Workshop facilitation with the populations of the Centre de services scolaires des découvreurs

Project Details

Start: September 2022
End: January 2023
Client: Centre de services scolaire des découvreurs

Background

The School Services Center aimed to improve its operations and services over the next four years, catering to the diverse needs of its population, including elementary professors, high school professors, professional trade professors, administrative assistants, surveillants, students, directors, and more. To gather insights and ideas, a workshop was organized and executed 4 times, bringing together a total of over 150 participants which where different stakeholders within the center.

Objective

The primary goal was to engage the diverse population in ideation and collaboration, ultimately leading to the creation of an engagement plan for the School Service Center's next four years.

Process

1. Preparation

   • A prep book was distributed before the workshop to introduce the subject and encourage participants to reflect on potential ideas.

2. Group Formation

   • Participants were grouped into teams of 6-8 individuals with similar roles to foster collaboration and shared understanding.
   • Ice-breaking activities, such as creating team names, were employed to create a comfortable and inclusive environment.

3. Idea Generation

   • Participants engaged in silent brainstorming using post-it notes, focusing on various subjects related to improving the School Service Center.
   • Specific subjects were assigned, but an "other" category allowed for flexibility and inclusion of unique ideas.

4. Group Collaboration

   • Individuals placed their post-it notes on their group's board.
   • Groups collaborated to categorize and cluster ideas, identifying common themes.

5. Prioritization

   • Each group identified three main points they considered crucial for the School Service Center's improvement.
   • Groups presented their ideas to others, fostering cross-pollination of thoughts and perspectives.

6. Voting

   • Participants voted on the best ideas using stickers, allowing for a democratic and inclusive selection process.

7. Data Transmission

   • The collected data this activity produced were brought together, summerized and transmitted to the School Service Center's committee, providing valuable insights for prioritization and report writing.

Outcomes

• A comprehensive set of ideas and priorities was generated, reflecting the collective wisdom of the School Services Center's diverse population.
• The prioritized ideas, backed by participant votes, served as a foundation for the committee's decision-making process and the subsequent report to the government.

Benefits

• Inclusivity: Involving various stakeholders ensured a wide range of perspectives and needs were considered.
• Collaboration: Group activities facilitated collaboration, breaking down silos between different roles.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: The voting process provided quantifiable data, aiding the committee in making informed decisions.

Conclusion

The workshop not only served as a platform for idea generation but also fostered a sense of ownership and collaboration among the School Service Center's diverse population. The insights gathered and prioritized during the workshop laid the groundwork for a strategic engagement plan, aligning the center's efforts with the needs and expectations of its stakeholders for the next four years.

Contributors and Roles

• Louis-Philippe Bellerose - User experience researcher
• Audrey Marcotte - User experience researcher

Tools Used

• Miro
• MS Team