UTILIZING FOCUS GROUPSFOR

STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE

UTILIZING FOCUS GROUPSFOR

STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE

Bob Dorste, Performance Consultant, EiMF

Mary Ann Tietjens, Assistant Superintendent, SSD of St. Louis County© 2012 Excellence in Missouri Foundation

2012 Conference November 14-16, 2012

Workshop Overview

What are Focus Groups? Exercise – Who?/Why? Focus Groups and the Baldrige Performance

Excellence Criteria Focus Group Process Elements Real World Application – Special School District

What Are Focus Groups?

A focus group is a form of qualitative research (quantitative questions may be included) in which a group of people are asked about their perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes towards a product, service, concept, advertisement, idea, or packaging.

Questions are asked in an interactive group setting where participants are free to talk with other group members.

Exercise – Who?/Why?

What sector do you represent? Business, Health Care, Education, Non-Profit,

Government

Who would you identify as Focus Groups?

Why would you identify this group as a Focus Group?

Focus Groups and the Baldrige Performance Excellence Criteria

Focus Groups address a multitude of requirements identified in the Baldrige criteria.

Although our emphasis addresses Categories 2, 3 and 5, Focus Groups are applicable to requirements in all Categories.

Baldrige CriteriaCategory 2 – Strategic Planning

2.1.b (2) – STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE Considerations: How do your STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES achieve the following?...consider and balance the needs of all KEY STAKEHOLDERS

Strategic Planning Note N3 – Your organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (2.1a[2]) should address all factors that are key to your organization’s future success…”your customer and market requirements”…”your workforce and other resource needs”…

7

I feel XYZ Company is consistent in its approaches with different stakeholder groups.

Stro

ngly Agree

Agree

Neutra

l

Disa

gree

Stro

ngly Disa

gree

0% 0% 0%0%0%

1. Strongly Agree

2. Agree

3. Neutral

4. Disagree

5. Strongly Disagree

0 of 5

Baldrige CriteriaCategory 2 – Strategic Planning

2.2.a (2) – ACTION PLAN Implementation: How do you DEPLOY ACTION PLANS throughout the organization to your WORKFORCE and to KEY suppliers and PARTNERS, as appropriate, to achieve your KEY STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES?

2.2.a (4) – What are your KEY human resources or WORKFORCE plans to accomplish your short- and longer-term STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES and ACTION PLANS?

2.2A (5) – How do you ensure that the measurement system covers all KEY DEPLOYMENT areas and STAKEHOLDERS?

9

I feel XYZ Company has the human resources to deliver on the key business functions.

Stro

ngly Agree

Agree

Neutra

l

Disa

gree

Stro

ngly Disa

gree

0% 0% 0%0%0%

1. Strongly Agree

2. Agree

3. Neutral

4. Disagree

5. Strongly Disagree

0 of 5

Baldrige CriteriaCategory 2 – Strategic Planning

Strategy Implementation Note N1 - …The following are examples of key linkages: Category 3 for gathering customer and market

knowledge as input to your strategy and action plans and for deploying action plans

Category 5 for meeting your workforce capability and capacity needs, for workforce development and learning system design and needs, and for implementing workforce-related changes resulting from action plans

Baldrige CriteriaCategory 3 – Customer Focus

Voice of the Customer: CUSTOMER Listening 3.1.a (1) – Listening to Current CUSTOMERS 3.1.a (2) – Listening to Potential CUSTOMERS

Voice of the Customer: Determination of CUSTOMER Satisfaction and ENGAGEMENT 3.1.b (1) – Satisfaction and ENGAGEMENT 3.1.b (2) – Satisfaction Relative to Competitors 3.1.b (3) - Dissatisfaction

12

I feel XYZ Company effectively utilizes technology to interact with its stakeholders.

Stro

ngly Agree

Agree

Neutra

l

Disa

gree

Stro

ngly Disa

gree

0% 0% 0%0%0%

1. Strongly Agree

2. Agree

3. Neutral

4. Disagree

5. Strongly Disagree

0 of 5

Baldrige CriteriaCategory 3 – Customer Focus

Customer Engagement: Product Offerings and CUSTOMER Support 3.2.a (1) – Product Offerings 3.2.a (2) – CUSTOMER Support 3.2.a (3) – CUSTOMER Segmentation 3.2.a (4) – CUSTOMER Data Use

Customer Engagement: Building CUSTOMER Relationships 3.2.b (1) – Relationship Management 3.2.b (2) – Complaint Management

Baldrige CriteriaCategory 5 – Workforce Focus

Workforce Environment: WORKFORCE CAPABILITY and CAPACITY 5.1.a (1) – CAPABILITY and CAPACITY 5.1.a (2) – New WORKFORCE Members

Workforce Environment: WORKFORCE Climate 5.1.b (1) – Workplace Environment 5.1.b (2) – WORKFORCE Policies and Benefits

Baldrige CriteriaCategory 5 – Workforce Focus

Workforce Engagement: WORKFORCE PERFORMANCE

5.2.a (1) – Elements of ENGAGEMENT

5.2.a (2) – Organizational Culture

5.2.a (3) – PERFORMANCE Management

Workforce Engagement: WORKFORCE and Leader Development

5.2.c (1) – LEARNING and Development System

5.2.c (2) – LEARNING and Development EFFECTIVENESS

5.2.c (3) – Career Progression

16

I feel XYZ Company effectively utilizes technology to interact with its workforce.

Stro

ngly Agree

Agree

Neutra

l

Disa

gree

Stro

ngly Disa

gree

0% 0% 0%0%0%

1. Strongly Agree

2. Agree

3. Neutral

4. Disagree

5. Strongly Disagree

0 of 5

Baldrige CriteriaOther Categories

Category 1: Leadership

ETHICS

Communication Category 4: Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge

Management

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Best-Practice Sharing

Knowledge Management

18

I feel XYZ Company is ethical in its approaches.

Stro

ngly Agree

Agree

Neutra

l

Disa

gree

Stro

ngly Disa

gree

0% 0% 0%0%0%

1. Strongly Agree

2. Agree

3. Neutral

4. Disagree

5. Strongly Disagree

0 of 5

Focus Groups – EiMF Process

Establish Client’s End-in-Mind/Use for Feedback Roles & Responsibilities

Qualified Facilitator/Moderator – Leads group process Administrator – documentation, captures

ideas/comments/themes Ground Rules

Confidentiality Permission to Record Focus Group Size – optimal size 10 – 12 participants

Focus Groups – EiMF Process

Real time information capturing

Clickers Workshop demonstration

Combination of Qualitative and Quantitative Questions

Discussion Likert Scale Standard/Common and Group-specific

Demographics Feedback Report

Baldrige-type feedback report, including key themes, Strengths and opportunities for improvement

Focus Groups – Role of EiMF Analyst

Support Facilitator with Client Requirements Prepare/Populate Content in Custom Application Files Supplement Electronic Data with On-site Detailed Notes Synthesize Data From All Focus Group Sessions

Significant Amount of Workload – Typically 40 to 60 Hours Generating Feedback Report

Focus Group – Real World Application

Special School District of St. Louis County

Mary Ann Tietjens – Assistant Superintendent

Strategic Planning Process - Requirements

Focus Groups

Stakeholders Other Uses of Feedback

Proposed Place Holders

Focus Groups

Questions?