Scriptapedia/90-minute workshop sample

Sample of a 90 minute workshop

Title

Improving Inter-department Communication

Project Background

Inter-department communication has not been ideal in this institution. We want to improve communication between staff from different departments in order to improve collegiality and effectiveness.

Project Objectives (Explicit and Implicit)

Understand the structure and dynamics of communication in the Institution.

Improve communication between staff from different departments.

Aid the use of SD in solving social problems

Core Modeling Team

*insert names

Participants

Department representative

Time	Activity	Description
	Discussion with project sponsor	Touching base to reiterate the framing of the problem. Restating the problem in a behavior over time graph.
6:00-6:15	Intro SD Intro/public agenda	A leads, S as Notetaker E as photographer A welcomes and thanks everyone for their presence. A to go through the public agenda for the next 90 minutes. A uses the example of the chicken and egg to show system dynamics convention: variables, arrows, polarity. Prompt: As there are more chickens, more chickens lay more eggs. As there are more eggs, more chickens are hatched. Therefore, chicken and eggs share a reinforcing relationship. However, due to overcrowding, chickens begin to cross the road, resulting in road kills. So as there are more chickens, there are also more chicken road kills which lead to less chickens. As such, chicken and chicken road kills form a balancing relationship.
6:15-6:45	Variable elicitation	J leads, E as wallbuilder, A as notetaker S as photographer J gives each participant sheets of paper and markers. J asks "What are the key variables affecting communication problems to organization X?" Collect variables after prioritizing. E places variables on a wall according to general themes, building the wall.
6:45-6:50	Break	To observe break if time permits.
6:50-7:25	Building a CLD with Paper	S leads, J as wallbuilder, E as note taker A as photographer With the question "What are the key variables affecting communication problems to organization X", a main variable forms the basis of the CLD formation. Referring to the variables on the wall, participants can contribute variables and S will clarify what the relationships are. J to model the relationships on the CLD as participants narrate. Prompts: "How does variable A relate to other variables on the wall?" "Are there any variables that may cause this (exogenous) variable to increase or decrease?" J to then explain the main feedback loops as they occur. S to clarify the relationships the various variables have and to encourage participants to see further links between the variables.
7:25-7:30	Closing comments	E facilitates, A as notetaker J as photographer E to describe the main takeaways to the group based on the system insights generated.