What You Can Expect if You Are Asked to Participate in a Critical Issues Session
What is a “Critical Issues” Session? A critical issues session is very similar to a focus group. In the critical issues session a select group of stakeholders will meet to brainstorm and discuss a series of specific issues concerning the development of a multiyear technology plan for the college.
What is the purpose of this session? The purpose of this session is to generate all the critical issues that will need to be considered and dealt with as we embark on a project to develop a multiyear technology plan.
How long will it take? Two hours.
When and where will it be? The time and place of the session will be included in the email that each participant will receive.
Why was I selected to participate? Participants in the critical issues session are selected to best represent the technical, functional, and academic departments of the College. There will be people from the IT organization, admissions, financial aid, student accounts, faculty, senior administration and others.
Who will facilitate this session? Two staff members from Collegiate Project Services will facilitate the session.
Do I need to prepare for this session? Yes. Prior to the session each participant will be sent a three-page booklet to fill out and bring to the session.
What will happen during the session? The facilitators will take you through a structured process to collect your input. The group will generate a list of major steps that must be carried out, a list of concerns and risks, a list of questions that must be answered before we start the implementation, and a list of assumptions that must be documented and validated. The critical issues session is usually lively and engaging, and the results from the session are indispensable for preparing to carry out a successful project.
Will I get feedback after the session? Yes, participants in the critical issues session all will get a final list of issues that were generated, as well as a summary of how each issue might be resolved.
We look forward to working with you in this important session!