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Personal shadow

As explained in Collaborative Software Design: How to facilitate domain modeling decisions

A personal shadow is an unacknowledged facilitator emotion, belief, or prejudice that can influence reactions and judgment.

A personal shadow is an unacknowledged facilitator emotion, belief, or prejudice that can influence reactions and judgment. Ignoring it can eventually produce an inconvenient burst of emotion. section 5.2.1

Effective facilitation does not require suppressing every preconception. It requires recognizing those reactions, staying open to ideas, and preventing participants from feeling opposed or silenced. section 5.2.1

Use these prompts before or during collaborative modeling:

  • What reaction am I having to this idea, and could a bias or prejudice be shaping it? section 5.2.1
  • Am I staying open enough for the person to speak up without feeling opposed? section 5.2.1
  • What is happening in the group, and what is happening in me as I observe it? section 5.2.1

How Collaborative Software Design: How to facilitate domain modeling decisions covers it

How deep it goes
Explains recognition and observation of bias, but stops short of prescribing a formal assessment method.
Examples
Uses facilitator reactions, group observation, and the risk of an emotional outburst as practical illustrations.
What it assumes
Assumes participation in facilitation and collaborative modeling, while teaching awareness of facilitator bias from the ground up.
What you can do after
Practice noticing personal reactions, recording preconceptions, and remaining open during group discussion.
How it connects
Links neutrality with bias, prejudice, facilitation, and participant observation.
Cover of Collaborative Software Design: How to facilitate domain modeling decisions
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Related concepts

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Collaborative Software Design: How to facilitate domain modeling decisions. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.