SIN 874-2 Facilitation Services
Frequently, organizations require outside assistance in facilitating and managing particularly complex issues and programs. It is difficult to coordinate many divergent views held by a multitude of different stakeholders and players, each with unique interests and priorities. Altarum provides comprehensive facilitation services to help our clients review business operations, improve management processes, and re-engineer programs. Our skilled facilitators use proven total quality methods and processes to build consensus and create solid solutions by offering ideas and assistance, facilitating multiple groups, and maintaining neutrality while supporting our primary clients. Typical facilitation services include:
Defining and Refining the Agenda
Establishing the objectives, key milestones, and ends of complex issues and programs is essential in reaching reasonable and lasting solutions to large problems. Altarum works systematically to develop an agenda defining these items. Our pre-meeting reviews include interviewing key personnel, background research, and evaluating the extent and complexity of the issues at hand. This prepares us in recommending the objectives, milestones, and essential participants for convening and facilitating group events, briefings, and discussions. We recommend the make-up of the groups, the meeting timing and locale, suggest seating techniques, propose the agenda, and discuss potential follow-up events. We assess the urgency of the issues to be resolved and the need for computer assisted decision-making, including telecommunication and Web-based means. Our Web-based WorkGroup Collaborator provides an effective collaborative environment, even for widely dispersed groups, and can readily be tailored to meet client and participant needs.
Altarum’s agenda definition services support MOBIS by identifying, clarifying, and prioritizing issues so that working groups remain focused on essential tasks.
Use of Problem-Solving Techniques/Dispute Resolution
As we discuss agenda development with the client, potential problem-solving techniques emerge from Altarum's experience and best industry practices. Various problem solving techniques are available, such as flowcharts, workflow diagrams, deployment charts, Pareto charts, cause-and-effect diagrams, affinity diagrams, and Stratification and Is/Is-Not analyses. These techniques promote understanding of the problem. Altarum’s team problem-solving techniques include brainstorming, multi-voting, nominal group, and weighted voting techniques. Altarum facilitators ensure participants focus on issues rather than positions and personalities, thus promoting the prompt resolution or reconciliation of disputes, disagreements, and divergent views.
Altarum's problem solving and dispute resolution services support MOBIS clients by expediting resolution of contentious issues and allowing timely, effective decision-making.
Convening and Leading Group Briefings and Discussions
Altarum uses pre-event opportunities working with the client to share background, gather information, and set the stage for meetings, including developing invitational correspondence. Early on, we define ground rules for group interaction and decision-making, such as when the group will push for consensus. We facilitate small group activities and arrange their reporting to the larger group. Consensus for recommendations and follow-up activities are reached using Altarum-facilitated problem-solving techniques. If additional meetings are required, the initial meeting will close by identifying follow-up activities and evaluating the effectiveness of the first meeting. A cycle of monitoring between-meeting assignments and developing the agenda and format for the subsequent meeting are performed as needed.
Altarum's discussion leader services support MOBIS clients by ensuring that discussions follow a coherent path toward accomplishing group objectives, and issues, discussions, and decisions are captured to lay the basis for future meetings, if required.
Recording Discussion Content and Focusing Decision-Making
Altarum uses appropriate techniques and displays to capture and record essential issues and support group problem analysis, problem solving, and decision-making. Additional Altarum facilitators participate in large group sessions to record discussion. Timekeepers, from either Altarum or the group, track time elapsed and guide decision-making based upon agreed ground rules. At the discretion of the client, audio or video recording is used for later review of the discussion.
Altarum's services in this area support MOBIS clients by providing an accurate historical record of the proceedings for later review and keep meetings progressing toward the stated objectives of the group.
Preparing Reports for Dissemination and the Permanent Record
After the meeting closes, we prepare and circulate a draft record for review and comment before delivering the final permanent record. We will send most drafts by e-mail or use our WorkGroup Collaborator for Web-based continuing discussion. Non-concurrence with the draft is reconciled whenever possible, or the reasons for rejecting the non-concurrence are documented in the permanent record. As needed, we help the client prepare material for final staffing and implementation of any group proposals.
Altarum's report production supports MOBIS clients by providing complete, timely, accurate, and efficiently coordinated historical documentation of critical discussions and decisions.
Debriefing, Meeting/Conference Planning, and Logistical Support
We provide structured conference debriefings where we review the objectives, milestones, efforts, outcomes, and accomplishments of the facilitation effort. We identify areas for improvement in planning for the client's future use, or propose the next steps to design follow-up meetings. This feedback step is an opportunity to review and improve activities and leads to agenda definition and the next planning cycle. Altarum also has the facilities, infrastructure, and experienced support staff to provide complete logistical arrangements and support.
Altarum's facilitation services support MOBIS by providing "full life cycle" planning and execution of efficient, productive conferences and meetings.