ThinkBIG @ GitLab

ThinkBIG! is a specific team-wide sync meeting I implemented on the Package feature team. After a myriad of successes with this work style, I partnered with other design, engineering, and product management leaders to implement it across the GitLab product organization.

A ThinkBIG! is designed to create a shared understanding of purpose and goals with all stage group members. Everyone in the stage group is invited to participate in a facilitated discussion around vision, roadmap, user research, design, and delivery of upcoming product features.

Think Big's are meetings that drive knowledge-sharing across the organization at the stage group and section levels. Participants are given the opportunity to review and ensure short-term activities are aligned with long-term goals.

Watch past recordings in the GitLab Unfiltered YouTube channel.

When to opt for a ThinkBIG

Having a synchronous meeting with a large number of individuals may feel like it goes against GitLab's Values and culture. It is essential to evaluate the Think Big meetings regularly to ensure they are valuable to the team. Some questions to ask could include the following::

  • Are the topics designed and delivered in a way that brings the team together?
  • Are the discussions harmonizing the group on the long-term strategy of the stage or group?
  • Having an entire team on a call for an hour can be considered expensive. Are the sessions a good use of everyone's time?
  • Is everyone included in the conversation? Do all the participants in the session have an opportunity to discuss ideas or provide feedback?
  • Do the conversations evolve and consider feedback from the team to make the session optimal for its goal?

If any of the above questions are answered with a "No" it is a sign to reevaluate the topics, discussions, and structure of Think Big and iterate to ensure the team gets the most value out of the meeting as possible.

Guidelines for a successful ThinkBIG!

Design feedback

There are many ways to gather feedback in a sync-meeting, one example is to use a Round Robin turn-based structure that gives everyone on the call an opportunity to share their thoughts quickly and efficiently. In each turn (which is about 1 minute long), participants are expected to respond with the following (in priority order) 

  • Ask questions to the facilitator.
  • +1 or -1 someone else's feedback.
  • Provide one(1) new piece of feedback.
  • "Pass" - you can skip your turn.
  • You officially end your turn by calling out the name of who is next.

Remember, the goal is to capture a quantity of specific feedback. While it may be tempting to start discussions around the design choices and feedback, this activity doesn't make for a proper forum. The designer will follow up with reviews asynchronously afterward in the issue(s) to start discussions and conversations around the feedback.

General facilitation guidelines

  • Think Big meetings should be conducted in groups of no more than 10-15 (to encourage participation).
  • The agenda template can be found by searching for Think Big in Google Drive.
  • Divide the meeting into modules with each module averaging 15 minutes. A full session can typically over three topics.
  • As the meeting starts, look for an ordered list of discussion topics in the agenda doc. This will be the order for participants to go in.

General guidelines for presenters

  • Add the discussion items to the think big agenda doc ahead of the meeting and make sure you link to relevant issues, research insights, and prototypes.
  • Craft a lightweight presentation filled with relevant visuals and helpful data. Remember, the goal of this presentation is to enhance your presentation, not take focus away from what you have to say.
  • Pro-tip: When you ask a question, wait 3.8 seconds of silence before moving on or answering your question. That's the ideal amount of time for people to respond to a prompt, especially in a remote setting,