in this issue
	ISD Training Opportunity Icebreaker: Ask Two Questions Game: Relay Puzzle Team Building: Communication Planning Design: Creating a Curriculum

Icebreaker: Ask Two Questions

Here is an icebreaker that requires good communication and thinking skills, and gives people an opportunity to get to know each other. Divide the group into pairs, suggesting that they find a partner they don't know very well. Once they have a partner, tell them that they may ask that person two questions and must gain as much meaningful information as possible from those questions. Give them 2 minutes to record the questions on post it notes. Begin the interviews, instructing them to ask only the two questions they wrote. The person responding should be as descriptive as possible with the response. Allow a total of 5 minutes for the interviews, telling them when they should switch roles. After the interview, tell them that they will be introducing their partner to the rest of the class, and must share three pieces of information they learned in the interview. They can share facts ("She grew up in Alaska."), opinions ("I think he's very creative because..."), or predictions ("I think her ideal job would be ..."). After the introductions, discuss the questions they used or heard. Which questions gained the most valuable information? Which made you think the most? Which were duds and why? If you had known more about the purpose of the questions, would they have been different? When you introduced your partner, how did you decide what information to share? When you were introduced, did your partner have a good grasp of who you are? This activity can be used in workshops where questioning skills are important (interviewing, coaching, leadership) and when interpretation of data is needed (communication, interpersonal skills, etc.).

Game: Relay Puzzle

Here's a way to test knowledge, energize the group, and reinforce training content. It's a two-part activity combining questions from the workshop, a crossword puzzle, and team competition. Prepare by building a list of questions about the course content. You will need at least two questions per person (three is better). At the same time, create a crossword puzzle using key words from the class. (Puzzle maker software is available and affordable online.) Print several copies of the crossword on a poster (enlarge it lots). Put each of the clues into a separate envelop and label the envelopes (1 across, 2 down, etc.). Now you're ready! Divide the class into teams of 5-8 people. Give each team a poster with the crossword. Explain that they will be competing with the other teams to be the first to finish their crossword. Each team member will be given a question to answer. If they correctly answer that question, they can choose a clue for the puzzle (1 across, 2 down, etc.). The entire team may answer the puzzle clue, but only the person assigned the original question can answer that question. You will alternate between the teams, asking them questions so that the entire group hears each question and answer. Begin the game and continue until one team thinks they have finished the crossword. Check their work, and if it's correct, award them a prize. Then discuss each crossword answer with the whole class. You can use this activity at the end of a session or when the group needs an energizer (after lunch). You can also give teams different crosswords to complete. Use your imagination and you'll have fun (so will they)!

Team Building: Communication Planning

In last month's newsletter, I shared a meeting plan we used to help a team discussion how they make decisions. This month, I'll be sharing a meeting plan we used for the same team to discuss how they share information within the team and with other teams. The goal of the meeting was to agree on what information was needed by whom, by when, and by what means. This was a 2 hour meeting facilitated by the team's manager as part of an ongoing process of team development. We began by developing a map of their world. Who did they interact with? Who provides them with information? Who needs information or help from them? The group built the map as a spoke-and-wheel diagram, with their team in the center and the groups or people with whom they interact placed around them. After all groups were listed, they began to discuss the relationships. What's working? What's not? After developing a map for their team, we had each person develop their own world map, identifying all the people they interact with at work. Before they evaluated those relationships, we had them work with a partner to be sure the map was complete (all relevant relationships were listed, including their team members). Then we had them evaluate each relationship. We went back to the group's map and discussed each customer/supplier to identify what information they needed, when, and how. We also asked them to identify one thing they would like to request from the customer/supplier that might make their work flow more easily. We finished by establishing ground rules for internal team communication, addressing questions like: When should we use/not use email? Who should be included in our emails? When should we copy the boss and people outside our department? You can get a copy of our complete meeting plan by clicking on the link below. Team Communications »

Design: Creating a Curriculum

Sometimes instructional designers are asked to develop a single training program. At other times, we must create an entire curriculum. That is, a path for development in a specific competency or skill. There is a whole lot of information about how to develop a curriculum, and there's not enough space here to cover that. What I will address is a way to think about the activities that should be included in a curriculum. All too often, we focus on the training courses. Certainly those are important, but not the only solution for professional growth. Consider expanding the curriculum you design to include a variety of development activities. So where do you start? Think about the many ways one can develop: training workshops, coaching, mentoring, 360 feedback, book clubs, discussion groups, work assignments, professional association meetings, volunteer work, job swap, cross-functional team assignments, online discussion groups, virtual case study discussions. Build a list that includes as many options as possible. Talk with others about how they developed their skills to expand your list. When the list is complete (or as complete as it can be), determine how you can guide people in their development. If I want to develop my interpersonal communication skills, how do I know where to start? Perhaps you establish three development paths: novice, intermediate, and advanced. What activities might be appropriate for each level? You might have a book club for each level, but the books would be different. You can recommend work assignments that reflect the typical skills of someone at that level, and challenge them to expand those skills. Creating a curriculum with a wide range of development activities will foster more development than a series of training workshops. Research continues to show that training alone doesn't create the kind of growth that companies need. You CAN make a difference in the development of people by providing them with the right resources to help them grow.