Designing together : the collaboration and conflict management handbook for creative professionals

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Brown, Daniel M., Author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Group work in art.

Designers--Professional relationships.

Designers.

Conflict management.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (1 volume) : illustrations

Edition:

1st edition

Other Title:

Collaboration and conflict management handbook for creative professionals

Place of Publication:

[Berkeley, Calif.] : New Riders, 2013

Language Note:

English

System Details:

text file

Summary:

WHAT IS THE ONE THING not taught in design school, but is an essential survival skill for practicing designers? Working with other people. And yet, in every project, collaboration with other people is often the most difficult part. The increasing complexity of design projects, the greater reliance on remote team members, and the evolution of design techniques demands professionals who can cooperate effectively. Designing Together is a book for cultivating collaborative behaviors and dealing with the inevitable difficult conversations. Designing Together features: 28 collaboration techniques 46 conflict management techniques 31 difficult situation diagnoses 17 designer personality traits This book is for designers: On teams large or small Co-located, remote, or both Working in multidisciplinary groups Within an organization or consulting from outside You’ll also find sidebar contributions from David Belman (Threespot), Mandy Brown (Editorially, A Book Apart), Erika Hall (Mule Design Studio), Denise Jacobs (author), Jonathan Knoll (InfinityPlusOne), Marc Rettig (Fit Associates), and Jeanine Turner (Georgetown University).

Contents:

Intro

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Contents at a Glance

Contents

Introduction: Conflict, Collaboration, and Creativity

What's in This Book

This Book Builds Stronger Teams

Design Depends on Conflict and Collaboration

Five Central Ideas

Surviving Design Projects, The Game

Thank You

1. Designer as Contributor

Elements of a Design Team

The Glue of a Design Team

The Contributing Designer

Evaluating Designers as Contributors

TL

DR

2. The Designer Mindset

Mindset Defined

The Best Mindset for Designers

Changing One's Mindset

3. Listening: The Essential Skill

The Good Listener's Checklist

Obstacles to Listening

4. The Role of Conflict in Design

The Value of Conflict

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Conflict

The Nature of Resolution

5. Assessing Conflict: What's Really Wrong

What Causes Conflict?

Internal Sources of Conflict

External Sources of Conflict

Examples of Conflict

6. The Model of Conflict: Patterns, Situations, and Traits

The Model of Conflict

Situations

Patterns

Traits

Mutual Impact

The Model in Action

7. How Collaboration Works

A Definition of Collaboration

Misconceptions about Collaboration

The Aspects of Collaboration

8. The Four Virtues of Collaboration

The Virtues

Embodying Collaboration

9. Situations: Circumstances and Scenarios Common to Design Projects

How to Use Situations

About the Situations

The Situations

Design ignorance

Distracted by internal competition

Distracted by shiny objects

Don't know what we need

Efforts ignored

Excluded from planning

False consensus

Inconsistent expectations

Insufficient progress

Irrelevant comparisons.

Lack of clear inputs

Lack of context

Lack of decision maker

Lack of stable strategy

Late-breaking requirements

Misinterpretation of tone

New perspectives

No plan

No time to design

Not a team player

Overpreparation

Poorly composed feedback

Poorly planned presentation or discussion

Reluctant participation in design activities

Responses not timely

Separated from key stakeholders

Tasks and goals not aligned

Uncoordinated collaboration

Unfounded design direction

Unreasonable constraints

Wrong scope

10. Traits: Evaluating Yourself and Your Colleagues

The Traits

Why Not Myers-Briggs?

How to Use These Traits

Adaptability

Adherence to style

Assumption threshold

Creative triggers

Defining the challenge

Desired cadence

Dogmatism

Format for feedback

Giving and getting recognition

Knee-jerk reaction

Level of abstraction

Perception of control

Preferred environment

Preferred perspective

Project load

Structure of design reviews

Transparency

11. Conflict Patterns: Behaviors for Reaching Resolutions

How to Use the Patterns

The Patterns

Acknowledge achievements

Anticipate agendas

Ask for a story

Ask for help

Ask for the first step

Ask questions

Assert your process

Blame a "bad cop"

Call their bluff

Capture lessons learned

Change the channel

Change the metaphor

Channel your colleagues' best qualities

Come back later

Communicate implications

Consider micro/macro perspectives

Consider your work/their work

Convert failure to action

Draw pictures

Enumerate issues

Frame the conversation

Go back to basics

Help me help you (The Jerry Maguire)

Help me make this better

Help me prioritize

Hold a workshop

List assumptions

Make a plan (logistics specifics).

Make assumptions

Make it real

Offer alternatives

Offer a sneak peek

Pick one thing

Pick your battles

Prioritize the portfolio

Provide starting points

Recount previous conversation

Reduce the assignment

Reflect the position

Seek small victories

Set reasonable expectations

Show the goal

Show your work

Take baby steps

Take responsibility

Treat it like a project

12. Collaboration Behaviors: Embodying the Virtues

How to Use These Behaviors

The Behaviors

Ask questions that yield specific answers

Centralize decision making

Clarify expectations regarding ability and delivery

Communicate progress

Don't hog opportunities

Embrace constructive criticism

Embrace risk

Employ tools that yield meaningful outcomes

Encourage disruptive communications

Engage in dialogue

Engage multiple senses to communicate

Establish role definitions

Give others room to learn from mistakes

Have a communications plan

Have a project plan

Have decision-making mechanisms

Have objectives for every discussion

Keep meetings focused and short

Know when you're "spinning"

Offer direct critiques

Play to strengths

Provide a rationale for decisions

Recognize contributions

Reduce competition

Reflect on your performance

Respect the calendar

Set availability expectations

Set performance expectations

Author Bio

Contributor Bios

David Belman

Mandy Brown

Erika Hall

Denise Jacobs

Jonathan Knoll

Marc Rettig

Jeanine Warisse Turner, PhD

Bibliography

The Business of Design

Conflict

Collaboration and Project Management

Facilitation and Brainstorming

Mindset

Index.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

9780133409208

0133409201

9780133390940

0133390942

9780133390957

0133390950

OCLC:

852225807