In its broadest sense “process” refers to how things are done rather than what is done. If I am crossing the street, that is what I am doing, but the process is how I am crossing: walking, running, dodging cars, asking someone to help me across because I feel dizzy. Process is everywhere. In order to help, intervene, and facilitate human problem solving, one must focus on communication and interpersonal processes. The processes we need to learn to observe and manage are those that make a demonstrable difference to problem solving, decision-making, and organizational effectiveness in general.
– Schein, E.H. (1987). Process Consultation, Vol. 2. Reading, Mass: Addison-Wesley
The FPD team at CTLT provides process consulting services intended to help “make a demonstrable difference to problem-solving, decision-making, and organizational effectiveness” related to teaching and learning. We work with leaders and members of UBC units who are looking for some assistance in identifying the results they and their group(s) need to accomplish, and/or the methods they might use to achieve those results. Our goal is to help those with whom we work develop and realize the purpose and objectives of their team initiatives, and collaborate to achieve specific goals.
What do we offer?
- Design of a process (a single event or a longer initiative) – a series of deliberately sequenced activities intended to lead to projected outcomes, and
- Facilitation – where a facilitator enables diverse group members to work together collaboratively and effectively in pursuit of specific goals.
The results, methods and nature of how our facilitators work with group members depend on the situation, and are developed in consultation with those we work with. In the past, we have worked with various units at UBC to, among other things:
- Develop teaching goals following a departmental amalgamation
- Become a more effective distributed team (members in similar positions at different locations) working to achieve common teaching and learning goals
- Develop attributes of the ideal graduate of particular programs
- Develop practical visions for specific projects, programs, etc.
Examples
Some examples of our process consulting this year include designing and/or facilitating:
- A strategic planning retreat for the Human Nutrition group in Land and Food Systems
- A series of events for the TLPD staff conducting Connect workshops to develop program outcomes for the entire group of related workshops
- A series of events for Land and Food Systems related to developing and updating the curriculum for their Core Series of courses (continuing work begun in 2010-2011)
- Two workshops for Terreweb intended to serve as a mid-project evaluation of a multi-year project (continuing work begun in 2011-2012 and will extend into 2013-2014)
We have also consulted with representatives of several units who initially thought that what they wanted/needed to achieve their goals was a facilitated event, but who, after consultation, found that an alternative approach was more appropriate.
Contact Us
Send us a message if you are thinking about or require process consulting.
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