Cases: Evaluation, Assessment

mEASUREMENT & ANALYSIS ARE THE FOUNDATION STONES FOR SUCCESS

Introduction

FutureU has conducted evaluation and assessment initiatives for a variety of clients, such as the NASA Astrobiology Institute, American Hospital Association, California Pacific Medical Center, University of Phoenix, and Pacific Bell. Examples of this work include the following.

NASA Astrobiology Institute, Moffett Field, California

Audience: Management staff and scientific investigators and IT support teams from more than 500 higher-ed institutions and research centers.

Goal:

  • To create a virtual institute of several hundred scientists doing research in the new discipline of “astrobiology.”
  • To share scientific data and ideas.
  • To provide high-quality, easy-to-learn, and easy-to-use tools that support virtual collaboration.
  • To facilitate the evolution of a loose affiliation of researchers into a virtual community of practice.

Results:

  • Assisted team leader (a cultural anthropologist) with project management. Used ethnographic and other qualitative methods to assess the needs and readiness to use virtual collaboration tools of the institute’s 500 plus scientist members.
  • We interviewed representatives of all key stakeholder groups to assess the current state of the institute.
  • Surveyed the entire population to identify a list of tools and features they wanted to support their work and communication.
    • Got 100% participation from most key stakeholder groups.
    • Collected responses from 165 of 500 respondents, including all 15 primary investigators and most of the co-investigators and assistant investigators.
  • Researched the marketplace and found products to meet the reported needs.
    • Winnowed those down to the top half dozen products in each category.
    • Held open demos and surveyed attendees after each demo.
    • Identified prime candidates for piloting
  • Launched and ran pilots
  • Conducted evaluations
  • Created roll-out plan
  • Provided training and coaching in best practices for virtual collaboration and in the use of specific collaboration software.

Outcomes: After 3 years the institute had 17 sites with video conferencing rooms, dozens of desktop video participants, wide-spread adoption of Web-based real-time meetings, and early adoption of knowledge management/document management tools.

  • Total cost of project: $350,000.
  • Total project time: 18 months across 3 years.

University of Phoenix Online Campus

University of Phoenix Online logo

Audience: Working Professionals

Goal: To create a Continuing Professional Education program based on proven academic courses, but targeted to working professionals who are looking for academic certification rather than a degree.

Results: We designed a market research project to determine if there was a perceived need for this kind of professional education program.

Researched specific human resource (HR) trade publications conducted in-person interviews at major HR professional meetings and engaged in telephone interviewing of thought leaders to determine what kinds of topics were perceived as most needed for leadership and employee development.

Helped client choose and supervise sub-contractor who conducted primary market research by interviewing HR and training department directors within 60 corporations. Participated in creation and delivery of report and used report to design program and develop modules and certificate programs which were then taken to market.

  • Total cost of project: $180,000.
  • Total elapsed time: 18 months.

American Hospital Association's Healthforum Fellowship

American Hospital Association Health Forum Fellowship logo

Audience: Senior Healthcare Managers, Cardiac Physicians, Safety Patient Specialists, Community Organizers

Goal: To improve community health, cardiac health, and patient safety.

As part of the continuing professional education efforts of the American Hospital Association, the Health Forum Fellowship’s charter is to provide learning opportunities for senior health executives around leadership and community organizing for health initiatives.

Results: FutureU co-founder Claude Whitmyer consulted about the development of a leadership institute to be delivered partially face-to-face and partially over the Internet (also called “blended learning”).

Helped identify products, and attended demonstrations to provide feedback. Guided Health Forum Fellowship staff in the choosing, development, and deployment of both the technology and the content of the programs.

Designed, developed, and delivered three of the seven program modules:

  • Technology-Enriched Learning and Communication
  • Transformational Leadership: Key Disciplines
  • Personal Mastery: The Path to Organizational Transformation

In addition, served as the faculty advisor to the Fellowship program from 1994 to 2006.

Development Cost

  • Total cost of project: $20,000 per module.
  • Total Development Time: 3 months per module

Delivery Cost

  • Annual Teaching Fees: $6,000.
  • Total elapsed time: 3 courses, twice per year, each period lasted 2 weeks (5 to 7 hours per week).

For more detailed descriptions of individual case types, visit these pages: