In the (often) binary & clearly defined, rule-based IT space many of us consultants live in, there are numerous effective technical strategies and methodologies for product design, research, and development that organizations have implemented and utilized since software creation.
But often in consulting relationships, emotional intelligence is as necessary as technical intelligence for project/team success.
This article will illustrate examples of best practices/strategies I’ve implemented for effective & successful project management between consultants and our Air Force clientele.
Relationships & Rhythm, when combined, will drive trust … trust drives productivity … productivity drives results!
Why?
It’s essential to collaborate and develop strong partnerships with Air Force clientele throughout the complete process of product design & development to build strong relationships, have consistent knowledge transfer, and ensure an understanding of Air Force culture. This drives trust, trust drives productivity, and productivity drives results.
How:
The keys to success for implementing strategies and identifying solutions to deliver the best end-product relied heavily upon two things: Relationships & Rhythm.
Building strong relationships across departments and clearly defined roles/responsibilities and operating rhythms allowed our cross-department teams to collaborate effectively for team success!
Let’s dig into Relationships & Rhythm a little deeper…
Relationships:
Develop Strong Relationships to Drive Cross-Functional Collaboration
Cross-functional collaboration is ESSENTIAL for team success, and to be able to create an environment where cross-functional collaboration can take place, both parties must have
- an understanding and respect for cultural specificities
- a desire to educate one another on their expertise
- and also be willing to be educated by their counterparts
One best practice for consultants is proactively engaging their Air Force team members and asking them to be educated on their culture/team dynamics. I.e., their background/experience, what’s worked (& what hasn’t) in previous consulting relationships, and also seek to understand the Air Force organization structure, social etiquette, etc.
For example, when visiting Air Force bases, there are specific protocols for addressing Air Force members, entering buildings, and rules and regulations for entering the Air Force fields; credibility is earned when these behaviors are demonstrated …
Unfortunately, your credibility can also be damaged if the wrong moves are made.
On the other hand, it’s the consultant’s responsibility to mentor and educates Air Force members on product design (design strategies, research & usability studies/best practices).
In broad terms, the Air Force team members partnered with consultants do not tend to have software design experience/training. Therefore, it’s essential to help your partners understand the ‘how’ on the back-end as much as focus on the result/goal.
When our partners understand the technical ‘why’ and ‘how,’ they are more engaged in proactive and creative problem-solving.
When you put people first, you’ve earned the right to define/outline the scope of the work and desired goal.
Paired Design creates Shared Vision
Once relationships and rapport have been established, and effective collaboration is taking place, consultants can adopt a “Paired Design creates Shared Vision” approach!
As a consultant, it is our responsibility to ensure Air Force product, development, and product designers understand how to define, design, research, and solve problems to create a shared vision and understanding of the product and receive buy-in for the direction of the product.
Paired Design has been one of the most effective ways to educate and build relationships with airman designers.
For example: In December of 2019, our product team struggled to define a direction for the future of WARLOC. We didn’t even know if our product was built upon the most valuable problems to solve. To remedy this, the airman and I defined a journey mapping project to understand how our users operated daily.
Together, we created a journey of collaboratively what we knew at the moment as an entire team. From here, we created a research plan with steps on how to fill out a new and improved journey map while visiting Nellis Air Force Base in January of 2020.
This collaborative project between consultants, developers, and designers led to a clear path forward. First, we identified where and how we needed to improve. Then, four months later, the team working together to solve problems from a shared vision led to a complete redesign of WARLOC that was well received by our end users.
The team enjoyed working together, solving problems, and airman designers felt comfortable working solo on specific problems when necessary.
Furthermore, design studios with product, designers, and developers have been proven effective — even remotely. Facilitating design studios with the entire team via Zoom and utilizing Figma and MURAL has helped the team get on the same page and have collective ownership of the direction of the product.
A sense of ownership leads to increased productivity and motivation to contribute to the team.
Rhythm:
Develop a Unified Product Team with Clear Roles/Responsibilities & Operating Rhythms
A strong foundation with clearly defined roles/responsibilities and operating rhythm will ensure a team is united and working towards the common goal!
This worked well for me after the transition from Pivotal; the team struggled to communicate effectively, have structured sprint cadences, and lacked a clear understanding of what work needed to be done, by who & by when. As a result, the team entered a storming phase, and consequently, we took a step backward. To remedy this, all team members in the workgroup partnered together to create a team working agreement – our Social Contract. Below are examples of how we agreed to align cross-department communications:
Clear expectations of team member roles/responsibilities
- WHO is responsible for WHAT and by WHEN?
- Well-defined user stories for developers and designers
Structured meetings with agendas
- Create credibility by staying on topic
- Provide recognition/praise when expectations are met
- If expectations are not met, necessary follow-up/coaching should be discussed individually/offline
- Leverage technology for efficiency (Zoom, Mattermost, Email)
Implemented agreed-upon team Operating Hours and SLA expectations
Defined Sprint cadences
Operating as a unified team allowed us to feel safe expressing concerns, problems, ideas, and ways to improve. As a result, the team began forming a norm — leading to trust, efficiency, and ultimately better results!
Recap & Take-aways:
There is great power in numbers – when the group works together towards the goal, we all achieve the best possible results! Building relationships & establishing clear/consistent operating rhythms have been crucial to the success of several projects I’ve had the opportunity to join. I am very thankful to be able to learn from the team members we’ve partnered with during these experiences!
This outline isn’t intended to be an ‘answer key’ but rather to share critical learnings/recommendations for consulting with Air Force partners based on my experiences with our clientele. As you think about how you can tailor any of these best practices across your product team, I encourage you to keep a couple of things in mind:
Put ‘people first’ by demonstrating:
- an understanding and respect for cultural-specificities
- a desire to educate one another on their expertise
- a willingness to be educated by their counterparts
Define the scope of work and goal; ensure alignment around ‘Paired Design creating Shared Vision.’
A clear role/responsibility definition coupled with consistent/recurring meeting cadences will increase team performance & productivity.
Relationships & Rhythm, when combined, will drive trust … trust drives productivity … productivity drives results!