"PRACTICING CONSUMER CONTROL:
USING FOCUS GROUPS IN YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN"
 
>>>OPERATOR:  GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THIS PRACTICING CONSUMER CONTROL TELECONFERENCE.  TODAY'S HOST WILL BE TIM (INDISCERNIBLE).  PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AT THE END OF EACH PRESENTATION.  TODAY'S CALL IS BEING RECORDED.  WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY, I'LL TURN YOUR CALL OVER TO MR. TIM FUCHS.
>>>   GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.  I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO PRACTICING CONSUMER CONTROL, USING FOCUS GROUPS IN YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN.  TODAY'S PROGRAM IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY C I L NET.  IRLU OPERATING THE CIL NET.  SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT FOR TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS BEING PROVIDED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION UNDER GRANT NUMBER H 123 B 27002.  NO OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHOULD BE INFERRED.  PLEASE BE AWARE THAT WE ARE RECORDING TODAY'S CALL AND IT WILL BE ARCHIVED ON ILRU'S WEBSITE WITHIN 48 HOURS AT THE END OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION.  ALL THE TELEPHONE LINES ARE MUTED.  THAT'S TO PRESERVE SOUND QUALITY.  YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS BY PRESSING 01 ON THE TELEPHONE KEY PAD.  WE HAVE ADDED A Q AND A SESSION.  IN YOU LOOK AT THE AGENDA WE'LL BE ADDING A Q AND A SESSION AFTER SLIDE 15.  WE'LL TAKE BREAKS AT SLIDE 15, 29, AND 43, WHICH IS OUR FINAL Q AND A BREAK AT THE END OF THE CALL. 
FOR THOSE PARTICIPATING BY WEBCAST YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS ON YOUR WEBCAST PLATFORM.  THOSE QUESTIONS COME TO ME AND I'LL RELAY THEM DURING THE BREAKS.  THE MATERIALS FOR TODAY'S CALL INCLUDING THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, TWO HANDOUTS AND EVALUATION FORM ARE LOCATED ON THE WEBSITE.  I'M GOING TO READ THE URL TWICE.  THIS IS THE SAME TRAINING PAGE YOU RECEIVED IN YOUR CONFIRMATION E-MAIL.  I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS IT.  IF YOU'VE NOT OPENED THE POWERPOINT, PLEASE DO THAT NOW.  IF YOU'RE NOT ON THE WEBCAST, IF YOU'RE PARTICIPATING BY TELEPHONE YOU'LL NEED IT OPENED OR PRINTED OUT TO FOLLOW ALONG -- WWW.NCIL.ORG/TRAINING/FOCUS GROUPS 2009 MATERIALS.HTML.  ONE MORE TIME -- WWW NCIL.ORG/TRAINING/FOCUS GROUP 2009 MATERIALS.HTML -- ALL ONE WORD.  WE DID UPDATE THE VERSION OF THE POWERPOINT SINCE THE FIRST CONFIRMATION E-MAILS WERE SENT.  THE FINAL VERSION HAS 46 SLIDES.  IF YOU'RE PARTICIPATING BY WEBCAST IT'S DISPLAYED AUTOMATICALLY FOR YOU.  IF BY PHONE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE NEWEST VERSION. 
ALSO, PLEASE DO TAKE A MOMENT AFTER TODAY'S CALL TO FILL OUT THE EVALUATION FORM.  IT'S VERY QUICK TO COMPLETE.  I PROMISE.  AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US.  IF YOU WOULD DO THAT WE'D APPRECIATE IT.  IF YOU'RE PARTICIPATING AS A GROUP, FEEL FREE TO FEEL IT OUT TOGETHER. 
I WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR PRESENTERS FOR TODAY.  THEY'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB ORGANIZING THE PRESENTATION AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR HARD WORK.  DAISY F E I D T IS HERE FROM CHICAGO ILLINOIS.  SHE'S BEEN WITH ACCESS LIVING.  THROUGH THIS TIME SHE'S LED THROUGH DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANS.  ALSO TODAY IS PAM SMITH, PRESIDENT OF P SMITH CONSULTING, A CHICAGO BASED RESEARCH FIRM.  P SMITH CONSULTING'S MISSION IS TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS REACH AND ADVOCATE THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS, STRATEGIC ALLIANCES AND SOCIAL MARKETING.  PAM AND DAISY HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK TOGETHER ON THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN. 
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DAISY.
>>>   THANKS A LOT, TIM.  IF WE COULD GO TO SLIDE 2.  I WANT TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE PRESENTATION TODAY AND I WANTED TO START BY EXPLAINING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR PAM AND I BOTH TO BE ON THIS CALL.  AS TIM MENTIONED I HAVE (INDISCERNIBLE) THROUGH A COUPLE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESSES, MOST RECENTLY THE PAST YEAR AND PAM WAS THE CONSULTANT WE USED GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS.  I'LL BE OFFERING A PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE WHO WORKS INSIDE A CENTER OF INDEPENDENT LIVING AND PAM WILL OFFER THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE WHOSE EXPERIENCE IS GOING THROUGH AND HELPING WITH COMMUNITY ASSESSMENTS AND FOCUS GROUPS.  IN TERMS OF OUR OBJECTIVES FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY THEY ARE TO DETERMINE WHEN AND HOW TO CONSIDER QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AND PRESCRIBE VERY APPROACHES.  WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF STRATEGIC PLANNING WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT WAY THAT CENTERS FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING CAN ASSESS QUALITATIVE RESEARCH.  WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT PLANNING, PREPARING AND CONDUCTING SUCCESSFUL FOCUS GROUPS.  SHE'LL GO INTO MUCH MORE DETAIL ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR TYPE OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH.  WE WILL DISCUSS THE PROCESS OF CODING AND INTERPRETING DATA, DETERMINING HOW TO INVESTIGATE FINDINGS OF INTERESTED PARTIES AND ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN INTEGRATE WHAT YOU FIND FROM THESE QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENTS TO MAKING IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN YOUR CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING. 
IF WE COULD GO TO SLIDE 3, PLEASE. 
THE WAY THIS IS GOING TO WORK IS WE'RE JUST ABOUT THROUGH WITH THE INTRODUCTION.  THEN I'M GOING TO START BY TALKING ABOUT SOME THINGS WHEN YOU'RE GETTING STARTED WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING.  THEN I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO PAM, WHO'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMMUNITY ASSESSMENTS WHICH YOU CAN CONSIDER WHEN DOING STRATEGIC PLANNING.  THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT FOCUS GROUPS AND I WILL TALK ABOUT HOW TO INTEGRATE THINGS THAT YOU LEARN FROM COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT AND WITHIN THOSE CONTEXTS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING INTO YOUR CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. 
YOU COULD GO TO SLIDE 4, PLEASE. 
STARTING OFF WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING AND JUST SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF GETTING STARTED.  FIRST OF ALL IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO START THINKING ABOUT STRATEGIC PLANNING WAY BEFORE YOU NEED TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE.  THE PROCESS WILL TAKE AT LEAST SIX TO NINE MONTHS AND THAT'S REALLY DEPENDENT ON WHAT KIND OF PROCESS YOU GO THROUGH FOR STRATEGIC PLAN -- GO THROUGH FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING.  YOU WANT TO START EARLY.  YOU ALSO WANT TO DETERMINE WHAT TIME FRAME -- ACCESS LIVING, OUR TIME FRAME IS FIVE YEARS.  AND ALSO WHO IS AUDIENCE OF YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS GOING TO BE.  I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK AHEAD OF TIME WHO IS THIS STRATEGIC PLAN GOING TO BE FOR AND WHO IS GOING TO SEE THE STRATEGIC PLAN. 
>>>TIM:  I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.  I JUST GOT A NOTE FROM THE CAPTIONER.  I WENT TOO FAST CERTAINLY IN MY INTRO AND SHE'S ASKED IF WE COULD ALL SLOW IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.  THANKS SO MUCH.
>>>   OKAY.  ANOTHER STEP THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS ESTABLISHING A COMMITTEE THAT'S GOING TO HELP GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND.  YOU ALSO WANT TO CONSIDER HIRING A CONSULTANT.  I'LL GO INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT THAT AS WELL.  ALSO, YOU NEED TO DETERMINE WHAT PLAN OR PROCESS YOU'RE GOING TO USE TO GO THROUGH STRATEGIC PLANNING.  THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN DO STRATEGIC PLANNING AND IT'S GOING TO BE DEPENDENT UPON WHAT YOU WANT THE END GOAL TO BE.  BUT I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL. 
GO TO SLIDE FIVE, PLEASE. 
IN TERMS OF ESTABLISHING A COMMITTEE -- YOU FIRST WANT TO DETERMINE WHAT THE COMMITTEE PURPOSE WILL BE.  IN ACCESS LIVING'S CASE IT'S BEEN TO HIRE THE CONSULTANT.  THEY'VE BEEN KIND OF COMMITTEE OR BODY THAT'S DRIVEN -- BEEN THE PROCESS DRIVER, MADE SURE THAT EACH OF THE STEPS ARE ACCOMPLISHED ON TIME.  THEY'RE ALSO A FEEDBACK LOOP, SO EVERY TIME WE WOULD GET DONE WITH A MAJOR STEP IN STRATEGIC PLANNING, THEY WOULD MAKE -- YOU KNOW, BE FEEDBACK LOOP TO GET FURTHER INPUT, MAKE SURE WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE PLAN AS WE WENT ALONG.  THEY'RE ALSO BRAINSTORMERS ALONG THE WAY TO COME UP WITH IDEAS FOR HOW THE PLAN IS GOING TO GO AND DETAILS WITHIN EACH OF THE STEPS OF THE PLAN.  
YOU NEED TO DETERMINE WHO THE COMMITTEE IS GOING TO BE MADE UP OF.  FOR ACCESS LIVING, IN THE PAST IT'S BEEN A MIX OF BOARD AND STAFF.  FOR STAFF WE'VE INCLUDED NONMANAGERS AND MANAGERS.  YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO CONSIDER INCLUDING AN ACTIVE CLIENT OR VOLUNTEER, JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT IT NEEDS TO BE SOMEBODY WHO REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE FULL PICTURE OF WHAT YOUR ORGANIZATION IS ABOUT AND CAN BE KIND OF A PERSON WHO ENVISIONS THE FUTURE OF THE ORGANIZATION.  I THINK YOU WANT THE COMMITTEE TO BE ABOUT FIVE TO SEVEN PEOPLE AND IT SHOULD BE A REALLY DIVERSE MAKE-UP OF YOUR STAFF AND BOARD SO THAT IT'S REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SERVE IN TERMS OF RACE, GENDER, DISABILITY TYPE, ALSO THAT YOU HAVE A MIX OF EXPERTISE AND WORK AREA, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT STAFF.  AND THEN YOU NEED TO DETERMINE THE MEETING SCHEDULE FOR THE COMMITTEE TO MEET ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. 
SLIDE 6, PLEASE.  I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH A CONSULTANT.  I TOTALLY REALIZE THAT A HUGE CONSIDERATION IS JUST COST.  A LOT OF US DON'T HAVE THE MONEY IN YOUR BUDGET TO WORK WITH ONE, BUT I THINK THAT IF YOU CAN HAVE A CONSULTANT FOR ALL OR PART OF THE PROCESS IT'S REALLY HELPFUL.  SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN GET OUT OF HAVING A CONSULTANT IS SOMEBODY WITH A LOT OF EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE IN LEADING YOU THROUGH PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT.  THAT'S ALSO SOMEBODY WHO CAN REALLY FOCUS ON THE PROJECT.  I KNOW WE ALL HAVE A MILLION THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON AND FOR YOUR CONSULTANT, IT'S THEIR JOB TO FOCUS ON YOUR PARTICULAR PROJECT. 
