Many
of these projects were conducted by
the Decision Techtronics Group,
University at Albany, SUNY
Association of Retarded Citizens
Retrenchment Tradeoffs
The Day Treatment Program provided by the Association of Retarded Citizens
serves developmentally disabled persons according to their individualized
needs. In 1982 available program funding was drastically reduced.
Twelve professional staff members were brought together at a decision
conference to define priorities and determine budget allocations. The
participants were able to achieve consensus and enhance their team management
in spite of these ominous constraints.
AT&T
Consolidating Offices Regionally
Partly because of divestiture, AT&T decided to investigate the
feasibility of cutting back from 33 account centers across the country to
perhaps six. The individuals charged with the investigation gathered an
enormous amount of information, but as their deadline approached, requested
assistance in its integration and analysis. A decision conference was
conducted the next day. A series of models was constructed to analyze
multiple objectives and alternatives. As a result, a framework for making
decisions about office locations was established.
Civil Service Employees Association
Establishing Curriculum Priorities
The Advanced Human Resources Development Program was initiated under the
direction of the Governor's Office of Employee Relations and the Civil Service
Employees Association to provide advanced training for interested members of
the state workforce. During the development stage of the program a
decision conference was used to establish curriculum priorities for each of
eight training courses.
College at Cobleskill
Campus Priorities with Reduced Funding
Faced with an imminent budget crisis, administrators of the State
University College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill reassessed
campus-wide priorities and developed a strategic plan that could enable the
College to absorb potential funding cuts while protecting the college's
future. The College vice-presidents and deans identified items in all
areas of campus operation that could be reduced, as well as items that deserved
greater funding. By exploring the benefits and costs of all proposed
increases and decreases, they identified the combination of reductions and
investments of greatest strategic advantage to the future of the campus.
The conference resulted in a list of investment priorities that would enable
the College to adjust to a 3, 5, or 10% cut in funding.
College at Purchase
Mission Statement and Strategic Planning Process
As a campus with diverse programs the College at Purchase has struggled
arduously over its mission. The decision conference was convened to write
a consensus mission statement and develop a campus-wide strategic planning and
budgeting process. Forty members of the campus community collaboratively
wrote the mission statement using computer projected software managed by a
group facilitator. Cognizant of the consensus mission, a number of planning and
budgeting processes were then proposed and evaluated against twenty-one
criteria. A refined proposal was developed for submission to the college
senate.
Community General Hospital of Greater Syracuse
Information System Transition Choices
The expansion of the hospital's information systems required the
acquisition of one or more new computers. To complicate the decision,
however, the vendor supplying the hospital's database language announced that
it would cease to support it and would only support a new product that could
only run on certain manufacturers' computers. Physicians and
administrators also wanted a more advanced language that would enable them to
do their own data analysis. Discussions dragged on over several months
threatening the planned installation of new nursing station terminals for lack
of sufficient computers. In a series of half-day sessions physicians,
administrators and computer staff constructed a multiattribute utility model to
sort out the issues and options and developed a long term plan.
Community Maternity Services
Developing a Research and Evaluation Program
Community Maternity Services (CMS) addresses the needs of unmarried
mothers. As a maturing organization, CMS used a decision conference to
re-establish major goals and priorities for programs, services, and continuing
organizational development. One of these goals, the development of a
research and evaluation component within the agency, was the subject of a
second decision conference.
Department of Environmental Conservation
Issues and Recommendations for Recycling
The Recycling Forum involved a series of meetings of over 50 experts
representing commercial recyclers, industrial users of recycled materials,
environmentalists, and local governments. These participants identified
issues and developed policy recommendations that would lead to increased
recycling activity in the state.
Department of Environmental Conservation
Finalizing the Solid Waste Management Plan
In response to new priorities and funding availability division staff held
a one day meeting to determine how they could produce a state Solid Waste
Management Plan under severe time constraints. Key issues were identified
and scored to decide which would be covered in the first year plan and which
would have to be postponed for later updates. Staff were assigned to
ensure the timely completion of all tasks.
