Using Scenario-Based Learning with Team Interaction Modelling to talk about organisational change
Back in October 2024 I co-facilitated a workshop at Agile Cambridge which aimed to introduce participants to Team Interaction Modelling [1] using Team Topologies shapes [2] as a catalyst for change making. Nothing new there — it’s a tried and tested technique finding favour with many Team Topologies advocates. What was different about this workshop was the incorporation of scenario-based learning (SBL) to get people emotionally invested in solving a common problem, and, in doing so, to optimise their learning experience.
In this article I’ll explain what we did and why, so you can think about whether either (or both) techniques might benefit your practice as a consultant or trainer.
Why Scenario-Based Learning and Team Interaction Modelling?
Learning and change go hand in hand. When we want to make change happen (and stick), there’s a lot of learning to be done. Some of that learning may be horizontal (as in, development of skills and subject-matter expertise), but often it’s the vertical learning that needs tending to first (as in, expanding mindsets and capacity for complexity.)
Team Interaction Modelling (TIM) is a technique that is great for facilitating conversations around organisational change and blockers to flow. However, for it to be applied effectively, those at the table need to feel invested in solving a common problem. This can be a difficult condition to satisfy in workshops and trainings where participants are joining from different organisations, or perhaps from different areas in the same organisation where there isn’t yet a shared understanding of the bigger picture. These are instances where I believe scenario-based learning can help.
What is Scenario-Based Learning?
Scenario-Based learning (SBL) is a pedagogical approach that doesn’t seem to have a consistent definition, so I’ll adopt this informal one here:
SBL involves immersing learners in a realistic scenario or situation in order to develop a skill and/or practice decision-making. It’s a form of active learning (i.e. learning by doing.) [3]
There are 2 main reasons why I believe SBL can be effective as an instructional method. Firstly, it involves learners in active problem-solving and decision-making, as opposed to more passive, decontextualised forms of learning. Secondly, it can be engineered to provoke an emotional response in the learner and to encourage the application of empathy in the problem-solving process. Emotion is thought to enhance various cognitive processes (e.g. [4]), while empathy is often an essential enabler in complex socio-technical problem domains. In short, SBL can support vertical as well as horizontal learning.
How to apply SBL in a TIM workshop
Here is the workshop we delivered broken down into 5 main steps.
1. Tell a good story
To enable the application of SBL within a cohort of relative strangers, I developed a realistic and relatable scenario based on my experiences of Higher Education. I built the scenario around fictitious characters (or personas) through which I could communicate the human as well as the business impact of inefficient organisational design and operational practices.
I also incorporated what I felt was ‘just enough’ contextual information about the organisation, such as its structure, goals and operating model, to enable participants to engage their ‘agile consultant’ brains.
If you are doing this within a single organisation, you might want to invest some time co-creating the story first. This is a great opportunity to share perspectives from different places in an organisation — it shouldn’t just be your perspectives you’re sharing! Think carefully about how you might do this in a way that is sensitive to the power dynamics and culture in your organisation.
2. Pause for reflection
After sharing the story, give people time and space to explore their own reactions to what they’ve heard without judgement.
Myself and co-facilitator, Clem Pickering, gave participants a few minutes to reflect on their reactions to the scenario independently. They were then invited to discuss their reactions with fellow participants which gave them an opportunity to explore different perspectives and identify dominant themes.
Judging from some of the participant responses to the story such as, “Oh dear, it is a mess!”, “Sad” and “I wouldn’t want to work there”, our story succeeded in eliciting a human response! However, participants were equally quick to pick up on operational concerns such as “silos” and “tech is a restraint not an enabler”.
3. Apply a product lens
It was at this point that we invited learners to start reimagining the organisation as one that is product-centric and organised around value streams rather than functional silos. In the process, we gently introduced them to some of the organisational design concepts underpinning Team Topologies. We made reference here to Mik Kersten’s work around product-thinking [5], and invited learners to reflect on the benefits of the product-based approach relative to the outcomes leaders in our scenario might be seeking.
You can adapt this step according to how far along your participants are in their ‘product-thinking’ journey. Here we were assuming our participants had some understanding of product delivery and value streams, but might still need a little help to connect their knowledge to the current scenario.
4. Cut some shapes
Now with the setup complete, you’re ready to dive into some team interaction modelling!
It’s worth pointing out that we didn’t do a lengthy introduction to TIM or Team Topologies. We introduced participants to the goal of the activity and the tool (the shapes) they would use in the process. Participants were then given free range to play with the shapes, setting their own org zoom level, which they did in small groups of 3–5.
Our workshop was relatively short (90 mins) but if you have longer, you can perhaps afford to interweave a bit more instructor-led content and/or spinoff conversations. The point is, using SBL, knowledge transfer from instructor to participant plays second fiddle to that which is acquired through exploration and collaboration.
5. Reflect again
Finally, create more openings for group reflection and consolidation. In our workshop, we had a member of each group move to another group to discuss the different approaches they had taken. You might choose to implement this step differently, and that’s fine — whatever gets people thinking and talking about the decisions they’ve made is likely to generate meaningful insights.
Results
I’ve shared the basic outline for a Team Interaction Modelling workshop incorporating Scenario Based Learning. Here are 4 positive outcomes I observed from this workshop…
1. It helped learners engage with complexity
The workshop received positive feedback from participants, with one participant remarking “it cut through the overwhelm of the storm”. This was evidence to me of a key benefit of both SBL and TIM: both have the capacity to make a complex problem accessible.
2. It inspired further learning
Another participant remarked, “I need to learn more about Team Topologies”. This is also a positive, since a successful learning experience should leave a learner wanting to learn more.
3. It generated feedback
As an observer with a vested interest in this scenario, I found it really interesting to observe other peoples’ responses to it. As leaders or decision makers, gathering feedback or ‘organisational sensing’ is an important component in the process of change making. Taking a back seat and letting others loose on a broadly defined problem may offer up surprising and challenging perspectives.
4. It generated different solutions
Each group approached the scenario differently and emerged with different solutions. Given the complexity of the problem, this is a positive result, as it will help everyone gain a more comprehensive understanding of the problem.
5. It was fun!
Teaching can be stressful for facilitators and learners for different reasons. SBL is an opportunity to exercise some creativity and engage with others — both of which have the potential to be very enjoyable!
When to use SBL and TIM
I would suggest there are 2 situations when running a workshop similar to this one could be beneficial:
- You want to introduce people to TIM and underlying Team Topologies concepts in an engaging and relatable way.
- You want to surface different perspectives and build support for organisational change.
Of course, there are countless other situations when SBL as a teaching method might work well for you. For example, you might consider it when what you’re teaching involves complexity and shades of grey, and when vertical learning is an important learning goal.
Try it! And make sure you and your learners have fun in the process :)
I am a Learning Consultant focused on designing and facilitating transformative learning in the tech sector. If you would like my help to run a similar workshop, or to increase the effectiveness of another training you deliver, please get in touch with me via LinkedIn.
References
[1] Rich Allen (2023) Team Interaction Modelling with Team Topologies. Team Topologies.
[2] Mathew Skelton and Manuel Pais (2020) Modeling Shapes for Team Types and Team Interactions (PDF). Team Topologies.
[3] Liz Maxwell (2024) The Power Of Scenario Based Learning For Teacher Development. Teacher Success Platform.
[4] Tyng et al. (2017) The Influences of Emotion on Learning and Memory. Frontiers in Psychology.
[5] Mik Kersten (2019) Project to Product: How to Survive and Thrive in the Age of Digital Disruption with the Flow Framework. IT Revolution.