THEY ALSO OFFER A LEVEL OF OBJECTIVITY THAT IF YOU'RE WITHIN A CIL YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE.  THEY DON'T HAVE ANY VESTED INTEREST IN THE RESULTS COMING OUT A CERTAIN WAY AND THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO GET ACCURATE INFO FROM THE PEOPLE YOU'RE GETTING INFO FROM.  THEY CAN ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ENGAGE AND PROBE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE ASSESSING THEIR INPUT FROM.  THEY MAY ASK QUESTIONS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED BECAUSE WE WORK WITHIN A CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING AND AGAIN IT'S THEIR JOB AND EXPERTISE TO DO THIS -- EXPERTISE TO DO THIS WELL. 
IN TERMS OF HOW TO SELECT A CONSULTANT WE DEVELOPED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.  WE INCLUDED AN EXAMPLE OF THE ONE WE USED FOR THIS LAST PROCESS IN YOUR MATERIALS.  WE ALSO GOT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM YOUR PEER ORGANIZATIONS.  AND IF THEY RECOMMENDED SOMEONE WE SUGGESTED THAT THAT PERSON RESPOND TO OUR RFP.  WE REVIEWED THE CREDENTIALS OF THE CANDIDATES WHO RESPONDED TO OUR RFP.  WE ASKED THEM HOW LONG THEY'D BEEN DOING STRATEGIC PLANNING, WHAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THEY HAD -- ORGANIZATIONS THEY HAD WORKED WITH, MADE SURE THEY WORKED WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE SIMILAR TO OURS.  THEN THE COMMITTEE INTERVIEWED THE TOP THREE CANDIDATES.  AND THEN WE ALSO ASKED FOR REFERENCES.  YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WITH REFERENCES TO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY'RE -- WHILE THEY'RE USEFUL, A LOT OF TIMES YOU'RE GOING TO GET REFERENCES OF THE CONSULTANT OBVIOUSLY KNOWS WELL AND KNOWS THEY DID A GOOD JOB FOR AND THAT THE CLIENT WAS SATISFIED.  BUT I THINK IF YOU DO THEM PARTICULARLY AT THE END OF THE PROCESS YOU CAN ASK THEM POINTED QUESTIONS THAT MAYBE GET AT SOME CONCERNS THAT YOU HAD IN THE INTERVIEW. 
SLIDE 8, PLEASE.  
OKAY.  THE ROLE OF THE CONSULTANT -- FOR US, IT WAS SUGGEST A PLAN OR PROCESS TO ACHIEVE THE ORGANIZATION'S GOALS.  THEY HANDLED THE PLANNING AND THE DETAILS AND LOGISTICS THEY -- THE COMMITTEE AS WELL.  THEY CAN BE THE MODERATOR OF THE FOCUS GROUP OR CONDUCT THE OTHER TYPES OF COMMUNITY ASSESSMENTS YOU INCLUDE IN YOUR PLAN AND THEY ALSO DELIVERED THE FINAL REPORT AND MAINTAIN INTEGRITY OF THE RESEARCH.  
IF WE COULD GO TO SLIDE 9. 
HOW MUCH DOES A CONSULTANT COST?  I CAN TELL YOU FROM OUR EXPERIENCE IT VARIES.  THE HOURLY RATES CAN VARY FROM 50 TO 150 OR EVEN MORE THAN THAT.  IT DEPENDS ON EXPERIENCE, THE REGION OF THE COUNTRY THAT THE CONSULTANT IS COMING FROM, AND HOW INVOLVED THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS.  I CAN TELL YOU FROM THE LAST PROCESS ACCESS LIVING WENT THROUGH THAT OUR -- THE PROPOSALS WE GOT BACK RAISED FROM 12,750 DOLLARS TO 50,000 DOLLARS.  IT CAN BE A REALLY WIDE RANGE. 
SLIDE 10, PLEASE.  SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN FIGURING OUT WHAT PROCESS YOU'RE GOING TO USE.  FIRST OF ALL, WHAT EXTERNAL FEEDBACK AND INPUT IS IMPORTANT YOU?  I THINK ALL OF US, SINCE WE'RE COMING FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF CONSUMER CONTROL WE KNOW IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO GET FEEDBACK FROM OUR CLIENTS BUT THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER PEOPLE YOU WANT TO GET FEEDBACK FROM AS WELL TO DETERMINE WHO THOSE PEOPLE ARE.  YOU NEED TO DETERMINE WHAT TYPES OF RESEARCH YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE PROCESS.  WHO ARE YOU GOING TO INVOLVE INTERNALLY?  ALL STAFF AND BOARD BE INVOLVED, SOME SUBSET, AND TO WHAT EXTENT WILL EACH OF THE STAFF AND BOARD BE INVOLVED?  AND THEN MAYBE EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY WHO'S GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THE DECISION MAKING OR PLAN APPROVAL.  IN MOST CASES IT'S THE BOARD WHO APPROVES THE PLAN BUT THERE'S A LOT OF DECISION MAKING STEPS THAT LEAD UP TO THE PLAN APPROVAL -- LEAD UP TO PLAN APPROVAL.  SO YOU'LL WANT TO RETHINK THAT. 
I WANT TO GO THROUGH WHAT ACCESS LIVING'S PROCESS WAS.  AGAIN, THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF THE PROCESS WE USED.  THERE'S A MILLION DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN DO THIS SO YOU'LL HAVE TO SORT OF TAKE WHAT IS USEFUL FOR YOU.  WE THOUGHT OF YOUR PROCESS IN FOUR MAJOR STEPS.  ONE WAS SETTING THE FRAMEWORK.  THE SECOND WAS DISCOVER.  THE THIRD WAS CREATION OF THE PLAN, AND THE FOURTH WAS EVALUATION AND PLAN ADJUSTMENT.  
SLIDE 12, PLEASE.  
SO ACCESS LIVING'S PROCESS AGAIN -- SETTING THE FRAMEWORK INVOLVED FORMING THE (INDISCERNIBLE) COMMITTEE, HIRING A CONSULTANT AND WORKING WITH THE CONSULTANT TO DEVELOP STEPS TOWARDS THE PLAN. 
SLIDE 13, PLEASE.  
OUR DISCOVERY PROCESS, WHICH WAS THE RESEARCH THAT WE DID AND THE INPUT THAT WE GOT FROM ALL DIFFERENT GROUPS INVOLVED SURVEYING OUR STAFF AND BOARD ABOUT WHAT THEY THOUGHT OUR STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS WERE.  WE CONDUCTED STORY-TELLING INTERVIEWS, WHICH WERE INTIMATE INTERVIEWS BETWEEN A BOARD AND STAFF PERSON WHERE THEY TALKED WITH EACH OTHER ABOUT THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WHERE THEY WANTED THE ORGANIZATION TO GO.  WE INTERVIEWED COMMUNITY PARTNERS.  THAT INCLUDED LEADERS OF NONPROFITS, BOTH DISABILITY AND NONDISABILITY FOCUSED.  INTERVIEWS WITH LEGISLATORS AND FUNDERS.  SOME WERE NATIONAL.  WE CONDUCTED FOCUS GROUPS WITH CLIENTS WHICH WE'LL GO IN MORE DETAIL.  WE CONDUCTED A CLIENT SURVEY WHICH IS WHAT THEY LIKED AND DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE SERVICES THEY RECEIVED.  WE COMPILED AND ANALYZED TRENDING DATA INCLUDING DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES, FINANCIAL CHANGES AND CHANGES MANY THE USE OF SERVICES OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. 
SLIDE 14, PLEASE.  
IN TERMS OF CREATING THE PLAN, AND I'LL GO INTO MUCH MORE DETAIL ABOUT THESE STEPS LATER, BUT WE DID AN AGENCY RETREAT.  THAT SURFACED BIG GOALS.  AFTER THAT WE DEVELOPED STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS AND THEN WE ORGANIZED WORK GROUPS TO DEVELOP GOALS THAT WOULD ACCOMPLISH EACH -- ACCOMPLISH EACH STRATEGIC DIRECTION.  OUR CONSULTANT DRAFTED OUR PLAN AND WE SOUGHT INPUT FROM MANAGEMENT AND BOARD ON THAT DRAFT PLAN, AND THEN FINALLY THE BOARD APPROVED THE PLAN. 
IF WE COULD GO TO SLIDE 15, PLEASE.  
THEN THE FINAL STEP IN THE PROCESS IS EVALUATION AND FOR THAT WE DEVELOPED A REPORTING TOOL THAT INCLUDED MEASURABLE GOALS -- WE TALK IN MORE DETAIL ABOUT THAT A LITTLE LATER.  NOW I THINK WE'RE GOING TO PAUSE FOR A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION.
>>>   THANK YOU.  IF YOU DO HAVE A QUESTION OR WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT, PRESS 0, THEN 1 ON YOUR TELEPHONE KEY PAD.  
WE DO HAVE A QUESTION FROM MR. MCGARY.
>>>   AN RSA FUND CONSULTANT (INDISCERNIBLE)?
>>>  CAN RSA FUNDS HIRE A CONSULTANT?
>>>  CAN WE USE RSA FUNDING FOR THE CONSULTANT COST AND FEES?
>>>  THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.  AT ACCESS LIVING WE HAVE NEVER USED FUNDING FOR HIRING A CONSULTANT BUT TO BE HONEST I COULDN'T SAY FOR SURE YOU CANNOT DO THAT.  ONLY THAT WE HAVEN'T IN THE PAST. 
>>>CALLER:  OKAY.  
>>>OPERATOR:  THAT SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY AUDIO QUESTION I HAVE AT THIS TIME. 
MR. FUCHS, DO YOU HAVE ANY WEB QUESTIONS?
>>>  I DO NOT.  LET'S GET A JUMP ON THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION.  THAT WAY IF WE NEED MORE TIME IN YOUR Q AND A SESSIONS WE'LL HAVE IT.
>>>   GREAT.  THIS IS PAM SMITH SPEAKING.  IT'S NICE TO BE WITH ALL OF YOU TODAY.  
WE'RE ON SLIDE 16 AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS THE CORRECT -- YES, SLIDE 16.  AND I'M GOING TO BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT THE TYPES OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS THAT CAN BE USED WHEN YOU WANT TO DO SOME SORT OF COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT.  I DON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THESE BECAUSE THE FOCUS OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS FOCUS GROUPS PRIMARILY BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW.  
