Prototyping is a powerful business analysis technique used in solution development. While often associated with technical products, prototyping principles can be equally effective in service contexts such as nonprofit and healthcare service sectors when developing new programs and initiatives. By approaching pilot programs as prototypes, organizations can test, refine, and validate their ideas before a full-scale launch.
In this post, we'll explore how the business analysis concept of prototyping can be applied to the development of programs and initiatives, ensuring they meet the needs of your stakeholders and achieve the desired outcomes. Business analysis is an approachable framework for healthcare and other nonprofit organizations driving change.
A Business Analysis Approach
The Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK), which is published by the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), defines business analysis as “the practice of enabling change in an enterprise by defining needs and recommending solutions that deliver value to stakeholders”.
The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is the certifying agency for business analysis professionals and provides a global standard for its practice.
According to BABOK, a business analyst is “any person who performs business analysis tasks…no matter their job title or organizational role”.
Business analysts drive change in organizations by:
Understanding organizational challenges and goals
Analyzing needs and solutions
Devising strategies to get to the desired future state
Facilitating stakeholder engagement
In other words, business analysis is meeting identified organizational needs and providing solutions to those needs. In the nonprofit space, these solutions are often human-engineered solutions, such as the creation of a mentorship volunteer program or a team initiative to elicit the voice of the community.
Non-Technical Business Analysis in Nonprofit Program Development
Non-technical business analysts apply the principles, techniques, and tools of business analysis to drive change through non-technical solutions, like those afforded by the development of volunteer programs in the nonprofit setting.
In the context of nonprofit organizations, volunteer initiatives are a good example of a human-centric solution designed to address specific organizational needs, whether enhancing community engagement, supporting service delivery, or fulfilling strategic goals. Launching a new nonprofit program, project or initiative involves the use of valuable resources. By applying a structured approach from the business analysis discipline, nonprofits can make better use of the benefits of data-driven decision making.
Prototyping Pilot Programs, Projects, and Initiatives
Prototyping is a business analysis technique that involves creating preliminary models of a solution. The preliminary model is designed to explore ideas, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments. This iterative process helps in testing the solution and ensuring it aligns with stakeholder needs.
According to the BABOK, “it works by providing an early model of the final result, known as a prototype” (BABOK 10.36). While there are various forms of prototypes, the one most relevant to pilot programs is the evolutionary working representation.
In the context of nonprofits and healthcare, this type of prototyping can help leaders develop effective programs and initiatives by allowing them to test their ideas in a controlled environment.
A pilot program acts as a prototype by providing a small-scale implementation of the initiative. This enables organizations to evaluate the program's feasibility, identify potential issues, and gather valuable feedback from participants and stakeholders.
Benefits to piloting your new initiative:
Enhanced Understanding of Needs. Pilot programs help clarify participant and organizational needs.
Early Detection of Issues. Potential challenges are identified and addressed before a full-scale launch.
Improved Stakeholder Engagement. Engaging participants, volunteers, and other stakeholders early in the process.
Reduced Risk. Minimizing risks associated with misunderstandings and miscommunications.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Piloting a New Nonprofit Project
From idea to implementation, a pilot can be considered a form of prototype. This approach to prototyping can serve as a step-by-step guide for piloting a new nonprofit project.
Let's illustrate the process with a hypothetical but realistic scenario. “Community Connections”, a large community nonprofit organization, aims to launch a new mentorship program designed to help at-risk youth. They decide to use a pilot program to prototype this initiative, ensuring it meets the needs of their participants and achieves the desired outcomes before a full-scale launch.
Here are the steps they follow:
Step #1 | Identify Objectives
First, define the goals of the pilot program. Be specific in what you are trying to achieve and explicit in its documentation. Identify the larger organizational goals and mission alignment that will be met. Determine which aspects of the program or initiative need to be tested or validated.
Scenario: Community Connections is planning to launch a new mentorship program aimed at helping at-risk youth. The objective of the pilot program is to assess the feasibility of the mentorship model and gather feedback from participants to refine the program before a full-scale launch.
Step #2 | Select the Type of Pilot Program
There are two common approaches to prototyping in business analysis. Throwaway prototyping, which involves the creating of a quick and simple version of the program to explore ideas and gather initial feedback. This type of prototype is discarded after its purpose is served, making it rarely the best type for a pilot.
