U3D1-28 - Please follow the instructions as outlined below for Collaboration in Data Gathering Methods

What are options we should be considering? Do you have any ideas as to how we can make our assets work better or more efficiently? Are there needs that seem more pressing than others? Do you know or recall anything about improvement efforts in the past? When you look at assets, needs, and improvement and enhancement strategies, does anything stand out to you as to how they might be aligned?

When group members receive the materials, stress examining them prior to getting together. Remind them that decisions reside with the group as representatives of the community or organization. The meeting will be a lively exchange of comments and views and will lead to next steps in exploring community development and enhancement.

Start the meeting with welcomes and go over each source in turn using questions as above. Take note of additions and concerns to update tables and summaries after the meeting. To the extent possible there should be relative consensus on changes, corrections, and so forth. Make sure, as they are made after the meeting, that a date is affixed to the more final document. This is an easy way for recording the work of the group. All dated documents provide an accountability/audit trail and will be helpful to groups in the future.

When the separate sources of information have been completed, move to the summary across sources (which will be longer and in more detail than what is shown in Table 3.3). This should engender a lively discussion. If the exchange moves into the juxtaposition of assets, needs, and solutions, record what is being said especially for later steps in the hybrid framework.

STEP 3. DIVIDING THE WORKING COMMITTEE INTO TWO SUBCOMMITTEES

Once the interactions slow down, project Table 3.3 on the wall with a new sixth column on the right. Title it “Next Steps” (this is Step 3). Provide the participants with a handout that shows the table with the new column. Have them jot notes on what those actions should be and go around the group in round-robin fashion getting everyone’s ideas and note with tally remarks how many had the same thought.

Now the group is in a position to think about how it might organize for Step 4 of the framework. Ordinarily what happens is that more information about needs, assets, or improvement strategies will be required. We are not ready to go further into the hybrid process without knowing more. We don’t want to jump the gun! Seek agreement for what seems to be most pressing and how more knowledge might be obtained. Assignments are made, and everything is in place for moving forward.

One other question: What about the size of the group, and is it up to its new tasks? So far a small, highly motivated one has been behind data collection, analysis, interpretation, and making decisions. Chemistry and cohesiveness are there, but more human resources may be required to get things done. A middle ground has to be reached between the ambience of the group and its ability to tackle next steps. It may be necessary to expand by several individuals who are independently minded yet would share the enthusiasm and work ethic of initiating members. The latter would nominate those who fit and bring energy and vitality to the effort. Can new members cooperate and collaborate? Do they have specialized expertise? Have they worked with data? Have they used databases and other methods? What organizations in the setting do they connect to? Do they have time to devote? Would they be helpful? Since only a few more are needed, a group discussion should suffice for soliciting involvement, and when on board separate them across tasks with old hands providing orientation and assistance.

HIGHLIGHTS OF CHAPTER 3

1. To bring the hybrid framework to life, methods or procedures were suggested for the first three steps. They were not exhaustive but rather showed ways to accomplish steps.

2. From there, the rest of the chapter contained mostly a detailed discussion of the steps.

3. Stress was placed on Steps 1, 2, and 3 as the foundation of the hybrid framework. 4. Step 1 focuses on scoping the context, Step 2 is pulling the information gained into a logical summary

and making decisions about what the group should do next, and Step 3 is then organizing to implement decisions based on progress to date.

5. How the overall framework might get started was explored followed by a general description of what informal scoping is about and issues that might be probed.

6. From there a sampling of methods for scoping was given—micro-ethnology, cultural auditing, interviewing, use of existing data sources, and how emerging technology might be employed.

7. Step 2 examines what is collected in terms of analysis, interpretation, and further use. 8. Emphasis in Step 2 was put on how to portray the findings in a manner that facilitates decision

making. Table 3.3 was provided just for that purpose. Questions to guide the deliberations of the group were suggested.

9. The chapter ends with the group organizing (Step 3) for Step 4. Here it may be desirable to expand group membership to carry out new work and assignments.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Only a sampling of methods was provided. Do you know of others that might be applied? If so, what are they?

2. It might be informative to look at how needs assessments, asset/capacity-building efforts, or hybrid approaches start. Is there a difference between successful and unsuccessful ventures? Discuss this and, if you were to conduct research, how you would do it and what kinds of questions you would ask.

3. What is the best size group for initiating efforts like these? At the chapter’s end, enlarging the group was covered especially in relation to Step 4.

4. Emphasis is on an informal scoping of the situation as the first step. Would it be better to do this more formally at the beginning? If so, why? What are the advantages and disadvantages to starting informally or formally?

5. Data presentation is critical for decision making as the group works on Steps 2 and 3. Since the data will be qualitative and quantitative from many sources, this is difficult. Look at ways to summarize information in the chapter. Do you see alternatives for doing so without overwhelming a group? Make suggestions.

6. Are there additional issues and concerns that might be raised about the content of the chapter and the hybrid process? Can or should needs and asset work be combined?