Transcript PRESENTATION NAME - University of Wisconsin–Extension

Diagnosis: Determining The Appropriate Community
Development Response
Southern Region CNRED In-Service
November 15, 2012
Resources Used:

Diagnosis Section Excerpt – Presentation on “Processes and
Best Practice for Positive Community Change in Wisconsin”,
Community Development Society Conference, 2012. (In
conjunction with Nicole Sidoff)

Diagnosis – Adaptation by Grabow of Presentation by Jenny
Erickson and Catherine Neiswender with Guidance by David
Hinds from “Training Program on Strategic Planning: Local
Government and Community Applications”, 2011.
Steve Grabow
Professor and Community Development Educator
University of Wisconsin – Extension, Jefferson Count Office
Processes & Best Practice for Positive
Community Change in Wisconsin
Community Development Society 2012
International Conference
July 24, 2012
Nicole Sidoff
Assistant Professor & Community Development Educator
Steve Grabow
Professor & Community Development Educator
University of Wisconsin – Extension
Diagnosis
Visioning and Planning
Diagnosis
Extensive
 Multi-Day Retreat
 Weeks/Months
 6 months – 1½ years
Simplified
 Several Hours
 Multi-session
Source: Oregon Vision Project, 1993, p. 14
University of Wisconsin-Extension, Strategic Planning Program Team, June 1997
Diagnosis
A simplified illustration showing the parallel tracks of activities occurring
concurrently with planning.
Step 0
Diagnosis
Planning
Step 1
Plan for
Planning
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
Step 9
Step 10
Education and Learning
Design the
Approach
(Other
Purposeful
Activities)
Research
Evaluation
Operating and Supervising
Sources:
University of Wisconsin-Extension, Citizen Participation Team
University of Wisconsin-Extension, Strategic Planning Team
*The three step mini-process of “Generate-Organize-Select” occurs both formally and informally in each
step of the planning process. These three mini-process steps are also referred to as “Search-SynthesizeSelect”. Information and ideas are sought during “search”; patterns are uncovered in “synthesize”; and
priority actions are identified in ”select”.
Diagnosis
 Five
Purposeful Activities:
– Operating & supervising
– Planning & design
– Research
– Evaluation
– Learning
 Each
is activity unique in:
– Approach
– Strategies/skills/tools/roles required to
pursue
Diagnosis
Purpose-Based Action
Important Supporting Roles
– Activist
– Advocate
– Boundary spanner
– Chairperson
– Conflict resolver
– Consultant/adviso
r
– Convener
– Information
resource provider




Innovator
Materials specialist
Organizer/promoter
People involvement
specialist
 Recorder/record
keeper
 Resource generator/
coordinator/developer
 Writer/editor
Diagnosis
 Planning
steps can be used solo or in
combinations to achieve various
purposes
 Should
be based on relevance and
appropriateness
 Should
lead to determining which
purposeful activity should be pursued
Diagnosis
Jenny Erickson and Catherine Neiswender with guidance from David Hinds
(And Adaptations by Steve Grabow)
Presented by Steve Grabow at
the Southern District CNRED In-Service
November 15, 2012
What is Diagnosis?
A
method for
gathering information
about how an
organization or
community functions:
problem identification.
 An up-front process to
determine a follow-up
response.
The purpose of diagnosis is to
determine which purposeful activity
would best initially address the
organization’s or community’s issues.
Organization/Community
Planning &
Design
Research
Learning
Evaluation
Operating &
Supervising
Our Response
 Good
diagnosis leads to the most
meaningful response by us!
Exercise
 Silently
generate a list of recent
examples, from your practice, of
projects from these five
purposeful activities (in prior
slide).
 We
will than share.
UW- Extension’s Role:
Help the client to discover objective
information, to better understand the
situation to be faced, achieve a selfdiagnosis and our diagnosis about
the proper response.
Coach McCarthy
Back Up!
Many times clients have to be “backed
up” to get at the root of what is
going on
– What problem are they tackling?
– Who has been involved?
– What alternatives have
been looked at?
Back Up!
-Conclusions: What we
believe based on what we
think and feel.
-Interpretations: How
what we see or hear
makes us think or feel.
-Data: What we actually
see and hear.
What are the
underlying issues?
Use questions to help
clients determine
what the underlying
issues are -- not just
address the obvious
symptoms.
Diagnosis is Underrated.
A most important step!
Methods for Diagnosis
1.) Checklist/worksheet method
2.) Branching questions/smart questions
3.) Readiness assessment
Diagnosis: Checklist/Worksheet Method
 Guides that you develop or use that:
• Get at the clients’ situation.
• Help determine the key purpose for the
response.
• Help figure out the client’s ideal
expectations for a successful response.
• Determine a framework for a realistic
response.
• Help identify who needs to be involved
in the response.
Diagnosis: Branching Questions/Smart
Questions
“If you do not ask the right questions,
you do not get the right answers. A
question asked in the right way often
points to its own answer. Asking
questions is the A-B-C of diagnosis.
Only the inquiring mind solves
problems.”
Edward Hodnett, British Poet
Readiness Assessment
 In conjunction with the client, make sure
key capacity considerations are or can be
put in place:
• Leaders energized for a response.
• Resources available for the effort.
• Necessary communication systems.
• Structure and processes exist or can be
assembled.
• Value can be identified
• Timing is right.
Hypothetical Situation:
Develop a Survey
PRACTICE: The Phone Call…
Hello UWEX Agent. I am
a member of a local
organization, and we
need your help to
develop a survey.
NOW WHAT?
Start with Questions
 What
is the purpose of the survey?
 What concerns or issues do you hope
it will address?
 How will you use the information?
 Have you done surveys before? How
did it go?
 What alternatives have you
considered?
Your skills may not be what is needed.
Find out what is needed.
Listen for Clues
They respond, “The purpose of the survey is to
determine if the members want to dissolve
our organization”.
What question would you ask next?
Listen for Clues
They respond, “The purpose of the survey is to
determine if the members want to dissolve
our organization”.



Evaluation: How do you
determine if your organization is
effective?
Planning & Design: Tell me more
about the purpose and vision of
your organization?
Learning: Do your members
have the information they need
to make this decision?
Listen for Clues
UWEX: “Do your members have the
information they need to make a decision?”
They respond, “I am really surprised, but ask
any of our members and they can’t tell you
what we do.”
How would
you respond?
Diagnosis is an Art
In the End…
Hopefully, the client learns how to:
 ask better questions
 challenge their assumptions
 better diagnose their issues in the
future
Hopefully, we can:
 help guide the client to a meaningful
response
Lessons Learned
Listen or your tongue
will make you deaf.
-
Native American Proverb
Buy Some Time
 Let’s
set up a meeting with key
stakeholders to discuss this further.
 Let me get back to you with some
ideas.
 Have you contacted…
Build Strong Relationships
Create an environment where the
client feels free to speak and share.
– They are relaxed
– They feel comfortable with you
Respond to the client’s emotions and
language – both are vital
Diagnosis Gone Wrong
 Thinking
is guided by a prototype
and you fail to consider the
possibilities that contradict that
prototype.
“I have seen this one before.”
 Remember
the “Principle of
Uniqueness”: every situation is
unique.
Adapted from Groopman, 2007
“It is tempting, if
the only tool you
have is a
hammer, to treat
everything as if
it were a nail.”
Abraham Maslow
Readiness Reminders
Reasonable time frame
 Core of interested leaders willing to do the
leg work.
 Adequate resources
 Willingness, consensus and commitment
from the organization on direction and
complete next steps.
 Demonstrated willingness to stick with the
plan.

Questions?