LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP
Need help focusing on a wide range of requirements for a project? Or, are you questioning biases or assumptions being made by you or your team? This activity is a structured approach that helps unpack risky assumptions. Your team will be given the ability to speak about their concerns openly and discuss what action is needed to move forward. This activity can be helpful for teams who are working with polarizing topics or focus areas.
Source: Adapted from Assumptions Mapping, David J Bland, Precoil
What to do
- Make a list of assumptions by answering some of the questions below. Write them individually on a post-it (you can have more than one answer per question):
- Who are we designing this solution for?
- What is the problem we are trying to solve?
- Why can’t we solve this problem today?
- What are the challenges to finding a solution?
- What are the internal barriers?
- How is leadership supporting this problem?
- How are we uniquely positioned to solve this problem?
- How are we measuring success?
- How will the solution be sustained over time?
- Create a 2X2 grid (like the one below) on a flipchart. Plot your answers/assumptions into the quadrant that you/your team feel represents it best. The level of priority (y-axis) is based on how important or urgent each assumption is. The level of certainty (x-axis) is based on how much you/your team know about the issue at hand.
- Once your assumptions are plotted, consider the following action steps below:
|
PLAN: |
These assumptions are closest to fact. Start developing ideas and/or an action plan based on these assumptions. |
|
MEASURE: |
Put measurement and evaluation methods in place to validate its level of importance. |
|
DEFER: |
These assumptions can be either eliminated or deferred to another stage of the project. |
|
EXPLORE: |
Research these assumptions further as there is very little known about them. |
Debrief
(following the activity)
- How did this process help prioritize requirements for your project?
- What areas did you/your team decide needed further clarification?
- What do you think this tells us about our personal biases in projects?
- How will you be mindful of your biases in the future?