Defining the Research Opportunity

Foundation for California Community Colleges

A workshop series to gain clarity and alignment on the opportunity hypothesis, needs, questions, scope and approach before investing in Discovery Research.

Problem Statement

Gaining clarity on the purpose and scope of research for the Foundation’s Future of Work and Learning initiative.

How might we individually and as a team diverge and converge on the opportunity space we want to learn more about, so that we gain clarity and alignment on our planned research and make the most effective use of our time and resources to achieve quality outcomes.

Approach

Strategic Planning

Design and deliver three facilitated workshops with key stakeholders aimed at discussing, aligning and defining an opportunity for research.

Diverging

  • Individual and group activities to explore ideas and framing

  • Conceptual map development, visualizing the context

Converging

  • Opportunity refinement and alignment

  • Needs or Opportunity hypothesis development

  • Determine the subjects and context of the research

Design Brief

  • Develop a design brief that defines the discovery research (questions, subjects, metrics, approach and more)

  • Timeline and next steps planning

Conceptual Map

Systems thinking, examining and visualizing the interrelatedness of organizations relative to students, their community college and employers

“You guided us through understanding and mapping our needs. It was so pivotal in the thinking of the team. There were a LOT of ah ha’s”
— Lori Sanchez, Foundation for California Community Colleges

Outcomes

The activities conducted through a series of virtual workshops and using a Mural board allowed Foundation for California Community Colleges (FCCC) to:

  • Diverge - explore a number of ideas about the needs of students relative to the team’s mission of understanding and facilitating the Future of Work and Learning at California Community Colleges

  • Converge - come together around the purpose and opportunity for research, and visualize the ecosystem they participate in and contribute to

  • Design Brief - co-create a document that describes the hypothesis for research, key research questions, the scope and subjects of the research, metrics and a plan for moving forward with the next phase, conducting research

Critical Success Factors

Power of Design is credited with:

  • Designing the activities and facilitating the participation of all team members in the development of ideas to be shared and evaluated

  • Helping the team to more clearly see themselves, their mission and their goals

  • Providing a framework for defining and co-creating the research needs and a path forward, a plan for conducting the desired research

Deliverables

  • Opportunity Framing Workshops series(3)

  • Design Brief

  • Proposal for Discovery Research (follow on project)