Engaging Stakeholders in Strategic Planning at Elgin Community College

The Situation

Elgin Community College (ECC) needed a creative way to generate enthusiasm and alignment around their new strategic plan. By involving stakeholders in an asynchronous drawing activity and compiling their responses into an engaging video, ECC transformed a typically mundane process into an exciting and memorable experience. The unveiling of the video received high praise, sparking excitement and alignment among employees.

The Customer

Elgin Community College, located in Elgin, Illinois, serves over 12,000 students annually with 136 full-time and 342 part-time employees

Challenges and Objectives

Developing a strategic plan can often be a tedious and disengaging process for stakeholders. ECC wanted to break this cycle and infuse the planning stage with energy and creativity. Their goal was to foster a sense of alignment and enthusiasm among stakeholders, ensuring everyone felt connected to the college’s mission and vision.

How Piccles Helped

Deborah Orth, the Project Assessment Coordinator at ECC, saw an opportunity to use Piccles to inject creativity into the strategic planning process. Here's how Piccles played a pivotal role:

• Interactive Drawing Activity: Stakeholders were invited to draw their responses to a series of six questions about the strategic plan. This interactive method allowed participants to express their thoughts and feelings in a creative and engaging way.

• Flexible Submission: Participants submitted their drawings via email and private messages, making it convenient for everyone to contribute their input.

• Engaging Compilation: Deborah collected all the visual responses and compiled them into a dynamic video. This video was then showcased during ECC’s opening day convocation, where the new strategic plan was unveiled.

Results

The unveiling of the strategic plan video was met with overwhelming enthusiasm. The creative approach not only captured the attendees’ attention but also generated a positive and engaging atmosphere. During the Zoom unveiling, comments like "impressive," "amazing," and "cool" flooded the chat. The video became a highlight of the event, leaving a lasting impression on all who participated.

Testimonial

After the event, ECC’s Chief MarCom Officer personally commended Deborah for her innovative approach. The feedback from attendees was resoundingly positive, with many expressing how the visual presentation made the strategic plan more engaging and inspiring.

Future Plans

Building on this success, Elgin Community College plans to continue integrating creative and interactive elements into their strategic planning processes. By doing so, they aim to maintain high levels of alignment and enthusiasm among all stakeholders, ensuring that everyone feels connected to the college’s goals and mission.

Check out the video below:

Through this creative approach, Elgin Community College demonstrated how innovative tools like Piccles can transform routine processes into engaging and meaningful experiences, fostering a stronger sense of community and shared purpose.