Don’t let stakeholders shut down your creativity
If you’ve ever worked on a large project, you know that at some point it’s going to be shared with higher-ups for review. Many of us probably got a shiver down our spines just reading that. We’ve all had *those experiences* with stakeholder reviews: a top dog swoops in, pokes a bunch of holes, squashes the heart of the creative concept, then heads off to lunch. It’s a major bummer! But does it have to be that way? I say no.
Since I lead a lot of workshops and Design Sprints, I needed to find a way to involve key decision makers in the process so that it felt constructive rather than disruptive. Having a formula to handle these situation is especially important when working with big orgs.
My hope is that this approach will take some of the fear out of the review process for you and your team, and that inviting these personalities into the room can feel constructive and controlled.
Here’s how I do it:
Decide who you want to attend the stakeholder reviews ahead of time. Ideally the same group of participants can attend two different check-ins. I recommend no more than 7 people max. Offer the seats to those who need to feel informed, grant buy-in, and/or advocate for the idea afterward.
Plan your first check-in at a point in the process when you have already chosen a focus. For example, I usually do this at the end of Day 1 in a Design Sprint when we’ve finished mapping and isolated a direction.
Schedule your second check-in at a point in the process when you’ve just begun prototyping, or are about to start. I typically do this at the end of Day 3 in a Design Sprint. You want to be far enough along that the idea is really starting to come together and offers something tangible for review.
When it comes to structuring the actual sessions, schedule 30 minutes for your stakeholders to join the team. As the facilitator, I take about 5 minutes to bring them up to speed and set up what, specifically, I want them to weigh in on. That means briefing them on the format in which they’ll be offering input, which is: “I like______. I wish_____ . I wonder____.” This is a great way to use structure to keep feedback very clear and contained.
Next, use a timer and give each person three minutes to share their input within the format. When the timer beeps, move on immediately. This technique is great for neutralizing politics, as everyone is required to play by the same rules regardless of title. If you have a few “problem students,” it’s up to you as the facilitator to manage them, which can be taxing. Here are some tips for protecting your energy in these situations.
As they share, the facilitator’s job is to record each person’s input so it’s visible to everyone. A whiteboard works if you’re in person, or a virtual board if you’re remote.
When all stakeholders are finished, I like to thank them for their input and let them know that the team is going to debrief and decide how to move forward. The key here is that the stakeholders do not get to decide how and what happens next. They’re excused!
After each stakeholder check-in, the team should highlight the feedback that’s important to address. You can help steer them through the process.
Sometimes, if necessary, you can include a third checkpoint if the stakeholders need to feel more involved, but less is more.
This process is excellent for keeping the power in the core team’s court. It minimizes the chances for key decision-makers to steamroll the group and instead provides a highly structured environment for their voices to be heard.