Learning Roles

In conversation with Mike Caulfield we started to outline a series of Roles or Hats that might enable a more explicit contract with people working together on a Happening:

I am proposing these terms to be used as Federated Wiki Roles in events with multiple participants such as a Federated Lightning Talk, Federated Happening or Federated Writing Sprint.

I also think there are other roles that we can explore. Some of these are best acheived with some additional software. Others are more of a question of Show Time.

# Other Team Roles Here we list suggestions for team roles that do not neatly fit into the ones listed above. Fodder perhaps for creating new Outlandish Learning Roles?

The list below is gathered from Belbin Team Roles. Let's look to refactor them and make them our own.

# Teamworker

Helps the team to gel, using their versatility to identify the work required and complete it on behalf of the team. - **Strengths**: Co-operative, perceptive and diplomatic. Listens and averts friction. - **Allowable weaknesses**: Can be indecisive in crunch situations and tends to avoid confrontation. - **Don't be surprised to find that**: They might be hesitant to make unpopular decisions.

# Co-ordinator

Needed to focus on the team's objectives, draw out team members and delegate work appropriately. - **Strengths**: Mature, confident, identifies talent. Clarifies goals. - **Allowable weaknesses**: Can be seen as manipulative and might offload their own share of the work. - **Don't be surprised to find that**: They might over-delegate, leaving themselves little work to do.

# Plant

Tends to be highly creative and good at solving problems in unconventional ways. - **Strengths**: Creative, imaginative, free-thinking, generates ideas and solves difficult problems. - **Allowable weaknesses**: Might ignore incidentals, and may be too preoccupied to communicate effectively. - **Don't be surprised to find that**: They could be absent-minded or forgetful.

# Monitor Evaluator

Provides a logical eye, making impartial judgements where required and weighs up the team's options in a dispassionate way. - **Strengths**: Sober, strategic and discerning. Sees all options and judges accurately. - **Allowable weaknesses**: Sometimes lacks the drive and ability to inspire others and can be overly critical. - **Don't be surprised to find that**: They could be slow to come to decisions.

# Specialist

Brings in-depth knowledge of a key area to the team. - **Strengths**: Single-minded, self-starting and dedicated. They provide specialist knowledge and skills. - **Allowable weaknesses**: Tends to contribute on a narrow front and can dwell on the technicalities. - **Don't be surprised to find that**: They overload you with information.

# Shaper

Provides the necessary drive to ensure that the team keeps moving and does not lose focus or momentum. - **Strengths**: Challenging, dynamic, thrives on pressure. Has the drive and courage to overcome obstacles. - **Allowable weaknesses**: Can be prone to provocation, and may sometimes offend people's feelings. - **Don't be surprised to find that**: They could risk becoming aggressive and bad-humoured in their attempts to get things done.

# Implementer

Needed to plan a workable strategy and carry it out as efficiently as possible. - **Strengths**: Practical, reliable, efficient. Turns ideas into actions and organises work that needs to be done. - **Allowable weaknesses**: Can be a bit inflexible and slow to respond to new possibilities. - **Don't be surprised to find that**: They might be slow to relinquish their plans in favour of positive changes.

# Completer Finisher

Most effectively used at the end of tasks to polish and scrutinise the work for errors, subjecting it to the highest standards of quality control. - **Strengths**: Painstaking, conscientious, anxious. Searches out errors. Polishes and perfects. - **Allowable weaknesses**: Can be inclined to worry unduly, and reluctant to delegate. - **Don't be surprised to find that**: They could be accused of taking their perfectionism to extremes.