Jam Sessions

Make sure everyone is primed and generally on the same page leading into the jam. A light pre-read with a summary of context and key constraints will get the creative juices flowing more freely.

Start with a creative warm-up! It helps to get the inspiration flowing, sets a casual and fun vibe, and gets everyone comfortable with each other. Make sure you clearly frame your constraints and share the same info with everyone, so we’re all on the same page for what we’re jamming on and everyone feels they can contribute.

As a facilitator, it’s imperative to give permission to jammers to be unapologetically present. Clear your schedule, mute Slack notifications, put your phone away. It’s something we often don’t think about — of course, we would be mentally present, why else would we be here? — but so often and so easily, we become distracted by the demands we think are placed on us that we forget to be in the moment. Amazing things can happen and big problems can be untangled when we commit our time, focus and energy to do so.