Facilitation Services (SIN 874-2)

The basic organizational unit in most business settings now consists of a "team," whether it is the executive team of a Federal agency or a team of workers looking for ways to improve their work process. SAIC provides facilitation and related decision support services to customers engaged in collaboration efforts, working groups, or integrated product, process, or self-directed teams. SAIC's expert facilitators know how to help agencies bring teams together and use their diversity and divergent interests to build a constructive advantage.

Use of Problem Solving Techniques: With the shift to team-based work, problem solving is now often a facilitated process. Our facilitators apply group decision techniques to assist Federal agencies as they work through difficult problems that fundamentally affect their future. We use time-proven facilitation techniques such as brainstorming, nominal group technique, cause and effect diagrams, focus groups, force field analysis, gap analysis, multi-voting, Pareto diagrams, stakeholder analysis, and team building. In addition, the SAIC Team uses Leadership 2000's CoNexus Teamware to greatly accelerate problem solving. Federal agency team members enter their views and priorities in real time, using hand-held remote polling devices. After the information is entered, CoNexus Teamware analyzes the data and graphically depicts the results for team discussion, and automatically generates reports.

Defining and Refining the Agenda: The facilitation process recognizes that the best solutions are seldom evident in the beginning. Even the problem itself is usually poorly defined in the beginning. Our facilitators define and refine the agenda to help client teams begin to define the boundaries or scope of their problems. This technique helps teams explore controversial issues, identify options with pros and cons, and select and further refine the solution. This is especially useful with teams composed of representatives from agencies with differing perspectives on the nature of the problem and how the problem should be solved.

Convening and Leading Group Discussions: SAIC facilitators are experienced in planning, convening, and leading group interactions to meet the specific needs of our customers. Our facilitators remain neutral and focused on the group's objectives. This allows them to keep the group on its intended subject and within the time allotted for each topic. As adjustments to the agenda are needed, our facilitators focus the discussion to ensure best use of the time remaining.

Resolving Disputes, Disagreements, and Divergent Views: Divergent views are a basic impediment to the creative process, but are inevitable in the current business environment. The key to a successful creative process is to re-direct the negative energy, associated with divergent views, toward creating a shared understanding of these views and then converge on creative solutions. SAIC facilitators use process models such as Integrated Definition (IDEF), root cause analysis, and customer needs analysis to establish a common understanding. We also stress active listening techniques to help disputing individuals understand their differences.

Recording Discussion Content and Focusing Decision-Making: SAIC's basic facilitation team is the facilitator and a recorder. The facilitator records ideas and analysis in real-time on flip charts. These charts are posted on the walls (story boarded) to create a collaborative working area. The recorder captures the discussion content throughout the facilitated session. The recorded discussion is formatted and a draft is presented to the participants by the following day for review. Another facilitation method used by the SAIC Team is Leadership 2000's CoNexus Teamware. One of the major advantages of using CoNexus Teamware is its documentation capability. The group members enter information directly into individually handheld remote polling units. CoNexus Teamware records discussion points and displays group information on a central projection screen. CoNexus Teamware is especially useful in focusing decision-making and in generating and analyzing a large number of creative alternatives in a short period of time.

Providing a Draft for the Permanent Record: SAIC facilitators and recorders compile and edit materials from the proceedings into an organized record. This report documents the objective of the session, organizes the materials presented, and summarizes the results. The report provides a clear record of the group's work and can be used as the draft report for the permanent record.

Debriefing and Overall Planning: SAIC views debriefing the group's executive sponsor as an integral part of each facilitation engagement. The debriefing helps maintain the commitment and involvement of the Federal agency's leadership. In addition, the debriefing and permanent records become an integral part of the overall planning and program management process.