Chapter 12: Toseland

Multi-attribute Utility Analysis

(MAU) uses decision rules to specify the relationships between attributes of a problem. very effective for helping groups make sound, rational decisions, especially when important policy decisions are being made or when decision-making processes may be scrutinized. Most rational and technical method discussed in this chapter for making decisions in task groups.

Quality Improvement Groups

*Popular in Health and Human Services are small groups of employees who get together voluntarily, elect a leader, and identify and solve problems they have in completing their work assignments in a particular department or other settings. The intent is not only to improve quality but also to prevent workers from becoming alienated from the process and place of their work QCs are often used for idea generation and for improving the work environment

Rules for Radicals

, Alinsky (1971) developed a number of pragmatic rules for choosing among different action strategies.

focus group leaders should have the ability t

1) establish rapport quickly, 2) listen carefully to each member's opinions, 3) demonstrate a genuine interest in each member's views, 4) avoid jargon and sophisticated terminology that may turn off members, 5) flexibly implement the discussion guide, 6) sense when a topic is exhausted or when it is becoming threatening, 7) know what topic to introduce to maintain a smooth flow of the discussion 8) facilitate group dynamics that encourage the full participation of all members and avoid domination by talkative members.

Successful focus groups

1) planning a specific agenda, 2) recruiting and screening appropriate participants, 3) effective moderation during meetings, and 4) clear and detailed analysis and interpretation of the results.

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)

A continuous improvement in the quality of the product or service being delivered

hitchhiking

Combining, rearranging, and improving ideas are encouraged. this technique calls on group members to build on ideas that have already been expressed.

Nominal Group Technique (NGT)

Developing a clear statement of the problem Round robin recording of ideas generated by group members Hitchhiking: generating new ideas from ideas already listed Serial discussion to clarify ideas Preliminary ordering of ideas by importance Choosing highest priority ideas and ranking in order of priority Discussion of ranked ideas

Social Action Strategies

First, it promotes the capacity of all people to take action to improve their situation. Second, this action is based on open participation, when people working collectively in groups explore underlying social issues and take action to alleviate problems.

Reverse brainstorming

Group method for obtaining new ideas by focusing on the negative aspects

Quality improvement Groups

Has many different names for quality improvement groups including: Quality circles (QC's) Learning collaborations, Quality improvement team (QIT's) Continuous quality improvement work groups and Self-Managed work teams

Strategies for Raising Public Awareness

Meeting with community residents Making presentations to civic and religious organizations Testifying at public hearings Publicizing the issue through local newspapers, radio or television stations, and websites Demonstrating, picketing, and boycotting

Quid Pro Quo

Process of bargaining involves a good faith ——————-arrangement and assumes that each party will make some change desired by the other

MAU

Used as a decision making method for choosing among distinct alternatives or for ranging ranking numerous cases by priority *Most Rational and technical method, for making decisions in task groups

Nominal Group Technique (NGT): Delbecq and Van

an idea-generating process in which group members generate their initial ideas silently and independently and then combine them and consider them as a group

Incidental Motions

are concerned with procedural questions relating to issues on the floor. Some examples are a point of order and a point of information.

Focus Groups

are designed to collect in-depth, qualitative information about a particular service or topic of interest 6 to 12 members well suited for gathering in-depth data about the attitudes and opinions of participants focus groups can provide an effective and efficient method for collecting in-depth, qualitative data about the thoughts and opinions of consumers of health and social services

Subsidiary motions

assist in the handling and disposal of motions on the floor.

Freewheeling

is welcomed. Members are encouraged to express all their ideas, no matter what they are

Electronic brainstorming or electronic group decision support systems

computer-based group decision making, to enhance the quality of group decision making.

Privileged motions

deal with the agenda of the group meeting as a whole

Phillips 66 Method

developed to facilitate discussion in large groups (Phillips, 1948). Originally, Phillips' 66 referred to a technique of dividing a large group or audience into groups of six and having each group spend six minutes formulating one question for the speaker.

trigger group procedure

each individual works alone for 5 to 10 minutes to develop a list of ideas and suggestions

Consciousness-raising

efforts is to encourage community members to gain a renewed sense of individual and community pride and to join forces to improve their community

QITs and Continuous Quality Improvement Work Teams

frequently consist of employees from different organizational levels and a variety of departments or functions within the organization.

QC's and QIT's

generally consist of six to eight employees who meet regularly (e.g., weekly, monthly) to identify and solve problems that they face individually or as a larger work force. In QCs, a facilitator is selected by the membership; in QITs, this member may be appointed

QCs and QITs

have several benefits including encouraging workers to solve problems that interfere with their job satisfaction and performance, and gaining a greater sense of control and autonomy. In turn, workers are likely to feel better about their work, and more committed to it.

Direct action strategies

include rallies, demonstrations, marches, picketing, sit-ins, vigils, blockades, boycotts, slowdowns, strikes, and many other forms of nonviolent and violent protest.

Main motions

introduce the central, substantive issues for group consideration.

Quantity

is encouraged. Good ideas can emerge at any time during the method.

Parliamentary procedure

is often used in large groups because it provides a well-defined structure to guide group process.

During brainstorming: Criticism

is ruled out. Members are asked to withhold analyses, judgments, and evaluations about any ideas presented during the idea-generating process.

Perhaps the most important limitation of parliamentary procedure

is that it is not well suited for problem solving, especially when the problem is complex, muddled, or not fully understood.

Primary service for QC's and QIT's

is to improve the quality of the service delivered to consumers.

Capacity building

means helping community groups develop the ability and the resources to successfully tackle one issue or a set of issues.

idea writing

participants break into small groups, each member can be given a sheet of paper with a triggering question or item to which the member should respond in writing.

Brainstorming

the total effort is directed toward creative thinking rather than to analytical or evaluative thinking. Analytical and evaluative thinking can reduce the ability to generate creative ideas 15 or more Longer meetings may produce higher quality ideas because those presented later in the brainstorming session build on the ones presented earlier

Quality Improvement Teams

use the following specific steps for quality improvement: 1) understanding the opportunity or problem, 2) defining the specific target for improvement, 3) designing strategies to reach the target, 4) designing data-acquiring strategies, 5) designing a process to use the data, and 6) determining how the project will be managed. QITs emphasize systematic, data-based, problem-solving strategies for improving the quality of services delivered by an organization.

Nominal Group Technique (NGT)

was created to "increase rationality, creativity, and participation in problem-solving meetings associated with program It is designed to prevent group processes that inhibit interaction

Brainstorming should not be used

when the group faces a technical problem that requires systematic, organized thinking.