Thread by @anitaycheng

Here for @Folletto’s #AEASF talk about hybrid meetings. Remote collaboration should not actually default to calls or meetings. Think about if they’re sync/async or in-person/virtual, but they can be combined too.

.@Folletto wants to leverage the benefits of each approach - it’s not about not meeting anyone ever. Async can make it possible for the less boisterous people to contribute too. Ask what the outcome of this call should be. #AEASF

Also ask if the call is in the right format. @Folletto made a chart for it! #AEASF

Sync is best when you need:
- To get order out of chaos
- Socialization
- Get clarity when things are confusing!

@Folletto #AEASF

When you want the a deliverable, or to get unstuck, use sync+async approach. Use all the approaches to get the best ideas. @Folletto #AEASF

Updates, knowledge transfer, and decision-making should be async. People need time to absorb that kind of info. @Folletto #AEASF

“Remote-first” doesn’t necessarily mean 100% remote, it’s just that everyone is equal. You need a set of rules that apply to everyone, a set of process that works for everyone. @Folletto #AEASF

You can run workshops in serial or parallel. Serials means one process in order, with same ppl. Parallel means you combine results from virtual and in-person workshops. @Folletto does not advise running a virtual+in-person workshop at once. Try remote first, then hybrid. #AEASF

The most important thing when running workshops is to avoid creating 2 tiers of people. Remote is inherently inclusive. @Folletto #AEASF

To get the best ideas, people should ideate on their own first (async), then bring the group together to brainstorm (sync). It’s not just about reading in advance, but give people a useful activity to do on their own. @Folletto #AEASF

During the workshop process, the only part that needs to be sync is the convergence of ideas. Everything else can be async! @Folletto #AEASF

This kind of hybrid workshop doesn’t necessarily take more time. Planning a workshop would take time, no matter what format. But async means you can wait longer for people to give their input. @Folletto #AEASF

.@Folletto really likes using dot-voting (sync) to get people’s consensus on something. It’s effective when you need to steer conversation to the work itself instead of a random tangent. #AEASF

Another effective way to converge ideas is silent sorting. Give 10 min for people to sort ideas without talking. It focuses more on the work instead of having to say something about it. @Folletto #AEASF

You can also use breakout rooms to get people discussing a particular thing, but in a more controlled way. @Folletto #AEASF

Pro tips for hybrid workshops - flex time or flex agenda. Plan activities, but be open to letting people continue to work together if they’re really in a flow. (Or skip an activity if it becomes clear it won’t be effective.) @Folletto #AEASF

For hybrid workshops, it’s important to have everyone focus on something, whether it’s a whiteboard or a live doc. That way, it’s easy to orient yourself about what to work off of @Folletto #AEASF

“Change is hard! Inertia usually wins.” Start small with these new hybrid workshops, run experiments, then review its effectiveness and success. @Folletto #AEASF

Retros for your experiments can nurture motivation. Then you can ID champions for your change and support your champions when they run their own experiments! @Folletto #AEASF

In a call-centric culture, having time to do activities can be hard. People are always scheduled for calls! You can block people’s time to devote to doing an activity instead. (But ask them first, if needed!) @Folletto #AEASF

Every workshop has (or needs) structure. Highly-aligned teams often seem like they don’t need structure, but that’s because structure is already inherent in the team! @Folletto #AEASF

You can give workshop participants their own board if they really need to think about something. But if they’re sharing what they already know, having everyone together on the same board (with their own stickies) works well. @Folletto #AEASF

If you have a high-level stakeholder who LOVES long, unstructured meetings, you have to find out what their fear is, and then determine how to mitigate that. Everyone has their own reason for wanting unstructured meetings. @Folletto #AEASF