A Problem Solving Approach
A JOINT INITIATIVE OF
THE HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
AND HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
P E L -0 5 6
JU N E 1 2 , 2 0 0 8
ST A C E Y C H I L D RE SS
GEO FF M A RIETTA
A Problem-Solving Approach to D esigning and
Implementing a Strategy to Improve Performance
The job of school d istrict lead ership team s is to solve system -level p erform ance p roblem s. Grad u ation rates, achievem ent d ifferences betw een racial and ethnic grou p s, college read iness, and early grad e literacy are bu t a few of the p roblem s faced by tod ay’s d istrict lead ers. Since 2003, facu lty m em bers of the
Pu blic Ed u cation Lead ership Project (PELP) at H arvard University have w orked w ith m ore than a d ozen d istrict lead ership team s on im p roving p erform ance across their entire system s u sing the PELP
1
Coherence Fram ew ork. The Fram ew ork p laces the instru ctional core (all of the d im ensions of teaching and learning) at the center of a school d istrict’s w ork and connects it to the interd ep end ent p ieces of the organization throu gh a strategy to im p rove p erform ance (Exhibit 1).
A nu m ber of d istricts have u sed the Coherence Fram ew ork to su ccessfu lly d iagnose organizational p roblem s, bu t have asked for m ore help w ith strategy d esign and im p lem entation. In resp onse, w e d evelop ed a com p anion tool to help team s w ork throu gh a p roblem -solving p rocess that facilitates the
2
d esign and im p lem entation of a strategy for continu ou s im p rovem ent (Exhibit 2). In ad d ition to d escribing the p rocess, this note p rovid es key qu estions that lead ership team s shou ld answ er for each step in the p rocess, as w ell as illu strative exam p les (Exhibit 3).
Overview
The p roblem -solving ap p roach to d esigning and im p lem enting a strategy inclu d es seven step s:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Id entify and Analyze the Problem
Develop a Theory of Action
Design the Strategy
Plan for Im plem entation
Im plem ent the Strategy
Assess
THE HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
AND HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
P E L -0 5 6
JU N E 1 2 , 2 0 0 8
ST A C E Y C H I L D RE SS
GEO FF M A RIETTA
A Problem-Solving Approach to D esigning and
Implementing a Strategy to Improve Performance
The job of school d istrict lead ership team s is to solve system -level p erform ance p roblem s. Grad u ation rates, achievem ent d ifferences betw een racial and ethnic grou p s, college read iness, and early grad e literacy are bu t a few of the p roblem s faced by tod ay’s d istrict lead ers. Since 2003, facu lty m em bers of the
Pu blic Ed u cation Lead ership Project (PELP) at H arvard University have w orked w ith m ore than a d ozen d istrict lead ership team s on im p roving p erform ance across their entire system s u sing the PELP
1
Coherence Fram ew ork. The Fram ew ork p laces the instru ctional core (all of the d im ensions of teaching and learning) at the center of a school d istrict’s w ork and connects it to the interd ep end ent p ieces of the organization throu gh a strategy to im p rove p erform ance (Exhibit 1).
A nu m ber of d istricts have u sed the Coherence Fram ew ork to su ccessfu lly d iagnose organizational p roblem s, bu t have asked for m ore help w ith strategy d esign and im p lem entation. In resp onse, w e d evelop ed a com p anion tool to help team s w ork throu gh a p roblem -solving p rocess that facilitates the
2
d esign and im p lem entation of a strategy for continu ou s im p rovem ent (Exhibit 2). In ad d ition to d escribing the p rocess, this note p rovid es key qu estions that lead ership team s shou ld answ er for each step in the p rocess, as w ell as illu strative exam p les (Exhibit 3).
Overview
The p roblem -solving ap p roach to d esigning and im p lem enting a strategy inclu d es seven step s:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Id entify and Analyze the Problem
Develop a Theory of Action
Design the Strategy
Plan for Im plem entation
Im plem ent the Strategy
Assess