Our challenge
Articulous was engaged to facilitate a strategic planning workshop on behalf of BreastScreen Queensland (BSQ) with the purpose of providing BSQ leadership with strategic direction for the future of BSQ and the delivery of BSQ health services.
The purpose of the workshop was to bring BSQ stakeholders together to help inform the BSQ Future Strategic Directions Plan 2024-2032 and contribute to a new vision that reflects what BSQ aspires to achieve over the next eight years.
One of the challenges was to ensure the outcomes captured on the day, accurately reflected the diverse opinions and ideas of stakeholders. To achieve this, Articulous used a range of facilitation tactics and tools including small table activities, individual responses, anonymous online live polling, templated worksheets to guide table discussions, and whole room activities.
Our action
Using a variety of facilitation tactics meant participants had opportunities to contribute their individual feedback but also work collaboratively with other stakeholders. This allowed for individuals to hear differing views from theirs and reflect on how certain ideas and actions would not only benefit their specific service but other services within BSQ too.
By incorporating anonymous online live polling for some discussions, stakeholders had the opportunity to contribute their opinions and ideas without the fear of judgement by their peers.
Another challenge was providing an opportunity for BSQ stakeholders who were not Brisbane based to still attend the workshop and contribute their ideas. To achieve this, Articulous facilitated a hybrid workshop which consisted of participants joining both online via Microsoft Teams and in-person. This was achievable by having an online facilitator and a facilitator in the room. During open discussion times throughout the day, ideas and opinions from the online stakeholders were shared with the room and vice versa. Online participants had full access to in room audio and visual materials throughout the whole workshop, including hearing and seeing guest speaker presentations.
How it happened
To encourage high level, strategic thinking by stakeholders, the workshop was divided into four focus areas that BSQ had previously identified from internal research as future focus areas for the organisation.
These four focus areas were introduced early in the workshop and had a guest speaker deliver updates and insights for each one before discussions were had In order to inform stakeholders of some of the current challenges and current progressions, before capturing their feedback through questions that prompted innovation and improvement in these particular areas.
One of the final activities focused on summarising actions into overarching themes and placing the individual ideas on an indicative timeline on the wall of the room where stakeholders could prioritise when these actions needed to occur between 2024 and 2032.
The outcome
A total of 186 solutions were captured and six key themes were identified across all strategic focus areas. Overall, it was evident that all workshop participants were working towards one common goal, to increase the number of women being screened for breast cancer in Queensland.
After the workshop, Articulous developed a comprehensive outcomes report that outlined key actions and strategies captured on the day, as well as highlighting future opportunities for each defined focus area and indicative timeframes to 2032. This outcomes report was used to inform and guide BSQ leadership on what should be considered in the new strategy and how these ideas can be turned into tangible actions over the next eight years.
