Facilitation Techniques, Change Management, Emotional Inteligence, Leadership Skills

Action Planning and Implementation

Groups often complain that whilst they enjoyed a workshop “it didn’t actually change anything”. This can be because there is insufficient time and effort allocated to the action planning and implementation stage of an event/workshop/meeting. It is the non-sexy bit and the time of hard graft and emotionally when people have to commit to action and take personal responsibility rather than group involvement.

The following tools and techniques can make action planning meaningful and productive. Five Questions gives a sensible scope to action planning and Force Field Analysis makes sure that factors which seem positive really are and that factors which are negative are examined in a clear headed way. The Fishbone whilst it can be used for problem solving (as long as the ‘headings’ are known is good fro action planning and implementation. Two more ‘funky techniques: Moving out from the Centre and ‘Twirly’ provide a more creative way of looking at action planning and implementation.

No	Techniques	Situations	Key Words
20	Five Questions – (see also Linking and Fishbone)	The group needs to develop an action plan or new methods and procedures for what is a well-known and current practice. The key to effective action planning lies in: Who? What? When? Where? How? However, we can also use this tool in the analysis phase because it allows the group to discover facts in a structured way: Who did? What happened? When did it happen? Where was it? and How did it occur?	When anyone mentions any of the key words Who, What, When, Where or How?then it is an indication that all the words are significant.	Add to Basket
21	Force Field Analysis	This Model becomes essential when the group is about to embark on any action which potentially has ‘fors’ and ‘againsts’. There is the potential for groups to have ‘Groupthink’ and to avoid facing up to the fact that the plan/strategy/solution is not feasible. Force Field can help bring the issues into reality. “Surely we can’t …if” “I’m not sure we can do it because…” “Is this feasible?” “I think we should go for it even if it’s hard”	Can we? No we can’t For Against Not possible Easy	Add to Basket
22	Fishbone Diagram (Ishikawa)	The Ishikawa Diagram is a tool from Japanese manufacturing for plotting the causes of problems and planning solutions when the high level factors are established “What are the underlying issues here?” “How can we ensure that this solution is correctly mapped out?”	Method Means People Money System Problem What has gone wrong?	Add to Basket
23	Moving out from the centre	Sometimes we need to think creatively about how we can develop a service or a product. Using a modified Four Box Model this technique explores how you can move out from the centre (of current thinking)	And… As well…	Add to Basket
24	“Twirly”	This divergent technique is designed to provide a level of creative thinking in devising an action plan. It looks at subsequent steps needed to make something happen. “How can we make that happen?	What comes first Next, it is… After that… Then … Finally…	Add to Basket

Situations

Key Words