In this article, we will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to use Lean Coffee, as well as some tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your meetings.
Lean Coffee is a meeting format that was developed to help teams stay focused and efficient. It was created by Jim Benson and Jeremy Lightsmith in Seattle in 2009, and has since become a popular tool for teams all over the world.
The basic idea behind Lean Coffee is that everyone gets an equal opportunity to share their ideas, and the group decides which topics to discuss. It is a collaborative process that encourages active participation and engagement from all members of the team.
The first step in using Lean Coffee is to set up the board. This can be done either on a physical board, such as a whiteboard or flipchart, or on a digital platform, such as Slatebox. The board should be divided into three sections: To Do, Doing, and Done.
Once the board is set up, each team member can add topics to the To Do column. These topics can be anything that the team wants to discuss, and can be written on sticky notes or cards.
After all the topics have been added to the board, each team member is given a set number of votes. They can use these votes to indicate which topics they want to discuss. The topics with the most votes are moved to the Doing column.
Once the topics have been voted on and moved to the Doing column, the team can begin discussing them. The discussion should be timed, usually for around five minutes, to ensure that everyone has a chance to speak.
After the discussion is finished, the topic is moved to the Done column. This signals that the discussion is over and that the team can move on to the next topic.
One of the most important aspects of Lean Coffee is timeboxing. Each topic should be discussed for a set amount of time, usually five minutes. This ensures that the discussion stays on track and that everyone has a chance to speak.
Another important aspect of Lean Coffee is collaboration. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to share their ideas, and the group should work together to decide which topics to discuss.
Finally, Lean Coffee is all about staying focused. The topics that are discussed should be relevant to the team's goals and objectives, and should help move the project forward.
Lean Coffee is a simple but effective tool for improving team meetings. By following the steps outlined in this article and incorporating some of our tips and tricks, you can use Lean Coffee to streamline your meetings and get the most out of your time. Try it out for yourself and see how it can benefit your team!
