What are some good templates or best practices for when to gather input and how to incorporate (i.e. whose feedback to incorporate vs. ignore, etc.), especially as it relates to a timeline?

1. Value Stream Mapping, especially documenting the current state, is an invaluable tool to identify key stakeholders for the project and to see the work required to create the future state.

2. Once key stakeholders are identified and the current and future states are mapped, hold a scoping meeting with all stakeholders (functional and technical).

   • Document the decisions related to in-scope and out-of-scope elements for the current timeline.

   • Identify who is responsible for the in-scope elements and the delivery timeline.

   • Keep the document in a centralized location where it can be referred to by all stakeholders.

With those 2 tools, you can:

• See who is impacted by the changes (whose feedback to incorporate);

• What the agreed scope of work is (whose feedback to "ignore"/save for a later project phase).

There are many dimensions at play in approaching this problem that I don't have a singular template, but here are a few things to think about.

1. What is the nature of the decision / project?

   1. If it's something small, in your area of (genuine) expertise, has limited impact or downside, and so on then you probably don't need to bother to gather input in the first place.

   2. If it's a major decision that will commit substantial resources, is a "one-way door" so you can't reverse the decision, or requires other teams to do things for you, then you will need to gather input and incorporate it into your plans.

2. When you go out to gather input, be clear on why you NEED it. You can then give context as to why you want their input, are clear yourself in the goal, and get more valuable information.

   1. Do they have expertise you lack that will give you important information to make the decision / plan?

   2. Do they have resources you will need to get the work done (e.g., talking to engineers to build an idea you have)

   3. Something else?

3. Are you getting input for "political" purposes? This is the "I'll ask you because I think I need to" but probably dismiss everything you say is a place to be careful. You'll need to understand your own organizational dynamics, but it's often better to just say "you're not included" than make them feel included and then reject all their ideas, especially if it happens over and over.

Two potentially useful frameworks for gathering input and making decisions.

First, I strongly recommend using the RAPID framework (RACI/DACI exist too but I remain a Bain loyalist on this one in particular for reasons I won't get into) for major decisions and projects. You can read more about that in this article and plenty of other writing about RAPID if you are not familiar with it.

Second, Ray Dalio in his book Principles lays out a series of principles for making the right decisions which includes a lot on how to gather input. Outline is here and he posts regularly on LinkedIn too.