Fostering Institutional Transformation Through Department Action Teams: Elements of Success

• In Event: Fostering Learning, Data Use, and Action for Organizational Change

Abstract

In this paper, we present a qualitative analysis of departmental action teams (DAT) implemented in a large, research-intensive university setting. DATs are small groups of faculty and staff (and often students) from the same department who work collaboratively toward a shared goal. To understand the group processes and structures that contributed to the success or failure of each DAT to achieve its established goals, we collected field notes of each meeting of the DAT and interviews with DAT members before and after their work timeline. Our analysis revealed four critical features of the DATs that contributed to their success: group composition, communication plans, group ownership and agency, and institutionalization of their work.

Authors

• Mike Stieff, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Fructoso M Basaldua, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Charu Thakral, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Susan P Farruggia, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Miquel Gonzalez-Meler, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Carmen Lilley, University of Illinois at Chicago