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Tools at a Glance

Tell the Story

The documentation and communication of the collaboration’s outcomes and lessons learned, shared internally and externally

 

WHY IT MATTERS: Sharing results and insights into the collaboration’s process creates transparency, enables partners to communicate the value and legitimacy of intersector collaboration, and allows others to learn from, and potentially replicate, the initiative.

What story the collaboration will tell and to whom.

If the collaboration conducts a process-oriented evaluation, it may choose to tell the story of how collaboration design choices — its governance structure or method of sharing discretion, for example — were critical to its success. If the collaboration conducted an outcomes-oriented evaluation, the collaboration may choose to tell the story of its impact on a targeted population or issue, or of the indirect influence of the initiative on other, related factors (e.g. the impact of a transportation accessibility initiative on economic development). Given the increasing interest in intersector initiatives, it is important for the collaboration to decide how it will tell its story in a way that will be understood by those both internal to and outside of the collaboration. If its story is not accessible to a broad range of individuals in each sector, the potential value of the collaboration’s efforts may not be fully realized. When collaboration partners openly and accurately share their experiences among each other and with external parties, all can learn from the collaboration’s successes and challenges, which may influence interest in and effectiveness of future intersector efforts.

“Strengthening Basic Skills Education in Washington State”

In the early 2000s, community and technical colleges in Washington State began to observe a troubling trend: Many students enrolled in basic skills programs were not acquiring the credentials necessary to advance to college-level programs or secure employment. A collaboration across sectors resulted in the Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) program, which allows students to benefit from a combined educational stream incorporating technical and professional content into basic skills and education courses. The I-BEST program has made use of multiple channels to tell its story, which has helped it to become a model for community colleges and technical schools nationwide. The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) website shares research on I-BEST, including external reviews of the program from the Community College Research Center at Teachers College at Columbia University. In 2009, members from SBCTC spoke in Washington about I-BEST as part of governmental hearings supporting the renewal of the Workforce Investment ACT. Additionally, many news outlets have covered I-BEST, including The Atlantic (March 2014).

  • How will we tell our story in a way that is helpful to future collaborations? What do we think is the most important information to share?
  • How will we communicate our challenges or failures?
  • How will we tell our story if partners disagree on whether the collaboration was successful?
  • To whom will we tell our story? Who is/are our intended audience(s)?
  • What are the different ways we want to consider telling our story, and which format makes sense for us?
  • When will we tell our story? Throughout the course of the collaboration? Upon its completion? At certain intervals?

“Talking the Walk” from The Partnering Initiative

Especially see these detailed exercises: Tool 1: Preparation Activities, Communication Planning on p. 72 (highlights key areas to consider in communications planning); Tool 2: Content and Coverage on p. 73 (a detailed worksheet for drafting a communications plan); Tool 5: Key Questions and Considerations on p. 76 (guidance for preparing to communicate externally); Tool 7: Document Checklist on p. 78 (checklist for developing effective communications); Tool 8: Options and Considerations on p. 79 (details different methods/formats for communicating); and Tool 9: Communication Assessment Tool on p. 80 (guidance for monitoring/assessing your communications). Also see Communicating Beyond the Partnership on pp. 27-35 for helpful context for these tools. “Talking the Walk” is a comprehensive guide for communicating within and beyond partnerships.

“Evaluating Collaboratives: Reaching the Potential” from University of Wisconsin- Cooperative Extension

Especially see Interpreting and Using Evaluating Information on pp. 45-52 for detailed guidance on communicating the evaluation to internal and external constituencies. “Evaluating Collaboratives” is a comprehensive resource for evaluating multi-stakeholder processes.

“The Case Study Toolbook” from The Partnering Initiative

This resource provides comprehensive, actionable guidance — complete with detailed, broadly adaptable tools — for collaborations seeking to tell their story via a case study. According to its description, the guide can be used both by individuals internal and external to the collaboration.