SO THE FIRST METHOD IS QUESTIONNAIRES, AND YOU'VE ALL BEEN INVOLVED IN QUESTIONNAIRES OF SOME KIND -- FOR EXAMPLE, A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY.  ELECTED OFFICIALS OFTEN SEND OUT QUESTIONNAIRES TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS ON SOCIAL ISSUES OR THE BUDGET OR SOME SORT OF LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE TO BE VOTED ON.  THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO ASK QUESTIONS ON A SURVEY.  FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN RATE CERTAIN PROGRAMS, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN -- YOU CAN PHRASE QUESTIONS SO THEY CAN BE RATED.  YOU CAN TALK ABOUT HOW STRONGLY -- YOU CAN PHRASE THE QUESTION IN TERMS OF HOW STRONGLY PEOPLE AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH IT.  FOR EXAMPLE, IN TERMS OF IMPORTANCE SAY THE TOPIC IS A HOUSING PROGRAM.  YOU CAN ASK IF IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO YOU, VERY IMPORTANT, SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT, NOT VERY IMPORTANT, NOT IMPORTANT AT ALL.  WE'VE ALL ANSWERED QUESTIONS SIMILAR TO THOSE.  IN TERMS OF A PERSON'S LEVEL OF AGREEMENT WITH A PARTICULAR TOPIC, YOU COULD, FOR EXAMPLE, SAY THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY GENERALLY HAVE A SAY IN THEIR LIVING SITUATION.  YOU CAN BE TRYING TO DETERMINE IF PEOPLE AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT OR NOT.  AGAIN, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY GENERALLY HAVE A SAY IN THEIR LIVING SITUATION.  YOU COULD HAVE PEOPLE RESPOND THAT THEY STRONGLY AGREE, THEY AGREE, THEY NEITHER AGREE OR DISAGREE, THEY DISAGREE OR STRONGLY DISAGREE.  SO YOU'RE TRYING TO GET SOME MEASURE OF THAT. 
THE BENEFIT OF QUESTIONNAIRES IS THEY'RE COST EFFECTIVE, COMPARED TO FACE TO FACE INTERVIEWS THAT TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME.  YOU CAN GET INPUT FROM LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE OR LARGE GEOGRAPHIC AREA.  YOU CAN HAVE AS MANY QUESTIONS AS YOU WANT, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COMPLETION RATE IS MUCH SHORTER FOR -- BETTER FOR SHORTER QUESTIONNAIRES.  
QUESTIONNAIRES ARE EASY TO ANALYZE.  YOU COUNT UP THE RESPONSES AND INTERPRET THEM.  THERE CAN BE SOME REDUCED BIASED -- IN OTHER WORDS THERE'S NO RESEARCHER PRESENT TO INFLUENCE THE ANSWER THROUGH BODY LANGUAGE OR VERBAL OR VISUAL CUES.  AND ALSO, SOMETIMES PEOPLE LIKE QUESTIONNAIRES BECAUSE THEY CAN COMPLETE THEM IN THEIR OWN TIME FRAME AND DON'T HAVE TO GO ANYWHERE SPECIAL TO PARTICIPATE. 
THE FLIP SIDE OF QUESTIONNAIRES IS THEY ALLOW -- DON'T ALLOW MUCH ROOM FOR EXPLORATION OF A PERSON'S COMMENTS OR VIEWS.  WITH ONE ON ONE INTERVIEWS YOU USE THEM WHEN YOU WANT MORE IN-DEPTH INFORMATION FROM KEY HOLDERS -- FUND HOLDERS, PARTNERS, POTENTIAL PARTNERS.  THESE ARE PEOPLE WHOSE OPINIONS MATTER A LOT AND YOU PREFER THEM NOT TO BE INFLUENCED BY OTHERS AS THEY COULD BE IN A FOCUS GROUP.  IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS TO CONDUCT DURING A STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS THAT NUMBER CAN VARY ANYWHERE FROM 5 TO 15.  WITH ACCESS LIVING WE INTERVIEWED 13 STAKEHOLDERS.  EVEN A SMALL NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS, YOU'LL FIND, YOU KNOW, A WEALTH OF INFORMATION.  
PEOPLE LIKE ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS.  THERE'S SOMETHING COMFORTABLE ABOUT BEING WITH ONE PERSON ACROSS THE TABLE.  USUALLY THAT'S AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S COMFORTABLE FOR THEM.  MAYBE THE INTERVIEW IS ANONYMOUS SO THE CONFIDENTIALITY IS ENSURED.  YOU GET QUALITY TIME WITH THAT PERSON, USUALLY 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR AND A HALF.  IT'S A FLEXIBLE STRUCTURE.  TYPICALLY PEOPLE CONDUCT ONE ON ONE INTERVIEWS IN PERSON BUT IT CAN ALSO BE DONE OVER THE PHONE.  AND THE DEGREE OF -- AND THE DEGREE OF STRUCTURE CAN VARY.  IT CAN BE MORE RELAXED.  THERE'S AN ABILITY TO FOLLOW UP AND PROBE.  THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO MAKE SURE YOU SET CLEAR PARAMETERS AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR INTERVIEWS, SETTING OUT WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THE INTERVIEW IS AND WHAT THE PROCESS WILL BE.  AND YOU WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SPEAK HONESTLY AND TO SPEAK CRITICALLY.  
SOMETIMES PEOPLE ASSUME THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE -- THE PEOPLE WANT THEM TO SAY JUST THE POSITIVE THINGS THEY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT AN ORGANIZATION.  SO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GIVE PEOPLE THE COMFORT LEVEL TO LET THEM KNOW YOU WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR CRITICAL COMMENTS AS WELL.  
SO THE PURPOSE IS TO GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE PERSON THAT YOU'RE INTERVIEWING -- LET'S SAY IT'S A FUNDER.  YOU WANT TO GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR EXPERIENCE RELATIVE TO THE ORGANIZATION, THEIR MOTIVATIONS FOR WORKING WITH THE ORGANIZATION, THE QUALITY OF THEIR INTERACTIONS IN TERMS OF THEIR OWN PERCEPTIONS ABOUT THAT, AND WHAT IT WILL TAKE FOR THEM TO CONTINUE TO WANT TO WORK WITH THE ORGANIZATION IN THE FUTURE.  FOR EXAMPLE, I INTERVIEWED ONE FUNDER -- ACTUALLY, MORE THAN ONE -- THAT TALKED ABOUT INNOVATION, AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE KINDS OF QUALITIES THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO BE DELIVERING TODAY.  
OKAY.  IF YOU DO THE -- IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO A ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW BY PHONE -- AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL PREFER THAT -- YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THE GADGET WHERE YOU CAN RECORD THE CONVERSATION OVER THE PHONE.  AND IF YOU DO IT IN PERSON YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR RECORDER WITH YOU. 
MOVING ON TO FIELD OBSERVATION -- WE'RE STILL ON THE FIRST SLIDE -- FIELD OBSERVATION HELPS US UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS HAPPENING AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE THINK OR HOPE IS HAPPENING.  IT HELPS US TO DISCOVER WHAT PEOPLE THINK IS IMPORTANT AND NOT JUST WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO US.  SO FOR EXAMPLE, OUR INTEREST AS AN ORGANIZATION, DOING THIS TYPE OF RESEARCH, MIGHT BE TO LEARN HOW PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING OUR INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SYSTEM.  WE WANT TO KNOW HOW THAT'S WORKING.  WE FIND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE WHEN WE OBSERVE THEM IS THEY TALK A LOT ABOUT HOW THEY CAN'T GET TO APPOINTMENTS BECAUSE OF TROUBLE THEY'RE HAVING -- FOR EXAMPLE, TRANSPORTATION.  SO IN FIELD OBSERVATION, YOU OPEN YOURSELF TO DISCOVERING WHATEVER HAPPENS TO BE IMPORTANT TO THE PERSON.  
OFTEN METHODS ARE COMBINED TO ENHANCE THEIR RELIABILITY.  SO FOR EXAMPLE, WITH ACCESS LIVING, WE DID BOTH STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS AND FOCUS GROUPS.  OR AN ORGANIZATION MIGHT CHOOSE TO DO OBSERVATION IN FOCUS GROUPS.  I WORKED ON ONE PROJECT WHERE AN EARLY CHILD CARE CENTER THAT HAD SEVEN LOCATIONS AROUND THE CITY IS INTERESTED IN STANDARDIZING THEIR OPERATION BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME NEW OFFICES THAT HAVE COME ON BOARD.  SO THEY'RE CONSIDERING FIELD OBSERVATION SO THEY CAN VISIT EACH LOCATION AND BE ABLE TO REALLY WATCH HOW THEIR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE BEING CARRIED OUT. 
OKAY.  I'M GOING TO QUICKLY MOVE THROUGH THE NEXT TWO SO THAT WE CAN MOVE ON TO FOCUS GROUPS.  YOU MAY HAVE HEARD -- WHEN WE HEAR THAT WORD WE THINK OF ANTHROPOLOGISTS THAT GO OFF TO BRAZIL OR AFRICA AND IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN A PARTICULAR CULTURAL GROUP AND TRY TO LEARN AS MUCH AS THEY CAN ABOUT THAT GROUP.  THAT IS ABOUT IMMERSION, AND THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART TO REMEMBER.  HOWEVER, TODAY IT'S BEING APPLIED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.  YOU CAN DO AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF A NURSING HOME -- LOOKING AT HOW PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE TREATED IN NURSING HOMES.  YOU COULD DO A STUDY OF A ROTARY CLUB OR URBAN CLASSROOM.  SO THE FOCUS IS ON DISCOVERY AND immersion. 
THE LAST IS A CASE STUDY.  A CASE STUDY -- I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THESE -- IT'S WHEN YOU LOOK AT A PARTICULAR ENTITY OF SOCIETY, INSTITUTION, GROUP, INDIVIDUAL, EVEN AN INCIDENT OR PARTICULAR EVENT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GET A DETAILED UNDERSTANDING OF THAT EVENT THAT HOPEFULLY SHEDS LIGHT ON A LARGER ISSUE.  FOR EXAMPLE, YOU COULD DO A CASE STUDY OF A VERY EFFECTIVE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE EFFECTIVE ADVOCATES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.  AND YOU DO THAT IN THE HOPE OF LEARNING WHAT IS IT ABOUT THAT GROUP THAT MAKES THEM SO EFFECTIVE?  SO THAT INFORMATION CAN THEN BE SHARED WITH OTHERS TO ENCOURAGE GREATER INVOLVEMENT IN ADVOCACY.  
OKAY.  SO THESE ARE ALL VARIOUS FORMS OF RESEARCH, QUALITATIVE RESEARCH THAT YOU CAN CONSIDER AS YOU'RE WORKING ON YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN, AND NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO FOCUS GROUPS, WHICH IS A PASSION OF MINE.  AND FOCUS GROUPS ALLOW US TO UNCOVER FACTORS RELATING TO BEHAVIOR AND MOTIVATION.  SO THEY TELL US NOT JUST WHAT PEOPLE DO OR WHERE THEY DO IT BUT WHY THEY DO IT AND WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THEIR BEHAVIOR.  YOU CAN ALSO USE FOCUS GROUPS IF YOU'RE DOING A LARGER STUDY AND YOU WANT TO TAILER IT.  SO YOU MAY BE DOING A STUDY, FOR EXAMPLE, OF THE PRIMARY CONCERNS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO ARE LIVING INDEPENDENTLY HAVE ABOUT THE ASSISTANCE THAT THEY RECEIVE IN TERMS OF PERSONAL ASSISTANCE OR OTHER TYPES OF ASSISTANCE.  FOCUS GROUPS COULD BE USED TO NARROW THE CONCERNS TO THE CHIEF ONE SO THAT THE LARGER STUDY CAN GET DEEPER ON A FEWER NUMBER OF TOPICS.  YOU CAN ALSO USE FOCUS GROUPS TO GENERATE IDEAS.  FOR EXAMPLE, FUND RAISING IDEAS WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC. 
