Director and Paul Farmer Professor of Practice Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health, Boston University School of Social Work Boston, MA, United States
Many social workers ascend to management positions in complex environments without formal strategic planning or systems science training. This case study equips participants with the knowledge to engage stakeholders in participatory causal mapping, a nominal group process, and storytelling to develop an organization's theory of change and accompanying strategy portfolio.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, the participant will be able to explain how systems thinking – Indigenous ways of thinking, knowing, and being about the world around us – can help social workers effectively plan, lead, and manage strategic organizational change within complex environments.
Upon completion, the participant will be able to identify the use cases for logic models and causal loop diagrams in program and organizational planning, operational and strategy management, and evaluation.
Upon completion, the participant will be able to describe the benefits and components of participatory causal mapping, nominal group processes, and storytelling to inform the development of an organization’s theory of change and strategy portfolio.