The Secret’s In The Mix:
Using OR to inform learning and teaching developments
Dr. Jo Smedley
Director of CELT
• So who are "we"?
Business minded
Focused
Surfers
Collaborative
Creative
Achievement & outcome focused Co-workers
Firefighters!
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CELT Conference 2012
• Theme: collaboration and communication
• Mix
– Technologists
– Business staff
– Staff: academic and learning support
– Students
– Marketing staff
• Focus: Achieving cost effective outcome
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Background • Literature:
– Lehaney and Paul (1996), Ackermann et al. (1997), Rosenhead & Mingers (2001), Pidd (2004), Mingers et al. (2009), Franco (2006), Hindle & Franco (2009)............
• Approach: – Frequently ill-defined problems
– Influences: Unique, complex, dynamic, social, political, cultural, strong-held
– Reflecting experiential learning .v. “forcing” system solution
– “Visualising” discussion with the group
– Genuine consensus through open and free participation
• Approach: Keeping things simple
• Challenges – Influences within the team
– Little respect of alternative viewpoints
– Territorial (cultural, theoretical, practical) behaviours
– Working together and negotiating outcomes
• Strengths/Opportunities – Using in-depth first-hand knowledge across the organisation
– Enterprise: Stimulating creativity and encouraging new ideas
– Developing agreement and progressing agreed action plan
– CPD through learning by doing – Part of ongoing change developments within the organisation
Overview
View C
View B
View D
View A
View E
Map
Options
Model
Action Plan
empowerment
visualisation & translation
negotiation
consideration implementation
View B
View D
View A
View E View C
Feedback
discussion
Lessons Learned
• Pictures – Content – Colour Red, blue, green, black ......
• Expectations (hierarchy/behaviour, ......) – Wearing “hats”
– Hearing “voices”
• Technology – Consistent feedback
• Iterations – Coordination, collaboration, integration ......
So what next?
Involving wider range of
participants in collaboration
Staff, students, employers
Within and between analyses
Using different:
Engagement patterns
Methodologies
Exploring engagement through
blends of technology
Linking back to “hard” OR
Questions
Contact details
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: http://www.newport.ac.uk/staff/jl/Pages/JoSmedley.aspx
• Skype: jo_smedley
• Twitter: josmedley
