-line tool of choice. Here is an example of how to create user stories using the INVEST Model.
On-line Tools:
- User stories are a subset of agile methods, for which there are several tools available.
- Some prefer to create user stories using spreadsheets. If that is your preference, take a look at these online spreadsheet tools.
CONCLUSION
Once you get all of your requirements together and are ready to start executing, you will need a task management system to keep track of all the action items. Transparency and accountability should also be a part of your processes during execution mode.
Which of these methods have you used? How did they help (or hinder)? Do you have other ideas for adding a personal touch within your group collaborations? Please let us know in the comments or on Facebook or Twitter.