Tell the Story

The documentation and communication of the collaboration’s outcomes and lessons learned, shared internally and externally

 

WHY IT MATTERS: Sharing results and insights into the collaboration’s process creates transparency, enables partners to communicate the value and legitimacy of intersector collaboration, and allows others to learn from, and potentially replicate, the initiative.

What story the collaboration will tell and to whom.

If the collaboration conducts a process-oriented evaluation, it may choose to tell the story of how collaboration design choices — its governance structure or method of sharing discretion, for example — were critical to its success. If the collaboration conducted an outcomes-oriented evaluation, the collaboration may choose to tell the story of its impact on a targeted population or issue, or of the indirect influence of the initiative on other, related factors (e.g. the impact of a transportation accessibility initiative on economic development). Given the increasing interest in intersector initiatives, it is important for the collaboration to decide how it will tell its story in a way that will be understood by those both internal to and outside of the collaboration. If its story is not accessible to a broad range of individuals in each sector, the potential value of the collaboration’s efforts may not be fully realized. When collaboration partners openly and accurately share their experiences among each other and with external parties, all can learn from the collaboration’s successes and challenges, which may influence interest in and effectiveness of future intersector efforts.

“Strengthening Basic Skills Education in Washington State”

In the early 2000s, community and technical colleges in Washington State began to observe a troubling trend: Many students enrolled in basic skills programs were not acquiring the credentials necessary to advance to college-level programs or secure employment. A collaboration across sectors resulted in the Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) program, which allows students to benefit from a combined educational stream incorporating technical and professional content into basic skills and education courses. The I-BEST program has made use of multiple channels to tell its story, which has helped it to become a model for community colleges and technical schools nationwide. The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) website shares research on I-BEST, including external reviews of the program from the Community College Research Center at Teachers College at Columbia University. In 2009, members from SBCTC spoke in Washington about I-BEST as part of governmental hearings supporting the renewal of the Workforce Investment ACT. Additionally, many news outlets have covered I-BEST, including The Atlantic (March 2014).

  • How will we tell our story in a way that is helpful to future collaborations? What do we think is the most important information to share?
  • How will we communicate our challenges or failures?
  • How will we tell our story if partners disagree on whether the collaboration was successful?
  • To whom will we tell our story? Who is/are our intended audience(s)?
  • What are the different ways we want to consider telling our story, and which format makes sense for us?
  • When will we tell our story? Throughout the course of the collaboration? Upon its completion? At certain intervals?

“Talking the Walk” from The Partnering Initiative

Especially see these detailed exercises: Tool 1: Preparation Activities, Communication Planning on p. 72 (highlights key areas to consider in communications planning); Tool 2: Content and Coverage on p. 73 (a detailed worksheet for drafting a communications plan); Tool 5: Key Questions and Considerations on p. 76 (guidance for preparing to communicate externally); Tool 7: Document Checklist on p. 78 (checklist for developing effective communications); Tool 8: Options and Considerations on p. 79 (details different methods/formats for communicating); and Tool 9: Communication Assessment Tool on p. 80 (guidance for monitoring/assessing your communications). Also see Communicating Beyond the Partnership on pp. 27-35 for helpful context for these tools. “Talking the Walk” is a comprehensive guide for communicating within and beyond partnerships.

“Evaluating Collaboratives: Reaching the Potential” from University of Wisconsin- Cooperative Extension

Especially see Interpreting and Using Evaluating Information on pp. 45-52 for detailed guidance on communicating the evaluation to internal and external constituencies. “Evaluating Collaboratives” is a comprehensive resource for evaluating multi-stakeholder processes.

“The Case Study Toolbook” from The Partnering Initiative

This resource provides comprehensive, actionable guidance — complete with detailed, broadly adaptable tools — for collaborations seeking to tell their story via a case study. According to its description, the guide can be used both by individuals internal and external to the collaboration.