Thursday, September 29, 2016
How to be an effective trustee
I am going to try to post some videos I have created so I can show them from the web when I'm out of the office. Here goes #1, How to be an Effective Trustee
Friday, September 16, 2016
Polarity Management
... Is a problem solving methodology, well summarized by Barry Johnson at http://www.jpr.org.uk/documents/14-06-19.Barry_Johnson.Polarity_Management.pdf
It is an alternative to "either/or" and "independent alternatives" decision making. Polarities are situations where options are interconnected, e.g. should I take care of myself or my kids first? (Bad example but it shows how one alternative might serve the apparent goal of the other alternative, as when you put the oxygen mask on yourself first.)
There are some techniques to incorporating polarity management into your decision, which could be summarized as "balance, grasshopper."
This has little connection to anything else I'm doing but I wanted to capture it before it blows away. 😀
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Public engagement techniques, categorized by situation
Yet another interesting online resource ...
Design with Dialogue describes four types of group consultation approaches, the situations they apply to and the facilitation techniques that work for each.
Exploration is about examining a situation in an open ended way. It emphasizes learning and insight over action and results. Techniques include Conversation Cafe and World Cafe. It could be a useful first step in community needs assessment for libraries but it requires additional followup.
Conflict transformation is for resolving conflict. Techniques include Sustained Dialogue and Compassionate Listening. It wouldn't normally be relevant in community needs assessment unless you have a situation where the public is upset about something, e.g. the relocation of a beloved library. It could also be useful for resolving conflicts between and within board and staff.
Decision making is about getting to the point where you decide something. If "exploration" is the beginning, "decision making" is the end. It is appropriate for when "public engagement is needed on an issue to strengthen policy decisions and public knowledge" - and that is exactly the case with community needs assessment for libraries. "These methods are recommended when the issue at hand is going to be decided on by a single entity, such as a government agency or committee, that is genuinely interested in learning about their constituents’ informed opinions and shared values." This is the sweet spot for library planning. Appropriate techniques include National Issues Forums, Deliberative Polling, 21st Century Town Meetings, Charrettes, and Consensus Conferences.
"Key features of decision making methods include unbiased “naming” of the issue and balanced framing of options, creating space for participants to weigh all options and consider different positions, and identifying the public’s core values around an issue."
Collaborative action empowers the group to make decisions and can even assign responsibility for results to the group or members thereof. It is appropriate when dealing with partners. This level of empowerment and offloading of responsibility seems a bit much for the public library / community relationship. Study Circles, Future Search, and Appreciative Inquiry work for collaborative situations.
Design with Dialogue describes four types of group consultation approaches, the situations they apply to and the facilitation techniques that work for each.
Exploration is about examining a situation in an open ended way. It emphasizes learning and insight over action and results. Techniques include Conversation Cafe and World Cafe. It could be a useful first step in community needs assessment for libraries but it requires additional followup.
Conflict transformation is for resolving conflict. Techniques include Sustained Dialogue and Compassionate Listening. It wouldn't normally be relevant in community needs assessment unless you have a situation where the public is upset about something, e.g. the relocation of a beloved library. It could also be useful for resolving conflicts between and within board and staff.
Decision making is about getting to the point where you decide something. If "exploration" is the beginning, "decision making" is the end. It is appropriate for when "public engagement is needed on an issue to strengthen policy decisions and public knowledge" - and that is exactly the case with community needs assessment for libraries. "These methods are recommended when the issue at hand is going to be decided on by a single entity, such as a government agency or committee, that is genuinely interested in learning about their constituents’ informed opinions and shared values." This is the sweet spot for library planning. Appropriate techniques include National Issues Forums, Deliberative Polling, 21st Century Town Meetings, Charrettes, and Consensus Conferences.
"Key features of decision making methods include unbiased “naming” of the issue and balanced framing of options, creating space for participants to weigh all options and consider different positions, and identifying the public’s core values around an issue."
Collaborative action empowers the group to make decisions and can even assign responsibility for results to the group or members thereof. It is appropriate when dealing with partners. This level of empowerment and offloading of responsibility seems a bit much for the public library / community relationship. Study Circles, Future Search, and Appreciative Inquiry work for collaborative situations.
