How to Prepare and Facilitate a Successful JAD Session

1. Introductions and Expectations

Melting the Ice
Why Do Projects Take So Long?
Common System Development Approaches
What Is a JAD?
Phases of a JAD
Mini-JAD
Roles in a JAD
The Pros of JAD
The Flip Side of JAD
Dealing with Uncertainty
Before the JAD
After the JAD
Risks of Acceleration

2. Methodologies and Acceleration

Parallel Universes
Chaotic Analysis
Structured Analysis
Object-Oriented Development Methodology
Agile Development Methodology
Roadmap To Success
Activity Scheduling Form
A Minimal Methodology
Project Activities
Define Business Need
Structure Applied
JAR/JAD Scheduling Form
JAD Applications and Focus

3. Preparing for a JAD Session

Phases of a JAD
The Pre-Session
Project Evaluation
Application Audience
Project Profile
Stakeholder Identification
Participant Selection
Deliverables of a JAD
Identified JAD Deliverables
Time Versus Depth
Scheduling Techniques
Zipper Scheduling
Scheduling Split Sessions
Preliminary Agenda
Activity Dependencies
Sample Agenda
Training and Pre-work

4. Managing the Working Session

Your Assignment, Mr. Phelps
Seating Arrangements
Selecting the Right Seating Arrangements
Ad Hoc Group Dynamics
Managed Group Dynamics
Static Versus Dynamic Groups
Doing the Group Thing
Breaking the Ice
Sample Icebreakers
Identifying Icebreakers
The Momentum Challenge
Maintaining Momentum
Assigning Group Work
Debriefing Group Assignments
The Balancing Act
Keeping Pace
Levels of Expertise
Your Assignment: Business Analysis
Analysis Techniques
Staying in Touch

5. Managing the Deliverables

Do-It-All Facilitator
Birth of a Session Analyst
Session Analyst Tasks
Off-Line versus On-Line Analyst
Comparison of Approaches
Prerequisites for Session Analyst
Levels of Expertise
Preparing Session Documentation
Leveraging the Documentation Advantage
Session Analyst’s Tool Requirements
Restructuring Deliverables to Increase Productivity
Example of Activity-Based Formatting
Structuring Information
Maintaining Group Memory
Organizing Participants’ Workspace
Change Management and Quality Control
Managing the Facilities
Facilitation Equipment
Supporting Equipment
Components of the Final Deliverable
The Last Commandment

6. Profile of a JAD Facilitation Team

Skills Comparison
Basic Behavioral Concepts
Motivational Needs
Motivations Classified
Motivated to Lead?
Motivated to Analyze?
Thinking Styles
Thinking Styles Exposed
Thinking on Your Feet?
Thinking Under Pressure?
Behavioral Styles
Behavioral Styles Revealed
Leadership Behavior?
Well Behaved Analyst?
Balancing Behavioral Styles
Leadership Styles
Leadership Styles Defined
Facilitator Style?
Analyst Style?
Identifying Strengths and Challenges

7. Dealing with Difficulty

Dealing with Murphy
What’s Wrong with This Picture?
Input from Outside the Group
Everything Takes Longer Than You Think
Techniques Don’t Achieve Desired Results
Problem People or People Problems
Dealing with People Issues
Participants Don’t Know Technique
Creepy Scope
Facilitator Overruled
Session Analyst Overwhelmed
Missing Components
Equipment Failure
Facilities Problems
Back to Square One

8. Closing the Working Session

Critical Success Factors
Assigning Open Issues
Post-Session Task List
JAD Session Evaluation Form
The Risks Revisited
Back to the Future (Again?)

3 days

Business Analysts
Business Managers
Project Managers
Requirements Engineers
Systems Analysts
Systems Designers
End Users who are interested in expediting the process of defining, developing and delivering high-quality information technology solutions

How to Gather, Analyze, and Define Business System Requirements

How to Model, Analyze, and Improve Business Processes

How to Discover and Develop Use Cases

or equivalent training (or experience)

How to Gather, Analyze, and Define Business System Requirements

How to Discover and Develop Use Cases

Our instructors have extensive experience in applying these techniques on projects with business experts from a wide variety of fields.

View Course Overview