Increase Team Collaboration via Breakout Teams

As our team of instructional designers and course developers grew, it became increasingly difficult to efficiently solve problems and make design and technology decisions during staff meetings. To solve this problem, we implemented breakout teams (BOTs), in which small teams meet to focus on and recommend a course of action. After a year of fine-tuning our BOT process, we've realized numerous benefits for individuals and the team as a whole, including increased input and buy-in, leadership opportunities for more staff members, and better-informed decisions. This presentation will describe our BOT process and explain the benefits and lessons learned.

Outcomes: Learn what a BOT is, including basic mechanics and strategies that help ensure successful BOT work * Explore the benefits and challenges of problem solving using a BOT format * Analyze topics or problems your own team might solve using BOTs