The Planning For The Community Building Session Is Almost Complete Th
The planning for the community building session is almost complete. The last details are how to conduct the plenary sessions for sharing information across groups to develop key priorities and themes that will need to be addressed. There are 2 sessions that need to be planned. One is to review the work done by intact work teams. In this larger session, the goal is to spot patterns and identify themes that can be used to plan actions.
These patterns or themes will come from the stop–continue–start charts developed by each functional group. In this way, not only will the changes that need to happen be identified, but aspects of effective work (those things that work well and should be continued) can also be reinforced. The external consulting team strongly recommended a "cross-functional, by-level grouping" for the first step. Their aim is to promote understanding of priorities and show how different issues at different levels of the organization can be aligned. The internal consulting team is excited about being the primary facilitators for these sessions.
Everyone recognizes that a structured approach will be critical (for timing and to control decision–making inputs). The approach called Nominal Group Technique (NGT) seems to be ideally suited to this task. You want to prepare yourself for conducting the session. Use the library, Internet, or other resources to research NGT. Because each grouping will be of a differing size, you want to tailor the overall steps of NGT to the situation you will facilitate.
To do this, you must create a meeting session plan (a document of 4–5 pages) that will answer the following questions: What is the goal of the session? How will the nominal group technique be used to achieve this goal? How will the members of the team work together (guidelines for effective participation)? What specific steps and tasks will be involved in achieving the goal? How much time will be allocated to each step or task? What voting mechanism is most appropriate for the size of the group and the specific stage of the process? What will the outcome look like? What will the group present to the other levels? Download a sample format here. Your assignment is to complete the missing sections (in red) and develop any additional participant materials or instructions to assist the group in completing the task.
Paper For Above instruction
The success of community-building efforts in organizational development hinges significantly on effective facilitation techniques that enable inclusive participation and foster consensus. One such technique, the
Nominal Group Technique (NGT), proves invaluable in structured decision-making processes within diverse group settings. This paper elaborates on the application of NGT in planning community building sessions, particularly focusing on optimizing its use across varying group sizes and organizational levels to identify key themes and priorities.
Introduction
Organizational change initiatives often involve multiple stakeholders working collaboratively to identify core issues and develop actionable plans. The effectiveness of these initiatives depends on establishing a common understanding of organizational priorities, which can be achieved through structured facilitation tools like NGT. As part of an overarching community building strategy, NGT provides a disciplined approach to idea generation, discussion, and consensus formation. The goal of the session, therefore, is to harness NGT to extract meaningful themes from stop–continue–start charts created by functional groups, thereby aligning organizational priorities and reinforcing effective practices.
Goals of the Session
The primary goal of the planned session is to analyze and synthesize insights from different functional groups to identify common themes, patterns, and priorities that will inform subsequent action planning. This involves facilitating cross-functional, by-level groupings where members share information, generate ideas, and collectively decide on focal issues. The key objectives are to:
Recognize recurring themes across groups.
Highlight effective practices that should be maintained.
Identify areas needing targeted improvement or change.
Develop consensus on organizational priorities to guide action plans.
Adapting NGT to Group Size and Context
The NGT process typically works well across a range of group sizes, from small teams to larger assemblies. For smaller groups (up to 10 participants), a simplified, more interactive approach can be adopted, allowing more time for discussion. For larger groups (more than 10), a more structured process with clear time limits for each step is necessary to maintain focus and efficiency. The adaptations include:
Reducing the number of ideas generated in initial stages for efficiency.
Implementing breakout sessions for larger groups, then reconvening for synthesis.
Utilizing digital voting tools or color-coded cards to streamline ranking.
Clear instructions and time boundaries to ensure active participation from all members.
Session Structure and Timeline
The NGT session will follow a series of structured steps, each with allocated time to ensure balanced participation and focus:
Introduction and Goal Explanation (10 minutes):
Clarify objectives, outline process, and establish guidelines for participation.
Silent Idea Generation (15 minutes):
Participants independently list key themes based on review of stop–continue–start charts.
Round-Robin Sharing (20 minutes):
Each participant shares one idea at a time, recorded visibly for all to see.
Discussion and Clarification (15 minutes):
Group discusses ideas for clarification and elaboration without debate or judgment.
Voting and Prioritization (15 minutes):
Use a predetermined voting mechanism suitable for group size and stage.
Results and Synthesis (10 minutes):
Present prioritized themes and discuss implications for action planning.
Voting Mechanisms Based on Group Size
For small groups (up to 10), a simple show-of-hands or digital polling can efficiently determine priorities. In larger groups, a ranked voting system or digital voting platforms that allow for anonymous input are preferable to ensure fairness and reduce peer pressure. Approval voting or dot voting are effective methods for larger assemblies, enabling quick consensus on top priorities.
Expected Outcomes and Presentation
The outcome of the session will be a set of well-defined, prioritized themes aligned across functions and organizational levels. These themes will be documented and presented to leadership and other stakeholder groups to inform strategic planning. The presentation should include visual summaries, such as charts or matrices, highlighting patterns, key issues, and recommended action areas, accompanied by participant feedback and consensus statements.
Participant Materials and Instructions
Participants will receive clear instructions before the session, including the purpose, steps, voting procedures, and expectations for participation. Materials will include example stop–continue–start charts, voting cards or digital links, and a summary sheet of guidelines for effective participation. Facilitators will also advise on respectful listening, equal opportunity to speak, and constructive feedback to foster a collaborative environment.
Conclusion
Implementing NGT in community building sessions offers a structured pathway to harness diverse perspectives, create shared understanding, and develop consensus on organizational priorities. By tailoring the process to group size and ensuring clear communication and guidelines, facilitators can maximize engagement and produce actionable outcomes that drive organizational change and community cohesion.
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