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Red Teaming & project planning

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Bernard Kahn IT Delivery Mgr/Project Manager| independent Forest Hills, Ny, United States
Any experiences in using "red teaming" approach, esp in project planning, to challenge assumptions, clarify goals, etc. ?
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Kiron Bondale Retired | Mentor| Retired Welland, Ontario, Canada
Bernard -

Definitely - this is a great way to build psychological safety within a team as you are formally assigning roles to actively dissent. It works well so long as rules of engagement are put in place to ensure the discussions remain professional.

Kiron
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Keith Novak Tukwila, Wa, United States
I've played this role and found it is important to clarify your intentions with the team. You have to make sure everyone understands your goal is to find the problems to make the solution stronger, not to undermine the solution. If you can work past that, the input may be very well received, and even sought after.
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Abolfazl Yousefi Darestani Manager, Quality and Continuous Improvement| Hörmann-TNR Industrial Doors Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
I do agree with Kiron.
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Peter Rapin Subject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent Consultant Ontario, Canada
My understanding of "red teaming" is that its a miliatary method of taking on the role of the enemy to fully understand and react to possible weaknesses in a tactical plan.

In a business management application it is sometimes referred to as 'devil's advocate' and in reality is a risk identification and analysis process by a different name. I personally resist the 'red teaming' terminology as it brings to mind the concept of 'enemies', whereas there are (or should not be) enemies in a the business/project world only different opinions, methodologies and solutions. I can see it as a tool in the risk management process when used juditiously. .
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1 reply by Bernard Kahn
Feb 26, 2021 12:54 PM
Bernard Kahn
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Somewhat agree with your description, but I find that much of the value is not just in the dissent, but in the unearthing of assumptions, an d the discussion around them, including civil challenging of them, as well as the expected outcomes.
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Bernard Kahn IT Delivery Mgr/Project Manager| independent Forest Hills, Ny, United States
Feb 25, 2021 9:43 AM
Replying to Peter Rapin
...
My understanding of "red teaming" is that its a miliatary method of taking on the role of the enemy to fully understand and react to possible weaknesses in a tactical plan.

In a business management application it is sometimes referred to as 'devil's advocate' and in reality is a risk identification and analysis process by a different name. I personally resist the 'red teaming' terminology as it brings to mind the concept of 'enemies', whereas there are (or should not be) enemies in a the business/project world only different opinions, methodologies and solutions. I can see it as a tool in the risk management process when used juditiously. .
Somewhat agree with your description, but I find that much of the value is not just in the dissent, but in the unearthing of assumptions, an d the discussion around them, including civil challenging of them, as well as the expected outcomes.

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