On-Demand Collaboration Courses

Collaborative Capacity Co (CoCap) builds strategy and capacity for thriving communities through training and consultation.

Stephanie Bultema, PhD, MAAL

• Founder & Principal Consultant @ Collaborative Capacity Co

• Collaborative Systems Scientist @ Public Health Institute

Kristoff Bultema, MIT

• Engagement Partner @ Collaborative Capacity Co

• Social Studies Teacher @ Pikes Peak Online School

Review the course learning objectives, agenda, and workbook.

In lesson 1.1, we’ll briefly explore why collaboration theory matters.

In lesson 1.2, we’ll introduce the three theories and frameworks covered in this course.

In this lesson on interorganizational network theory, we review definitions, assumptions, key concepts, and applications. We explore ‘A Preliminary Model of Network Effectiveness’ (Provan & Milward 1995), ‘Relationships between Effectiveness at Different Levels of Network Analysis and Influence by Stakeholders’ (Provan & Milward 2001), and examples of network types and functions (Popp et al. 2014).

Question: When you were talking about measuring the effectiveness at each of those different levels, the community, the organization, and the network - is there one that you have typically seen to be the most challenging? Or one that it seems most people focus in on measuring at this area and forget the rest of them?

Question: I do wonder where the analysis comes in when evaluating effectiveness here. Like for example, if it's effectiveness of the structure, is it because you're sort of performing a needs analysis that identifies gaps, barriers, who's present, what they're bringing to the network, or are there other sort of variables that you commonly see looked at to analyze the effectiveness of the network?

Question: What are the right questions to be asking as I evaluate the effectiveness of my collaborations or, how do we go about setting up a collaboration that is going to be effective? What are the right questions to be asking so that as we plan this out or as we evaluate a current collaboration, we can develop its effectiveness and address, you know, the pain points or those bottlenecks?

Question: I'm kind of curious about the community level effectiveness. Some of the leadership from our board--and our board has a dual role in a sense--is you know, is what we’re doing really impacting the community?  For us it's health outcomes--and that can be defined in a variety of ways. So could you dive a little bit more into what that could look like?

In this lesson on cross-sector collaboration, we review definitions, assumptions, key concepts, and applications. We explore ‘A Framework for Understanding Cross-Sector Collaborations’ (Bryson et a. 2006).

Question: I'm wondering if this framework can also be used in a complex single organization with many units who may have siloed operations and are trying to work more collaboratively.

In this lesson on collaborative governance, we review definitions, assumptions, key concepts, and applications. We explore ‘An Integrative Framework for Collaborative Governance’ (Emerson et al. 2012).

In lesson 3.1, we review approaches to applying collaboration theories and frameworks to real collaboratives, including:

• Assessment

• Planning & Design

• Implementation

• Evaluation

• Research

Which of these approaches have you used for applying theories/frameworks?

Which approaches are you most interested in trying?

In lesson 4.1, we’ll use the Integrative Framework for Collaborative Governance to explore the case of Better Health Together, an Accountable Community of Health in Washington state.

In lesson 5.1, we’ll take a few minutes to reflect on your big question in collaboration and lessons learned so far.