Department of Environmental Conservation
Local Government Concerns in Solid Waste Management
Representatives of local governments were brought together to identify
their concerns regarding solid waste. From an initial list of over 40
issues five top priorities were identified and detailed recommendations were
developed for each.
Department of Environmental Conservation
Strategic Plan for the Great Lakes
Charged with developing a strategic plan for the Great Lakes, the
Department of Environmental Conservation assembled a diverse group of 35
representatives including citizen members of the Great Lakes Advisory Council
and state agency officials. The participants identified a series of
assumptions to undergird the strategic plan, developed a conceptual framework
for addressing coastal and natural resource issues and agreed in principle to
adopt a sustainable economic development and an ecosystem approach to planning.
Department of Labor
Office Leasing Policies and Site Evaluation
To deliver employment and related services the New York State Department of
Labor (DOL) leases office space in 200 locations throughout the state at an
annual cost of over 20 million dollars. As leases expire, officials at
DOL must decide whether the office should be continued in that vicinity, and if
so, whether it should be maintained at the current site or relocated to a more
cost-effective alternative. In a series of decision conferences, DOL
executives examined the relationship between physical location and program
effectiveness, developed a decision model for evaluating alternative sites, and
determined office space requirements for Job Service Offices.
Department of Motor Vehicles
Strategic Planning
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles provides services in three
major areas: highway safety, licensing and registration, and consumer
protection. At a decision conference, executives clarified the
department's role, mission, and priorities, and developed a strategic plan for
balancing services and meeting goals.
Department of Transportation
A State Policy for Railroad Bridge Underclearances
The Railroad Bridge Underclearance Committee was formed within the New York
State Department of Transportation to recommend a standard for highway bridge
vertical clearances over railroad lines. The decision was complicated by
uncertainty about the clearance needs of future rail technology, the pending
actions of other states, the high cost of raising bridges in densely populated
areas, and other factors. At a decision conference, the Committee established
criteria that should be considered in setting the standard, examined the
relative costs and benefits of various clearance heights, and selected a
specific height to recommend for the major railroad lines.
Developmental Disabilities Planning Council
Staffing Priorities for Effective Program Implementation
After developing their first program implementation plan, staff were told
by their board of directors that their plan was too ambitious. At a
decision conference the staff systematically evaluated the program proposals
and identified their priorities. The revised plan was more realistic in
making use of limited staff resources.
Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Redesigning the Service Delivery System
The New York State Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse initiated a
series of conferences to comprehensively redesign their service delivery
system. New types of services were identified, accompanied by decision
criteria to distinguish the appropriate type of service for various clients.
A dynamic simulation model was constructed to examine the flow of clients into
and out of the system over a period of several years. Key population data
were identified and incorporated in a judgment model to allow estimation of the
population with alcohol-related problems in a particular county. The
service delivery system model will allow the appropriate mix of services to be
developed to meet emerging regional needs.
Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Developing a Five Year Plan
The New York State Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse asked for
assistance in establishing budget and program priorities for its mandated
Five-year Plan. Participants representing every major element in the
organizational structure, as well as outside interest groups, examined
managerial and policy functions, and program initiatives. Construction of
a computer model enabled the participants to view all the possible activities
in an integrated framework, enabling them to assess priorities and select the
most salient possibilities for inclusion the in Five-year Plan.
Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Ensuring Access to Alcoholism Treatment
An important mission of the Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse is to
ensure treatment for all those in need of alcoholism services. This
decision conference focused on increasing the availability of private sector
services to under-served populations. The Division invited 26
representatives from a wide spectrum of groups in the field of alcoholism
treatment to propose and evaluate policy options. By the end of the two
day session the group reached consensus on four policy recommendations that
would combat the problem of insufficient access to alcoholism treatment.
Economic Development Council
State Economic Development Priorities
The executive board of the State Economic Development Council had only
three hours at its annual conference to develop recommendations to the New York
State Department of Economic Development. A computer/facilitated meeting
enabled twenty attendees to contribute their ideas and order their priorities.
