Do your modeling sessions suffer from silence, circular arguments, or dominance by the loudest voice in the room? Is there a persistent gap between Business and IT that leads to software products that miss the mark?
Effective software design hinges on strong collaboration. But let’s be honest: collaboration is messy. Misunderstandings, hidden assumptions, and social dynamics often undermine even the best technical plans. While collaborative modeling tools provide the visual canvas, they don’t solve the human problem. Collaboration is not innate; it is a discipline.
This Collaborative Software Design workshop with Kenny Baas-Schwegler and Gien Verschatse is designed to close the gap between technical modeling and social dynamics. We move beyond the “happy path” of cooperation and look at what actually happens when people disagree.
This course tackles the hardest part of software design: the people. You will gain insight into how social ranking, cognitive biases, and conflict patterns influence the architecture of your software. Based on the book Collaborative Software Design, we provide you with the practical facilitation skills needed to guide a group and lead impactful modeling sessions.
Learning Objectives
- The “Why” of Collaborative Design: We explore why involving stakeholders early isn’t just “nice to have,” but essential for sustainable software, and the concrete risks of keeping design siloed.
- The Facilitator’s Stance: You don’t have to be an extrovert to facilitate. We outline the necessary skills to hold the room, clarifying the difference between participating in the design and guiding the process.
- Navigating “Ranking”: Power dynamics exist in every room. You will learn how conscious and unconscious rank impacts who gets heard, and practice techniques to level the playing field so the best ideas win.
- Reading the Room: Behavior is data. You will learn to observe what isn’t being said—body language, silence, and disengagement—and how to use those observations to steer the group back to productivity.
- Active Listening & Inquiry: Move beyond standard questions. We practice Socratic questioning and “Crucial Conversations” techniques to uncover the deep domain knowledge that stakeholders often struggle to articulate.
- Sense-Making & Flow: Learn the practical utility of Check-ins and Check-outs to set the stage. We will cover how to restore flow when discussions become fragmented or stuck in the weeds.
- Conflict & Resistance: Resistance isn’t always bad; often, it’s a signal. You will develop the confidence to address conflict head-on, using it to clarify constraints and reach a shared understanding.
- Sustainable Decision Making: We connect the social to the technical. Learn how to converge the group’s collective knowledge into concrete, sustainable software design decisions.
The Trainers
The Collaborative Software Design Workshop is designed and delivered by Kenny Baas-Schwegler and Gien Verschatse, who are co-authors, along with Evelyn van Kelle, of the book Collaborative Software Design.
Kenny specializes in technical leadership, software architecture, and sociotechnical system design, guiding organizations in building sustainable, resilient, and adaptable software systems.
Gien is a consultant and software engineer specializing in Domain-Driven Design, domain modeling, and software architecture, combining advanced technical skills with a strong ability to bridge gaps between domain experts, users, and engineers.
Target Audience
This workshop is designed for technical leaders who want to move beyond “running meetings” to effectively facilitating shared understanding. It is ideal for:
- Software, Solution, & Domain Architects
- Tech Leads, Staff+ Engineers, and Senior Developers
- Product Managers & Product Owners
- Business Analysts & QA Professionals
- Engineering Managers & Scrum Masters
- If you are responsible for bridging the gap between business requirements and technical implementation, this workshop is for you.
Whether you are a Technical Lead, Engineering Manager, Product Owner, Architect, or Engineer, we’ll provide you with the facilitation stance needed to guide a group.
Agenda
Day 1
The Human Side of Modeling
We start by diving straight into a large-group collaborative modeling session.
We will focus on the “invisible” dynamics that govern the room:
- Facilitation Mechanics: Practical techniques to guide the group without dictating the outcome.
- Ranking Theory: recognizing how power and hierarchy (both conscious and unconscious) influence who speaks, who stays silent, and whose ideas get adopted.
- Observation: Moving beyond “listening” to observing behavior, energy, and silence to assess the health of the group dynamic.
- Active Listening: Practicing communication techniques that lower defenses and clarify complex domain concepts.
Day 2
From Conflict to Decision
On the second day, we tackle a specific design challenge using your preferred collaborative modeling tool.
The focus shifts from managing the room to driving results:
- Sense-Making: How to use check-ins, check-outs, and structured pauses to keep the group aligned and productive.
- Navigating Resistance: Strategies to handle conflict constructively. You will learn to view resistance not as a blocker, but as valuable data for your design.
- Sustainable Decisions: How to close the loop—moving from sticky notes and discussions to concrete, supported design decisions that stick after the meeting.
How it works
Over two immersive days, we move beyond theory and put you in the facilitator’s seat by modeling a specific use case together with the other participants.
You will practice facilitating the “invisible” dynamics of the room, learning to spot how Ranking, silence, and behavior influence the architecture.
The Collaborative Software Design Workshop will be a safe space to practice facilitation in real-time.
You will practice handling the complex, real-world moments that make or break a design session. You will learn how to spot when a conversation is stalling, how to handle “difficult” stakeholders, and how to use conflict as a tool for better design, rather than something to be avoided.
F.A.Q.
Do I need to know something beforehand in order to participate in this workshop?
Some prior exposure to collaborative modeling is helpful, though not strictly required. We will provide introductory materials before the workshop begins to ensure everyone starts on the same page.
How can I prepare to take the course? Recommended readings? Other?
If you want to dive deeper beforehand, our book Collaborative Software Design is the perfect companion, but it is not a prerequisite to attend.
