public digitalThe public digital logo

Working in the open: why showing your working out matters for test and learn

This article is included in our book, Adopting the practice of test and learn. It was written by Chris Fleming.

You can download a PDF version of this book, or visit this page to request a printed copy.

Progress is as much about sharing knowledge as creating it.

In the world of academic research, a major turning point came with the invention of the printing press, which enabled researchers to share their work globally and build on one another’s findings.

In a similar way, working in the open is how knowledge is shared when organisations use a test and learn approach.

An essential pillar in test and learn, working in the open drives and accelerates many of its advantages. It raises understanding of the issue being tackled, it allows people to see where they fit in the wider process, and - like academic peer review - it invites healthy scrutiny of the mistakes people make along the way.

A screengrab on the PD website showing a grid of articles with weeknotes from the sickl cell project
Our team published weeknotes online about our sickle cell project as it was happening.

What is working in the open?

Traditional methods of project communication typically follow these patterns:

  • Broadcast: the communications are one-way.

  • Hierarchical: only the most senior people are allowed to represent the project.

  • Tightly controlled: everything has to be cleared by a separate comms team.

  • PR-oriented: the objective is to spin what you’re doing to show it in the best possible light.

  • Big bang: one big press release happens when the work is ‘finished’.

By contrast, working in the open means showing people the work you are doing, as you’re doing it. At a minimum this should be people within your team and people across your organisation. Even better is sharing publicly, with interested stakeholders outside your organisation.

Unlike traditional methods of communication, working in the open is not just about demonstrating progress, but also talking openly about mistakes, changes and things you’ve learned.

How can I work in the open?

Typical examples of working in the open include:

Hosting ‘show-and-tell' sessions. A show-and-tell is a regular (perhaps every 2 weeks) open invite event. The team does a short presentation about recent progress, and allows time for questions at the end. Importantly, the team does not simply give a status update but “shows the thing”. That could be prototypes, designs, research or other lightbulb moments.

Publishing regular updates on the team’s progress. For instance by writing and publishing weeknotes, or writing regular posts about more specific things as they learn them. This could be a set of insights from user research sessions, or the logic behind making a particular choice about a technology.

Publishing code and documentation as open source. When a team is developing a digital service or piece of software they should code in the open wherever possible. Publishing code in public repositories helps teams focus on the quality of their code and documentation. It allows others to build or copy the work that has been done.

Using workplace messaging tools. This is one of the simplest things you can do to help your teams work in the open more. Posting information in a ‘chatroom’ rather than sending an email switches the default visibility of a message from closed (only the people copied get it) to open (everyone in the channel or room gets it). This helps the whole team know what’s going on, and allows them to discuss important topics together. It also allows discussion to happen asynchronously without the need for a meeting.

Why work in the open?

When your organisation is new to test and learn, working in the open is vital for building a movement for change. At later stages, it optimises and accelerates the rewards of test and learn, and brings added benefits to the way your organisation operates.

Here are some of its advantages:

It builds momentum

You can’t practice test and learn when working in a silo. By working in the open, you develop your narrative and bring people with you. Rather than awaiting lengthy comms clearance processes, sharing what you’re doing little and often allows you to communicate as the work happens, and increases the chances people will engage across wider audiences.

It improves the quality of your service

As a two-way form of comms, working in the open allows your audience to interact and converse with you, opening up a channel for you to receive feedback. More eyes and earlier eyes on the service, product or project means it will be improved more quickly and at lower cost/risk.

It builds trust

Working in the open provides a window onto your world. It keeps you on the radar of key stakeholders, like decision-makers and funders, who can gain a much clearer understanding of your progress from working in the open than they would from a status report on a slide. What’s more, helping people understand why you’ve made the decisions you have builds trust.

It manages dependencies

Legacy organisations tend to try and manage dependencies in large spreadsheets. This may allow one person (the owner of the spreadsheet) to understand dependencies. But working in the open allows everyone to see what’s in flight, and identify and manage dependencies for themselves.

It helps you manage and persist knowledge

Working openly enables you to build an open store of understanding and insight over time about how and why things have been done. This makes it easier for others to copy or pick up where you left off. It allows others to link to what you are doing and explain.

It helps staff feel good about their work

Working in the open empowers everyone on the team to showcase their expertise about what they’re doing and why. It builds confidence in communications skills and helps everyone feel like they are contributing. Plus, digital professionals like to be able to work in the open: If your organisation can show that it works this way, you will attract more of the people you need.

Optimising test and learn

Just like experimentation in science, successful experimentation in test and learn relies on a forum in which results can be communicated and challenged.

By working openly, you not only provide stakeholders with a window onto the work, but you form a two-way channel with other experts across disciplines - and ideally across organisations and communities of practice - who can build on and learn from your findings.

As such, it is probably the lowest-cost, highest-impact way to optimise your test and learn approach, and to build trust, confidence and understanding across your organisation.

Previous:

Next:

About Chris Fleming

Chris is Public Digital’s health, local government and charities sector lead, where he has worked extensively with the NHS and other health organisations to elevate their services. He has also supported the UK Government to establish the Infected Blood Compensation Authority. Prior to joining Public Digital, Chris led product and delivery for a number of national platforms for the NHS including the NHS App and 111 online.