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Group Created with Sketch. Group Created with Sketch.

Best Practices

We’ve been conducting product workshops over the past five years and have learned quite a bit during this process. The following are some best practices we like to follow.

Timing

Workshops can be overwhelming, especially when we try to go at it for a few full days. We find it’s best to do a series of half-days but we understand that sometimes this is not always possible. We don’t have a set number of days that is required but they are typically between two or three days. Starting at 9am and going until lunch each day is ideal. We’ll work for 50 minutes and take a 10 minute break for bathroom, emails, or a snack.

Tools

During the workshop, our primary tools are the whiteboard, post-it notes, and paper. We’ll have plenty of these available as we sketch ideas, take notes, and share our ideas. Eventually, all of the information will makes it way to a digital format.

Distractions

While the workshop is a long, multi-day process, it’s key to minimize distractions. We recommend that laptops and phone stay off and away so we can focus. We take breaks every hour so there’s plenty of time to catch up on emails and conversations. A focused team can help us gain momentum and work productively.

Daily retrospective

At the end of each day we conclude with a quick retrospective of the day. The facilitator will provide a recap of what we’ve covered for the day and what the agenda for the next day will be.