Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Consulting, Program Management and Support
DEI at OIT CMS
The DEI ebooks focus on the journey of integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) into the organizational fabric of OIT. They share insights and experiences from members within the organization, providing strategies and tools for fostering allyship and promoting an inclusive culture. They emphasize the importance of accessible technology and inclusive design, while envisioning a future where DEI principles are central to the organization's identity and operations
FACETS
The FACETS model is your holistic invitation to DEIA, offering a structured path from foundational awareness to strategic, sustainable action. By engaging with each facet of DEIA, you contribute to a more inclusive, equitable environment where everyone has the opportunity to excel. Join us on this transformative journey
Culture Co-Lab
This Collaboration Laboratory (Culture Co-Lab) is part of a larger strategic effort that’s shaped by our staff engagement survey, which indicated that employees want us to focus on how our organization is changing and what OIT is doing to make their work lives better.
We’ve invited everyone to drop-in on either of two monthly sessions (same session twice a month; Friday and Monday). The topics changed monthly to reflect staff feedback and prioritization. These insights from the Co-Lab sessions were compiled anonymously and shared to build consensus and spark collaboration.
I am, But I am not
This activity was introduced to highlight what makes us all unique while challenging assumptions others may make about us based on these stereotypes. The intent is to increase awareness of each other’s experiences and, hopefully, change our behavior to be more inclusive. The activity grew traction outside of the DEI space at CMS OIT and was played at ICPG.
DEI Room Where It Happens
The DEI Room Where It Happens is a standing DEI that is meant to shape collaboration at OIT. The space is intently collaborative and is the sustainable framework to provide each other for the support needed to stay on this journey. By embracing diverse roles and actively participating in meaningful activities like the ones showcased below, we cultivate an environment where individuals feel empowered to drive authentic and sustainable change.
DEIA Book Club
Our book choices for the DEI book club are a representation of this vision. We intentionally chose from a pool of talented, diverse female writers. Allies and Advocates by Amber Cabral, How to be an Inclusive Leader by Jennifer Brown, and The Power Manual: How to Master Complex Power Dynamics by Cindy Suarez; all are welcomed leaders that help us understand our commitment differently.
Monthly DEIA Events
We merged our events and meetings with the global holidays to make this work effective and honest. From MLK day to Black History Month, Chinese New Year, and Women’s History to different December holidays, traditions, and anything in between, we chose to be intentional with how we welcomed you into these new Spaces.
DEI Bookhouse
The animated video series on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) emphasizes the importance of allyship and actionable consideration in the workplace. The installments focus on the concept of intent, urging individuals to reflect on the impact of their actions and words, highlighting how these can affect others beyond surface-level interactions. Additionally, the videos delve into consideration, advocating for concrete steps towards listening, understanding, and incorporating diverse perspectives into collaborative efforts. Together, these videos serve as vital resources for organizational development, promoting a culture of inclusivity, empathy, and effective communication, essential for meeting client needs and fostering a supportive work environment.
Conversational Spinner
Our collaboration with CMS OIT has significantly influenced our approach, leading us to redesign our Spinner Framework, an AX foundational technique. This framework is a guiding tool designed to facilitate intentional conversations, recognizing that not all outcomes are immediate or conveyed with genuine intent. By embracing the intentional conversation spinner, we aim to cultivate the courage and confidence to navigate challenging discussions effectively and constructively.
Communication, Education, and Process Improvement
Communications Canvas
This is an adapted Business Model Canvas for strategic communications designed to align OIT's communication efforts with overarching organizational objective. This customized canvas addresses unique aspects of OIT's context including the need to communicate and engage with internal and external stakeholders with distinct needs and responsibilities.
Accessibility Framework
Our commitment to supporting CMS leadership extends to implementing an accessibility framework. This framework delineates workplace accessibility challenges and equips facilitators with practical tools and tips to foster inclusivity for all individuals.
508 Compliance
As part of our OIT OCM work, one of our initial tasks was developing 508-compliant training materials for the Front Office communications team to create accessible documents. The DEI work we planted grew in intent with other departments and teams looking to implement these same inclusive tools and resources in their work life.
Project Management
ABC Engagement Map
The Engagement Map strategy was created as a Compass for Agility technique to enable shared understanding among large groups of stakeholders and/or broad problem domain areas. It provides an opportunity to capture multiple perspectives for insights and actions.
RGT Division Board
This is an example of a lightweight visualization unit book of work. In complex organizations where different units work together to co-create a solution, this was an example of how divisions could share their work with their peers and provide a place to start a conversation.
The running, growing, transforming perspective is a technique we created for our customers to enable our clients to understand what type of data is most useful in each context and optimal decision-making and risk management.
Kaleidoscope
The AX Kaleidoscope planning, based on techniques in “Compass for Agility” to teach and integrate a 30/60/90 day approach in the workplace. This technique was used to create approaches of meeting deadlines. In delivering the training we also created a gamified version of the Kaleidoscope as a proof of concept for a new learning management system.
Jira Metrics
Our team has extensive experience with project management software such as Jira. The visibility and transparency provided by Jira metrics play crucial role by providing detailed insights into project performance, team productivity, and delivery timelines. By leveraging Jira's comprehensive reporting and analytics capabilities, we can track progress in real time, identify bottlenecks early, and ensure project goals are met efficiently.
Kanban
Visualization of work on a Kanban board offers a clear, shareable representation of project progress and workflow, allowing team members to see the status of each task at a glance. This transparency facilitates better communication and collaboration among team members, helping to identify bottlenecks and prioritize tasks more effectively. Our approach to making the workflow visible allows us to be responsive to client needs, easily adjusting and optimizing processes in real-time, and ensuring a smooth, efficient path from start to completion.
Data Gathering and Analysis
Gathering Feedback
In order to get the most holistic picture possible, we use various tools and techniques for gathering feedback from our clients and engagement participants. Our feedback methods are context-specific, ranging from a quick check-in for Return on Time Invested (ROTI) to more in-depth, real-time, collaborative surveys through tools like Remesh. When we use survey tools, we’re able to process the responses to extract rich feedback and collective sentiments. These, in turn, become inputs for continuous improvement of our service delivery and client experience.
As part of our organizational change management work, we've designed and delivered staff engagement surveys within OIT in 2022 and 2023, with more than 75% response rate. These surveys which integrated anonymous quantitative and qualitative measurements are designed to provide actional feedback loops for organizational behavior change.