WHEN NOT TO USE FOCUS GROUPS.  I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND USING A FOCUS GROUP WHEN AN ISSUE OR SITUATION IS EMOTIONALLY CHARGED.  IF PEOPLE ARE POLARIZED, IF THE PARTICIPANTS ARE GOING TO BE CONFRONTATIONAL IN A FACE-TO-FACE SITUATION, THIS COULD MAKE MATTERS WORSE AND UNPRODUCTIVE, SO THAT WOULD BE AN INSTANCE WHEN YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO USE FOCUS GROUPS. 
WHEN YOU WANT TO MAKE A STATISTICAL PROJECTION -- FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANTED TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE GOING TO BE IN NEED OF A PARTICULAR KIND OF SERVICE IN THE FUTURE, FOCUS GROUPS CAN'T TELL YOU THAT BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE A SCIENTIFIC THRESHOLD OF RESPONDENTS.  SO IF YOU WANT TO COUNT UP SOMETHING, FOCUS GROUPS ARE NOT GENERALLY THE WAY TO GO, ALTHOUGH FOCUS GROUPS CAN GIVE YOU AN IMPORTANT INDICATION OF THE SENTIMENTS THAT ARE OUT THERE.  
AND IF YOU CANNOT ENSURE THE CONFIDENTIALITY -- IF IT'S IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH, FOCUS GROUPS ARE NOT THE WAY TO GO BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT THAT INFORMATION WON'T GET OUT.  
OKAY.  SO THAT CONCLUDES THE TYPES OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH, WHICH IS SLIDE 16.  AND NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO SLIDE 17. 
SO THE MAIN QUESTION IS, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?  BECAUSE LOOKING AT WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW WILL DETERMINE THE METHOD THAT YOU WANT TO CHOOSE.  SO IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN USE -- YOU CAN DO A CASE STUDY OR YOU CAN OBSERVE THEM.  IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE THINKING OR DOING, YOU CAN USE -- MEASURE THAT IN A FOCUS GROUP.  IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO IS INFLUENCING THEIR BEHAVIOR, YOU CAN USE ALMOST ANY METHOD, INCLUDING AN ethnographic STUDY -- BY THE WAY, MARKETERS ARE DOING THIS A LOT NOW, IMMERSING THEMSELVES IN PARTICULAR, FOR EXAMPLE, AGE GROUPS -- LIKE YOUNG PEOPLE -- SO THEY CAN LOOK AT THEIR BUYING PATTERNS AND BEHAVIORS.  HOWEVER WE FEEL ABOUT THAT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEING DONE.  IT'S BECOMING A BIG FIELD THESE DAYS. 
IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW PEOPLE PERCEIVE THEIR OWN POWER AND THE POWER OF OTHERS, FOCUS GROUPS ARE GOOD FOR THAT.  IF YOU WANT TO ASK ABOUT WHO IS MAKING -- IF YOU WANTED TO ASK ABOUT HOW THEY PERCEIVE THEIR OWN ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR LIVES, YOU CAN DO THAT WITH FOCUS GROUPS AS WELL. 
SO THE FIRST QUESTION TO ASK IS, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?  AND THEN DETERMINE THE METHOD THAT'S GOING TO BEST DO THAT.  
OKAY.  MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS SLIDE 18, FOCUS GROUPS CAN ALSO -- I MENTIONED THE COMBINATION OF METHODS.  WE'RE ABLE TO GET FEEDBACK ON PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES -- FOCUS GROUPS ARE GOOD FOR TESTING CONCEPTS.  IF YOU HAVE NEW MESSAGES YOU WANT TO TEST OR YOU WANT TO TEST YOUR LOGO OR WEBSITE DESIGN, THOSE ARE GREAT THINGS TO DO AS PART OF A FOCUS GROUP BECAUSE YOU CAN PROBE THE RESPONSES.  IT'S GOOD TO BRAINSTORM IDEAS.  YOU CAN BRAINSTORM THE ORGANIZATION'S FUTURE, AND IT'S VERY GOOD TO DO FOR DECISION -- TO INFORM THE ORGANIZATIONS DECISION MAKING. 
THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS 19.  PREPARATION.  SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHO DO YOU WANT TO REACH.  DAISY TALKED ABOUT THAT, SHE TOUCHED ON THAT.  SO YOU WANT TO REACH CLIENTS, POTENTIAL CLIENTS, PARTNERS, THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT YOU WANT TO (INDISCERNIBLE).  DO YOU WANT TO REACH PEOPLE LIVING INDEPENDENTLY, THOSE LIVING IN NURSING HOMES?  DECIDE ALL THESE QUESTIONS WITH YOUR COMMITTEE.  
NEXT YOU'LL WANT TO FORMULATE QUESTIONS.  SO HOW WILL THIS BE DONE?  YOU'LL WANT TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS EXPERIENCED MODERATING, HELPING TO PREPARE IN MODERATING THE QUESTIONS.  FOR EXAMPLE, THE CONSULTANT THAT YOU HIRE, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THAT PERSON ALSO HAVING MODERATION SKILLS SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HIRE TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE FOR THAT.  IT'S NOT NECESSARY THAT YOUR MODERATOR BE AN EXPERT IN YOUR PARTICULAR ISSUE.  MODERATORS ARE ACCUSTOMED TO A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES.  THE IMPORTANT THING IS THEY'RE GOOD LISTENERS, IN TERMS OF LISTENING TO THE COMMITTEE AND GETTING DIRECTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE AND ALSO LISTENING TO THE PARTICIPANT INS THE FOCUS GROUP AND HAVING GOOD PROBING SKILLS.  IN THE END, ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE DEVELOPED WILL BE PUT TOGETHER IN SOMETHING CALLED A MODERATOR'S GUIDE, AND I'LL COME BACK TO THIS IN A FEW MINUTES. 
PARTICIPANT RECRUITMENT IS AN IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER.  WHAT METHOD WILL YOU USE TO RECRUIT PEOPLE TO YOUR FOCUS GROUP?  FOR ACCESS LIVING, FOR EXAMPLE, WE IDENTIFIED EIGHT PROMINENT ORGANIZATIONS -- DISABILITY RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS -- AND WE HAD POSTERS, FLIERS POSTED THERE AND WE ACTUALLY HAD TO CUT OFF REGISTRATION BECAUSE WE RECEIVED SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO PARTICIPATE.  
OTHER METHODS MIGHT INCLUDE RANDOM CALLING FROM LISTS -- AND I'LL COME BACK TO THAT IN A MINUTE.  YOU COULD PUT FLIERS IN HUMAN SERVICES OFFICES AND OTHER KEY LOCATIONS -- YOU CAN TRY TO REACH TRANSPORTATION COMPANIES THAT DRIVE PEOPLE VARIOUS PLACES.  YOU CAN ALSO USE THE MEDIA TO GET OUT THE WORD ABOUT YOUR FOCUS GROUPS.  HOWEVER, IF YOU'RE OFFERING AN INCENTIVE YOU MAY GET TOO MANY PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IF YOU USE THE MEDIA, SO THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT THAT.  AND I'LL COME BACK TO INCENTIVES IN A MINUTE. 
YOU CAN POST SOMETHING ON YOUR WEBSITE AND ALSO SOCIAL MEDIA SITES AND OTHER (INDISCERNIBLE).  
WHEN YOU'RE CONSIDERING LOGISTICS FOR YOUR FOCUS GROUP, YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU'LL HAVE YOUR GROUPS.  IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE THEM IN A NEUTRAL PLACE -- YOU KNOW, THAT'S NICE IF THERE'S A NEUTRAL PLACE.  BUT YOUR OFFICE IS FINE TOO.  FOR ACCESS LIVING WE DID THE FOCUS GROUPS AT THEIR OFFICE.  THERE ARE FORMAL FOCUS GROUP FACILITIES THAT YOU CAN HIRE THAT HAVE A TWO-WAY MIRROR SO YOU CAN OBSERVE THE CONVERSATION.  YOU COULD USE SPACE AT A LOCAL LIBRARY OR A PARK DISTRICT.  SO YOU'LL WANT TO GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO WHERE YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR GROUP AND COSTS WILL FIGURE INTO THAT AS WELL.  
OKAY.  WE'LL MOVE TO SLIDE 20.  IN TERMS OF PREPARING FOR YOUR GROUP, YOU'LL FIRST HAVE TO CONSIDER THE STRUCTURE OF YOUR GROUP.  WILL YOU HAVE MORE WOMEN THAN MEN, FOR EXAMPLE?  I WORKED ON ONE -- I WORKED ON ONE PROJECT WHERE WE -- WOMEN ARE TENTATIVELY THE DECISION MAKERS IN THE HOUSE HOLD.  WILL THERE BE MORE OF A CERTAIN AGE OR ETHNIC GROUP?  IF YOU'RE TRYING TO FOCUS IN ON THE PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LATINO, YOU COULD HAVE A LATINO FOCUS GROUP MODIFIED -- IT COULD BE HELD IN SPANISH OR NOT.  SOMETIMES WE THINK DOING THEM IN SPANISH MAKES THEM MORE AUTHENTIC.  BUT THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE.  IT'S NICE TO GIVE PEOPLE AN OPTION.  MANY PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE GROUPS HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES A LONG TIME AND PREFER TO CONDUCT THE FOCUS GROUP IN ENGLISH.  
ALSO, YOU'LL WANT TO CONSIDER HAVING A MODERATOR WHO IS FAMILIAR WITH THAT PARTICULAR GROUP, WHO HAS WORKED WITH THAT PARTICULAR GROUP AND IS CULTURALLY AWARE AND CULTURALLY SENSITIVE.  YOU'LL ALSO WANT TO DECIDE FOR THOSE GROUPS IF YOU WANT TO HAVE THEM BE EXCLUSIVELY THAT GROUP.  THERE'S SOME EVIDENCE THAT SUGGESTS THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE COMFORTABLE TALKING WITH PEOPLE LIKE THEMSELVES, SO GROUP OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OR GROUP OF AFRICAN AMERICANS.  DOESN'T HAVE TO ALWAYS BE THAT WAY BUT THAT'S AN OPTION TO CONSIDER. 
FOR THIS GROUP YOU'LL NEED TO HAVE TWO GROUPS.  FOCUS GROUPS ARE NOT INHERENTLY SCIENTIFIC; THEY'RE EXPLORATORY.  SO HAVING TWO GROUPS WILL HELP YOU TO SEE IF CERTAIN THEMES WILL BE REOCCURRING THEMES.  YOU'LL WANT TO RECRUIT 14 PEOPLE TO HAVE 8 TO 10 PEOPLE SHOW UP, WHICH IS THE OPTIMAL SIZE OF THE GROUP.  EVEN THOUGH YOU CALL AND THEY SAY I'M COMING, SEVERAL WILL NOT SHOW UP AND YOU NEED TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION IN ADVANCE. 
OKAY.  WE'LL MOVE TO SLIDE 23, DEVELOPING QUESTIONS.  
SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE MODERATOR -- ABOUT THE MODERATOR DEVELOPING QUESTIONS AND THE MODERATOR'S GUIDE.  SO THE FIRST STEP IS TO GET INPUT FROM THE ORGANIZATION.  THE POSSIBLE TOPICS -- I'M SORRY.  I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS ON MY LINE OR ANOTHER LINE, BUT I'M GETTING A FEEDBACK ECHO.  I CAN TRY TO WORK AROUND IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF -- PARDON ME?  
>>>OPERATOR:  GO AHEAD.  WE MUTED A LINE.  WE'VE CORRECTED THE SITUATION.
>>>   THANK YOU VERY MUCH.  
WE'RE ON SLIDE 23, DEVELOPING QUESTIONS.
>>>   PAM, DID YOU ALTER SLIDE 21 AND 22?
