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Workshop Exercises: Decision

Return on Time Invested

Assess meeting impact and gather feedback

Illustration of Return on Time Invested
Run a Return on Time Invested play

Why: Identify areas for improvement, enhance meeting efficiency, and maximize the value of future sessions

When: Use at the end of a meeting or workshop to gauge participants' perception of its productivity and usefulness

Instructions for running this play

  1. At the end of the meeting or workshop (the last thing you do), ask the group to rate their return on time invested from 0 to 5.
  2. On a given signal, everyone raises their fist with one to five fingers extended indicating their vote.
  3. Ask participants who gave the lowest and the highest score to explain why. Other people are allowed to contribute if they want.
  4. Depending on the discussion, you can make a concrete proposal to be implemented immediately or capture important comments for later.
Β  Β 
1 Finger β€œUseless, I gained nothing and lost my time. No value at all.”
2 Fingers β€œUseful, but it wasn’t worth 100% time spent on it, so I lost time.”
3 Fingersβ€œAverage, I gained enough value to justify the time spent on it. I have not lost my time.”
4 Fingersβ€œGood value, clearly above average. I gained more than the time I spent.”
5 Fingersβ€œExcellent value, a really useful meeting that was worth more than the time spent on it.”

Tips to perfect this play

Master and adapt the play to fit your context and needs.

Tip: n+1

Consider asking β€œWhat would make it a N+1 for you”?

Run better workshops with Learning Loop card decks.

Every card deck includes workshop patterns, so your team can put the methods to work in your next session.

Running behavioral design workshops? The Persuasive Patterns Workshop Playbook (PDF) shows you how to design and run them.

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