Overview
The DMC program used a round-based approach, with each round consisting of the following means of SIO support: a workshop, coaching sessions, and peer learning sessions. Each of these elements flowed into one another, stemming from the workshop. For instance, the first workshop topic on data privacy and security led into coaching sessions on risk assessments and peer learning sessions on tackling organizational data security challenges. To help understand the sequence of supports, see Table 1 for the program calendar.
We encourage a round-based approach as it allows for a comprehensive understanding of and customizable support regarding key topics, utilizing different activities that benefit different learner types. Ultimately, though, it is best to pick and choose what suits your needs.
Workshops
For one-to-two hour data workshops, we recommend designing so that activities are central to the learning. Presentations should be used sparingly, instead focusing on teaching concepts that are used in activities and discussions and are based on implementing or debriefing activities. This creates a more engaged, empowered audience that is more willing to apply concepts practically.
The workshop evaluations provided invaluable insights into the participants’ experiences and their perceptions of the workshops. Incorporating suggested improvements will help make future iterations more impactful, ensuring that it continues to meet the evolving needs and expectations of its participants.
Recommendations
For the third workshop, we recommend the following learning focus areas: elements of data architecture, the data architecture performance assessments, and strategic data architecture investments. Engaging participants in activities that allow for an assessment of their own organizational data architectures, pros and cons with each, and opportunities for improvements, creates a rich level of discussion and activity that seamlessly moves to steps forward beyond the workshop.
- Be thoughtful about learning content, supporting participants where they have specific needs and at a level of sophistication that fits their skill sets and understanding.
- Teach and discuss actionable best practices and concepts that participants can directly apply in their roles. Use simple tools, such as criteria and checklists, for ease of use beyond the workshops.
- Create interactive and collaborative workshops, centered around activities that have practical applications to participant’s organizational efforts. If your workshop(s) are within a larger program, collaboration is also particularly useful for building networks for communal support.
- You generally can’t create significant change in one workshop, but you can catalyze change. Using a workshop as a springboard for further growth (either internal to an organization or through further supports, such as the DMC’s peer learning and coaching) is an excellent result from a short data workshop.
- Relevance is key to an engaging workshop. Relevance comes from examples related to a participant’s daily work, activities that can be applied to workplace challenges, and discussions that balance practical experiences with new concepts.
Coaching
Recommendations:
- For individual coaching, define objectives and overall scope of work with participants up front. Reference the defined scope during coaching sessions to maintain focus on goals and keep sessions organized and forward looking.
- Hold weekly or biweekly sessions with participants to add a sense of regularity and continuity to maintain momentum and engagement.
- Give participants “homework” to drive progress, buy-in, and further engagement in the process and results they hope to achieve.
- Maintain a clear end point of the coaching sessions, based on the scope and expected deliverables for participants to achieve.
- Utilizing both group and individual coaching sessions was useful as it allowed people who learn in different ways or have a variety of organizational challenges to have their needs met through the diversity of support.
- While coaching is often seen as ad hoc, in this type of program, it is useful to develop a clear scope and objectives to create meaningful change. Otherwise, results may be sporadic and sessions disorganized.
- If at all possible, base coaching around the creation of a tangible product or result. This ensures practicality of support, clear messaging in terms of forward progress, and homework items for participants to tackle.
- Create regular check-ins with coaching participants to monitor progress, maintain engagement, and keep momentum going. Even if minimal progress could be made between certain sessions, keeping the regularity is a good way to keep everyone’s “eyes on the ball.”
Peer Learning Sessions
Approach
Peer learning sessions are useful to connect participants on common challenges, spotlighting learning through their own discussions rather than facilitator-designed content and knowledge transfer. If doing so, we recommend using a facilitator fly-on-the-wall approach, where facilitators support key transitions in the agenda and probe within discussions when necessary but maintain the focus away from themselves.
While designing the peer learning session, aim to create an enabling environment for peers to connect, learn, and share. We recommend taking the following steps:
- Prior to each session, ask the participants over email or other communication platforms a question to assess needs, such as: What question, if answered, would allow you to feel more confident in your organization’s data security measures?
- During the session, ask individuals/ groups/ teams to input their responses in a template
- Allow 8-10 minutes for participants to read out their own responses, solicit feedback from peers, and facilitate a discussion. Through this discussion, they receive different perspectives, ideas, and perhaps methods of handling their questions.
- Offer support minimally during the session with transitions and session introductions, making space for the peers to engage. Only at the end of the session should you, the facilitator, offer your thoughts and feedback on any discussed topics during the session.
Each peer learning session should only have a small number of participants, so each person has the time to discuss their responses and receive feedback. If possible, session participants should be grouped based on a combination of organizational similarities and unique perspectives to provide feedback and relay experiences that are relevant to the conversation.
During the DMC, peer learning session questions focused on: data ethics, privacy, and security for Round 1, core metrics for Round 2, and tech processes for Round 3. From the first session, a sample of the participant challenges brought up included:
- How do we monitor and control access and permissions as the organization grows and changes?
- How do we select the correct platform/data asset, considering data security measures first instead of pricing or following industry trends?
- What kind of incident response plan should we have in place in case of a data breach?
From our experience, by removing the facilitators as the session focal point, participants quickly transition to engaging amongst themselves. This creates breathing room for valuable discussions, from specific technical solutions to commiseration regarding pain points, to practices their organizations implemented that could serve others. This change in the dynamics of the conversation also fosters network strengthening and camaraderie, which for the DMC provided tangible and intangible benefits.
Recommendations:
- Create dedicated time for participants to learn from their peers about how they’ve handled similar challenges in the past.
- When peer-to-peer advice given is particularly unhelpful, utilize intentional strategies to redirect conversations. Avoid doing so unless the interjection is needed at that moment. Otherwise, save the feedback for the end of the session.
- Allow participants to appreciate their common challenges. Doing so fosters a sense of camaraderie and community when, at times, data challenges may feel isolating.
- Allow the conversation to continue. Often peers dealing with the same challenges provide invaluable solutions to specific challenges. If time is running out on the session, remind participants that they can reach out directly to each other outside of the session (You may need to receive approval first to share information).
- Beyond the learning itself, peer learning provides the value of allowing participants to understand that so many of their challenges are faced by others. When participants are across organizations, this is critical, since so many people may feel siloed in their struggles.