Empire State College
Streamlining Academic Procedures
In response to long-standing concerns, administrators of the Empire State
College convened a decision conference to streamline academic and administrative
procedures. From an original list of 77 proposals, participants selected
32 with sufficient merit to be developed and evaluated in detail. The 35
participants, representing all regions of the state, estimated the strategic
benefits and costs of each proposed change and agreed on their relative
priority. Detailed action plans, including follow-up responsibilities for
each individual, were developed to ensure the implementation of the selected
changes.
Insurance Department
Preventing a Security Fund Crisis
Insurance company insolvencies increasingly threaten the stability of the
Property and Casualty Insurance Security Fund. The Insurance Department,
in its dual but sometimes conflicting roles as liquidator of insurance company
estates and trustee of the Security Fund, used a decision conference to focus
on three key issues: what scope and level of coverage should the Security Fund
provide, how can the Fund gain quicker access to the assets of estates, and
what method should be used to assess insurance companies for payments to the
Fund. In the course of completing the multiple-criteria decision model
for "scope and level of coverage" a fourth issue, controlling
insolvencies, emerged. On the second day sub-groups addressed each of the
remaining issues to explore the details of the problem and create policy
options.
Insurance Department
Policy Options for Medical Malpractice Insurance
The crisis in medical malpractice insurance was temporarily eased by
interim legislation due to expire within a few months. The State
Insurance Department was charged with developing recommendations for a long
term solution. At a series of decision conferences the long term effects
of various policy options were examined using a system dynamics model. A
multiattribute utility model was also developed to evaluate policy options and
develop new options that built on identified strengths.
Insurance Department
Information Systems and the Liability Insurance Crisis
Faced with a liability insurance crisis, needs for more intensive
regulation, and increasing demands on EDP resources, the New York State
Insurance Department clearly recognized the need to develop an integrated
database to serve agency-wide decision-making needs. In a series of
decision conferences policy makers identified the emerging issues, decisions
they would have to face, and their related information needs.
Participants identified their information needs comprehensively and assessed
their priorities by evaluating the costs and benefits of making the information
available through a new integrated information system.
Medical Waste Policy Committee
Recommendations to Address Medical Waste
The Medical Waste Policy Committee convened a diverse group of 30 technical
experts to review a draft report of findings and recommendations dealing with
medical waste problems. A computer/facilitated meeting was used to gather
their comments, annotating the current draft on a large computer projection
screen. Research needs were also identified and prioritized by the group.
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Michigan 2020: Natural Resources and Environmental Leadership
Institute
Improving the quality of life in Michigan for the year 2020 was the focus
for this decision conference. The Leadership Institute identified four
topical areas (Resource Management and Recreation, Environmental Protection,
Land Use, and Economy and Infrastructure) and developed a series of initiatives
in each. By estimating the strategic advantage regarding the
"Michigan 2020" goal and the five year costs for each initiative, a
resource allocation model clearly identified a set of affordable initiatives
for the institute to target.
National Association of Social Workers
Analyzing Membership Dues Needs
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is a professional
organization with four primary functions: providing professional development
opportunities for members, creating and maintaining professional standards for
social work practice, advancing sound public social policies and programs, and
rendering membership services. To continue funding these activities, NASW
had to determine the necessity and viability of increasing membership
dues. At a decision conference conducted by the Decision Techtronics
Group, a strategic forecasting model was developed to aid in fiscal policy
making. Results of the conference were reported at the Association's
annual meeting. Members subsequently approved the dues increase.
New York State Assembly
The Future of Fire Protection
Fire protection is provided by various local government entities, by
voluntary and paid fire fighters, and under various organizational
structures. Many legislative proposals have been offered that might
improve fire protection. However, the system is so complex that better
communication among the parties in conflict is required to understand all of
the issues and make more coherent reforms. At the Conference on the
Future of Fire Protection legislators met with representatives of municipal and
fire protection organizations in six separate workshops to identify and
prioritize the issues and create policy alternatives.
