The Power of Plays: How Atlassian Certification Can Elevate Your Facilitation Skills

[Amanda Barber]

As a former Kindergarten teacher turned Project Manager/Scrum Master/wearer-of-many-hats, I've learned that play is not just for kids anymore. In fact, I'm finding new joy in "plays" - in the Atlassian Team Playbook.

Recently, I took the plunge and went for Atlassian's Team Playbook Facilitator training, and it was a game-changer. I had run Plays in the past with my remote team, but the certification allowed me time to really flex my facilitation muscles and gain fresh perspective on my areas of improvement.

The certification process was straightforward and impactful, requiring me to consume four fantastic articles, take a short quiz, simulate running a Play and receive (amazing!) feedback, run a debriefing Play with my team (or an Atlassian-provided team), and post an article (like this one!) reflecting on my experience.

But my favorite part? The feedback I received from the Atlassian team. It was tailored specifically to my submitted videos and provided me with an excellent opportunity for growth. As someone who frequently runs the Retrospective Play with my team, I'm excited to apply the knowledge and feedback I gained from the certification process to future facilitations.

Whether you're a seasoned facilitator or new to the game, the Atlassian Team Playbook and its facilitator certification program offer an invaluable resource for anyone looking to up their facilitation game. So why not give it a go and see what new wins and struggles you discover along the way?

[Andy Gladstone]

@Amanda Barber this has been on my bucket list for far too long. It was a Q1 2022 goal for me. I'm inspired by your article to pick this back up and make it happen. 

[Amanda Barber]

It's definitely worth your time! I'm at a company retreat this week and we've been working on some personal (professional) goals. Honestly, after the feedback I received from this experience, I'm planning to set some personal goals around facilitation and communication. I always love feedback and having the outsider lens has really helped me!

[Mia Paulin]

@Amanda Barber  I am. Christina P Dela Rosa gave me the opportunity which I am more than thankful for. I’m adjusting to a new schedule because I’m also a college student and things have moved very fast for me in the last 6 months. Had a lot of life changes that I’m still adjusting to. But I do have the playbook. I just have to work on the scheduling problem I have- which means more of a focus and getting to the playbook because I know I need the expertise it has to offer. I apologize Christina. Superwoman has to get her stuff together and realize “Mia, you aren’t Superwoman!” And create a schedule. And then build on that schedule so I can pretend to be superwoman again, while in reality I’m a mere mortal…but one can dream:)

[Mia Paulin]

@Amanda Barber   But, seriously, gonna read the playbook and learn something 

[Amanda Barber]

I think it's so important to set yourself up for success with prioritized goals for the short and long term. If I were in your shoes, I don't think this would be at the top of my list currently but I'm grateful it fit well into my current work. Hang in there!

[Ditte Simard]

I learned about the Atlassian Team Playbook during the Team'23 event last week, and I am really excited to dive into it!  I am a Scrum Master as well and knowing that you have found value into it gives me the motivation to look through the materials after a long work day.  :)  

Side Question:  how much do you think being a former Kindergarten as helped you be a Scrum Master?  I make the joke all the time that I am just a teacher with a bunch "kids" who are full-grown engineers... lol

[Amanda Barber]

I always joked that I was a professional cat herder when I was a teacher...not a whole lot has changed. 😅 Project management was a pretty easy transition honestly! I was always very into technology, even while teaching, so I think that helped ease the shift, too. 

Hope you love the Team Playbook as much as I do!

[Michelle Yip]

Sometimes, being a scrum master makes me feel like a combination of 'Aunt Agony' + 'Team motivator (with a bag of tips and hacks) to boost the team' :)

[Andrew Zimmerman _Appfire_]

How cool! I think group discussion facilitation is such a valuable skill in general, and discussions tend to be so much more impactful when there is a facilitator present. I didn't even know about the Play Facilitation training and certification. Congrats! And, thanks for sharing your experience here.

[Amanda Barber]

Thanks, Andrew! The outsider perspective was SO helpful for me. I think it's a good area for me to focus on developing more skills. I'd have expected it to be easier for me to just kind of "get" since I was a teacher, but facilitating meetings/Plays are a bit different with adults...usually. ;)

[Andrew Zimmerman _Appfire_]

Totally, thanks so much for the insight.

[Mark Cruth]

Sooooo coooool @Amanda Barber!!! I'm going to reach out to you to gather some additional feedback on the course as we're looking to revamp the facilitation course (version 2.0 🎉) and I would love to get your thoughts on it! 

[Christine P. Dela Rosa]

Amazing, @Amanda Barber! You breezed right through this course. And even though I feel like you've facilitated before, you still took in our observations and we're so impressed by your own style of facilitation. 

👏 👏 👏

[Amanda Barber]

Teaching was all facilitation - but, I'm rather new to facilitating with adults. Also, there's always room to grow and so much to learn from others in the same field. Again - I truly appreciate the feedback and can't wait to run another play!

[Summer Hogan]

Thank you @Amanda Barber for this insightful article! I'll take a look and try this certification out! 

[Amanda Barber]

I'd love to hear your thoughts if you proceed, @Summer Hogan - this really has had an impact on my general facilitation. I just loved the outsider feedback!

[Dan Breyen]

I'm certainly leaning in this direction.  Thanks for the article.

[Amanda Barber]

I'd love to hear what you think, @Dan Breyen

[Çiğdem Büyükaşik]

I's nice to know it's worth the effort. Thanks for the inspiration.

[Amanda Barber]

I hope you'll give it a try! I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!

[Michelle Yip]

I love the concept of receiving tailored feedback - it is really the enabler for growth. I'm inspired to give this a go!

[Amanda Barber]

I agree! It's hard to find good feedback and this definitely delivered! Can't wait to hear what you think!

[Ram Kumar Aravindakshan _Adaptavist_]

Good article, thanks for sharing.

[Dam]

great article 

[David Blank]

A teammate and I were looking for the best way to school up on the Playbook and had no idea there was more formal training and a certification! This is great info! Thank you for sharing your experience @Amanda Barber 

[Amanda Barber]

I'd highly recommend the Ways of Working learning path for you and your team, @David Blank - https://university.atlassian.com/student/collection/850385/path/1962808

Thanks for the comment!

[Cinthia Catalani]

Thank you for sharing your experience. After 5 years, in 2022, I returned to work as a QA, now in the Jira Cloud. I noticed it was different from last time. It was Jira Align, maybe.

In January I became a Jira Org Admin. I was supposed to play this role for 3 months, in order to finish the migration to Cloud. After I watched over 400 videos on Jira and Agile on YouTube and tackled my customer's pain points, I am still here. Seems that I have played this role since I was a kid. And I loved it!

I am not sure if they will still keep with Jira or take me back to Analytics... I am wondering if I should invest in Jira Certifications... 🤔😉