From scribbles to strategy: 3 questions to maximise your whiteboarding sessions

Image prompt: a lightbulb with arms writing on a whiteboard, watercolour

I love a good whiteboarding session. It can be the birthplace of innovation, collaboration, and spontaneous ideas. However, electrifying brainstorming doesn't always equal tangible outcomes.

How often have you left a room filled with scribbles, arrows, and diagrams only to wonder, "What now?"

To turn these raw ideas into action and impact, I like to ask these three questions:

1. What is the Goal?

Take a step back and make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to “why” this is important. What is it that we hope to achieve? By aligning everyone on the primary objective, you lay a solid foundation. It's the first step to ensure that enthusiasm and ideas are directed towards a common purpose.

2. What Does Success Look Like?

Once the goal is established, visualise the finish line. Visualising the desired outcome helps in drawing a roadmap from the current state to the desired one. Moreover, it provides an understanding of the milestones to be achieved and obstacles to anticipate. By identifying the difference between the present situation and the ideal end state, teams can outline specific actions required to bridge the gap.

3. How Do You Measure Success?

Now that you have a roadmap, how will you track your journey? By setting up tangible metrics linked to the overarching goal, you can continuously measure progress. More importantly, it forces everyone to be precise about expectations and desired outcomes. Defining clear metrics or benchmarks ensures accountability and provides tools to iterate and refine strategies.

The beauty of these questions lies in their simplicity and depth. If you find yourself or your team struggling to answer them during the session, consider it an insight. It signifies areas that require further exploration, research, or discussion.