mpf creative, llc

Client:	Large urban university professional studies program
Role:	Instructional design consultant providing expertise in natural gas training and development on a professional services consulting team (subcontractor)
Year:	2018

Background

In the wake of an urban multistory building natural gas incident resulting in multiple fatalities,  numerous injuries, and more than 100 families displaced from their homes, the professional studies school of a large urban university was engaged by a natural gas utility provider to develop a natural gas safety curriculum for building superintendents and property managers.

The natural gas utility recognized the unique role of building superintendents and property managers as the common interface for diverse stakeholders. These key individuals serve as the eyes and ears of the building as well as significant influencers with both management and tenants and in an incident will often be the initial point of contact with utility emergency response teams and first responders.

Process

• 

  Phase 1: Conducted Background Research

  Purpose: Identify information needed to analyze the desired performance outcomes and recommend the curriculum solution.

  Research sources:

  • Gas incidents leading up to the identification of a need for training, including media reports and NTSB incident reports
  • Historical expectations for superintendent training
  • Websites and public material on each of the identified gas safety stakeholders
  • Legal requirements, including pending changes in legislation and regulations due to incidents
  • Current gas safety training in existing superintendent programs

  Outcomes:

  • Curated repository of research material for future phases
  • Profiles of stakeholder organizations, including focus area, area of influence, level of interest, and strategy for engagement
  • Well-defined as-is state of current training program
• 

  Phase 2: Interviewed Stakeholders and Facilitated Focus Group Sessions

  Purpose: Document stakeholder perspectives on building superintendent responsibilities related to natural gas equipment and gas leak response as well as their relationships with other parties involved in the resolution of a gas leaks.

  Interview process:

  • Identified key stakeholder individuals in consultation with teams from the natural gas utility and the university professional studies program as well as from our background research
  • Created a stakeholder focus group and individual interview roadmap, including interview guides with desired outcomes and interview questions
  • Conducted onsite interviews and focus groups with a representative group of key stakeholders and documented findings

  Outcomes:

  • Detailed interview and focus group reports documenting the perspectives of the myriad of stakeholders related to natural gas installations, maintenance, and incident response in urban environments
  • Expanded repository of source material including the above mentioned reports to be used in:
    • Developing an audience analysis of building superintendents who would be participating in the training
    • Refining documentation of the as-is state of the training
    • Developing the curriculum needs assessment report and strategy recommendations
• 

  Phase 3: Developed Audience Analysis and Curriculum Assessment Report

  Purpose: Correlate the analysis of findings from stakeholder interviews and focus group sessions to knowledge gained in the background research phase, and combine this output with extensive knowledge and experience in adult learning theory and best practices in instructional design to recommend a solution for the client.

  Deliverables:

  • Analysis of findings from focus groups and interviews, including the identification of:
    • Common themes (indicating strong agreement among stakeholders and potentially important material for course content)
    • Contradictory statements (indicating issues such as misinformation and breakdown in communication or process)
  • Curriculum design recommendations correlated to findings
  • Recommended high-level and supporting objectives
  • Documentation of the methods and processes used in each phase of the project

  Outcomes:

  • Curriculum needs assessment draft report
  • Curated repository and bibliography of reference materials
  • Documentation of methods employed to provide the client with insight into the origin of data and recommendations as they develop the curriculum
• 

  Phase 4: Presented Findings and Formal Report to Client and Stakeholders

  Purpose: Present key findings and recommendations to provide clarity and context to the project results, correlate each component of the presentation to a deliverable in the project statement of work, ensure that the client’s objective has been met, and provide recommendations to the client for next steps.

  Meeting components:

  • Delivered a formal presentation of the report contents to the client in a virtual meeting
  • Leveraged the presence of stakeholders to facilitate a discussion on common themes and contradictory findings, answer questions about the method and process used to conduct the study and as well our recommendations, and discuss next steps for the development of the curriculum
  • Obtained verbal verification from client that the objective of the project had been achieved

  Outcome:

  • Final curriculum assessment and recommendations to be used as the foundation of the natural gas safety development training

Results

At the conclusion of the project, the university professional services program was pleased to have a foundation for their curriculum development, and the natural gas utility was pleased that the program would be based on data that could be used to verify effectiveness post-implementation.