Participant engagement

Begin meetings by clearly stating discussion guidelines and expected contributions from each role. Create a visible speaking order that alternates between design, development, and product perspectives to maintain a balanced contribution.

Follow these steps to boost interaction:

• Start with a quick round where each person shares their primary concern or interest in the topic (30 seconds each).
• Use targeted questions that match expertise. For example, "What technical constraints should we consider?" (developers), "How does this impact user flows?" (designers), "Does this align with our quarterly goals?" (product).
• For complex decisions, break participants into pairs or triads with mixed disciplines for 5-minute discussions, then have each group share key points.
• Close discussions by inviting final thoughts from those who spoke less, using phrases like "What perspectives haven't we considered yet?"

Remember, silent participation often signals either disagreement or deep thinking. Watch for physical cues like leaning forward, taking notes, or attempting to speak. Create intentional pauses after key points to allow space for thoughtful responses rather than rapid reactions.