How to WTDOM

If you’d like to run your own Whole-Team Dynamic Organizational Modeling workshop, you’re at the right place. Here, you’ll find a guide to setting up, running, and debriefing a modeling session. The resources free to use with attribution. We also ask that you contribute to WTDOM by sending your comments, suggestions, feedback, and sharing of your models if you are so inclined. The feedback you provide will help to improve WTDOM for the entire user community.

 

Facilitation Guide

The facilitation guide provides step-by-step instructions to set up and execute a WTDOM modeling workshop. It was developed after running several of our own modeling workshops with groups ranging in size from a single team to over 80 people in groups of 10. If you have questions about the guide, please post a question.

Setting up the room

A single team can work in a conference room on a large table or in a cafeteria or other room where you can put tables together and have modelers on all sides of the table. If you are working with multiple teams, round tables work best with enough space between them so people can move freely. You can see a video of it here.

Room Preparation

  • Flip chart paper – You’ll need this as a base for models and for putting reminders on the walls. One sheet on each table and have spares available.
  • Colored markers – Felt tips like Sharpies are great. Modelers will need these to annotate their model and to indicate communication and product or service flows. Several colours per table.
  • Laptop and projector with a screen
  • Proposed agenda on easel sized post-it on wall
  • “More Information” available on easel sized post-it on wall.
  • 3-D modeling material at the front of the room (Lego for example)
  • Modeling scenario handout printed and available for distribution to participants.
  • Video camera and/or digital camera to capture models and demos.
  • On walls: What makes a healthy organization?
    • cross-functional teams
    • test as part of the teams
    • relatively flat hierarchy
    • speed of communication
    • decisions made close to the source
    • ….what else? Is any organization truly healthy and functional?
  • On walls: What are your constraints? Examples:
    • Do you work with offshore teams in different timezones?
    • To sell in South Korea do you need to have a development lab in South Korea?
    • How close are you to the customer?
  • Suggested break down of facilitators to table teams:  1 facilitator for 2 table teams.  If you have 6 table teams and 2 instructors, ask for 3 observers during the introduction.

Setting the stage – 20 minute introduction

  • Each table team introduces themselves, and choose a facilitator to manage their time. – 5 minutes.
  • Facilitator, take 5 minutes to describe the point of this exercise. “Why Model?”
  • Facilitator, take 5 minutes to explain the post-its on the walls.
  • Share video from WTDOM channel
  • Choose your scenario per table team. – 15 minutes.

Execution – Timing for modeling and retrospectives

  • Suggested time boxes: 15 minute build, 5 minute retrospective, capturing assumptions and questions during the retrospective.
  • Repeat as often as you like – three iterations is usually a good rule of thumb.
  • Final demo, 5 minutes per table team, film the results.
  • For the final retrospective, discuss as a team what went well and what didn’t and how you would improve a future modeling session.

Publish and share your results

  • You can post video content to the wtdomChannel on youTube.
  • You can blog your insights and opinions on this site.
  • If you like, share your reviews of this facilitation guide on WTDOM/Facilitation Guide Review, of any recipe changes you’ve made and the results for others to try.

 

 

 

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