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Diagnosing for Initiative Success

Lou Howell

Dr. Susan Pecinovsky

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Diagnosis for Success

Why haven’t your previous interventions/professional learning been successful?

What needs to be in place to guarantee success in moving from your current reality to your desired state?

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Why haven’t your previous interventions or professional learning been successful?

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What has been missed?

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So What’s Been Missing?

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Current Desired Reality State

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What has been missed?

  • Clear picture of current reality and desired state
  • Clear root cause
  • Clear expectations for the roles and expected changes in the stakeholders
  • Clear path from the current reality to the desired state through causal links, connections, outcomes and assumptions (If-Then)

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Current Reality →

Desired State

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    • How did you determine your area of concern - a change is needed?
    • What data/information did you identify for your current reality?
  • Determine the Desired State based on the Current Reality
    • How is your desired state aligned with your current reality?
  • Complete a Gap Analysis
    • What gaps are you seeing?

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Let’s Get to

Root Cause

How do we get to root cause?

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Root Cause:

What is it?

The deepest underlying cause or causes, of positive or negative symptoms within any process that if dissolved would result in elimination, or substantial reduction, of the symptom.

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  • Paul Preuss - Chapter 1 Root Cause Basics - Root Cause Analysis - Chapter 1, “Root Cause Basics” of School Leader’s Guide to Root Cause Analysis.

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Root Cause:

The How

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  • What are possible “root causes” that could eliminate or minimize the area of concern and eliminate the gap and move your building/district closer to the desired state?

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Root Cause:

Solutions

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  • Dissolves/Minimizes the problem, the root cause, not the symptoms
    • Limits wasted efforts
    • Conserves resources
    • Forces discussion and reflection – and “outside-the-box” thinking
    • Let’s you know the “why” you are focusing where you are

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KASAB

What expectations do you

have for the stakeholders?

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KASAB:

The Expectations

  • What is a KASAB?
    • Knowledge
    • Attitude
    • Skill
    • Aspiration
    • Behavior

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KASAB:

The Expectations

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KASAB:

Example for Teachers

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Theory of Change

How do we create a clear path

from current reality to desired state?

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Theory of Change:

The How

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  • Identifies the components of an initiative (what the initiative does)
  • Specifies the relationship among the components to explain how the change occurs (sequence of actions)
  • Delineates the underlying assumptions upon which the program is based

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Theory of Change:

Reminder

Personal Impact of Change:

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It’s not so much that we’re afraid of change or so in love with the old ways, but it’s that place in between that we fear . . . It’s like being between trapezes. It’s Linus when his blanket is in the dryer. There’s nothing to hold on to.”

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Marilyn Ferguson

The Aquarian Conspiracy

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Theory of Change:

The How

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What process do you use?

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In collaboration with stakeholders:

    • Brainstorm
    • Affinity process
    • Flow chart

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Theory of Change:

The How

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Theory of Change: Assumptions

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Step back and recognize the interrelationship of:

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  • Assumptions
  • KASAB
  • Theory of Change

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Do we need to create actual steps in

the Theory of Change that address the assumptions and the KASAB?

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Talk It Over

What is the value of having a theory of change for the success of your initiative?

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Table Talk

What will be different tomorrow as a result of this learning today?

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Resources:

  • Assessing Impact : Evaluating Professional Learning Ed. Three by Joellen Killion
  • School Leader’s Guide to Root Cause Analysis by Paul Preuss

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Instructional Framework 101: What It Is & Why Every School Needs One

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Thank you!

Lou Howell, Executive Director of Iowa ASCD

Louhowell@gmail.com

515.229.4781

Dr. Susan Pecinovsky, Educational Consultant

specinovsky0820@gmail.com

641.425.1209

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