>>>  YES.  I TALKED ABOUT THE GROUP STRUCTURE AND THE DEMOGRAPHIC MIX AND THE RECRUITING 14 TO GET 8 TO 10 PEOPLE.  THAT'S ON SLIDE 20.
>>>  BUT THE 20, 21, 22 --.
>>>   I'M SORRY.  I THOUGHT I DID.  THANK YOU, DAISY.  I MISSED THOSE. 
RECRUITMENT.  I'M SO GLAD YOU CAUGHT THAT, DAISY, BECAUSE THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART.  THE RECRUITMENT -- THERE ARE VARIOUS WAYS RECRUITMENT -- WE TALKED ABOUT PUTTING FLIERS UP.  HOWEVER, IF YOU'RE CALLING FROM LISTS -- AND THIS IS DEFINITELY AN OPTION FOR YOU TO CONSIDER -- THERE ARE COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT HAVE BIG LISTS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.  OR IF YOU'RE CALLING RANDOMLY IN SOME OTHER WAY, YOU'LL WANT TO HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A RECRUITMENT SCREENER TO QUALIFY PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN YOUR FOCUS GROUP BECAUSE YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE THE RIGHT AGE AND THE RIGHT GENDER AND THEY LIVE IN THE AREA THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN.  THERE IS ON YOUR TRAINING PAGE A SAMPLE RECRUITMENT SCREENER THAT YOU CAN REFER TO.  AND BASICALLY THIS IS THE SCRIPT FOR THE PERSON WHO IS CALLING A LIST TO RANDOMLY RECRUIT PEOPLE FOR YOUR FOCUS GROUPS.  
SO IT BEGINS WITH "HELLO.  MY NAME IS PAM.  FIRST LET ME SAY I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANY MONEY OR SELLING ANYTHING."  YOU IDENTIFY THE TOPIC THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH.  SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, MAKING PUBLIC EDUCATION WORK BETTER FOR OUR CHILDREN.  THE HOUR AND A HALF DISCUSSION WILL TAKE PLACE DOWNTOWN AND YOU WOULD RECEIVE A $75 THANK-YOU GIFT AND A COMPLIMENTARY LIGHT DINNER.  IF YOU'RE ABLE TO OFFER AN INCENTIVE, WHICH I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO BECAUSE IT DRAMATICALLY INCREASES YOUR SHOW RATE, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY SHOW UP AFTER THEY'VE SAID YES, YOU'LL WANT TO MENTION THAT IN YOUR TELEPHONE SCREENER.  
THEN YOU'LL GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF COLLECTING INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR GENDER, THEIR ETHNICITY, THEIR INCOME LEVEL, AND ONE EXAMPLE OF WHEN YOU MIGHT NEED AN INCOME LEVEL IS LET'S SAY YOU'RE TRYING TO REACH MORE LOW-INCOME PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU'RE POTENTIALLY INTERESTED IN EXPANDING YOUR PROGRAMS TO REACH MORE LOW-INCOME PEOPLE SO YOU WANT TO HAVE THEM INVOLVED IN YOUR FOCUS GROUP. 
SO THE SCREENER GOES THROUGH ALL THOSE QUESTIONS SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE A DETERMINATION ABOUT WHO COULD PARTICIPATE IN YOUR GROUP.  
OKAY.  SLIDE 22.  I GUESS WE'RE BACK TO.  AND THIS IS ON LOGISTICS.  WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE INCENTIVE CHECKS AND WE TALKED ABOUT LOCATION.  IN TERMS OF SUPPLIES, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR RECORDER, EXTENSION CORD -- WHEN I SAY "YOU," I'M SPEAKING OF THE MODERATOR.  THE PERSON HAS THE EXTENSION CORD, RECORDER, TAPE, BATTERY, PAPER, PEN, AND OF COURSE THE MODERATOR'S GUIDE WHICH CONTAINS THE QUESTIONS.  AND THEN ALSO REFRESHMENTS, IN THE CASE OF ACCESS LIVING WE HAD COOKIES AND POP.  I'VE HAD SOME FOCUS GROUPS WHERE A LIGHT MEAL WAS SERVED.  WHATEVER HAPPENS TO WORK FOR THE PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION.  YOU'LL WANT TO MAKE SURE YOUR INCENTIVE CHECKS -- PEOPLE PREFER CASH, ALTHOUGH I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH PROJECTS WHERE GIFT CARDS ARE GIVEN AS LONG AS YOU TELL PEOPLE IN ADVANCE BECAUSE THEY'LL COME WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THEIR INCENTIVE CHECK IS IN CASH.  
IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF THE INCENTIVE IT COULD VARY FROM 25 DOLLARS TO 75 DOLLARS, JUST DEPENDING ON WHAT THE ORGANIZATION CAN AFFORD.  YOU'LL WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU KEEP GOOD RECORDS OF THAT MONEY BECAUSE YOU'LL NEED IT FOR RECORD KEEPING AND TAX PURPOSES. 
NOW WE'RE BACK TO 23, WHICH IS DEVELOPING THE QUESTION.  POSSIBLE TOPICS AFTER YOU'VE RECEIVED INPUT FROM THE COMMITTEE THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH -- POSSIBLE TOPICS INCLUDE SERVICE, QUALITY, THE FUTURE OF COMMUNITY, COMMUNICATION, A WHOLE HOST OF TOPICS.  SO YOU'LL WANT TO DECIDE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WHAT ARE YOU INTERESTED IN KNOWING.  AND YOU'LL ASK MOSTLY OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS BECAUSE, AGAIN, YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT MOTIVATES PEOPLE AND WHAT MAKES THEM BEHAVE IN CERTAIN WAYS.  
THE CONSULTANT WILL DRAFT THE MODERATOR GUIDE, BRING IT TO THE COMMITTEE FOR INPUT.  THE COMMITTEE WILL OFFER THEIR COMMENTS AND THE CONSULTANT WILL MAKE THE REVISIONS, AND THAT WILL BE THE FINAL LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT ARE USED IN THE FOCUS GROUP.  
OKAY.  OPENING YOUR GROUP.  SO NOW WE'RE DOING A FOCUS GROUP SESSION AND YOU'LL BEGIN WITH -- BY WELCOMING EACH PERSON IF IT'S POSSIBLE AS THEY ENTER THE ROOM.  IF THERE'S A MODERATOR, THIS IS WHAT THE MODERATOR WOULD DO.  THE PURPOSE IS TO DEVELOP A RAPPORT EARLY ON.  YOU'LL ALSO GO AROUND AND DO INTRODUCTIONS.  I LIKE TO DO SOMETHING THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER AS A GROUP, SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF PERSONAL.  IF PEOPLE GO AROUND AND INTRODUCE YOU COULD ASK THEM TO SAY WHAT THEIR FAVORITE MAGAZINE IS, OR THEIR HOBBY OR A PLACE THEY'VE TRAVELED TO OR HOW OLD THEIR KIDS ARE.  AFTER THAT YOU'LL GO THROUGH BACKGROUND -- OR THE MODERATOR WILL GO THROUGH BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO SAY EXACTLY WHAT THE PURPOSE IS OF THE FOCUS GROUP THAT DAY.  AND IT'S IMPORTANT, TOO, AT THAT POINT FOR THE MODERATOR TO SAY THAT THAT PERSON WILL BE THE PERSON ASKING QUESTIONS UNTIL THE VERY END OF THE FOCUS GROUP.  THE REASON FOR THAT IS YOU'LL ALWAYS GET SOME PEOPLE WHO WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS IN RESPONSE TO EVERY QUESTION THAT'S RAISED.  SO THE MODERATOR NEEDS TO MAKE A STATEMENT THAT I'LL BE ASKING THE QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS.  
THE GROUND RULES ARE THE SAME GROUND RULES THAT APPLY TO MOST MEETINGS -- RESPECT EVERYONE'S OPINION, DON'T INTERRUPT, REFRAIN FROM HAVING SIDE CONVERSATIONS.  AND I LIKE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO HAVE THE COURAGE OF THEIR CONVICTION, THAT BECAUSE FOCUS GROUPS INVOLVE A RANDOM SELECTION OF PEOPLE, EACH SECTION IS REPRESENTING A WHOLE OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO SHARE THEIR OPINION BUT ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING THAT DAY.  IT DOESN'T MEAN PEOPLE CAN'T BE PERSUADED.  ONE OF THE NICE THINGS ABOUT FOCUS GROUPS IS YOU CAN HAVE SOME DISCUSSION AND PEOPLE CAN BEGIN TO REFLECT ON THEIR VIEWS BUT YOU ALSO DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO IMMEDIATELY GIVE UP THEIR CONVICTION BECAUSE THERE'S A PERSON IN THE GROUP WHO'S DOMINATING.  
OKAY.  WE'RE ON TO SLIDE 25.  AND THAT IS HOW TO PROBE.  THE MAIN THING -- AND AGAIN, THIS IS THING THAT IS THE MODERATOR WILL DO -- IT'S IMPORTANT FOR REPRESENTATIVES OF ORGANIZATIONS TO UNDERSTAND THESE CONCEPTS AS WELL BECAUSE YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET GOOD INFORMATION FROM YOUR GROUP.  THE MAIN THING IS TO AVOID WHY AND WHY NOT.  AND THE REASON FOR THAT, IT'S A NATURAL THING TO ASK -- YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY SOMETHING AND YOU SAY "WHY?  WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT?"  BUT PEOPLE OFTEN DON'T KNOW WHY THEY FEEL SOMETHING.  IT COULD BE THAT THEY'VE HEARD SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES FROM LOTS OF DIFFERENT PLACES.  IT COULD BE THEIR CONDITIONING GROWING UP.  SO INSTEAD OF TRYING TO GET AT WHY OR WHY NOT, YOU WANT TO GO FOR A DESCRIPTIVE RESPONSE.  SO SOME EFFECTIVE PROBES ARE, "SO WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE FROM THAT?"  SO SOMEBODY WILL TELL YOU A STORY, FOR EXAMPLE, AND YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO SAY TO YOU.  AND PEOPLE WILL BE VERY GOOD ABOUT SUMMARIZING, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEIR POINT WAS. 
WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT ANOTHER TOPIC, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ASK, "WELL, HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT TO YOU?  OR TELL ME ABOUT WHY THAT IS SO IMPORTANT."  
 "GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE," ON SLIDE 26 IS ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE OF A PROBE.  YOU CAN ASK ONE PARTICIPANT TO BUILD ON COMMENTS OF ANOTHER.  YOU CAN SAY "WHO CAN BUILD ON THAT FOR ME," SO YOU CAN GET A GOOD CONVERSATION GOING. 
ANOTHER IS "DESCRIBE TO ME WHAT IT'S LIKE WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS."  LET'S SAY YOU'RE MEETING WITH SOME SORT OF A COUNSELOR AND THE PARTICIPANT -- YOU'RE TRYING TO GAUGE THE PARTICIPANT'S INTERACTION WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE ON STAFF AT A PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION.  YOU CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, "DESCRIBE TO ME WHAT IT'S LIKE," OR, "WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF."  ALSO "HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?"  SO SOMEONE MIGHT DEAL WITH A SITUATION THAT MAKES THEM SAD -- "HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?"  
