Sometimes the best ideas just pop up out of the blue, in a quick chat in the corridor. That’s exactly how it was with the Lunch Power Hour – a format that our Scrum Master and I put together from scratch. The idea behind it is as simple as it is effective: (ir)regularly and without much fuss, we sit down together and share knowledge. No compulsory agenda, no mountain of slides – just an hour that inspires.
As a UX researcher, I work a lot with insights, methods and perspectives. But knowledge that stays only in my head doesn’t create any added value. I wanted to see if learning from one another regularly – but without pressure – would help us grow closer as a team. The Lunch Power Hour is our little experiment to find out. The best bit: the topics come straight from our day-to-day work. No theoretical lectures, just real experiences, real failures, real lessons learnt.
Our Scrum Master kicked things off – and I couldn’t have asked for a better opening topic. She took us on her very own personal journey into AI: How she first started exploring it, which tools she uses regularly today and – this was the most valuable part for me – where she’s fallen flat on her face.
Because that’s exactly what rarely happens in traditional meetings: someone speaking openly about failures. Which prompt didn’t work? Where did AI lead her astray? Which expectations did she have to adjust? This honesty is what made the session special.
She also shared how she approaches new topics – in a structured way, with curiosity, and a healthy dose of scepticism. As a Scrum Master, she brings a different perspective to the table than I do as a UX researcher. It is precisely these different perspectives that make a session like this so valuable.
Firstly: AI is not a panacea, but a tool to be taken seriously – if you learn to use it properly. Secondly: The path to getting there is different for everyone, and that’s perfectly fine. And thirdly, and perhaps most importantly: If we, as a team, start sharing our learning curves with one another instead of carrying them around on our own, we’ll all become wiser faster.
The Lunch Power Hour isn’t meant to be a one-off event. We’re planning further sessions – with different topics and different hosts. Perhaps next time I’ll talk about workshop methods like Lego Serious Play, which work surprisingly well. Or someone else might bring a topic that helps us all move forward.
The format is set. Now it’s a matter of bringing it to life.
A few ideas, but anything is possible:
Research & Methods
Design & Craft
Strategy & Process
Technology & Trends
Inspiration & Case Studies