Project culture canvas
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The document outlines the 'Culture Canvas,' a framework designed to improve project team collaboration and culture in the evolving work environment, where remote work and freelance employment are becoming the norm. It emphasizes small, actionable steps for transforming project culture by defining team roles, communication strategies, and success metrics, aiming to enhance effectiveness while reducing stress. Through practical guidelines and insights based on research, the book seeks to help teams navigate challenges and cultivate a more productive work culture.
Project culture canvas
- 1. PROJECT CULTURE CANVAS10 steps on how to play nice and hack project culture.
- 2. A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE OF WORK. THIS BOOK CONSISTS OF 2 PARTS. 1 2 THE CULTURE CANVAS: TO BRING THE FUTURE OF WORK TO TODAY. 1
- 3. “ SMALL GROUPS OF PEOPLE CAN HAVE A REALLY HUGE IMPACT.” Larry Page, Co-Founder, CEO, Alphabet Inc. 2
- 4. The future of work is here. Project teams are distributed, people work from home, email is being dumped for Slack or Basecamp. Everything is agile or lean. Or both. Self-managing teams are growing in popularity. But deadlines are still being missed while everyone talks about new cloud productivity apps, nothing has really changed. There’s more noise than ever before. Maybe it’s the tons of email you receive. The endless meetings you attend, or the conference calls with multiple countries that never start or end on time. Maybe you see the possibilities for working remotely, running projects in a more effective way, or you crave a better work-life balance. Whatever the reason to download this book, we get it. We’ve been there. As have many of our clients. WHYYOU NEED THIS BOOK 3
- 5. On our journey to the future of work, we realised that there are a few decisions that need to be made upfront for a project team to be successful. We laid them out onto a single page and realised we had something worth sharing. We’ve designed this book to take a complex topic - the future of work - and make it actionable by answering the most important question… Where do you start? The book’s goal is to get you moving. In a one hour read, we will show you how to: 4 1 2 3 4 Define the first steps towards the future of work Apply those steps using the Culture Canvas Be more effective, get more done, in less time, with less stress Transform your organization, project by project
- 7. Our mindsets are changing. Highly skilled workers are seeking compensation beyond money. Many are choosing temporary projects over permanent employment, preferring flexibility and autonomy over the security of a regular paycheck. By 2020, 40% of the total U.S workforce will be freelance. That’s 60 million people. Globally, the trend is not far off. This shift is forcing corporations to re-think their traditional 9 to 5 mentality in order to compete for the best talent. TALENT IS FREE (LANCE) 6
- 8. BY 2020 40% OF THE U.S WORFORCE WILL BE FREELANCE. THAT’S 60 MILLION PEOPLE. 7
- 9. “ WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WORKS HERE RATHER THAN WHAT WORKED AT ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION.” Laszlo Bock, SVP of People Operations, Google 8
- 10. Austere head offices are making room for working remotely, either from a home office, co-working space, or anywhere in between. With 4G and Wi-Fi connections available everywhere, we can now work wherever and whenever suits us best. This raises key questions: If employees aren’t at the office, how do you keep people connected? How does this influence company culture? Are they more or less productive? WI-FI AND COFFEE 9
- 11. “ IF YOU WANT SOMETHING NEW, YOU HAVE TO STOP DOING SOMETHING OLD.” Peter Drucker, Father of Management Science 10
- 12. Conference calls have replaced meetings, but they still retain the same old cultural hang-ups, like printing out emails. We’ve been taken over by technology that helps us to be more efficient, yet reduces our effectiveness in getting things (not tasks) done. It’s time to leverage the possibilities the future of work has to offer, which global businesses like Automattic, Buffer, and Github have been doing for years. EFFECTIVE, NOT EFFICIENT, TECHNOLOGY 11
- 13. “ CULTURE IS SIMPLY A SHARED WAY OF DOING SOMETHING WITH A PASSION.” Brian Chesky, Co-Founder, CEO, Airbnb 12
- 14. We know that more technology is not the solution, it’s people that make for a great company. It’s people that influence and make for a great culture. We view this book as a call for a culture change, not by employing armies of consultants with new vision and values statements, but through small changes, one project at a time. It leads us to the ultimate question: How do you create a culture? ARE YOU A HUMAN RESOURCE? 13