Office for the Aging
Cutback Resource Management
The New York State Office for the Aging (SOFA) serves elderly New Yorkers
in a variety of capacities. Faced with budget reductions, SOFA had
limited resources to fund staff for all its functions and objectives. The
executive team assembled at a decision conference to conduct cost-benefit
analyses, addressing the issue of cutback resource management.
Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence
Strategic Initiatives and Staff Priorities
As a small but vital organization, the Office for the Prevention of
Domestic Violence has responsibility for a multitude of programmatic
initiatives. To meet these responsibilities more efficiently, the entire
staff met at a decision conference to develop a strategic plan for allocating
staff efforts over the next year. Using the resource allocation model the
group first identified increasing levels of staff time that could be devoted to
each existing and proposed programmatic activity. The benefit from each
level of effort, and the relative of importance of the different programs, was
assessed. A subset of activities was identified that would provide the
greatest strategic benefit with the available staff time.
Office of Mental Health
Staffing Requirements under Budgetary Constraints
With over 30,000 employees staffing state mental health facilities, the New
York State Office of Mental Health allocates its personnel resources carefully.
A series of decision conferences was conducted to examine staff
responsibilities and staff-to-client ratios in light of budget
constraints. A set of staff allocation models was developed to analyze
needs for all categories of staff in the various psychiatric settings.
Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
Identifying Executive Information Needs
Executives at the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and
Developmental Disabilities were concerned that existing reports provided too
much data in some areas and too little information in others. At a
decision conference the executives identified their management and strategic
information needs as the basis for a new reporting system. An
implementation plan for ensuring that the new reports were developed was
adopted. Within six months nearly all the new reports were in place.
Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation
A Marketing Plan for State Parks
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation
had commissioned a marketing study which showed that public awareness of agency
services was not strong and that potential for improvement existed. A
decision conference involving executive and regional staff was held to develop
a strategic marketing plan to improve the agency's public image.
Ohio University College of Business Administration
The Future of Business Education
Responding to the national wave of criticism regarding the effectiveness of
business education, the dean of the College of Business Administration
initiated a year long congress to evaluate and restructure business
education. At the kick-off conference, attended by 75 business
administration and other university faculty, six subgroups worked with
facilitators to identify issues and options, and agree on a task force
structure to develop recommendations.
Public Employees Federation
Curriculum Design
The Public Service Training Program is sponsored jointly by the New York
State Governor's Office of Employee Relations and the Public Employees
Federation. In the development phase of the program, an expert panel was
assembled at a decision conference to establish curriculum priorities.
The experts reached consensus on the essential components of the training
program and developed a time allocation plan for the foundation courses.
Public Employment Relations Board
Mediating Labor and Management Impasse
A demonstration involving the New York State Public Employment Relations
Board (PERB) had been successful in illustrating the use of decision conference
techniques in the mediation process. The real test occurred when the
labor and management negotiating teams in a school district declared an
impasse. With modifications of general procedures to accommodate the
mediation setting, the bargaining positions of the negotiating teams were
clarified analytically. In consultation with the PERB mediator, the
potential settlements that best fulfilled the needs of both parties were
offered. Although settlement did not occur until after factfinding, both
parties concluded that the analytical mediation was critical to the settlement.
Rhode Island Department of Human Services
Comprehensive Goals and Priorities
The Division of Economic and Social Services within the Rhode Island
Department of Human Services exists to ensure that the social and economic
needs of the citizens of Rhode Island are met. The Division has a large
and varied clientele competing for available resources. The Decision
Techtronics Group hosted an decision conference which established goals,
objectives, and priorities for the Division's programs and services.
Rhode Island Department of Human Services
New Directions for Family and Adult Services
Declining federal funds have focused attention on the role of the Family
Services Social Worker in the overall staffing arrangement in the Division of
Economic and Social Services. Individuals representing the various
professional staff roles and regions in the state gathered at a decision
conference and proposed new missions, goals, and staffing strategies for both
Family Services and Adult Services in light of constrained funds and new policy
directions.
