A Technology Enhanced Model for Partnership Projects

How an agile process and online tools can enhance partnership working

I developed the model to visualise how the Micro-sprint process of Plan, Do, Review, Reflect and Improve can facilitate and improve the outcomes of partnership projects, supported by tools to increase team productivity and project transparency. It was first presented at interview for a Teaching Fellowship post in the Institute of Teaching and Learning, University of Manchester.

The model demonstrates how the focus on project outcomes is facilitated through the iterative Micro-sprint process, and how the process, project outcomes and team productivity are enhanced using the online tools.

We applied the model in recent student partnership projects at The University of Manchester where it proved very effective at enhancing team productivity and transparency. The iterative, dialogic and reflective nature of the process has also demonstrated how it supports the principles of student partnerships and helps reduce some of the barriers, particularly around the roles and power relationships which can exist in higher education.

The approach enables the team to focus on the outcomes and deliverables of the project, while a facilitator ensures the process is being followed to foster engagement through partnership. As Healey et al point out,

Partnership…is a way of doing things, rather than an outcome in itself

Tools

There is a range of freely available cloud-based tools which can be used. Project teams should decide on which tools to use based on a range of factors:

• Project requirements vs functionality of tools
• Tools currently available and supported in their organisations
• Current skills within the team / additional training required
• Budget

Some examples of tools include:

• Capture (data) — Airtable, Google Forms, Microsoft Forms
• Coordinate (project management) — Trello, Microsoft Planner
• Collaborate — Google Docs, Dropbox, Office 365
• Communicate — Slack, Microsoft Teams

If your organisation already has Office 365 (including Teams), this would likely be the most suitable option as Teams can facilitate all of the four requirements when used with other Office 365 apps. Teams then becomes the central tool for managing the whole project and processes.

Considerations

• At least one team member should take responsibility for ensuring the process is followed (roughly to time) allowing the team to focus on the project outcomes. The process could also be implemented through the use of automated notifications to alert the team as to which stage in the process they should currently be at. This takes a little time to prepare upfront, but once ready can be re-used, particularly when a human facilitator is not available.
• Each team member should understand the process and the value of each stage, especially the importance of open discussion and reflection. Once the project is running and Micro-sprints have started, the team can then focus on the project and should not need to worry about remembering to follow the process.
• The team should be proficient and comfortable using the chosen tools to maximise efficient team working.
• Using tools such as Slack and Trello to quickly share project documents, forms for data capture and reviewing progress can keep the team focussed and the Micro-sprint moving at the desired pace.
• It’s important to note that the facilitator role is just that. They are not managing the project or the team, and they are not making decisions for the team. The facilitator’s primary role is to ensure the process is followed with the aim of iterative discussion, reflection and improvement.
• The model can be applied to many different types of projects and educational activities, with the potential to transform traditional teaching and learning practice into a more collaborative and inclusive process.