The Techarrette Group: A Working Group for Techarrettes: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Definitions DRAFT 001
Alea (pronounced "Hailey" without the H)
The Techarrette Group: A Working Group for Techarrettes: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Definitions DRAFT 001
Frequently Asked Questions:
Where should I post?: It is best to post on the Google Groups Working Group (TekCharWork) rather than in the Linkedin networking group (TekCharLink).
What is the purpose of this group: The purpose of The Techarrette Working Group (TekCharWork) is to, (1) add clarity to the concept techarrettes, (2) share an understanding of Techarrettes, (3) purpose build techarrettes where it would be an effective resources, (4) build robust, practical tools for using within a Techarrette and (5) model techarrete practices in our work and use experiences to build better tools.
How do I pronounce Charrette? Shuh-ret. Its French.
How do I pronounce Techarrette? Tech-uh-ret. It's a combination of "technology" and "charrette."
If it is just a "charrette in tech", why did you create "Techarrette" as a separate word? As I (Alea) explored the challenges of the process moving into the tech community, I found that the parts and pieces needed to be defined in a different way to address the needs those using it. Bringing charrette into tech without adjusting it (aggressively) for the community makes the process frustrating and the least, and a waste of time at the worst.
How do I pronounce Alea and why is it sometimes "A. Lea"? Alea is pronounced like "Haily" without the H. Alea is actually a combination of Alea's first initial "A" and middle name "Lea". Having "A. Lea" though posed even more quandaries of what to call me than the squished together version, hence "Alea" was born.
Why does "charrette" sometimes have one "r" or one "t" when I see it elsewhere? Because English is a funny language that is inconsistent even on even the best days. I've chosen the two "r" and two "t" version as it is easier to remember to use two of each, rather than which one is only one.
Can I be listed as co-author of your book?: Depending on what you're willing to invest and who you are.
Terms, Who-Who and Definitions:
Alea Lanstra: Is the founder and guide for Techarrettes and the Techarrette groups.
Business Coconspirator: A synergistic working relationship between individuals or business that support processes and practices focuses on generating positive opportunities and revenue. I typically used this term to refer to Joseph Flahiff, my long term Agile mentor who has given me more support and opportunities than I could ever thank him adequately for. Need a mentor? Call him. I mean it.
Charrette: The National Charrette Institute defines Charrette as a design-based, accelerated, collaborative project management system that spans the entire pre-construction period. NCI describes charrette as a multiple-day, collaborative design worshop that harnesses the talents and energies of all interested parties to create and support a feasible plan. The origin of the word is French for "cart", typically meaning a small rustic car pulled behind a cart or oxen.
Charretting (1): Charretting may refer to an intense period of deadline-drive personal effort on a creative project with overtones of panic due to being behind schedule. This definition grows from the rumored original Ecole de Box Arts practice of students placing their paintings in a cart to be carried to the their masters for review.
Charretting (2): Attending a Charrette.
Enterprise Agile: The use of effective Agile methodologies on the Enterprise wide level for all facets of business including operations, human resources, facilities, financial, executive etcc.
Generative Blast: An effort to rapidly generate many creative ideas with a depth that results in ideas that are generally more developed and feasible than typical brainstorming.
Joseph Flahiff: Joseph is Alea's business coconspirator from Whitewater Projects.
Product Owner: On a Scrum-based team, the product owner (PO) represents the stakeholders and is the voice of the customer. The PO is accountable for ensuring that the team delivers value to the business; and as such is often refered to as "the one wringable neck."
Scrum: Scrum is an iterative and incremental agile software development framework for managing software projects and product or application development. Scrum focuses on project management institutions where it is difficult to plan ahead. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrum_(development)
ScrumMaster: Is responsible for supporting a Scrum based development team in their efforts to deliver successfully prepare shippable product increments at the end of each Sprint.
Sprint Zero: The period that occurs just before Sprint 1 in a Scrum process.
Tech: For the purposed of this project the word "Tech" is utilized to mean those individuals and business and all the related materials and processes that have the goal or potential to directly influence software or hardware.
Techarrette: Creative, intensive, collaborative, iterative design efforts that uses a series of carefully tailored inputs and questions to examine a single challenge from a variety of perspectives and scales. The goal of a Techarrette to conduct highly rich planning and/ or generate new ideas.
Techarrette Guide: Techarrette guides support the Techarrette facilitator during large Techarrette events to assist and support the breakout groups.
Techarrette Facilitator: Is the Facilitator of the Techarrete, and best chose from someone outside of the current community of the project or business. With the Techarrette Owner, they bear half of the responsible team for the Techarrette delivering value to the Owner.
Techarrette Owner: Parallel of the "Product Owner" is the generally the primary person who meets with the Techarrette facilitator to determine the goals and questions for a Techarrette. During the Techarrette, the Charrette Owners is the one individual that is empowered to change the Techarrette Goal. As such, they are half of the responsible team for the Techarrette delivering value to the Owner.
Techarrette The Movie: OK, it's not a movie, it's a really exciting book without a working title. And, maybe it is not "exciting", but hopefully incredibly useful nevertheless. This working group is building information that will not only support the process of Techarretes but also be utilized in my (Alea's) book.
TekChar: A general shortened term to be used to abbreviate Techcharrette (which no one can spell anyway)
TekCharLink: A general shortened term to be used to abbreviate The Techcharrette Group on Linkedin. This groups primary purpose is networking with those intereste in using or contributing to Techarrette.
TekCharWork A general shortened term to be used to abbreviate The Techcharrette Group on Google Groups. This groups primary purpose is to creatively work together to address the current questions regarding Techarrette.
Urban Planning: For the purposes of this project the term "Urban Planning" is used to capture all the work and professions that have the goal or potential to directly influence physical landscape, structures or other infrastructure. This is the traditional homeland of Charrette.