Session 4.2 - Designing in Teams
Chapter 7: Designing with Teams | Duration: 1 hr
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
- Choose when the whole team designs together vs. small groups
- Use design studies and prototypes to keep everyone productive
- Encourage contribution from all members early in the project
- Plan design task allocation to avoid idle time
Introduction
Team design must balance speed with inclusiveness. Chapter 7 notes that over-using the whole team can waste time, but under-involving them loses ideas and buy-in. The goal: brainstorm together, then let a small group document and detail the structure while others progress with productive side work.
Whole-Team vs. Small-Group Design
Whole Team (short)
- Brainstorm high-level structure and components.
- Gather diverse perspectives early.
Small Group (longer)
- 1–2 engineers document highest-level design and interfaces.
- Allocate functions to components; define program structure.
Design Studies & Prototypes
While lead designers finalize structure, others can:
- Explore alternative component designs.
- Prototype UI flows and test with users (always valuable).
- Investigate standards/reuse candidates (covered in later sessions).
Using All Team Talents
Early design decisions happen when team members know each other least, yet need everyone’s input. Encourage contributions explicitly:
- Ask for additional ideas during discussions.
- Value diverse experience, even if members feel “new.”
- Invite quieter voices; rotate facilitation where possible.
Teams that deliberately solicit ideas outperform those that let only a few voices dominate (Chapter 7).
Summary
- Brainstorm as a team, then let a small group document high-level design.
- Keep others productive with design studies, prototypes, and standards work.
- Actively solicit input so all team knowledge is used.
- Plan task allocation early to avoid idle time during structural design.