Planning and Preparation

Stephen Haunts
LEADER, DEVELOPER, SPEAKER AND TRAINER

@stephenhaunts www.stephenhaunts.com
 Who should you invite?

Overview Where to host the meeting?

Context and Objectives
Setting the agenda
Meeting timing
Typical meeting roles
Visual aids
Who to Invite?
 Who to Invite?

Who has the Who has approval Who has the

information? authority? expertise?

Who will observe Who will follow up

and take minutes? on action items?
Where to Host the Meeting?
Context and Objectives
 Context and Objectives

Context

The background of the meeting

What the meeting is about
Why it is being held
 Context and Objectives

Objectives

Helps meeting to be effective

Helps with time management
Helps keep the meeting on track
 Context and Objectives

Deployment Planning Meeting

Context
We are approaching the deployment window for Project X. We
need to discuss the deployment plan to identify any
dependencies that need to be deployed before the day.
 Context and Objectives

Deployment Planning Meeting

Objectives
Define the deployment plan
Identify any deployment dependencies
Identify any outages that are required
Identify staff members
Who are the escalation points?
 Context and Objectives

Team Briefing

Context
The last few months have proven to be challenging in the
marketplace. This meeting is to inform you all about how the
company has been performing over the last quarter and we also
celebrate our departmental successes by calling out some
outstanding work in our teams.
 Context and Objectives

Team Briefing

Objectives
Talk about market conditions
Company performance
Discuss cost cutting initiatives
Quarterly awards for outstanding achievements
Focus for next quarter
 Context and Objectives

Scrum Standup

Context

This is a quick meeting to go around each team member to

see what they are working on and if they are encountering any
problems. This is to make everyone's work visible to the
team.
 Context and Objectives

Scrum Standup

Objectives
Describe what you did yesterday
Describe what you intend to do today
Are you blocked?
Any other business?
The Agenda
Are there items to discuss early?

Is there a logical order?

Is there an item relevant to everyone?

Will any items overshadow others?

What will be discussed at the meeting?

What should they bring?

What types of decisions are expected?

How long the meeting is to last?

Wording Agenda Items

Introduction and welcome

Apologies
Minutes of the previous meeting
Agenda items
Any other business?
Date of the next meeting
Meeting Timing
 Meeting Timing

9.00am

Positives
Get important meetings done early
People are fresh for the day
You can plan the rest of the day
 Meeting Timing

9.00am

Negatives
People being late
People have different start times
 Meeting Timing

Before Lunch

Positives
Have lunch to look forward too
People can recollect after lunch
Gives people time to work on actions in the afternoon
 Meeting Timing

Before Lunch

Negatives
People can be hungry before lunch
 Meeting Timing

Late Afternoon 3.30+

Positives
Get important tasks done before the meeting
Allows you the day to review what has happened
 Meeting Timing

Late Afternoon 3.30+

Negatives
People are more tired by this point in the day
More likely to be cancelled
People may have to leave early
Meeting Roles
 Meeting Roles

Chairperson
Planning and coordinating
Managing the meeting
Facilitating the meeting
Contribute to ideas and strategies
 Meeting Roles

Minute Taker
Using agreed minutes template
Invite agenda item submission
Write up the agenda
Record key points in the meeting
Write up the minutes
 Meeting Roles

Minute Taker
Disseminate minutes via email
 Meeting Roles

Timekeeper
Monitor meeting time frames
Inform when only 5 minutes left in each item
 Meeting Roles

Meeting Participant
Contributing items to the meeting agenda
Contribute during meetings
Undertake assigned special project tasks
Read the meeting minutes
Visual Aids
Visual Aids - Flipchart

Stand to the side of the flipchart

Turn and talk to the rest of the meeting
Prepare flipcharts in advance
Use bold marker pens and colors
Use bullet points and short statements
Put flipcharts onto walls as a visual aid
Visual Aids - Flipchart

Talk to the flipchart

Obstruct the view of the flipchart
Hide behind the flipchart
Cram in too much information
Use small and unclear text
Rush so they look scruffy
Visual Aids - Projector

Stand to the side of the flipchart

Turn and talk to the rest of the meeting
Prepare flipcharts in advance
Use bold marker pens and colors
Use bullet points and short statements
Put flipcharts onto walls as a visual aid
Visual Aids - Projector

Project onto a cluttered wall

Talk to the projector
Stand in front of the projector
Leave the projector on
Use full paragraphs of text
Visual Aids - Handouts

Prepare handouts in advance

Ensure handouts are relevant
Make handouts very visual
Allow time for the group to review
Explain content of each handout
Keep handouts to a minimum
Visual Aids - Handouts

Organize handouts after meeting has

started
Give out unnecessary handouts
Give them out whilst still talking
 Who should you invite?

Summary Where to host the meeting?

Context and Objectives
Setting the agenda
Meeting timing
Typical meeting roles
Visual aids