Researcher(s)
- Lillian Cloyd, Public Policy, University of Delaware
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Joy Jordan, Institute for Public Administration, Conflict Resolution Program, University of Delaware
- Sarah Marshall, Institute for Public Administration, Conflict Resolution Program and Communications Specialist, University of Delaware
Abstract
In partnership with the State of Delaware’s Department of Human Resources (DHR), the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration will design and deliver a series of workshops on strategic thinking in the public sector. These workshops are a component of a larger statewide continuous improvement initiative to promote efficiency and accountability in the workplace. The DHR selected seven asynchronous online training courses as prerequisites for workshop participants, and this subject matter will be reinforced at the in-person training sessions. Each online course was designed and developed by a different organization, so while similar terms and concepts exist across courses, they lack a cohesive connection. This posed a challenge for the UD team: How to turn an incohesive collection of training material into an integrated workshop for public service professionals. Summer Undergraduate Biden School Fellow Lily Cloyd reviewed, synthesized, and streamlined the course material into a reference guide for workshop trainers and participants.
Cloyd enrolled and completed each of the seven courses, on topics including effective leadership communication, strategic thinking tools, and Excel for project management. She identified supplementary research from outside sources to reinforce the core learning objectives. Cloyd developed flyers and infographics to summarize themes in a visual and accessible format. She identified exercises and retention strategies to aid in learning comprehension. Cloyd then combined these components into a workshop reference guide that will enable participants to transition their learnings into everyday project and process improvements.