Project Planning Jam Session

Similar to PlanningGame, but with more emphasis on building on each other's actions, interacting and cooperating to construct a mind-melded list of things to do, owners, times, priorities, external dependencies and releases or viewings. Still done with index cards, but with everyone moving around the table at once and talking to each other simultaneously. You end up with a stack of cards that you get to type into a spreadsheet (that's the laborious bit). Energizing, exhausting, effective. Sets conversations into motion. I set this up for a group recently, and they got together the next morning to go over it again to get better optimization. I alternate between calling it "Blitz Planning" (to appeal to the sponsors of the activity) and PPJS (to appeal to the participants). Could say "Do Blitz Planning with a PPJS". --AlistairCockburn

Please tell us more...

I guess I was hoping it would be fairly obvious from the above note (actually I was building on ConversationMetaphor), but evidently it isn't. Don't know what more to say without writing a several-page text, and this isn't the place. It may have to wait until I have some substantial energy. See if your imagination won't work for you, or better, try it out with two friends and see what you come up with, and add your notes here. Sorry not to have more time and energy just now. -- one tired Alistair

See also AtsDiary April 12 for an example of how to use the ProjectPlanningJamSession to estimate EngineeringTasks for stories for XP.

I have a general idea about what this means, but nothing specific-- and a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. Is it a brainstorming session? Is the physical motion important? I imagine the bedlam of multiple conversations is the real key, but... please, I would like some more details.--JoeOsborn