Virtual Facilitation Skills for Service Development (5 cr)

Learning outcomes

Having completed this study unit you will be able to:

• explain the principles of facilitation and what is facilitation in different contexts, including virtual environments
• analyze and compare the roles of facilitator and service designer
• classify facilitation competences, methods and tools, and to master their business applications
• identify goals of facilitation in developing business
• plan a facilitated workshop process that interlinks facilitation goals and implementation with expected development outcomes

Location and time

The course consists of four contact sessions and a learning assignment. The preliminary contents of the lectures listed below. It is still subject to change, e.g. until the number of enrolled students is known.
1. Practicalities of the course, lecture about facilitation (facilitation in different fields, central concepts); discussing students' experiences and expectations; group exercise based on pre-reading literature on facilitation, instructions for the learning assignment
2. Practical facilitation exercises and tools & methods, further instructions and tutoring for the learning assignment
3. Guidance of learning assignments
4. Presentations of the learning assignments, reflection, feedback

Between the four contact days the students are expected to work on the learning assignment in small groups of 3-5 students. The learning assignment consists of planning, implementing and reporting a facilitated service design workshop in which the theories and methods are applied to practice.

Materials

The literature will be announced in the first lecture - there will be a selection of books and articles to choose from according to student's own learning goals.

Recommended literature includes:
- Kaner, S., Lind, L., Toldi, C., Fisk, S. & Berger, D. (2014) Facilitator's guide to participatory decision-making. 3rd ed. San Francisco, CA : Jossey-Bass.
- Andersen, H. H., Nelson, I. & Ronex, K. 2021. Virtual facilitation: Create more engagement and impact. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons.
- Schwarz, R. (2017) The Skilled Facilitator. A Comprehensive Resouces for Consultants, Facilitators, Coaches, and Trainers. 3rd edition.
- Unger, R., Nunnally, B. & Willis, D. (2013) Designing the conversation: techniques for successful facilitation. Berkeley, Calif.: New Riders.

Teaching methods

Having completed this study unit the student will be able to:
- explain the principles of facilitation and what is facilitation in different contexts, including virtual environments
- analyze and compare the roles of facilitator and service designer
- classify facilitation competences, methods and tools, and to master their business applications
- identify goals of facilitation in developing business
- plan a facilitated workshop process that interlinks facilitation goals and implementation with expected development outcomes

Employer connections

The study unit includes a learning assignment to be carried out in collaboration with a worklife partner, either some organization or Laurea's RDI project.
The learning assignment includes planning, organizing, and reporting a facilitated workshop. Detailed instructions will be given in the first lecture.

Exam schedules

There will be 4 contact sessions:
Thursday 29.9. (9–12)
Friday 21.10. (13–16)
Tuesdat 8.11. (17–20)
Friday 16.12. (9–16)

Evaluation scale

Approved/Failed