Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 50
26
coNTINueD
SPECIAL FOCUS
Energy feeds on energy. By finding
topics that students care about and
want to chat about, you can generate
enough enthusiasm from the group
to sustain their interest - all the while
gradually steering the conversation
back toward your core objectives.
Another way to keep the conversation
flowing is to encourage participation
from everyone early in the session.
The more people you can get talking
in the first 10 minutes, the more likely
they will be to continue contributing
valuable input. In addition, observe
attendees' body language and facial
expressions, which offer clues
on when to advance or shift the
discussion in order to keep their
attention.
Successful focus groups gather
input from everyone in the room, but
occasionally one person will try to
dominate the discussion. In one of our
focus group sessions, the discussion
turned into a one-on-one conversation
with a single participant, who fielded
every query and made others hesitant
22
to join the conversation. Even when
the moderators posed general
questions like, "What does everyone
else think?" the overly enthusiastic
student remained undeterred, cutting
off others mid-sentence. In order to
ensure equal participation from all
attendees, the moderators took a more
active role in the discussion, directing
questions to specific individuals - not
to the whole group - in order to draw
all students into the conversation. Sure
enough, the group's dynamic quickly
changed, as the garrulous individual
finally deferred so that everyone could
answer specific questions directed to
each of them.
As the session draws to a close,
express appreciation to the attendees
for their participation; make sure they
understand that their contributions
will help shape the institution's
decisions. After the students leave,
moderators should compare notes to
ensure that all key points have been
documented. And then, whether
in person or via phone or email,
remember to thank the appropriate
institutional representatives for
helping to organize the event.
Focus group interviews are
invaluable tools for garnering
qualitative information and have
several advantages over other
research methods. The moderators
can interact with the participants,
re-phrasing questions or asking
follow-up questions in order to clarify
information; the participants can
interact with each other, generating
a livelier and more penetrating
discussion; and the participants truly
appreciate a face-to-face discussion
with someone who values their
viewpoints. tS
Wilson Jones
is an assistant project manager
at Brailsford & Dunlavey.
Brad Noyes
is a senior vice president at
Brailsford & Dunlavey.
B.J. Rudell
is the marketing director at
Brailsford & Dunlavey.
coNTINueD
BUSINESS OPERATIONS
new housing software. Once the key
desired features have been identified,
it is time to start talking about
bells and whistles, integration, and
training. Make sure that everything
is in writing and that what you are
reading is what you asked for. Do not
feel rushed into contract negotiations.
This is your time. You have the capital,
and you have the right to ask every
question imaginable to see how each
dollar will be spent.
Taking the following steps will
ensure a smart purchase and swift
integration: 1. Be strategic, and consider
future operation and expansion. This
system may benefit you now, but what
about your successors? What other
offices or departments could use the
system or integrate with it? There could
50
TalkiNg STick
be long-term cost savings with the
right software. 2. Review the program
in depth, not just in demonstration. Any
noteworthy software company should
be able to provide access to at least a
dumbed-down version of their product.
This will help you know what questions
to ask when it is time to ask them.
3. Ask questions even before you begin
negotiations. Before you start talking
about cost and options, the software
company is still trying to sell to you.
This is the best time to have them do
the leg work and see what potential
problems could arise before you even
get to them. 4. Get each addition or
option in writing. Make sure that what
you are asking for is what you are
getting. If you need customizations,
make sure they are what you envision.
5. Be prudent. Make sure that each
addition to or subtraction from the final
product is a benefit gained or excess not
wasted. Money saved on one feature
may help customize another feature.
Whether the housing management
system is scrapped, remodeled, built,
or purchased, remember what is at the
heart of your decision: students and
staff, who should be able to access and
manage information as quickly and as
easily as possible. tS
John P. Kelliher
is the director of housing
operations at DeSales
University in Center Valley,
Pennsylvania.
Talking Stick - November/December 2013
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - November/December 2013
Talking Stick - November/December 2013
Contents
New Member Highlight
Vision
Just In
Your ACUHO-I
Transitions
Res Life
Business Operations
Special Focus
Calendar
Partnerships in Programming
Mind over Matter
Conversations
First Takes
Reporting Out
New Members
Snapshot
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Talking Stick - November/December 2013
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Cover2
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 1
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 2
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 3
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - New Member Highlight
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 5
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Vision
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 7
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Just In
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 9
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 10
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 11
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 12
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Your ACUHO-I
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Transitions
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 15
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Res Life
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 17
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 18
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 19
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Business Operations
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 21
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 22
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 23
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Special Focus
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 25
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 26
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Calendar
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Partnerships in Programming
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 29
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 30
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 31
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 32
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 33
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 34
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 35
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Mind over Matter
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 37
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 38
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 39
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 40
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 41
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 42
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 43
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Conversations
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 45
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 46
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - First Takes
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Reporting Out
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 49
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 50
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 51
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 52
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 53
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - New Members
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 55
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Snapshot
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Cover3
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Cover4
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