- 15. Research shows that group norms, or behaviour when they meet, is the most important indicator of a team’s success, more so than how smart all of the individuals are. This is backed up by research at Google, who identified 4 things a team needs to be successful. 1. Safety: Can I share ideas without being ridiculed? 2. Dependability: Can we count on each other to do high quality work on time? 3. Structure & Clarity: Are the goals, roles, and what we are trying to achieve (and how) clear. 4. Purpose: Why is what we are doing going to matter? We used this research as part of the thinking for the canvas, to create a foundation for a successful project culture. HACKING TEAM CULTURE 14
- 17. “ OVER THE YEARS WE LEARNED THAT IF WE ASKED PEOPLE TO RELY ON LOGIC AND COMMON SENSE INSTEAD OF ON FORMAL POLICIES, MOST OF THE TIME WE WOULD GET BETTER RESULTS, AND AT LOWER COST.” Patty McCord, Chief Talent Officer, Netflix 16
- 19. To hack a culture for a team, we need to make what we do regularly the most important thing. We’ve identified the 10 key decisions all teams working on a project make anyway. Sometimes consciously, but most often unconsciously. If we resolve the obvious, but often overlooked, challenges from the start, it saves time, energy and frustration further down the line. This makes the team function better, allowing us to get the job done with better results. The changes are either small or simple, and often both and are designed to be actionable in your very next project. There is no need to change everything you do, or to learn a new ‘collaboration language’ before getting started. The Culture Canvas is a roadmap with room for your own specific needs. We go from left to right, and every block builds on the other. HOW DOES THE CULTURE CANVAS WORK? 18
- 20. PURPOSE WHO - ROLE SHARE INFORMATION DOING WORK STOP GET TO A DECISION OR SOLVE A PROBLEM METRICS & KPIs RITUALS DESIRED OUTCOMES SOCIAL PLAYGROUND PEOPLE ACTIONS RESULTS 19
- 21. 20 PURPOSE WHO - ROLE SHARE INFORMATION DOING WORK STOP GET TO A DECISION OR SOLVE A PROBLEM METRICS & KPIs RITUALS DESIRED OUTCOMES SOCIAL PLAYGROUND PURPOSE What is the purpose of the project? Why did you gather as a group? Why is it important to get this project done? It ensures everyone gets the bigger picture. Whether it is a part of a larger project or a stand alone initiative, having the purpose defined in a way everyone on the team understands, reduces confusion and frustration in the long term.
- 22. 21 PURPOSE WHO - ROLE SHARE INFORMATION DOING WORK STOP GET TO A DECISION OR SOLVE A PROBLEM METRICS & KPIs RITUALS DESIRED OUTCOMES SOCIAL PLAYGROUND DESIRED OUTCOMES What is the end goal? What does success look like? When are we done? What are the deadlines? While the purpose answers the ‘why’, the outcomes answers the ‘what’ and the ‘when’. It helps to know what direction you’re heading in, and what to expect at the end.
- 23. 22 PURPOSE WHO - ROLE SHARE INFORMATION DOING WORK STOP GET TO A DECISION OR SOLVE A PROBLEM METRICS & KPIs RITUALS DESIRED OUTCOMES SOCIAL PLAYGROUND WHO - ROLE Who is in on the project? What roles are required? It’s all about people, and what they bring to the project. Roles can be official (project manager or developer) or unofficial (comic relief or team shrink).
- 24. 23 PURPOSE WHO - ROLE SHARE INFORMATION DOING WORK STOP GET TO A DECISION OR SOLVE A PROBLEM METRICS & KPIs RITUALS DESIRED OUTCOMES SOCIAL PLAYGROUND SOCIAL PLAYGROUND If you’re working together but are distributed, there are certain agreements to be made about the ‘when’ and the ‘how’. Differing ideas of urgency or level of politeness often lead to frustrations. The social playground is a team’s agreement about expectations. Availability: When is everyone expected to be available, and for how long? For example 24/7 or from 10am and 4pm PST? Responsiveness: How long before you get back to someone during this window? Emergency: What channel do we use in case of an emergency or outside the specified time window? For example, a call, SMS or Whatsapp? Politeness: What is acceptable behavior? For example, does every interaction start with “Hi, how are you?” or can you get straight to the point?
- 25. 24 PURPOSE WHO - ROLE SHARE INFORMATION DOING WORK STOP GET TO A DECISION OR SOLVE A PROBLEM METRICS & KPIs RITUALS DESIRED OUTCOMES SOCIAL PLAYGROUND SHARING INFORMATION What tools do we use? How often do we check or how do we indicate that there have been changes? How do we version information? Every group shares information, whether it is via email, shared directories or print outs. With a million collaboration tools available, it’s important to pick them according to your needs, and to be clear about what tool you use for what purpose within this team. Where so many tools have similar functionality, the fewer the better.
