Collaborative Prioritization

Your challenge:

You’re looking at $150M worth of proposals for great projects that could revolutionize the services you are offering. That’s exciting! But you have only $15M worth of budget available to invest. That’s a challenge.

At CTLabs, we believe we’ve found the solution.

We call it “Collaborative Prioritization.” And it works.

The essential problem:

Since time immemorial, there has been too much to do, and not enough time, money, people, whatever, to do it in. So, for time immemorial, people have had to choose which things to do, and which things NOT to do. And then, for time immemorial less about five minutes, there have been problems:

• Why didn’t you fund MY project?
• What’s so special about HER/HIS/THEIR project?
• I’m going to talk to your boss – this is ridiculous!

And so it began – and so it continued. Until Collaborative Prioritization hit the screen.

How is Collaborative Decision Support different?

Most of the time, one person, or a select set of people, and usually senior executives, make the decisions. And when the decision-making process gets ugly and the senior cadre can’t agree, the leader has to decide. That’s an outcome that almost necessarily causes rifts, and creates a non-collaborative environment.

At CTLabs, we have developed a process and accompanying toolsets that enable senior leaders to engage collaboratively with their executive team, and then further down into the front-line subject matter experts of their organization – AND invite in their partners and clients and other key stakeholders. Everyone who needs to be can be a part of the conversation, and a part of the decision-making process.

Sounds cumbersome? Sounds like it must take months? Well – we won’t lie to you – it’s exhausting. But the actual prioritization process takes a day. Eight hours. We’ve had teams of 35 people assess upwards of 40 projects in the course of a single day. Effectively. Realistically. Comprehensively.

And when the day is over, the work is done. Like – really done. Done til next year. Or til your next Strategic Plan. And here’s the bonus – everyone who you engaged, and brought into the room, and gave a voice? They will all support you – and the hard choices you’ve made. What’s that worth in peace of mind, and organizational focus?

How does it work?

Well…we could tell you, but then we’d have to shoot you…or hire you onto the team. But it works. It’s worked in a diversity of environments, and it works with a diversity of measurement criteria.

In an era that demands transparency and accountability both in decisions AND approach, Collaborative Prioritization offers defensible, comprehensive criteria, weights and measures that are optimized for your environment, for the needs and pressures of today – and tomorrow. We codify assumptions and judgments, ensuring openness and defensibility – in the eyes of partners, clients, and even an Auditor General!

• Prioritizing investments on innovations to maximize ROI? We’ve done that.
• Prioritizing projects to align with TBS MAF requirements, OPMCA and PCRI? Yup.
• Prioritizing strategic opportunities to expand the services set you offer? Yeah. Done that too.

Our recommendation? Invite us in for a chat. We can explain how we mesh in with your current operating environment, the work we do with your team to prepare, and the ways in which we work with you and your team over a relatively short, light-touch timeframe to get from a bun-fight to a prioritized list that everyone understands – and supports.

What clients say…

“I feel comfortable reporting these recommendations back to my colleagues. I felt that I was allowed to offer input – and that my points were made, and listened to.”

“This process brings credibility to the recommendations.”

“This was a wonderful opportunity for us to bring everyone together to work collaboratively – thank you all for contributing and challenging freely throughout the day – it made for exactly the result we were hoping for.”