There are so many facilitation techniques out there. It is useful to see them categorized like this so you know which ones fit your situation.
Community engagement resources available online
"Participatory Methods Handbook: A Practitioner's Manual" includes general guidelines and tips for participatory methods, and describes ten approaches (World Cafe, etc.). It is a very in depth 167 page PDF. Available here.
"The Change Handbook" lists a whole lot of techniques for group discussion and analysis. Here is a screenshot from the website:
Most or all of these are basically group facilitation techniques that can be applied to any group analysis or investigation. So these will work with, for example, community needs assessment.
"The Change Handbook" lists a whole lot of techniques for group discussion and analysis. Here is a screenshot from the website:
Most or all of these are basically group facilitation techniques that can be applied to any group analysis or investigation. So these will work with, for example, community needs assessment.
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Charrettes
A charrette is an "intense period of design or planning activity." (Wikipedia) It comes from the world of architecture, arts and industrial design; a "charrette" was originally a cart that held student's architectural models.
A charrette puts people together on-site to work collaboratively and cross-functionally on a problem. It is an intense process that compresses time and assumes a deadline, but it is also multi-day and immersive. Imagine a group of people working frantically on something around a common table, out of their silos, with no consideration of formal roles and a determination to get something done.
There is also supposed to be a design component to the problem solving. I take that to mean that a desirable end product is the focus, rather than technical or institutional feasibility; and that experimentation, rapid prototyping and a get 'er dun attitude prevails.
A charrette puts people together on-site to work collaboratively and cross-functionally on a problem. It is an intense process that compresses time and assumes a deadline, but it is also multi-day and immersive. Imagine a group of people working frantically on something around a common table, out of their silos, with no consideration of formal roles and a determination to get something done.
There is also supposed to be a design component to the problem solving. I take that to mean that a desirable end product is the focus, rather than technical or institutional feasibility; and that experimentation, rapid prototyping and a get 'er dun attitude prevails.
The parable of the front door
Here's a story I have occasionally used in board training...
Once upon a time, there was a library. The board and staff were very dedicated, and they worked hard to make the library as good as it could be. They made sure the collection had all the new titles from the bestseller lists, they ran new programs they heard about from other libraries and they put rules and procedures in place to make sure nothing ever went wrong.
One day a patron came in and said, "This is a very nice library but you should do something about the front door."
"What do you mean?" asked the librarian. "What is wrong with the door?"
"It looks so old and beat up," answered the patron.
The librarian and the board chair, who was conveniently in the library at the time, went outside to look at the door. Sure enough it was weathered and chipped. Why had they never noticed this? Because they always entered the library through the back door, where the staff parking lot was.
The moral of the story: Patrons know stuff you don't know. Even if you are a professional librarian and/or an experienced trustee; especially if you are one of those things; the public has a different perspective than you. Your very expertise and your institutional perspective blinds you to their reality. What seems important to you is unimportant to them, and what is important to them may be invisible to you.
Once upon a time, there was a library. The board and staff were very dedicated, and they worked hard to make the library as good as it could be. They made sure the collection had all the new titles from the bestseller lists, they ran new programs they heard about from other libraries and they put rules and procedures in place to make sure nothing ever went wrong.
One day a patron came in and said, "This is a very nice library but you should do something about the front door."
"What do you mean?" asked the librarian. "What is wrong with the door?"
"It looks so old and beat up," answered the patron.
The librarian and the board chair, who was conveniently in the library at the time, went outside to look at the door. Sure enough it was weathered and chipped. Why had they never noticed this? Because they always entered the library through the back door, where the staff parking lot was.
The moral of the story: Patrons know stuff you don't know. Even if you are a professional librarian and/or an experienced trustee; especially if you are one of those things; the public has a different perspective than you. Your very expertise and your institutional perspective blinds you to their reality. What seems important to you is unimportant to them, and what is important to them may be invisible to you.
Jasper library is finally open
Was passing through Jasper AB and saw their library is finally open. They had such a hellish time with their renovation. It took years (!) longer than expected and their temporary location (under the bleachers at a rink) was...challenging. I am so happy for them.
Exterior showing the junction of original building and new extension
The old library is now mostly cosy seating
The new extension is modern but warm
Second floor of the old library is an awesome kids area
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