Facilitation Techniques

5 minutes 5 Questions

Facilitation techniques in conflict management deal with the use of various methods to guide and streamline group discussions towards amicable solutions. These techniques can include brainstorming, root cause analysis, or SWOT analysis, etc. They help to ensure that every team member's views are considered in the decision-making process and that conflicts are addressed constructively. The ScrumMaster's role as a facilitator is vital in guiding the team through the resolution process with these techniques, ensuring that the collaborative spirit of Scrum is maintained.

Guide to Facilitation Techniques in Conflict Management in Scrum

Facilitation Techniques are crucial in Scrum as they aid in the effective management and resolution of conflicts that can arise within a team. Their importance lies in promoting productive discussions, ensuring clear and concise communication, and fostering an environment of cooperation and collaboration.

What is it?
Facilitation techniques are methods or strategies utilized by the Scrum Master or team leader to guide discussions, control conflicts, and promote effective communication. These may vary from providing constructive feedback to problem-solving strategies.

How it works?
In a conflict situation, the leader, employing these facilitation techniques, would guide the team discussion addressing the issue at hand. This could be done through brainstorming sessions, role-playing exercises or even conflict resolution strategies like negotiation and mediation. The objective is to steer the team back to productivity and harmony.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Facilitation Techniques

Understand the core principles of facilitation techniques and how they are applied in a Scrum team setup.
Identify real-world examples of how facilitation techniques can be applied.
Be sure to answer listed benefits of these techniques.

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Question 1

While facilitating a retrospective session, attendees are unable to reach a final decision. What is the best facilitation technique to resolve this issue?

Continue the discussion until a consensus is reached Take control and make the decision for the group Leave the decision up to the Agile coach Implement a decision-making technique like dot voting Ask each attendee to write their opinions in an email Cancel the session and switch to a new topic

Correct Answer: Implement a decision-making technique like dot voting

Dot voting is a popular decision-making technique that allows equal input from all attendees while not dragging the session indefinitely. Other options may create more conflict or not facilitate a clear decision-making process.

Question 2

A team is struggling with lack of engagement during a sprint review. What facilitation technique can you use to increase involvement?

Ask non-engaged members to leave the session Cancel the sprint review and replace it with an email update Wait for the next sprint review Introduce interactive elements, like live polling or quick group exercises One-way presentation with no group interaction Take sole responsibility for presenting all the results

Correct Answer: Introduce interactive elements, like live polling or quick group exercises

Interactive elements, like live polling or group exercises, encourage engagement and active participation from all attendees. Other options will not resolve the lack of engagement or may further disengage team members.

Question 3

In a planning session, one team member is dominating the discussion. How can you ensure every member's voice is heard?

Ask others to be more assertive Ignore the dominating member's opinions Implement round-robin technique Let the dominating member lead the session Ask the dominating member to leave the session Have a side discussion with only the quiet members

Correct Answer: Implement round-robin technique

The round-robin technique allows each participant an equal opportunity to share their opinions or ideas in turn. Other options may create unnecessary conflict or hamper team collaboration.

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