THE NEXT SLIDE, RECORDING AND TRANSLATION.  IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO GET VERBATIM COMMENTS.  YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IN WRITING UP THE REPORT AND KIND OF CONVEYING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT YOU ACCURATELY REFLECT WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT SO THAT YOU'RE NOT JUST PARAPHRASING.  YOU WANT TO GET THEIR WORD-FOR-WORD ACCOUNT OF THEIR FEELING.  WE'VE TALKED ABOUT GROUPS BEING CONDUCTED IN SPANISH AND BEING CULTURALLY AWARE. 
SLIDE 28.  AFTER THE SESSION YOU'LL WANT TO HAVE YOUR TAPES TRANSCRIBED.  AND THE COST OF TRANSCRIPTION IS NOT ALL THAT INEXPENSIVE.  IT'S ABOUT 165 HOURS FOR EACH HOUR OF VOICE.  SO YOU'LL HAVE TO FIGURE THAT INTO YOUR VOICE.  AFTER YOU HAVE YOUR TAPES BACK -- YOUR TRANSCRIPTS, RATHER BACK -- YOU'LL WANT TO CODE THE RESPONSES.  WHEN YOU CODE THE RESPONSES YOU'RE PREPARING TO ANALYZE THE DATA, AND SO YOU'RE PUTTING INFORMATION IN CATEGORIES AND TRYING TO DETERMINE PATTERNS AND THEMES.  AND THEN YOU'LL SELECT SOME REPRESENTATIVE QUOTES.  FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE REPORT FOR ACCESS LIVING, THE FIRST QUOTE I USED WAS ACCESS LIVING PROVIDES FORCEFUL DYNAMIC, ARTICULATE LEADERSHIP.  THOSE SORTS OF QUOTES ILLUMINATE WHAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING AND FEELING. 
OKAY.  I THINK AT THIS POINT WE'LL BREAK FOR A FEW QUESTIONS.  
>>>OPERATOR:  THANK YOU, MA'AM.  IF YOU DO HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT TO MAKE AT THIS POINT YOU CAN PRESS 0 THEN 1 ON THE KEY PAD.  THE QUESTIONS WILL BE TAKEN IN THE ORDER OF WHICH THEY'RE RECEIVED. 
THERE SEEM TO BE NO AUDIO QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.  
DO YOU HAVE ANY WEB QUESTIONS?
>>>  NO WEB QUESTIONS EITHER.  THANKS VERY MUCH.  WE'LL PROCEED WITH THE PRESENTATION.  AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE A FINAL Q AND A SESSION AT THE END.
>>>   OKAY.  SO NOW I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT -- GO BACK TO SORT OF OVERALL STRATEGIC PLANNING AND WHAT DO YOU DO ONCE YOU HAVE THE DATA FROM WHATEVER COMMUNITY ASSESSMENTS YOU'VE DONE -- WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS IN TERMS OF INTEGRATING THE DATA TO IMPROVE, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN YOUR CENTER.  SOME OVERALL THINGS YOU WANT TO CONSIDER ARE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO FIGURE OUT A METHOD FOR SYNTHESIZING THE DATA AND DISCUSSING THE FINDINGS WITH WHOEVER YOU THINK IS RELEVANT TO DISCUSS THEM WITH.  THEN YOU HAVE TO PRIORITIZE WHAT YOU FOUND OUT FROM THE COMMUNITY ASSESSMENTS AND DETERMINE THEIR FEASIBILITY.  THERE MIGHT BE SOME THINGS THAT COME UP DURING THE COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT PHASE WHERE PEOPLE SAY THEY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO DO X BUT X DOESN'T FIT WITH YOUR MISSION.  SO YOU NEED TO FIGURE OUT, ARE YOU GOING TO CHANGE YOUR MISSION IN ORDER TO DO THAT?  OR JUST NOT ACCOMPLISH THAT AT ALL BECAUSE IT'S NOT IMPORTANT TO YOUR MISSION OR IS ONE OF YOUR THINGS GOING TO BE HELPING OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE MISSION IT IS TO DO WHATEVER THAT FINDING WAS TO DO IT.  
SO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME PROCESS OF PRIORITIZING IN DETERMINING FEASIBILITY.  
THEN ONCE YOU DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF THINGS ARE FEASIBLE YOU NEED TO CREATE THE ACTUAL STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS, AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT COURSE OF ACTION ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE TO ADDRESS THAT FINDING AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE STATEMENTS THAT SAY WHERE YOUR ORGANIZATION IS GOING.  FOR ACCESS LIVING AND OUR STRATEGIC PLAN OUR STATEMENTS START OFF AS "ACCESS LIVING WILL" -- CURRENTLY, "ACCESS LIVING WILL COMMIT ITSELF TO PROVIDING INNOVATIVE IDEAS...."  ONCE YOU DEVELOP THE DIRECTIONS YOU NEED TO DETERMINE WHAT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WILL HELP YOU ACCOMPLISH THOSE OBJECTIVES.  WHAT AND HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET TO ACCOMPLISHING THAT STRATEGIC DIRECTION?  THEN I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CREATE A TRACKING TOOL THAT ALLOWS YOU TO TRACK PROGRESS ALONG THE WAY.  THEN DETERMINE A PROCESS FOR REPORTING THAT PROCESS. 
IF WE COULD GO TO SLIDE 31, PLEASE.  I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFIC PROCESS THAT ACCESS LIVING USED TO KIND OF INTEGRATE THE DATA WE FOUND THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT.  WE CONDUCTED A RETREAT.  THE RETREAT WAS A MIX OF BOARD AND STAFF.  IT WAS A WIDE VARIETY OF BOARD MEMBERS FROM, YOU KNOW, EXECUTIVE LEVEL BOARD MEMBERS TO BOARD COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A WIDE VARIETY OF STAFF.  AGAIN, WE TRIED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS GOOD REPRESENTATION IN TERMS OF RACE, GENDER, DISABILITY TYPE, AND AREA OF EXPERTISE.  AT THAT RETREAT WE REPORTED WHAT WE FOUND FROM THE FOCUS GROUPS AND ALSO THE SURVEYS THAT WE DID WITH BOARD AND STAFF AND THEN ALSO THE EXTERNAL INTERVIEWS.  AND WE GOT PEOPLE IN GROUPS TO DISCUSS THE FINDINGS.  WE DID A VISIONING EXERCISE SO PEOPLE ENVISIONED WHAT THEY WANTED ACCESS LIVING TO LOOK LIKE AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS.  AND WE HAD, AGAIN, SMALL GROUPS WITHIN THE RETREAT PRIORITIZE BROAD GOALS AND COME UP WITH BROAD GOALS, AND EXAMPLES OF THOSE KINDS OF REALLY BROAD-LEVEL GOALS WERE EXPANDING CONSUMER INVOLVEMENT AND INCREASING COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.  AFTER THOSE BROAD GOALS WERE DETERMINED THE STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE DEVELOPED STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS FROM THOSE BROAD GOALS. 
IF WE COULD GO TO SLIDE 32.  AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE THE ACTUAL STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS WE ORGANIZED THE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS INTO THEMES AND HAD WORK GROUPS DEVELOP THE GOALS, THE SPECIFIC GOALS THAT WOULD HELP US ACCOMPLISH THOSE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS.  THE WORK GROUPS BRAINSTORMED AND PRIORIZED THOSE -- PRIORITIZED THOSE GOALS AND THE TOP FOUR OR FIVE MADE IT INTO THE PLAN. 
SLIDE 33, PLEASE.
>>>  OKAY.  SO ON SLIDE 33 WE CREATED A REPORTING TOOL THAT WAS USED.  I DRAFTED THAT AS THE CONSULTANT, AND THAT INCLUDED GOALS AND STAFF AND THE TIME LINE.  AND THE TOOL WILL BE USED TO REPORT PROGRESS.  JUST TO LET YOU KNOW HOW THE TOOL WAS ORGANIZED, THERE WERE SEVERAL CATEGORIES FOR EACH STRATEGIC DIRECTION.  THERE WAS PROBLEMATIC IMPACT AND EVERYTHING THAT FELL UNDER THAT, ORGANIZATIONAL ENHANCEMENTS AND A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE -- THAT HAD TO DO WITH A LOT OF THE INTERNAL ISSUES -- COMMUNICATION, FINANCIAL STABILITY AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, AND BOARD EFFECTIVENESS.  SO WE ORGANIZED THE TOOLS SO THAT ALL OF THE GOALS WOULD BE CATEGORIZED AND EASY TO FIND.  
AND THEN THE CHART ITSELF HAD FOUR CATEGORIES -- THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION, THE YEAR -- LET'S SAY YEAR ONE PERFORMANCE GOALS.  WE HAVE A SEPARATE CHART FOR EACH OF THE FIVE YEARS.  SO ON THE FIRST CHART THE SECOND CATEGORY AFTER STRATEGIC DIRECTION SAYS YEAR ONE PERFORMANCE GOALS.  AND THEN THERE IS A COLUMN FOR INDICATORS, WHICH IS THE PROGRESS THAT THE ORGANIZATION IS MAKING TOWARDS THE GOALS AND THEN THE PERSON OR THE TEAM THAT IS THE LEAD.  
OKAY.  SO ON SLIDE 34, TIPS FOR CREATING THE TRACKING TOOL.  AGAIN, KEEPING YOUR AUDIENCE IN MIND, MAKING IT EASY TO UNDERSTAND, INCLUDING THE TIME LINE AS WE DID WITH THE YEAR, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE, THE MEASURABLE GOALS AND ALSO TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT THIS WILL BE USED AS A TRACKING TOOL. 
SLIDE 35.  SO PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER, ACCESS LIVING -- HERE IS AN ACCESS LIVING CASE STUDY.  THE FINDINGS FROM EXTERNAL INTERVIEWS AND THE FOCUS GROUPS -- ONE OF THEM, THERE WERE MANY -- WAS THAT ACCESS LIVING NEEDS TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE MARKETING WHAT WE DO AND WE NEED TO USE MEDIA MORE EFFECTIVELY TO CHANGE THE ATTITUDES ABOUT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
>>>  OKAY.  AND THEN -- SO WE KNEW THAT THAT WAS A FINDING GOING INTO THE RETREAT THAT WE HAD.  WE SHARED THAT WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED THE RETREAT, WHICH AGAIN WERE BOARD AND STAFF.  AND THEN WE HAD A GROUP OF BOARD AND STAFF AT THAT RETREAT CONSIDER SOME PROBING QUESTIONS THAT WE HOPED WOULD KIND OF RESULT IN BROAD GOALS.  THOSE PROBING QUESTIONS WERE, HOW CAN WE USE PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MEDIA OUTREACH TO -- BETTER PROMOTE WHAT ACCESS LIVING DOES AND CREATE A MORE FAVORABLE OPINION OF US?  WHAT IDEAS DO WE HAVE ABOUT EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS THAT COULD ADDRESS STEREO TYPICAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES?  
SLIDE 37.  ALSO, WHAT UNDERREPRESENTED GROUP SHOULD BE REACHED AND ENGAGED?  WHAT SKILLS DO WE NEED TO GAIN TO DEVELOP A GREATER INTERNET PRESENCE AND DEVELOP SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES?  AND HOW CAN WE INCREASE (INDISCERNIBLE) AMONG ELECTED OFFICIALS?  
SLIDE 38.  SO THAT SURFACED A VARIETY OF BROAD GOALS AT THE RETREAT, AND THEN THE STRATEGIC, THE ACTUAL STRATEGIC DIRECTION THAT CAME OUT OF THAT DISCUSSION WAS ACCESS LIVING WILL ASSESS A PUBLIC IMAGE IN MESSAGING AND IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES THAT WILL BETTER DEFINE US, PROMOTE OUR REACH, OUR PRINCIPLES AND ATTRACT OUR MOVEMENT TOWARDS THE DISABILITIES.  
