There are many different ways to engage teams in discussing shared goals, expectations, threats, weaknesses and the way ahead. The hot air balloon, the original Team canvas and Team canvas adventure for example. But also this one, the Team canvas bus. Again, a metaphorical method that aims to identify strengths, weaknesses, external forces, stakeholders and goals all in a simple and well-structured process. The exercise is often best done at the start of a session, followed up with deeper, more creative exercises. Also, the exercise works well as a way to combine different exercises. E.g. have a purpose exercise, followed by a team culture exercise and combine these (and others) into one overarching visualization.
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The team canvas bus is also really easy to implement in a remote meeting session. With the right collaboration/white boarding tool (e.g. Miro, Mural), it is easy to collect the ideas and remarks for each step of the way. It only requires small adjustments compared to the steps below.The Team canvas adventure is a very straightforward exercise and pretty much automatically leads you through the different steps. The key thing to look for as a facilitator is to not let discussions get out of hand and help refocus on the key obejctive: getting an overview of strengths, weaknesses, etc rather than fully discuss them in detail.Invite people to come over to a wall/whiteboard where you have prepared a sketch of the Team canvas bus with the team goals (arrow), energy source, obstacles (pothole), driver, team members, team values, expectations and trouble (the mud that hits the back of the bus). This will allow you to invite the group to join you in this adventure that is set towards this summit.
The charm is that you’re not relying on another dull matrix (like the SWOT) but actually going through an imaginary journey that engages us to think outside of our typical thought patterns. This will already help to take away some reservations with participants who are dreading another tireless SWOT analysis exercise (or other similar exercises). It is an interesting alternative (like the adventure and hot air balloon as well) to the more analytical/rational original team canvas.
Just gather all participants and collect their input step-by-step in the process.
Discourage long discussions and make clear a lot of input is preferred in this stage of the session.
What you can also do, is to have multiple smaller exercises (e.g. a purpose and culture exercise) and eventually bring them together onto the central visualization.
It is easiest to work with a large sketch or depiction of the bus (team goals (arrow), energy source, obstacles (pothole), driver, team members, team values, expectations and trouble (the mud that hits the back of the bus)) that everyone can see and add to. Making it large also will ensure you can use it as an ‘anchor point’ or source of inspiration throughout the rest of the session. Either use a large visual on the wall, use a beamer/screen to project it and/or use different flipover papers to create a large depiction.
Have a timekeeper stop the time of around 7 minutes per step and go through the method step by step. Or, use a simple 1-2-4-all structure for simple brainstorming.
- Team goals (arrow): The tangible/intangible outcomes/goals of this team/project. A tangible outcome would be a specific end result (e.g. “customer retention”, “validated app”), an intangible outcome would be more of a feeling (e.g. “all customers feels they were heard and respected”)
- Energy source: What generates energy in the group? What gets everyone going?
- Team (or: team and stakeholders or: driver and team members): You can either use the people on the bus to describe the team or you can use the driver for the team and the others to describe your stakeholders or you can use the driver as a metaphor for who is the navigator and/or how the team chooses direction (and the others on the bus to describe who is on the team and what roles, values, skills they bring to the team). In describing the team, it would make sense to talk about team values, culture, etcetera. You can even use a simple- or full empathy map for either the team or the stakeholders.
- Team values (sun): what are the values / culture elements that are recognised bu the team members and that we live by?
- Expectations (the cloud): What expectations do we have as a team and/or organization (including the stakeholders)? You can consider using the stinky/smelly fish structure to get negative expectations.
- Obstacles (pothole): Use this to roughly describe the steps towards the end goal, the summit, and/or the most notable obstacles along the way. What would prevent the team to reach the goal?
- Trouble (the mud that hits the back of the bus): What will we do when the shit hits the “van”?
No special configuration needed.
Make sure people are able to see each the Team canvas bus mapping. A large wall or whiteboard, the floor, or a surface you can beam on is usually best.
Everyone can add ideas, either by adding own post-its (and discuss later) or by having people suggest their ideas and have one central ‘writer’ who adds the ideas/post-its to the overall image. Easiest is usually to have the participants stand in front of the whiteboard with post-it’s and pens to gather their input. Whenever someone has a post-it to share they should go up to the whiteboard and share it briefly with the group.
Alternatively, use a 1-2-4-all structure to generate ideas.
- Make sure you don’t end up in long conversations but collect a lot of input from all participants.