Purpose
The method helps clarify group input, selection, and decision concretely. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as a delegation board, decision boundaries, and role agreements.
Facilitation
Delegation Poker
Turns group input, selection, and decision into a tangible result by collecting decision areas, explaining delegation levels, and capturing the agreement.
Which delegation degree per decision area matches maturity and context, and which differences between lead and team do we need to negotiate?
LowWorkshop45-90 min
How it works
The team follows the steps: collect decision areas, explain delegation levels, choose cards face down, discuss differences, and capture the delegation agreement. Each step is captured visibly. At the end, a delegation board, decision boundaries, and role agreements are available so decisions, tests, or actions can follow directly.
Visual orientation
Method sketch for a quick mental model.
Flow
- 1Collect decision areas
- 2Explain delegation levels
- 3Choose cards face down
- 4Discuss differences
- 5Capture the delegation agreement
The runsheet guides execution with 5 phases, timeboxes, 5 pitfalls, and clear stop criteria.
Open runsheetIdeal for
- Leadership Alignment
- Team Autonomy
- Operating Model Change
Not good for
- One-off technical detail questions
- Teams without decision space
Deep dive
In detail
Delegation Poker follows a clear working logic: collect decision areas, explain delegation levels, choose cards face down, discuss differences, and capture the delegation agreement. This turns the method into a visible thinking process rather than only a conversation. Participants move step by step from raw material, observations, or options toward a shared structure. The result is a delegation board, decision boundaries, and role agreements that make decisions, learning, or further planning actionable.
Facilitation
Prepare a clear guiding question, the right information, and a visible workspace. Plan about 45-90 min with 3-10 people and use the format in a facilitated workshop. The method stays lightweight; short timeboxes, visible intermediate results, and a parking lot for open questions help.
Artifact templates
Delegation Poker Working TemplateCompact working template for Delegation Poker with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.canvas
Delegation Poker Working TemplateCompact working template for Delegation Poker with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.
canvasdelegation-poker-working-template.md
Compact working template for Delegation Poker with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.
Delegation Poker Canvas
Context
What is this method used for?
Core question
Which question should be answered at the end?
Input
Which data, observations, or materials are available?
Working area
- Area 1:
- Area 2:
- Area 3:
- Relationships / patterns:
Output artifacts
- Delegation Board:
- Decision Boundaries:
- Role Agreements:
Open questions
- ...
Next step
Owner, date, success signal.
When to choose differently
Short decision aid for existing alternatives.
DACI
Statt Delegation Poker, wenn nicht Delegationsgrade, sondern Driver, Approver, Contributors und Informed geklärt werden müssen.
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1-2-4-All
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Operations
Accountability Ladder
Turns workflow, data, causes, and improvements into a tangible result by describing the situation, identifying the current accountability level, and agreeing on follow-up.