[IxDA-SF PRESENTS] Herding Cats and Taming Lions: Using Facilitation Skills to Create Better Design June 3, 2008

If only everyone would listen to me!
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you felt like the lone expert in the room, pitted against a gang of folks who saw things differently? Have you found yourself in a meeting fighting to be heard? Have you ever wondered, “Why does it seem like my job is to gather everyone’s opinions, instead of sharing my expertise in interaction design?”

But I don't have time to get everyone's input!
Or maybe you achieved a significant project milestone on an aggressive timeline, at the expense of your sanity or personal life. You felt rushed and went "heads down" to do it. You didn’t have time to get everyone’s opinions. Maybe you hit a wall at some point in the project and didn't know where to turn for ideas or answers.

Wherever you are on that continuum – from getting frustrated with managing group communication or simply trying to go it alone -- you can improve your ability to draw better solutions out of the entire project team. Stellar design skills aren’t enough. As an interaction designer, the success of your project is often determined by your ability to collaborate across interdisciplinary teams. This requires establishing strong collaborative working relations among people with very different mindsets, skills and points of view -- people who may not even get along with each other. And so you find yourself increasingly playing the role of facilitator, rather than design authority.

What is a facilitator?
According to Interaction Associates (an originator of the discipline), a facilitator helps to:
• Keep discussions on track
• Use collaborative problem solving tools to make decisions more easily
• Leverage diverse points of view and communication styles
• Share ideas, responsibility, and success in a way that values everyone’s contribution
• Use win-win thinking to resolve conflicts

Jon Littell will give an overview of facilitation and other soft skills pertinent to today's complex work environment, showing you how to lead your clients to fruitful discussions without getting lost in conflict. You will learn about the essential strategies and skills for helping groups solve problems, resolve conflict, and build agreement. You’ll also get resources and recommendations for the extensive toolset for facilitation.

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About Jon
Jon Littell has been working in the internet/interactive field for over a dozen years. As a director of user experience, his expertise lies in bringing coherence to complex information systems through a deep understanding of people, strategy, and design

Jon is a big-picture, strategic thinker and is especially adept at using research to generate breakthrough insights. Although Jon's strong suit lies in the soft skills of communication and human excellence, he is comfortable and proficient with complex technology.

Jon holds a Masters degree in Behavioral Science and has extensive training in multiple psychological and process models. His obsessive need to see things clearly may explain why he has an ever-growing collection of eyeglasses.

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Schedule
6:30 pm – Socializing with light refreshments and Hiring Salon (employers/recruiters, bring job descriptions to share)
7:00 pm – Presentation

Presented by IxDA-SF and Adaptive Path. This is a FREE event.

Official Website: http://www.sf.ixda.org