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GW Chapter 8 Making Meetings Work for
Everybody Software SpecificationLecture 15

• Prepared by
• Stephen M. Thebaut, Ph.D.
• University of Florida

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Why we cant live without them

• In any sizable development projectthe idea of
  doing it alone is more of a fantasy than any
  Indiana Jones adventure. In order to obtain the
  capacity and diversity that a team can provide,
  we must give up our heroic fantasies and pay the
  costs of working with other people.

Software Specification GW Chapter 8
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Meetings can be terrible

• Ever been to a really BAD meeting?
• Meetings as measurements If your meetings are
  terrible, then your process is sick.
• In order to get full participation, meetings must
  be made safe

Software Specification GW Chapter 8
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Safe to attend

• Negotiate an agreement of ground rules before
  dealing with the content of the meeting.
• Establish a no-interruption policy, but also
• Set time limits for individual speakers.
• Outlaw personal attacks and put-downs.

Software Specification GW Chapter 8
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Safe to attend (contd)

• Allow each participant a reasonable number of
  no-explanation-necessary, personal time-outs.
• Finish on time, but schedule a continuation of
  the meeting if business isnt finished.
• Use a related issues list and ensure follow-up.
• Stop the meeting as necessary to allow amendment
  of the ground rules.

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And safe NOT to attend

• Meetings should be as small as possible but no
  smaller. Remove uncertainty about what will
  actually be covered in the meeting.
• Publish an agenda and stick to it.
• Handle emergency issues in a way that will not
  hurt people who dont (and shouldnt) attend the
  meeting.

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And safe NOT to attend (contd)

• Be sure people who should attend are invited and
  receive a proper hearing.
• Confront those who should not attend immediately
  but unobtrusively.

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Tailor Meetings to the Job at Hand

• Decide on its single purpose. (A meeting that
  tries to do two different jobs tends to do
  neither well.)
• Design the meeting so as to have the appropriate
  structure, pace, and rhythm.
• Use a skilled facilitator when possible (Chap
  13).
• Be prepared!

Software Specification GW Chapter 8
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Exercise Meeting Preparation Checklist

• Construct a meeting preparation checklist that
  would be useful for conducting meetings of the
  type that you participate in most often.

Software Specification GW Chapter 8
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GW Chapter 8 Making Meetings Work for
Everybody Software SpecificationLecture 15

• Prepared by
• Stephen M. Thebaut, Ph.D.
• University of Florida