Learn how to identify the drivers of Team Cognitive Load and support teams to create effective strategies to manage it
You understand that there is more than improved efficiency for the team performance. Our cognitive capacity is critical when it comes to performance, and there are a number of drivers that influence it. This course will give you the tools to understand and continuously manage the Team Cognitive Load, creating a more humane working environment.
The concept of Team Cognitive Load was introduced by the authors of Team Topologies. Since then, the concept has been adopted in the IT industry, and more companies are considering it when designing team structures. But it is not an easy journey since our industry has a mechanical view of team performance. Adopting Team Cognitive Load as a central concept for our working environment involves an awareness of the drivers behind it and the understanding that the environment around the teams needs to actively support and promote a healthy balance of the Team Cognitive Load.
This course aims to give you concrete practices and tools to start your journey of effectively managing Team Cognitive Load. We will analyze different use cases, and I will introduce you to a scientific model to describe the drivers that influence the Team Cognitive Load. At the end of the course, you will design your first experiment around one hypothesis for your workplace. The course is hands-on, and we will use our peers’ experience to understand the nuances of cognitive load.
What is this workshop about
Organizations are looking for ways to increase their performance, and they realize that the mechanical approach to team performance is not producing the expected results. Problems such as context switching, poor communication, and burnout affect people and teams and negatively contribute to poor organizational performance.
The world has become more unpredictable and turbulent, and many of us are dealing with an overwhelming amount of data in our jobs. How can we create a space for teams to focus and be effective? We need a different lens, and Team Cognitive Load gives a humane frame to teamwork. Organizations that are able to foster an environment where the staff can use Team Cognitive Load as one of the inputs for their improvement efforts have a healthier working environment and are able to attract talent.
Team Cognitive Load is highly contextual. Dimensions such as your industry, the size of your company, the markets where you play, or the tools and processes you use create the context for your teams. Although we can measure the drivers contributing to Team Cognitive Load, there is no single recipe to manage it. The workshop will use different use cases to illustrate how different strategies can produce similar outcomes. The sessions are practical, and by the end of the workshop, you will have the first experiment to apply to your organization. You can add the new tools to your toolbox.
Event Details
Learning goals
- Understand what Team Cognitive Load is and the background of the Cognitive Load Theory
- Measure and identify the costs of unmanaged Team Cognitive Load
- Understand the implications of the use of new technologies, such as AI, on Team Cognitive Load
- Create different strategies around the hypothesis to manage Team Cognitive Load
What do I need to know?
If you are not familiar with the concept of Team Cognitive Load, don’t worry. We will start with the foundational concepts before applying the model. As an introduction, I recommend reading Matt Wynne’s blog post.
Audience
The workshop targets managers of teams, senior people inside the teams, and senior enabling folks. Roles will vary, but the typical roles of the attendees are team lead, senior developer, software architect, agile coach, or head of department.