Re: Learning Histories LO4097

Leo - DTN 264-2973...MS: MK01-2/E12 (talbot@cupmk.ENET.dec.com)
Wed, 6 Dec 95 15:58:34 EST

Replying to LO3800 --

Michael McMaster <Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk> wrote:

MM> I think that the problem is that it [a "report on events as they
occurred"] can't be captured in any linear manner. I have high hopes for
hypertext but don't know of its application yet. I expect to be able to
report on that in the next year or so.

Hi:

I think this is my first post to this discussion group so I will first
introduce my self. I am an instructional designer with Digital Eq. Corp.
in New Hampshire (USA). I am currently working on a training project to
support the corporate implementation of SAP R/3 software.

I'm interested in this particular discussion thread about organization
history and hope this little anecdote will add something to it. Several
years ago I participated on a training team chartered to design team
training for a large organization within DEC. As a team we were very
committed to "walking the walk and talking the talk" as they say, so we
could help develop some insight for other teams. After our project was
over we used a timeline technique to record the experiences of the team
and document the process we had just experienced. The technique is simple:

- Tape a long piece of butcher paper across a wall and divide it
horizontally into two sections. Mark dates along the line that represent
the life of the team, project, group, etc.

- Label the upper half "process" and the bottom half "content"

Content refers to what the team was doing taskwise (making plans, designing
workshops, holding meetings), while process refers to what was going on
withing the team (people joining, leaving, getting angry, etc.

- Along the timeline, each team member would draw some kind of graphic to
illustrate an event that occurred above or below the line.

Some interesting observations could be made after all the entries were
complete. It seemed like periods of hectic activity were relatively
process free, but were followed by equally hectic process events needed to
maintain cohesiveness of the team. From this timeline I was easily able
to write a report/history of the team, combining this with other
evaluation elements.

This was not only a fun way to complete a laborious task (evaluate the
work of the team), but also an effective way to see the relationships
between the work of the team and how the team manages itself.

I use this example now in other workshops to illustrate the wave-like
nature of doing work in teams, organizations. You typically see lots of
activity (work) followed by group processing as the stress level has
reached a peak. Our chart looked something like this.




Process                                        x
                  x             x               x  x
                x  x             x            x   x      x
              x               x   x          x   x        x
             x x x  x        x x   x                    x
-------------------------------------------------------x------
  xxxx x x            x  x              x  xx       xx
   xxx  x              x  x x        x x x           x     x
     x                     x              x
                                                            x


Content

This may not be a useful technique for organization histories, but it sure
does work on small teams and projects.

If anyone is interested in the report, send mail and I'll forward you a copy.

Regards,

Leo Talbot
ID, Digital Eq. Corp.
Merrimack, NH

--
talbot@wreath.enet.dec.com