THEN AS I MENTIONED WE HAD WORK GROUPS AFTER THE RETREAT THAT MET.  IT WAS A SMALLER SUBSET OF BOARD AND STAFF, AND THEY HAD THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION IN FRONT OF THEM.  IT WAS THEIR JOB TO COME UP WITH WHAT GOALS WERE GOING TO HELP US ACCOMPLISH THAT STRATEGIC DIRECTION.  AND WE GROUPED THE GOALS INTO YEARS.  SO THE GOALS FOR THAT PARTICULAR STRATEGIC DIRECTION WERE UNDER YEAR ONE TO DEVELOP A CLEAR AND MORE CONCISE STATEMENT OF ACCESS LIVING'S VISION AND GOALS, TO DEVELOP A PUBLIC RELATIONS PLAN TO SUPPORT LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY WORK ON BEHALF OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.  TO DEVELOP NEW WEBSITE ELEMENTS TO ENGAGE THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY AND ALLIES, TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO SUPPORT OUR MEDIA PLAN GOALS. 
UNDER YEAR TWO THE GOAL RELATED TO THAT STRATEGIC DIRECTION WAS TO CREATE A PLAN OR TIME LINE TO DEVELOP A PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT, TO FURTHER STRATEGIC GOALS, TO CONSIDER INCLUDING VOLUNTEER CONSUMER SPEAKERS BUREAU.  YEAR THREE. . . .  
SLIDE 41.  AND THEN TAKING THAT THEN TO THE TRACKING TOOL, IF WE USE AS A GOAL THE FIRST GOAL THAT I MENTIONED, WHICH WAS TO DEVELOP A CLEAR AND MORE CONCISE STATEMENT OF ACCESS LIVING'S MISSION, VISION, AND GOAL, THE INDICATOR IS A REVISED STATEMENT OF OUR MISSION, VISION, AND GOALS.  AND THE LEAD PERSON ON THAT WILL BE OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR AND DEVELOPMENTAL DIRECTOR.  AND THE TIME FRAME WILL BE COMPLETING THAT BY THE END OF YEAR ONE. 
GO TO SLIDE 42, AND PAM, I THINK THIS IS YOU.
>>>   IT'S -- I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A WAY TO MONITOR THESE.  THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF INDICATORS.  THERE'S AN IMPACT INDICATOR WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO SHOW THE PROGRESS THAT YOUR GOALS OR ACTIONS ARE HAVING ON THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH OR SERVING.  AND THERE IS ALSO SOMETHING CALLED A PROCESS INDICATOR, AND THAT -- THE SUCCESS OR PROGRESS YOU'RE MAKING IN TERMS OF ENSURING THAT YOUR GOALS ARE BEING PLANNED.  SO THE PROCESS INDICATORS ARE MUCH MORE -- YOU KNOW, WE'VE ESTABLISHED A COMMITTEE TO DO SUCH AND SUCH OR BY A CERTAIN DATE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE COMPLETED A PROPOSAL THAT'S GOING TO GO TO FUNDER TO DO THIS.  
MANY ORGANIZATIONS PREFER PROCESS INDICATORS OVER IMPACT INDICATORS, NOT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT THEY'RE HAVING BUT OFTEN IMPACT INDICATORS ARE -- CAN BE AFFECTED BY SOURCES OR FACTORS OUTSIDE OF YOUR CONTROL.  LET'S SAY THE -- A DOWN ECONOMY.  SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WILL, YOU KNOW, START -- YOU KNOW, A CERTAIN NUMBER OF NEW PROGRAMS, THAT IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPACTED BY THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY.  SO PEOPLE ARE MORE -- IN GENERAL MORE INTERESTED IN INDICATING, AT LEAST IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, PROCESS INDICATORS THAT SHOW WE'RE TAKING STEPS AND MOVING TOWARDS OUR GOALS. 
DAISY, I WANT TO GO BACK TO SLIDE 29 BECAUSE I REALIZED ANOTHER ONE I SKIPPED ACCIDENTALLY WAS THE FINAL REPORT.  AND I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE.  SO ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT DAISY TALKED ABOUT ARE INCLUDED IN THE FINAL REPORT.  BUT BEFORE EVERYONE GETTING TO THE FINAL REPORT, THERE WILL BE VERBAL PRESENTATIONS MADE AS THE FINDINGS OF THE RESEARCH TO INTERESTED PARTIES -- WHETHER THE COMMITTEE, THE BOARD, STAFF PEOPLE, WHOMEVER.  AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE -- I WANTED TO GO OVER THE TABLE OF CONTENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE FINAL REPORT TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT'S GENERALLY INCLUDED.  
YOU'LL ALSO WANT TO GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO THE TITLING OF THE REPORT OR THE CONSULTANT WILL BECAUSE YOU WANT THAT TO RESONATE WITH WHERE THE ORGANIZATION IS AND WHERE THEIR CHALLENGES ARE.  IN THE CASE OF ACCESS LIVING, THIS IS CALLED OPTIMISM AND ACCESS IN CHALLENGING AND ECONOMIC TIMES.  WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON THERE'S A LOT OF ENERGY ON WHAT WE'RE DOING, THERE'S A LOT OF ACTION BUT WE'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THESE ARE ECONOMIC-CHALLENGING TIMES.  SO THE TABLE OF CON TENTS INCLUDES AN INTRODUCTION, WHAT WERE THE METHODS OF RESEARCH WE UNDERTOOK, WHO ARE WE, AND THAT TALKED ABOUT THE MISSION AND THE VISION, AND AT THE RETREAT WE ALSO BRAINSTORMED VALUES, AND WE INCLUDED THOSE AS WELL. 
WE TALKED ABOUT THE ANALYSIS -- STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THREATS -- OPPORTUNITIES -- AND THREATS THAT DAISY TALKED ABOUT.  THOSE ARE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT.  WE DID SOMETHING CALLED A STRATEGY SCREEN WHICH IS A WAY FOR YOU TO -- IT'S A CRITERIA SO THAT AS DECISIONS COME UP THROUGHOUT THE YEAR -- WE DON'T WANT THIS TO SIT ON THE SHELF.  IT NEEDS TO BE A LIVING DOCUMENT.  AS DECISIONS COME UP HOW DO WE EVALUATE THOSE IN TERMS OF IS THIS SOMETHING THE ORGANIZATION WANTS TO TAKE ON RIGHT NOW, SO WE ESTABLISH CRITERIA TO MEASURE THAT AGAIN.  THEN HOW ARE WE GOING TO -- THE FINAL SECTION OF THE REPORT IS HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THERE AND KNOW THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION THAT DAISY TALKED ABOUT. 
THERE'S QUITE AN EXTENSIVE APPENDIX TO THE REPORT.  ALL OF THE CON TENTS THAT CAME OUT OF THE EXERCISE, THE (INDISCERNIBLE) EXERCISE QUESTIONS, THE STAKEHOLDERS WE INTERVIEWED, THE QUESTIONS WE ASKED OF FOCUS GROUPS, RETREAT AGENDA, FINANCIAL HISTORY, ET CETERA.  SO THAT IS THE FORMAT THAT WAS USED IN THIS CASE FOR ACCESS LIVING'S FINAL REPORT. 
OKAY, DAISY.  I'M SORRY.
>>>   THEN I WANTED TO END WITH, YOU KNOW, WHERE ACCESS LIVING IS ACTUALLY AT AT THIS POINT BUT THE GOAL IS TO USE A TRACKING TOOL WE'VE JUST DEVELOPED TO SHARE PROGRESS TOWARDS OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND GOALS WITH SENIOR MANAGEMENT SO THEY CAN KNOW WHERE WE ARE AT ANY GIVEN POINT AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT QUARTERLY AND SHARE THAT WITH THE BOARD TWICE A YEAR.  AND THEN ALSO WITHIN THE PLAN ITSELF IS A TIME IN YEAR THREE FOR US TO COMPLETELY ASSESS THE WHOLE PLAN AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STILL ON TRACK, THAT THE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS ARE STILL RELEVANT AND THAT THERE ARE STILL THINGS WE WANT TO GO TOWARD AND MAKE CHANGES IF NECESSARY. 
SO, PAM, UNLESS YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING, I THINK THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
>>>   I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST ADD ONE QUOTE, JUST BECAUSE I THINK THIS QUOTE KIND OF POINTS OUT THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN GET, NOT ONLY FROM FOCUS GROUPS BUT FROM ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS AS WELL, WHICH IS REALLY INVALUABLE.  
A FUNDER SAID "WE WON'T GIVE AUTOMATICALLY TO ORGANIZATIONS YEAR BY YEAR.  WE'RE LOOKING FOR INNOVATION, SCALABILITY, REPLICABILITY, AND SYSTEMIC CHANGE."  SO IT REALLY GIVES YOU INSIGHT INTO WHAT FUNDERS OR POTENTIAL PARTNERS ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING TO AS THEY THINK ABOUT WORKING WITH OR FUNDING YOUR ORGANIZATION IN THE FUTURE. 
>>>OPERATOR:  WITH THAT WE THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR ATTENTION.  AND IF THERE ARE ANY -- 
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, YOU CAN PRESS 1 ON YOUR TELEPHONE KEY PAD.  I DO HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS FOR YOU. 
FIRST QUESTION COMES FROM MICHAEL. 
>>>CALLER:  HI, THERE.  I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.  CALLING FROM NEW YORK.  MANY OF US ON THE LINE PROBABLY HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES AROUND STATE PLANS OR SPIL STATE PLANNING PROCESS.  DO YOU WANT TO MAKE ANY SPECIFIC LINKAGES OR SUGGESTIONS RELATIVE TO STATE PLANS AND DO YOU WANT ALL MY QUESTIONS OR JUST ONE AT A TIME?  LET ME JUST PITCH A FEW.  
STATE PLAN, IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFICS WITH REGARD TO THAT.  WE'RE STRUGGLING INTERNALLY IF OUR ORGANIZATION AND WE'RE IN THE VRNIL, WITH TRYING TO GAIN IMPORTANCE FOR THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND THE REPORT FOR (INDISCERNIBLE).  I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED ANY -- IF YOU WANTED TO SHARE ANYTHING ON THAT. 
FINALLY YOU MENTIONED LIKE THE SCREENING TOOL THAT WILL -- IN TERMS OF PRIORITIZING OBJECTIVES OVER TIME, THAT SCREENING TOOL THAT WOULD GIVE THE AGENCY SOME GUIDANCE AS TO WHAT GOALS TO ADOPT OR NOT, AND YOU HAD A SPECIFIC TERM FOR THAT.  I WOULD APPRECIATE HEARING AGAIN.
>>>   OKAY.  DAISY -- I THOUGHT IT WOULD TAKE ME A SECOND TO FIND THE STRATEGY SCREEN.  I'LL START WITH THAT QUESTION IF THAT'S OKAY. 
SO FOR ACCESS LIVING STRATEGY SCREEN, AGAIN, IT'S A WAY TO MAKE DETERMINATIONS ON ANY BIG ISSUES THAT FACE THE ORGANIZATION DURING THE PERIOD OF THE PLAN.  SO IN THIS CASE OUR STRATEGY -- THIS IS ACCESS LIVING -- MUST SUPPORT OUR MISSION, INCLUDE SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DISADVANTAGED, EMBRACE ALL PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES REGARDLESS OF RACE, COLOR, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AGE, MARITAL STATUS, VETERAN STATUS, AND ANY OTHER CHARACTERISTIC, PROMOTE, EMPOWER INDEPENDENCE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.  IT MUST BE FEASIBLE.  IT MUST BE SUPPORTED BY RESEARCH OR CLEAR EVIDENCE OF NEED.  SO THERE'S A BIG EMPHASIS ON THOSE PRACTICES AND SOUND EVIDENCE FOR PROGRAMS.  
