Documenting learning

AlexiaM@aol.com
Wed, 4 Jan 1995 02:06:20 -0500

I have a small project with a high tech firm to develop a "case study" on the
turnaround of one of its smaller business units (a warehouse operation of
about 60 people). (Really bad manager who did some really bad morale
destroying things to the operation. With a new manager who initiated some
different practices, people are now motivated, happy to work together,
productive, breaking all metrics, etc.)

The senior executive believes lots of things were done right and he does not
want the learning lost. He wants a case study that can be used in the
company's "Managing at ....." course.
I've developed several case studies in the past, but I want to do something
different here. I usually do interviews and focus groups and capture the
"voice of the participants" either on audio or video tape and then put
together a story along with a summary and recommendations.

I'd like to get the 60 participants (or a representative group) in this
turnaround to actually develop their own case study. I'm thinking of having
them put together their own story--again using audio or video---along with
their summary and recommendations. I'd like to do it in a way where they
relive what they learned and maybe even be able to make some additional
enhancements from this process.

Do any of you have experience developing these living case studies? Any
advice from your experience? Are there any dangers to having the
participants develop their own story? Any reading you'd recommend to me for
how to facilitate this process?

I suspect I'll be able to share some results as this project unfolds.

Thanks,
Alexia Martin AlexiaM@aol.com
Co-Development International
12950 Saratoga Avenue
Saratoga, CA. 95070
408 366-0466
408 366-0474 fax