The Pen Pals Five

SI 501Contextual Design& Inquiry

Who are the Pen Pals Five?

• Lance

• Emi

• Chen

• Emily

• Kevin

“K-grams is a mentoring and learning program that pairs up college and elementary school students through a suite of programs. An entirely student-led organization, K-grams brings people together from all facets of the University of

Michigan campus and the local community. “

• Completely Student Run (All Undergrad)• Non-Profit• Part of developing a rich college experience• Focus: Involving Students in the Community

Core Program: Letter Writing

MethodologyInterviews

MethodologyModels

Constraints

• Money

• Time

• Expertise

• High Turnover

Findings

Findings•Transitions

Findings•Transitions•Communication

Findings•Transitions•Communication•Technology

Finding 1Transition Issues

Recruitment “We start recruitment at the beginning of each year” Collecting and processing applications takes a lot of time

Training There is no formal training process for directors Rely on binders to communicate information from one year to the next

”Transition is our biggest challenge”-Director

Finding 1

What does institutional memory look like?

Transition Issues

Finding 1

In most organizations, much institutional memory is passed from person to person.

”New things are tried every year, so if they don’t work, someone may still try the same thing again two years later.”

–Director

Transition Issues

Finding 1

At K-grams high turn over causes a reliance on artifacts.

Transition Issues

Finding 1

What do years of institutional memory look like?

Transition Issues

Finding 1

What do years of institutional memory look like?

“The transition binder was poorly done last year.”-Director

Transition Issues

What can K-grams do?

Finding 1Transition Issues

Recommendation 1

Recruit and train Directors and Swing Kids early: Allow for training based on personal experience and relationships rather than artifacts. Let Swing Kids get involved in the training

of pen pals

Transition Issues

Recommendation 1

Rethink role of binders Use binders as reference tool rather than as a means of training Consolidate old binders Standardize the content

Transition Issues

Recruit and train Directors and Swing Kids early: Allow for training based on personal experience and relationships rather than artifacts. Let Swing Kids get involved in the training

of pen pals

Finding 2Communication: Sharing the Love

Strengths K-grams members are very excited to be involved with the program Members are motivated by the mentor relationships with kids

“I get a lot of joy out of doing this”-Director

Finding 2Communication: Sharing the Love

Top to bottom communication

Swing Kids and Pen Pals are out of the loop Lack of feedback

“The swing kids don’t always know what’s going on.” –Hall Head

Strengths K-grams members are very excited to be involved with the program Members are motivated by the mentor relationships with kids

Recommendation 2Communication: Sharing the Love

Begin emailing periodic newsletter to announce current activities and future events

Informal Engagements

Short Term

Recommendation 2Communication: Sharing the Love

Send out online/paper survey to pen pals and teachers after every semester.

K-grams blog

Longer Term

Begin emailing periodic newsletter to announce current activities and future events

Informal Engagements

Short Term

Finding 3Technology: Tools for Success

“The Website is a mess” -Director

Website Only one director knows

how to use database and website Outdated information Content has been compromised: inappropriate spam

Finding 3Technology: Tools for Success

Applications Processing Pen Pal applications are not standardized between web and paper models Online applications are sent to a g-mail account and must still be entered into the K-grams database manually

“The Website is a mess” -Director

Website Only one director knows

how to use database and website Outdated information Content has been compromised: inappropriate spam

Recommendation 3Technology: Tools for Success

Clean up website content Update static web content Remove guestbook altogether

Short Term

Recommendation 3Technology: Tools for Success

Redesign Website Find volunteer in University community to implement overhaul of website

Configure content management platform Integrate online application and pen pal database

Longer Term

Recommendation 3Technology: Tools for Success

Institute Maintenance of Web content Recruit from within K-Grams

Use Pen Pal application to locate recruits with website experience Consider creating a position responsible for electronic communications

Redesign Website Find volunteer in University community to implement overhaul of website

Configure content management platform Integrate online application and pen pal database

Longer Term

Conclusions

• Summary of recommendations:– Continue the good work!– Recruit and train early to reflect roles in the

organization– More person-to-person training, use binders as a

reference– Enhance the feedback within the organization and

with schools.– Update the website and recruit students with

technical expertise.

Questions