My Reading on ASQ CQA HB Part III

Part IIIF2
2. Team Facilitation
Facilitation techniques needed for the cross-functional team and the long-term project team normally include
the following:
• Ensuring that necessary team-analyzing resources are available, such as flip charts, a data projector, and
so on;
• Recognizing and defusing clashes between members;
• Ensuring that all team members have a voice and that the team is not controlled by domineering personality
types;
• Using diverse views to strengthen team deliverables;
• Keeping the team focused on the audit objectives, evidence-based decision making, and the schedule;
• Using organizational tools (outlines, plans, flowcharts, sorted information) as necessary to facilitate
decisions;
• Cultivating a professional, impartial, and objective environment (such as testing outputs to ensure that no
bias could be perceived by the auditee);
• Identifying problems or potential problems that influence team effectiveness (such as a disgruntled
(unpleased) auditee, known hostile or difficult situations, and potential conflicts of interest);
• Establishing team rules or agreements as necessary (for example, members must be on time to all
scheduled meetings, members must be willing to listen to other members’ views, and so on);
• Keeping communication lines open between members and the auditee (?) ;
• Keeping everyone informed of team progress;
• Presenting team views or issues for discussion and resolution.
The need for facilitators and facilitation techniques decreases with team member training, experience, and
successful team history. The better qualified the team members and the more they have worked together on
other audits, the less active facilitation will be necessary.
Charlie Chong/ Fion Zhang