7 Tips For An Effective Inception

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By Yahya Poonawala

Published: November 20, 2014

At Thoughtworks, most of our projects begin with an inception

where all the stakeholders in the project get together to analyse
and start the discovery phase of the project. It’s usually done in
order to develop a shared understanding about the project.
There’s no working software to speak of, but we get a clear
sense of why we want to build something.

Irrespective of whether we have a very strong technical team

up-to-date with all topics, the success of such inceptions
hinges on many factors. Communication is a vital factor and
here are my 7 cents on what to focus on, in order to have an
effective inception.

Tip #1 - A picture is worth a thousand words

Instead of using powerpoint presentations or reams of virtual

documentation (read: Google docs), we should represent our
ideas using images, pictures or graphics. As quoted in Dan
Roam’s book, Back of the Napkin , “Any problem can be made
clearer with a picture”. We can envision the tiniest details and all
the decisions we make are in the same place, right in front of
our eyes!
Tip #2 - Keep conversations focused

Keeping discussions focused and directed is very critical. We

often tend to focus on implemention details, which result in
long-winding conversations. In workshops, where time is limited,
the key is to remain focused on the task and keep people
engaged. We should consciously "park" discussions which are
heading into Zombieland.

Tip #3 - Use a common vocabulary

If the client refers to a bulb as a "lamp", then it's prudent that we

also refer to the bulb as a "lamp". This makes conversations
consistent and easier to follow for everyone and prevents
misinterpretations, especially in documentation.

Tip #4 - A house divided from within cannot stand.

It's very essential to reach a conclusion internally before
proposing any idea to the client. The visible lack of agreement
internally makes the client lose faith in decisions and is a clear
sign of a lack of preparation.

Tip #5 - Be honest about the lack of knowledge in certain

areas.

We aren't expected to know everything about everything. Being

honest about this helps the client to make provisions for us
to research more on the grey areas.

Tip #6 - Involve clients in BAU practices

Involving clients in some of our routine practices like estimation,

stand-ups etc. gives them a feel of our way of working and
also makes them feel involved in the day-to-day decision
making process.

Tip #7 - Collate all the discussions

And most importantly, it's essential that everyone leaves the

room on the same page and knows what the next steps are. We
can achieve this by mapping dependencies with third parties by
using tools such as FreeMind and determining the estimated
deadlines for each and every task.

In a nutshell, there's really no secret sauce or a special formula

to conduct a successful inception. Just a few tips on effective
communication can really make a difference! I hope this
resonates with your experiences and you find it useful. Do you
have any stories to share?

Disclaimer: The statements and opinions expressed in this

article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect
the positions of Thoughtworks.

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