Agile Communication for Distributed Teams
My organization needs to modify institutional communication tools and processes due to growth and distribution of our staff into a fully remote work model. This project is in progress, and unfortunately, started in an ad hoc manner, meaning that we need to back-track and refine then complete some of the following steps:
- Goals:
- Implement a new digital tool for instant message communication.
- Phase out use of various other digital tools for instant message communication.
- Define guidelines for use of approved communication tools, including email, phone, video-conference, and the new instant message app.
- Stakeholders:
- Staff at all levels
- Students
- Families
- Inter-organizational third parties
- Project Plan – to be determined by the technology department in consultation with stakeholders, with consideration of:
- Aspects of design process, including empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test
- Legal and safety regulations
- Timeline
- Resources
- Contingencies & Considerations of Barriers or Challenges:
- Collect and analyze data throughout the process, integrating feedback as-appropriate.
- Provide a strong introduction that includes rationale and benefits presented in highly motivating ways to promote buy-in.
- Create resources for implementation, including text- and video-based plus live training and support.
- Model new procedures from the top down, including leaders and influencers.
Hi Alisha,
How many projects get started without a plan? So many :)… and it is often hard to go back and impose a structure or plan once everything is rolling. I am not sure if this is a current project in progress (or a hypothetical or future one), but I wondered what starting the planning mid-stream looks like – does someone take the lead, or do you as a larger team start the planning process together? I am guessing that there will be multiple teams involved – IT to help implement, but also leads for developing the needed resources and policies (that might be more focused on the teaching/learning and end-users requirements).
Ahaha…thanks, Michelle! I sincerely appreciate your perspective on this example. 🙂
This is a project still in progress. I actually took advantage of this activity and intentionally wrote my post as a very concise framework in order to provide some of our departmental leaders with a simple, snapshot framework for consideration. Optimistically, I think that the transition from ad hoc to formal project it may look something like transitioning from a bush-wacking hike in the woods to an official, smoother, structured trail. My hope is that I can hand it off to our tech director to spearhead, get approval for a full mandated implementation, and then solicit support from multiple departments as we proceed.
Hopefully you get to the smooth trail stage of the project! Your response also made me think of how much leading from the edges (or from the woods) happens in our organizations!