Rockefeller Institute of Government
Executive Leadership Transition
As the new director of the Rockefeller Institute of Government took office
radical changes were being imposed that required a critical reexamination of
the Institute budget. Not yet knowledgeable of the Institute's scope of
activities or the detail of its operations, the new director had to rely on
others to rapidly gain an understanding of current operations and future
needs. The director used a decision conference to bring all the staff
together and comprehensively redefine program priorities.
State Library
Reorganizing the Division of Library Development
To enhance organizational performance, the director of the Division of
Library Development believed that a structural reorganization was
appropriate. The entire staff of the Division participated in a decision
conference convened to develop a new organizational structure.
Participants initially generated a list of Division functions and then
organized them into three alternative organizational structures.
Evaluations of the proposed structures were made according to twenty-five
criteria developed by the group. A final organizational structure,
drawing on elements from all three of the original alternatives, was designed.
State Library
The Research Environment of the Future
The Library's Panel on the Research Environment of the Future, composed of
experts from the areas of publishing, electronic databases, and research,
developed a comprehensive outline for its final report, "Preparing for the
Research Environment of the Future."
State Library
Strengthening Library Systems
The future of libraries increasingly relies on interdependencies among the
various library systems. At a conference on intersystem library
coordination, representatives of the state's nine regions worked in concurrent
sessions, each with its own facilitator, to produce its own regional action plan.
Computer aids enabled the participants to leave with a printout of the plan
they developed for their region.
Temporary State Commission on Returnable Beverage Containers
Impact of the Bottle Bill
On September 12, 1983, New York became the ninth state to require mandatory
deposits for most beverage containers. The Temporary State Commission on
Returnable Beverage Containers was created by the legislature to study the
impact of the law after its first year. A decision conference was held to
assist the Commission in preparing its final recommendations to the New York
State legislature. Thirteen issue areas were identified, and alternative
recommendations were examined for each. The Commission conducted its own
deliberations on those issues where consensus was problematic.
Texas Department of Human Services
Child Abuse Hotline
With the continual increase in child abuse reports, the Protective Services
for Abused and Neglected Children Program within the Texas Department of Human
Resources began a project to streamline service delivery and make better use of
automation in services to clients. A decision conference, involving
policy specialists and field staff, was held to develop a formal policy and
implementation worksheet for immediate assessment of the urgency of incoming
child abuse reports.
University at Albany
Discretionary Budget Allocations
Every year key administrators of the University at Albany, State University
of New York, meet to establish program priorities for the University's
discretionary budget. The allocation of money to satisfy various needs is
analyzed in terms of relative costs and benefits. Prior to the decision
conference, each administrator is assisted in developing a computer-aided model
for his or her area of concern. At the decision conference the
administrators review each other's models, combine them into a single model,
and reach consensus on resource allocations.
University at Albany Information Science Program Committee
Ph.D. Program Requirements
After months of preparatory negotiations the Information Science Program
Committee met to define the core curriculum requirements for the proposed Ph.D.
program in Information Science. Aided by a facilitator using computer
projection technology the group finished its work in a one day meeting.
University at Albany Office of Residential Life
Meeting Student Needs
The Office of Residential Life is responsible for meeting the needs of
students living on-campus at the University at Albany, including counseling,
career planning, and academic development. Faced with insufficient
resources to adequately cover all its operations, the Office of Residential
Life sought to reallocate staff time at a decision conference. The
proceedings resulted in a reorganization of the Office, aided by a cost-benefit
analysis model developed during the conference.
University at Albany Presidential Task Force on Computing
Computer System Acquisition Planning
The President of the University at Albany established a Commission on
Computing to investigate the role computing would likely play on campus
throughout the 1980's. The Commission addressed computer needs in
instruction, research, administration, and public service. At a decision
conference the Commission developed a coherent proposal for a variety of major
computer acquisitions.
