Foundation Workshop - Find good boundaries for flow using User Needs Mapping - P828
When you experience blockers to flow or awkward interactions within your organization, it may signal that the team and service boundaries are not quite right and need to change. However, discovering good boundaries for fast flow and knowing how to make the change can often be challenging. In many organizations, team, and service boundaries were historically defined by technology, process, or architecture tier (for N-tier systems). However, in the context of a fast flow of change for user-centric systems, it can be valuable to let user needs shape and influence team and service boundaries. This is where User Needs Mapping (UNM) can help.
Workshop Outcomes
This hands-on workshop helps participants learn how to use UNM to explore effective team and service boundaries for fast flow. It offers a user-centric approach to defining boundaries, ensuring that organizational design aligns with user needs.
The workshop covers the following areas:
Understanding the origins of User Needs Mapping and how it relates to Wardley Mapping
Heuristics for recognising blockers to flow and identifying user needs
Mapping capabilities and their relationships
Exploring potential team boundaries
Overlaying Team Topologies team types and identifying candidate teams or streams
Discussing and adjusting team boundaries based on visualization and insights
Workshop Format
The workshop is delivered in two separate 3-hour sessions:
Session 1 - Introduction to User Needs Mapping
Session 2 - Mapping capabilities, creating value chains, and exploring team boundaries
We recommend running these sessions on the same day (morning and afternoon) or on consecutive days. This approach keeps the material fresh and allows for reflection and normal work activities in between.
The workshops are facilitated by authorized Team Topologies Valued Practitioners (TTVPs) or Team Topologies Learning Partners (TTLPs).
A practical approach to team boundary definition
This workshop is designed to educate leaders, change agents, and practitioners about the practical application of User Needs Mapping in exploring team and service boundaries for fast flow. Participants will use hands-on exercises to understand better how UNM can improve the organizational design and lead to higher-quality team interactions and faster flow.
Screenshot of the P828 Miro board
Who Should Attend the Workshop?
This workshop is specifically designed for leaders, managers, and change agents within your organization who need a practical understanding of how to use UNM to explore effective team boundaries. The workshop is also suitable for anyone leading organizational change based on Team Topologies principles.
Workshop Preparation
We recommend that attendees:
Have a basic understanding of Team Topologies principles
Bring real-world examples of their team structures and boundaries for practical exercises
Bring enthusiasm and a willingness to contribute!