- 26. 25 PURPOSE WHO - ROLE SHARE INFORMATION DOING WORK STOP GET TO A DECISION OR SOLVE A PROBLEM METRICS & KPIs RITUALS DESIRED OUTCOMES SOCIAL PLAYGROUND GET TO A DECISION OR SOLVE A PROBLEM Do we have a clear objective before we meet? What needs to be prepared? What do we need to agree on? How long do we meet for? Do we meet in person or online? Who is responsible for collecting the data? Solving problems and making decisions can be challenging. Especially in cross functional, distributed teams. To avoid endless meetings and discussion without getting anywhere, decide upfront on the format needed, and who is responsible for delivering it. As an example, for complex decisions, hold a structured workshop with strict timelines, whether in person or remote. For simpler decisions, an online vote could work. Think in advance of how to address these critical situations, so the tools are already in place.
- 27. 26 PURPOSE WHO - ROLE SHARE INFORMATION DOING WORK STOP GET TO A DECISION OR SOLVE A PROBLEM METRICS & KPIs RITUALS DESIRED OUTCOMES SOCIAL PLAYGROUND DOING WORK What format is the work being done in? How are tasks being managed? How is individual input meant to be delivered? People often confuse reading emails or sitting in a meeting with doing work. This section identifies what the work really is, how it will be delivered and how tasks are assigned. Is the work being done as individuals and reviewed, or is it completed as a group.
- 28. 27 PURPOSE WHO - ROLE SHARE INFORMATION DOING WORK STOP GET TO A DECISION OR SOLVE A PROBLEM METRICS & KPIs RITUALS DESIRED OUTCOMES SOCIAL PLAYGROUND STOP What will we stop? What keeps us busy, but is counterproductive? It’s easier to define what we will do, once we’ve defined what we WON’T do. For example, if you use Slack for sharing information, don’t use email.
- 29. 28 PURPOSE WHO - ROLE SHARE INFORMATION DOING WORK STOP GET TO A DECISION OR SOLVE A PROBLEM METRICS & KPIs RITUALS DESIRED OUTCOMES SOCIAL PLAYGROUND METRICS & KPIs How do we measure success? What metric(s) will we track? What benchmark(s) do we define? How do we collect the data? We stated what success looks like in the ‘desired outcomes’ block. This is where we measure success. It helps identify what we’re looking for from the beginning. When results are visible and measurable, it leaves zero room for misunderstanding.
- 30. 29 PURPOSE WHO - ROLE SHARE INFORMATION DOING WORK STOP GET TO A DECISION OR SOLVE A PROBLEM METRICS & KPIs RITUALS DESIRED OUTCOMES SOCIAL PLAYGROUND RITUALS Morning catch up over coffee? Greeting everyone on the slack channel when you come online with a movie quote? Weekly retrospective and planning session? The key to success in developing a culture is defined by what you do consistently. These actions can become rituals not because they directly contribute to a result, but because they create connection within the team.
- 31. An easy, effective and actionable method for improving the culture within your next project. A step in the right direction to moving towards the future of work. If you want to download the digital version: www.culturecanvas.biz If you’re curious for succes stories: www.culturecanvas.biz/stories If you want to comment, have feedback or get in touch: www.culturecanvas.biz/contact If you want more examples, download at: www.culturecanvas.biz/examples SO, THERE YOU HAVE IT… THE CULTURE CANVAS. 30
- 32. Culture Canvas We transform the way businesses work by changing how teams collaborate. No big fanfare, just small steps that change day-to-day behaviour. We create team norms that are made for new technologies and enable the future of work. The Culture Canvas was developed as a collaboration between &Innovation and Kevin Weijers, as part of the #CoCreateSA project for the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in South Africa, showcasing collaboration between Dutch and South African innovators. www.culturecanvas.biz Kevin Weijers While being flooded by 150 emails a day working a government job, Kevin said farewell to his inbox in 2013, and his full time employment shortly after. He now helps companies, organisations, and brands all around the world explore the possibilities of the future of work, by running actionable experiments. Although the future of work is strongly associated with digital collaboration tools, Kevin believes the single most important asset is always the team culture. #CoCreateSA #CoCreateSA is an initiative of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in South Africa to connect counterparts to exchange ideas and innovations for a sustainable future. From 10 until 19 August #CoCreateSA connected &Innovation and Kevin Weijers to work on a challenge: Can we hack culture and help corporates move towards the future of work? After 10 days of intense collaboration the Culture Canvas and this book were realised. As a result of #CoCreateSA, a partnership is formed. If you want to know more about #CoCreateSA, visit www.cocreatesa.co.za &Innovation We are a digital transformation consultancy. We partner with leading, future- focused companies to drive strategic digital innovation and deliver revenue growth. Our team consists of divergent skills and backgrounds, employing proven methodologies to develop new products and services from concept to go-to-market. We see digital transformation not just as a new interface, but also as the cultural transformation required to make it stick. This book is an example of our work, as are consumer apps, backend APIs, data driven insights and comprehensive business models. WHO WE ARE