Transcript Presentation - University of Michigan

The Pen Pals Five
SI 501
Contextual Design
& Inquiry
Who are the Pen Pals Five?
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Lance
Emi
Chen
Emily
Kevin
“K-grams is a mentoring and learning program that pairs up
college and elementary school students through a suite of
programs. An entirely student-led organization, K-grams
brings people together from all facets of the University of
Michigan campus and the local community. “
• Completely Student Run (All Undergrad)
• Non-Profit
• Part of developing a rich college experience
• Focus: Involving Students in the Community
Core Program: Letter Writing
Methodology
Interviews
Methodology
Models
Constraints
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Money
Time
Expertise
High Turnover
Findings
Findings
•Transitions
Findings
•Transitions
•Communication
Findings
•Transitions
•Communication
•Technology
Finding 1
Transition Issues
Recruitment
 “We start recruitment at
the beginning of each year”
 Collecting and
processing applications
takes a lot of time
Training
 There is no formal training
process for directors
 Rely on binders to
communicate information
from one year to the next
”Transition is our biggest challenge”
-Director
Finding 1
Transition Issues
What does institutional
memory look like?
Finding 1
Transition Issues
In most organizations, much
institutional memory is passed
from person to person.
”New things are tried every year, so if they don’t work,
someone may still try the same thing again two years later.”
–Director
Finding 1
Transition Issues
At K-grams high turn over
causes a reliance on artifacts.
Finding 1
Transition Issues
What do years of institutional
memory look like?
Finding 1
Transition Issues
What do years of institutional
memory look like?
“The transition binder was poorly done last year.”
-Director
Finding 1
Transition Issues
What can K-grams do?
Recommendation 1
Transition Issues
Recruit and train Directors and Swing Kids early:
 Allow for training based on personal experience
and relationships rather than artifacts.
 Let Swing Kids get involved in the training
of pen pals
Recommendation 1
Transition Issues
Recruit and train Directors and Swing Kids early:
 Allow for training based on personal experience
and relationships rather than artifacts.
 Let Swing Kids get involved in the training
of pen pals
Rethink role of binders
 Use binders as reference tool rather
than as a means of training
 Consolidate old binders
 Standardize the content
Finding 2
Communication: Sharing the Love
Strengths
 K-grams members are
very excited to be involved
with the program
 Members are motivated by
the mentor relationships with
kids
“I get a lot of joy out of doing this”
-Director
Finding 2
Communication: Sharing the Love
Strengths
 K-grams members are
very excited to be involved
with the program
 Members are motivated by
the mentor relationships with
kids
Top to bottom
communication
 Swing Kids and Pen Pals
are out of the loop
 Lack of feedback
“The swing kids don’t always know what’s going on.”
–Hall Head
Recommendation 2
Communication: Sharing the Love
Short Term
Begin emailing periodic newsletter to
announce current activities and future
events
Informal Engagements
Recommendation 2
Communication: Sharing the Love
Short Term
Begin emailing periodic newsletter to
announce current activities and future
events
Informal Engagements
Longer Term
Send out online/paper survey to pen
pals and teachers after every semester.
K-grams blog
Finding 3
Technology: Tools for Success
Website
 Only one director knows
how to use database and website
 Outdated information
 Content has been compromised:
inappropriate spam
“The Website is a mess”
-Director
Finding 3
Technology: Tools for Success
Website
 Only one director knows
how to use database and website
 Outdated information
 Content has been compromised:
inappropriate spam
Applications Processing
 Pen Pal applications are not
standardized between web and
paper models
 Online applications are sent to a
g-mail account and must still be
entered into the K-grams database
manually
“The Website is a mess”
-Director
Recommendation
3
Technology: Tools for Success
Short Term
Clean up website content
 Update static web content
 Remove guestbook altogether
Recommendation
3
Technology: Tools for Success
Longer Term
Redesign Website
 Find volunteer in University community to implement
overhaul of website
 Configure content management platform
 Integrate online application and pen pal
database
Recommendation
3
Technology: Tools for Success
Longer Term
Redesign Website
 Find volunteer in University community to implement
overhaul of website
 Configure content management platform
 Integrate online application and pen pal
database
Institute Maintenance of Web content
 Recruit from within K-Grams
 Use Pen Pal application to locate recruits with
website experience
 Consider creating a position responsible for
electronic communications
Conclusions
• Summary of recommendations:
– Continue the good work!
– Recruit and train early to reflect roles in the
organization
– More person-to-person training, use binders as a
reference
– Enhance the feedback within the organization and
with schools.
– Update the website and recruit students with
technical expertise.
Questions