1. Prepared by Stephen M. Thebaut, Ph.D. University of Florida
G&W Chapter 8: Making Meetings Work for Everybody Software Specification Lecture 15
Prepared by
Stephen M. Thebaut, Ph.D.
University of Florida

2. Why we can’t live without them…
“In any sizable development project…the idea of doing it alone is more of a fantasy than any Indiana Jones adventure. In order to obtain the capacity and diversity that a team can provide, we must give up our heroic fantasies and pay the costs of working with other people.”
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 8

3. Meetings can be terrible…
Ever been to a really BAD meeting?
Meetings as measurements: If your meetings are terrible, then your process is sick.
In order to get full participation, meetings must be made safe…
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 8

4. Software Specification: G&W Chapter 8
Safe to attend…
Negotiate an agreement of ground rules before dealing with the content of the meeting.
Establish a no-interruption policy, but also
Set time limits for individual speakers.
Outlaw personal attacks and put-downs.
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 8

5. Safe to attend… (cont’d)
Allow each participant a reasonable number of no-explanation-necessary, personal time-outs.
Finish on time, but schedule a continuation of the meeting if business isn’t finished.
Use a related issues list and ensure follow-up.
Stop the meeting as necessary to allow amendment of the ground rules.
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 8

6. Software Specification: G&W Chapter 8
And safe NOT to attend…
Meetings should be as small as possible – but no smaller. Remove uncertainty about what will actually be covered in the meeting.
Publish an agenda and stick to it.
Handle “emergency issues” in a way that will not hurt people who don’t (and shouldn’t) attend the meeting.
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 8

7. And safe NOT to attend… (cont’d)
Be sure people who should attend are invited and receive a proper hearing.
Confront those who should not attend immediately but unobtrusively.
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 8

8. Tailor Meetings to the Job at Hand
Decide on its single purpose. (A meeting that tries to do two different jobs tends to do neither well.)
Design the meeting so as to have the appropriate structure, pace, and rhythm.
Use a skilled facilitator when possible (Chap 13).
Be prepared!
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 8

9. Exercise: Meeting Preparation Checklist
Construct a meeting preparation checklist that would be useful for conducting meetings of the type that you participate in most often.
Software Specification: G&W Chapter 8

10. Prepared by Stephen M. Thebaut, Ph.D. University of Florida
G&W Chapter 8: Making Meetings Work for Everybody Software Specification Lecture 15
Prepared by
Stephen M. Thebaut, Ph.D.
University of Florida