Plan your next steps.

After carefully working your way through this decision-making stage, your work team needs to spend some time thinking about how you will accomplish the next two stages - logistics/action and analysis/reporting.

Your team members may want to divide into subcommittees that meet separately, or they may prefer to continue meeting as a whole group, with particular responsibilities assigned to certain people. It will help, in either case, if you provide work team members with a rough description of each "job," as well as expected time commitments. (Refer back to the timetable (4 kb, pdf) and time estimates we presented earlier.) You may also want to schedule future meetings at this time.

If you are conducting an effort in a cluster of schools or in an entire district...

We recommend that you form a logistics team in every participating school. Designate one person from the work team to oversee the entire action phase and to make sure all arrangements are made, the focus groups take place, etc. This person should be in constant communication with each logistics team.

Job Descriptions

The job descriptions outlined here are based on the assumption that you will have two implementation subcommittees: a logistics team and an analysis/reporting team. You will need at least one person to fulfill each role; for some jobs we recommend that you designate several people. Some people may of course serve in multiple roles.

Logistics Team

1. Recruiter Job Description
   Main Tasks:
   
   • work with two or three other people to draw the random sample
     
   • recruit students
     
   • screen students, if necessary
     
   • manage letters to parents and permission forms
     
   • ensure that each focus group has a full room of participants

   Ideally, you will want three to four people to serve as recruiters.

   Refer to "Make decisions about the logistics of the recruitment" and "Draw a random sample" for more details. Also see the checklist for recruiters.

2. Site Manager Job Description
   Main Tasks:
   
   • take care of all the physical details related to setting up the focus groups (room arrangement, refreshments, recording equipment, etc.)
     
   • check in participants
     
   • remain on hand during the focus group sessions to assist the facilitators and to take care of any problems, should they arise

   You should designate a site manager for each focus group.

   See "Make decisions about site management" for more information. Also see the checklist for site managers.
   

3. Facilitator Trainer Job Description
   Main Tasks:
   
   • communicate with interested students and/or counselors
     
   • set up the time, day, and place for the training(s)
     
   • prepare the written materials (including a facilitator guide) and agenda for the training(s)
     
   • conduct the facilitator training(s)
     
   • assign facilitators to certain focus groups and/or pilot groups (if using more than one pair of male or female student facilitators)

   See the checklist for facilitator trainers, along with "Train, prepare, and manage facilitators" and the supplemental facilitator training materials.

4. Facilitator Coordinator Job Description
   Main Tasks:
   
   • manage communication with the facilitators
     
   • arrange facilitator transportation, if necessary
     
   • manage permission forms and letters to parents of student facilitators
     
   • handle incentives, if necessary
     
   • confirm facilitator participation
     
   • ensure that all facilitators are in the right place at the right time on the day of the focus group(s)

   See the checklist for facilitator coordinators and "Train, prepare, and manage facilitators" for more information.

Analysis/Reporting Team

1. Analyst Job Description
   Main Tasks:
   
   • attend focus group(s); listen to the audiotapes or read transcripts
     
   • draft notes, based on the framework of the research questions
     
   • discuss the results of the focus groups with two or three other team members
     
   • meet with other team members to analyze findings and present ideas for the report

   See Analyze and Report.

2. Report Writer Job Description
   Main Tasks:
   
   • draft, edit, format, and revise the written report on the focus group findings
     
   • obtain feedback from members of the analysis team, as well as from the entire work team

   See "Prepare a report" for more details.

3. Report Presenter Job Description
   Main Tasks:
   
   • translate the information from the written report into an oral report
     
   • create a format for the report that is appropriate for its intended audience
     
   • prepare visual materials to accompany the presentation

   See "Prepare a report" for more details.

Next: Act