Basic Facilitation Skills: #1 How to Facilitate Alignment using Power Balls and a Decision Matrix
Channel: MG Rush Facilitation Training and Coaching
Date: 2016-11-02

How To Facilitate Alignment Using Power Balls And A Decision Matrix

PURPOSE
Building consensus around proper alignment helps groups identify gaps, omissions, overkill, and to confirm the appropriateness and balance of their action plan.

RATIONALE
Building consensus around alignment can be challenging, especially if you facilitate exclusively in the narrative world (i.e., written words). The FAST method suggests the use of icons (using Power Balls) that are both appropriate and powerful.
 
METHOD
Create a matrix with your options (eg, actions) and the targets (eg, goals). Common items that may be aligned include the comparison of strategies to objectives. Facilitating alignment consists of three steps:

1. First, complete the matrix with a linear approach, but be careful to always ask the open-ended question, “To what extent does 'x' (ie, option, action, or strategy) support 'y' (ie, target, goal, or objective)?”

2. Having defined the PowerBalls (preferably with a legend that is visible throughout the activity for your participants to reference), label each cell with either a high, low or moderate PowerBall symbol, indicating the extent to which the option supports the target.

3. After completing the matrix, ask the group to confirm completeness. Add anything missing or modify the plan as required (i.e., Create a new option or calibrate an existing option).

Note: The solid balls indicate high, the empty circles indicate low, and the half-filled balls indicate moderate.  We like to define High as mandatory, must have at any price.  We define Low as "would like to have but not willing to pay extra."  The stuff in between is Moderate, the stuff for which we would be willing to "pay a reasonable amount."  The equivalent to the MoSCoW tool would be: Must have, Should have, Could have, and Won't have (null).

OTHER RESOURCES

How to Facilitate Prioritization and Build Consensus Quickly: https://mgrush.com/blog/facilitate-prioritization/

Quantitative SWOT Analysis Makes it Easier & Faster to Build Consensus: https://mgrush.com/blog/quantitative-swot/

Scope Creep Kills: Facilitate Concern, Influence, and Control: https://mgrush.com/blog/concern-influence-and-control/

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Music: "Air Hockey Saloon" by Chris Zabriskie
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Chris_Zabriskie/Vendaface/05_-_Air_Hockey_Saloon