Designate a project manager.

Once you have convened your work team, designate an overall project manager. This person will be responsible for convening and running work team meetings, working with others to draft agendas, and overseeing the entire effort. The project manager will also be responsible for delegating duties and for following up with those carrying out the work. Ideally, your project manager should be someone who is familiar with the focus group process, has the ability to smooth out bureaucratic and administrative tangles, and has the most available time (if such a thing exists among educators!) and/or resources.

As an alternative, you could also designate a manager for each of the three stages in the focus group process. One person could manage the design stage, which includes planning and facilitating the work team meetings. A second person could manage the action stage, and a third person could oversee the analysis and reporting stage. These positions would not take the place of an overall project manager but would rather help to ensure success every step of the way.

If you are conducting an effort in an entire district...

You may choose to designate a project manager for each school level. In this scenario, one person oversees the elementary school focus groups (as the counselor did in Jessamine County), another person oversees the middle school focus groups, and a third person oversees the high school focus groups. These people still do not take the place of the overall project manager, however, since it is important for at least one person to bring all the pieces together and to know how the entire effort is proceeding.

Next: Draft a rough timetable. Schedule work team meetings and draft agendas.