CPS STAGE: FACILITATE
ABOUT THIS STAGE
The CPS process includes one meta-process,
Facilitate, which is the act of managing the process itself. This is
necessary because the CPS process is organic; it is adapted
to each situation, and does not always follow a linear
path.
The CPS facilitator (working in concert with the problem's
owner) continuously
assesses the situation and manages the CPS process. For
instance, the facilitator decides whether to use CPS
versus another process; where to enter the process; which
tools to use at each stage; which directions are worth
pursuing; and when to exit the process.
USING A NEUTRAL FACILITATOR
While the problem owner or other interested party
can serve as the CPS process facilitator, we recommend
that a neutral party serve as facilitator. The reason:
to separate process from content.
The problem owner, and the resource group assembled
to help with the thinking, should have all of their focus
and energy on the content: on the problem
itself and its solutions. The facilitator should have
all of his or her focus on the process: on
managing the use of CPS to address the content and the
needs of the problem owner. The
best facilitators stay completely out of the content. When
one person tries to be both participant and facilitator,
one role invariably suffers.
NOW WHAT?
Here are some choices:
