Collaborative Modelling

In software development, collaborative modelling refers to modelling formats and practices to be performed collaboratively as group activities. The approach isn’t particularly new—Alistair Cockburn referred to collaborative modelling sessions in his book Agile Software Development, the Cooperative Game, and CRC Cards can be considered a form of collaborative modelling.

In recent years, the attention to these techniques increased in the Domain-Driven Design community, together with the popularity of more explicitly participatory formats like EventStorming, Domain Storytelling and more. However, its popularity isn’t limited to the domain-driven design field. Formats like Wardley Maps, or even Business Model Canvas, while powerful in solo mode, can deliver extra value when practised in a Collaborative Modelling fashion. Last but not least, Lego Serious Play is another example of a collaborative modelling activity that is even more detached from the software world.

Why collaborative modelling?

Why do we need collaborative modelling? The answer is simple: it works better.
A good modelling session can address the intricacies of a problem that cannot be solved by a single person and deliver a result with built-in consensus. Incorporating multiple stakeholders into a collaborative modelling space helps overcome individual blind spots.

This is particularly relevant in Architecture Modernisation’s initiatives, where Collaborative Modelling is crucial.
Short Collaborative Modelling sessions can increase the development speed, especially in exploratory domains, enabling the so-called Modelling Whirlpool.

Facilitated Modelling?

The increasing number of participants in a modelling session often implies the need for a facilitation strategy to efficiently manage everyone’s contribution.
Facilitation isn’t always necessary. Different formats may imply different interaction styles. A two-person collaborative modelling session on a whiteboard may happen spontaneously during development activities, while larger-scale formats may explicitly require facilitation.

Many recent collaborative modelling formats also imply some interdisciplinary contribution.

Different tools for different purposes

Collaborative Modelling can provide tools for different purposes and support key decisions. It’s easy to misinterpret the formats for alternative notations; what really matters is how the formats constrain the thinking process before arriving at the polished models.

Collaborative Modelling isn’t for documenting models, it supports the decision-making process to define models together.

The picture below summarises when different Collaborative Modelling techniques can be used in a software development project, depending on the people involved and the evolution phase.

 

 

What makes a good session?

Sometimes, it’s just a funny feeling: the rewarding sensation of “We nailed it.” But this is no coincidence because modelling is often like solving a puzzle together.
Models require some notation, but most collaborative modelling formats lean towards minimalistic and informal notation to be accessible. The spectrum is broad: Lego Serious Play is probably the most open format, and Wardley Maps is the more structured. Even old-school software design sessions with UML on a whiteboard rely on a subset of the official notation.

The level of facilitation should probably be just enough: while too little might create awkward moments, too much might make participants feel that they delivered something, but not the right outcome.

Our special recipes

Over the years, Collaborative Modelling has been a fundamental ingredient of our consulting and training services. We invented formats and contributed to others. We used someone else’s format or invented something on the fly. Sometimes we misunderstood a format and stumbled upon something even more interesting.
Here’s a list of our favourite Collaborative Modelling recipes.

EventStorming

EventStorming is our house speciality—a family of versatile workshops built around Collaborative Modelling. A Big Picture EventStorming can help you discover quickly the intricacies of a very complex business domain, to design transformational initiatives. Process Modelling allows interdisciplinary process design, capturing the needs of business, tech, and UX professionals. Software Design EventStorming takes collaboration to the next step, introducing software design concerns in business-driven discussions and paving the way for robust and performing event-driven solutions.

If you are curious about ways to facilitate and leverage collaborative modelling’s potential in your EventStorming sessions, the talk Joys and Pitfalls of Collaborative Modelling, from DDDEurope 2019, can provide some inspiration.

Model Storming

Model Storming is the meta-model behind EventStorming and other adaptive formats. It lets us start modelling even without a clear understanding of the problem space’s nature. After every round, we pick a promising facet and choose a visualisation tool that works well with the previous steps, visualise the new coordinate and reflect on the outcome.

The result is an incredibly powerful tool that lets us visualise any problem space, and eventually design the grammar for successful iterations.

Reverse Roadmapping

Reverse Roadmapping leverages the Reverse Narrative pattern to build sustainable roadmaps towards a common goal. Architecture Modernisation is a common application scenario, especially where the transition requires consensus between multiple players.

Obeyas

An Obeya Room is the pulsating heart of strategic decision-making for colocated organisation. It’s the place where every relevant information is displayed in a way that simplifies and accelerates decisions.

Without a physical space, a digital organisation can quickly lose the holistic perspective. Departments act as silos, often driven by local goals at the expenses of the global ones. A Digital Obeya Room can bring a systemic perspective back into any strategic decision.

You might find more about it in Modelling up! – Alberto Brandolini – DDD Europe 2024

Learning about Collaborative Modelling

Officially established formats and practices may have their learning formats, like our EventStorming Masterclass, but if you want to get a more general overview about what’s going on in the Collaborative Modelling space, experience hybridation and get a deeper conversation about the whys and the hows, you should consider visiting ComoCamp in Vienna. It’s an unconference tailored around the Collaborative Modelling idea, where practitioners and learners can find a common ground, explore new ideas and have fun.