IT MUST PLAY TO OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHS AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES.  IT MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT REDUNDANCY AND OVERLAP OF SERVICES.  IF THERE ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING A SIMILAR SERVICE AND DOING IT WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A REDUNDANCY.  IT MUST CONSIDER STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE IN EVALUATION MECHANISM.  IT MUST POSSIBLY -- POSITIVELY IMPACT THE DAILY LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.  IT MUST BE CURRENT -- MEET CURRENT GEOGRAPHIC GUIDELINES FOR THE SCOPE OF OUR SERVICES.  ACCESS LIVING IS INTERESTED IN BEING (INDISCERNIBLE) AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.  
SO WHATEVER BIG ISSUES COME UP, YOU KNOW, IT'S MEASURED AGAINST, YOU KNOW, WILL IT FURTHER MEET THESE CRITERIA.
>>>  AND THEN YOUR QUESTION REGARDING THE STATE PLAN, YOU KNOW, I WOULD THINK I SAY TO THAT WE MADE SURE THE THINGS IN OUR PLAN WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE STATE PLAN.  TO BE HONEST IT WASN'T A REALLY ACTIVE PART.  YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T INCLUDE IT ACTIVELY IN MANY PARTS OF THE PROCESS OTHER THAN TO JUST MAKE SURE WE WERE BEING CONSISTENT WITH IT. 
I'M NOT SURE I FULLY GOT YOUR SECOND QUESTION, PAM.  DID YOU --.
>>>   I'LL TRY TO GIVE A SHOT AT IT, MICHAEL.  I THINK THAT THE -- PARTICULARLY IN THIS KIND OF ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT, THE FIRST THING TO BE CUT OR NOT TO SEE -- THAT'S NOT SEEN AS IMPORTANT IS ANYTHING TO DO WITH COMMUNITY RELATIONS, COMMUNITY/MEDIA RELATIONS -- ALL THOSE THINGS THAT FALL INTO THAT BUCKET.  I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THAT'S THE ABSOLUTE WRONG DECISION TO MAKE, THAT ORGANIZATIONS, PARTICULARLY NOW, NEED TO BE LOOKING TO ENHANCE THEIR COMMUNITY RELATIONS, THEIR WEBSITES, TO BE GETTING ON BOARD WITH SOCIAL MEDIA AS ACCESS LIVING IS, TO BE DOING FACE BOOK PAGES.  BECAUSE ALL THESE THINGS ENHANCE YOUR PRESENCE WITH YOUR PARTNERS, IT MAKES PEOPLE WANT TO PARTNER WITH YOU, IT HELPS YOUR FUNDERS KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP TO.  ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I ASK WHEN I INTERVIEW FUNDERS IS WHAT DO YOU HEAR ABOUT ACCESS LIVING?  IT'S AMAZING WHAT THEY HEAR.  AND SO YOU WANT WHAT THEY HEAR TO BE POSITIVE.  YOU WANT THERE TO BE POSITIVE STORIES OUT THERE ABOUT WHAT THE ORGANIZATION IS DOING.  SO I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, CRUCIAL FOR FUNDING, FOR PARTNERSHIPS, FOR CUSTOMER AWARENESS THAT COMMUNITY AWARENESS BE ON THE FRONT BURNER.
>>>   I WOULD ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THIS STUCK OUT IN MY MIND FROM WHEN PAM DID THE FOCUS GROUPS IS OUR CONSUMERS, MANY OF THEM ARE PEOPLE WE SEE A LOT, REALLY SAID THEY WANT MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE AT ACCESS LIVING, TO INTERACT WITH OUR STAFF, TO GET INVOLVED WITH OUR ISSUES, AND THAT THEME MADE IT CLEARLY IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF STUFF TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY MORE AND ISSUES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.  SO I THINK THAT WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT ACTUAL FINDING FROM THE FOCUS GROUP. 
>>>TIM:  FINAL SUGGESTION MIGHT BE -- YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO TRACK PROGRESS OR REPLICATE THE EFFORT, YOU MIGHT WANT TO -- IF IT'S NONPROPRIETARY -- POST ACCESS LIVING'S PLAN ON THE ARCHIVE MATERIAL.
>>>   THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT DOING THAT LATER.  THE REASON WE HAVEN'T SO FAR AND BECAUSE WE'RE STILL TWEAKING IT.  WE JUST FINISHED THE PLANNING PROCESS SO THAT WAS THE REASON FOR NOT ACTUALLY POSTING IT, BUT ONCE IT IS FINAL I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA, TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET IT TO PEOPLE. 
>>>TIM:  IF YOU'RE WILLING TO SHARE THAT WE'RE WILLING TO HELP.  
I WANTED TO MENTION TO YOU ALSO, WE DID -- LET'S SEE ON JUNE 12TH OF LAST YEAR -- A PRESENTATION ABOUT DATA GATHERING.  AND IT WAS AN OVERVIEW OF ALL TYPES OF MEDIUMS AND EVENTS THAT YOU COULD DO.  SO NOT JUST FOCUS GROUPS BUT FORUMS, SURVEYS, INTERVIEWS, AND IT WAS GEARED TOWARDS SILCS AND THE SPIL.  A TRANSCRIPT AND POWERPOINT IS AVAILABLE ON ILRU'S WEBSITE.  IF YOU FOLLOW TO THE WEBCAST SECTION AND THEN THE ARCHIVE SECTION YOU'LL SEE IT -- "INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY IN DECISIONS, DATA GATHERING FOR SILCS. ".
>>>   THANK YOU. 
>>>OPERATOR:  THE NEXT AUDIO QUESTION COMES FROM KAREN. 
>>>CALLER:  I'M FROM MILWAUKEE.  I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD INFORMATION AND MAKE A REQUEST SIMILARLY FOR SOME OF THE TOOLS THAT ACCESS HAD, FOR INSTANCE, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE SAW AN EXAMPLE OF A MODERATOR GUIDE, A RECRUITING SCREEN THAT WAS MORE SPECIFIC TO WHAT ACCESS DID RATHER THAN THE ONE ON PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND A REPORTING TOOL.  AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE STRATEGY SCREEN BUT I COULDN'T KEEP UP IN TERMS OF NOTES ON THAT BUT THAT MAY BE HELPFUL TO SHARE AS WELL, AGAIN IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE WILLING TO SHARE.  
THANK YOU.
>>>   THANK YOU.  
>>>OPERATOR:  THE RECRUITING SCREENER -- FOR ACCESS LIVING --.
>>>   WE IDENTIFIED DISABILITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAD FLIERS THERE.  WE DID TWO GROUPS -- CLIENT AND POTENTIAL CLIENTS SO I WANTED TO JUST OFFER AN ALTERNATE VERSION AS IF YOU WERE TO DO RECRUITING WHERE YOU WERE TRYING TO RECRUIT AROUND DEMOGRAPHIC ISSUE, WHAT YOU MIGHT BE LOOKING TO ASK. 
>>>CALLER:  THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THAT THEN.
>>>   YOU'RE WELCOME. 
>>>CALLER:  VERY HELPFUL.
>>>   OKAY.  
>>>OPERATOR:  WE DO HAVE ANOTHER AUDIO QUESTION, BUT I'D LIKE TO TURN TO TIM TO SEE IF HE HAS ANY WEB QUESTIONS. 
>>>TIM:  THANK YOU.  I JUST HAVE ONE.  AND, PAM, WOULD YOU MIND REPEATING THE CATEGORIES OF TRACKING CHARTS.
>>>   THE CATEGORIES OF TRACKING -- OH, THE CHART -- THE CATEGORIES ON THE -- YES.  LET ME GET TO THAT.  WELL, THE CATEGORIES ON THE CHART WERE THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION, THE YEAR AND THE PERFORMANCE GOALS.  SO YEAR ONE PERFORMANCE GOALS.  THE THIRD CATEGORY IS INDICATORS, AND THE FOURTH CATEGORY IS (INDISCERNIBLE).  SO FOR EACH STRATEGIC DIRECTION THERE ARE SEVERAL GOALS.  AND SEVERAL INDICATORS, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE GOAL IS.  
>>>TIM:  OKAY.  THANKS SO MUCH. 
WE CAN GO AHEAD WITH THE AUDIO QUESTIONS. 
>>>OPERATOR:  YOUR NEXT AUDIO QUESTION COMES FROM MS. SHAW. 
>>>CALLER:  I'M SORRY I MISSED ON THIS PART OF THE LIST, WHEN YOU GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF THE FINAL REPORT -- I CAUGHT THE MISSION AND THE VISION AND THE APPENDIX.  I DIDN'T GET THE GUTS.
>>>  OKAY.  NO PROBLEM.  LET ME QUICKLY GET TO THAT.  AND THESE CAN BE ORGANIZED -- I MEAN, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY FOR EVERY PROJECT I'VE HAD THERE COULD BE MANY CONCEIVABLE VARIATIONS, BUT FOR ACCESS LIVING THERE WAS AN INTRODUCTION, A SUMMARY OF THE RESEARCH METHODS -- SO WE TALKED ABOUT STORY-TELLING, INTERVIEWS, ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS WITH STAKEHOLDERS, FOCUS GROUPINGS, ET CETERA.  THE NEXT SECTION IS WHO ARE WE, AND THAT WAS OUR MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES.  THE NEXT ONE IS WHERE ARE WE, AND THAT'S THE REVIEW OF THE STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THREATS.  THE FOURTH IS WHERE ARE WE GOING, AND THAT WAS THE STRATEGY SCREEN.  AND THE LAST ONE IS HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THERE, AND THAT WAS THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION, AND THEN THERE WAS A CONCLUSION TO THE REPORT AND THE APPENDICES. 
>>>CALLER:  THANK YOU.
>>>   YOU'RE WELCOME. 
>>>OPERATOR:  AND THAT WAS THE LAST OF OUR AUDIO QUESTIONS.  
>>>TIM:  ALL RIGHT.  THANK YOU.  THAT TIME IS -- THAT TIMES OUT NICELY.  IT'S TIME TO END TODAY'S PRESENTATION. 
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.  AND OF COURSE I WANT TO THANK PAM AND DAISY FOR THEIR EXCELLENT PRESENTATIONS.  IF YOU ALL THINK OF ANY LAST-MINUTE QUESTIONS, WHETHER IT'S IN TWO MINUTES OR TWO DAYS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE.  YOU CAN -- I'LL OFFER MYSELF AS A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT.  IF YOU THINK OF ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT TODAY'S PRESENTATION OR OUR TRAINING PROGRAMS IN GENERAL E-MAIL ME AT TIM AT NCIL.ORG.  PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO VISIT OUR EVALUATION PAGE -- EVALUATION LINK ON THE TRAINING PAGE AND FILL OUT THE EVALUATION FORM FOR TODAY'S PRESENTATION. 
THANKS AGAIN, EVERYBODY.  DO TAKE CARE AND PAM AND DAISY IF YOU COULD HOLD THE LINE I'D APPRECIATE IT.  
THANKS.  BYE BYE.
>>>  THANK YOU.