Evolutionary or Functional prototyping is incremental in nature. A pilot program is usually refined over time until it evolves into the final solution.
Scenario: Community Connections decides to use evolutionary prototyping. They start with a basic mentorship model, where mentors meet with mentees once a week. Based on feedback and results, they plan to gradually add more components, such as group activities and workshops, refining the program with each iteration.
Step #3 | Develop the Pilot Program
Workflow modeling is ideal at this stage. The sequence of operations for processes are depicted and performed. The resources, tools, and stakeholders involved are identified and detailed. At this stage, it is also imperative to establish documentation, metric collection, and a plan for clear communication.
Scenario: The pilot program at Community Connections involves selecting a small group of mentors and mentees, providing them with initial training, and setting up weekly meeting schedules. Key stakeholders include program coordinators, mentors, mentees, and their parents. Clear documentation is maintained to track the progress and gather feedback.
Step #4 | Evaluate the Pilot Program
With the initial iteration launched, a timeline is set to analyze early feedback. Expectations for gathering feedback from participants, volunteers, and stakeholders should be established early. Methods, tools, and techniques for measuring the success of the pilot will vary depending on timelines and objectives. Promptly analyze data and identify areas for improvement.
Scenario: Community Connections uses surveys and regular check-ins to gather feedback from mentors, mentees, and parents. They measure success based on mentee engagement, mentor satisfaction, and observed improvements in mentee behavior and performance. The feedback is analyzed to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
Step #5 | Refine the Program
The most exciting part of developing a prototype of a program or initiative is its refinement. Once feedback is gathered, a successful pilot has a process in place for incorporating it and making necessary adjustments.
This process of the evolution of the prototype program may go through many iterations until all stakeholders are satisfied. Don’t rush the process! It is easier to make adjustments to a new program when there are only a handful of participants involved than after a full-scale launch has occurred.
Scenario: Based on the feedback, Community Connections makes several adjustments, such as requiring additional mentor training sessions and organizing monthly group activities for mentees. The iterative process continues until the program model is well-defined and ready for a broader rollout.
Challenges and Solutions to Prototyping a Pilot Program
Prototyping clearly has strengths and benefits but is not without its challenges.
Developing a pilot program can be resource intensive. Managing time and resources effectively can be challenging. Solution: Allocate a dedicated team and defined resources for the pilot program.
Scope creep can be another challenge. Keeping the pilot program focused and avoiding continuous changes is crucial. Solution: Define clear objectives and a process for approving change requests and stick to them, making only necessary adjustments.
A third challenge is that of expectation management. Set realistic expectations for stakeholders regarding the pilot program's scope and functionality. Timelines and metrics should be grounded in data that makes sense. Solution: Communicate clearly and manage stakeholder expectations from the outset.
Scenario: At Community Connections, managing the pilot program's resources was initially challenging due to competing priorities within the organization. To overcome this, they allocated a dedicated team and specific resources for the pilot. They also faced scope creep as stakeholders continuously suggested new activities for the mentorship program. By defining clear objectives and implementing a structured process for approving changes, they maintained focus. Lastly, to manage expectations, Community Connections communicated realistic timelines and metrics to all stakeholders, ensuring everyone was on the same page from the beginning.
Summary
Pilot programs are invaluable tools for testing and refining new programs and initiatives in nonprofits and healthcare settings. By applying the business analysis principles of prototyping, organizations can enhance their understanding of needs, detect issues early, and engage stakeholders effectively. Implementing pilot programs allows for a controlled environment to test ideas, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments before a full-scale launch, minimizing risks and maximizing success. Strategically develop a pilot program for your next initiative to ensure it meets your goals and delivers the desired value.
Roseanna Galindo is Principal at Periscope Business Process Analysis, specializing in organizational learning and development. She is dedicated to advancing data literacy, enhancing healthcare experiences, and empowering volunteer leaders. Explore Roseanna’s expertise and insights on her blog, The Periscope Insighter, starting with the opening post, "Venn the Time is Right."
Roseanna offers a range of professional development services, including training workshops, keynote speaking, and executive coaching.
Visit PeriscopeBPA.com for more information or click on the button below to schedule a time to talk.
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