Strategic Thinking for Career Development

Design Document

Presented to
Dr. Clare Elizabeth Carey
Workforce Development
by
Michael Vicent, Kellie Ventimilia-Vicent, Heather Rougeot, and Sarah Barnhart
June 25th, 2019
Project Overview

This project will help employees to develop and apply strategic thinking skills in terms of their
own careers. The client wants employees to invest in themselves and their futures. By providing
training on professional development strategic thinking methods, employees will be able to
develop the skills necessary to plan for their future within the Department of Defense.
Currently, the organization provides introductory trainings to strategic thinking; however, the
materials and time allocated to the topic are limited. Due to workload demands, the optimal
training intervention will be framed within a 60 to 90-minute delivery window.

Our charge is to create complimentary application trainings to existing learning resources that
may be taken either in-house or online. By implementing training that aids in professional
development, Workforce Development will help prepare the workforce for the critical, logical,
and creative thinking necessary to successfully thrive in advanced positions in the Department
of Defense. We will measure success with our client (Dr. Carey) based on the following
conditions:

 Our client will review and pre-approve each stage of the product
 The material will be easy to use and relevant to the audience
 Both in-person and online training may be incorporated into current training methods
 The learners meet the learning objectives

Client and Organizational Goals

Recruiting new talent and retaining critical talent are two challenges confronting the
Department of Defense. Workforce Development contributes to the solutions of these
challenges by providing talent management and life-cycle career services for its civilian and
military workforce. They wish to foster a more proactive culture toward career development by
cultivating employees with strategic mindsets for professional growth.

Learner Analysis

The design addresses Department of Defense employees served by Workforce Development.

The target audience is primarily civilian employees with a wide range of ages, experience levels,
and motivation for career planning. The primary learners will be employees whose career
ranges from 5 to 15 years of experience and may also include members of the military, or
employees just starting their career.

This application training will also benefit active duty military and civilian employees who are
preparing to retire, as many retirees choose to explore post-retirement employment positions
within the Department of Defense. Military retirees may benefit from this training intervention
by analyzing the skills they have gained during their military service that will transfer to civilian

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positions. Additionally, civilian employees may benefit by identifying skills required for internal
organizational growth opportunities upon retirement.

Per our client, the target audience tends to be more reactive instead of being proactive about
career advancement. They are dedicated to the jobs that they perform, but they often do not
have the knowledge or the motivation to take a strategic approach to further their careers.
Often, this leads to stagnation in career advancement, despite the opportunities that are
available. The course design will focus on ways to motivate learners to become more engaged
in applying strategic thinking principles to their own career development.

Primary Concerns, Attitudes, and Motivation

Our client informed the team that Workforce Development has observed a lack of strategic
thinking in regard to career development. This learning intervention will attempt to help
address the gap. However, workload demands, and time constraints may affect the target
audience’s motivation and adversely impact the overall success of the course. The training will
not be mandatory, so the roll-out, promotion, and support of the Workforce Development
intervention will be important in making sure the course is successful.

Content Analysis

The project will be delivered in both in-person and online formats and will consist of four major
deliverables:

1. A PowerPoint presentation used for both online and in-person delivery

2. Instructor guide for the instructors in-person delivery
3. A workbook for students to use in the training activities
4. An infographic with key takeaways for learners and additional resources in Workforce
Development

The PowerPoint presentation will begin with an introduction before expanding into four lessons
on Strategic Thinking. Each of the lessons may be delivered independent of each other, or as an
entire presentation, but they must be completed in the correct sequence. In addition, the
structure of the PowerPoint presentation will allow for it to be led by an in-person instructor, or
for students to complete it independently online. The presentation will begin with a brief
review of the major principles of Strategic Thinking, and then explain that this learning
opportunity will be for students to use Strategic Thinking strategies for their own career
advancement.

The four lessons will be based on four principles of strategic thinking:

1. Know--What are your strengths, interests, and areas of growth? /attitudes, declarative
knowledge

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 2. Think--What are my available career opportunities and interests? /attitudes
3. Speak--Who can I speak to about ideal career positions? /concepts
4. Act--What is my first step toward advancing my career? /attitudes

Within each of the principle lessons, there will be a student-centered activity for learners to
apply Strategic Thinking to their own career pathways. The PowerPoint will also contain
instructor notes that will expand the topics discussed in each slide to provide additional support
for learners who may be taking the course online.

Learning Objectives

To improve employees’ motivation to take a more active role in planning their future
career advancement, this course will introduce strategic thinking concepts and apply
them to career development.

The content and activities in the course will allow learners to meet the following
objectives:

1. Given the definitions of strategic thinking principles, learners will be able to

identify the skills necessary to create a career development plan according to
the KTSA framework.
2. Given a checklist of different skills and traits, learners will be able to identify areas of
personal growth opportunities, according to the standards defined in the Know module.
3. Given a list of scenarios, learners will be able to identify which elements of the
scenario will lead to career advancement with 100% accuracy.
4. Given an example, learners will be able to create a communication to a peer requesting
career feedback on professional strengths and opportunities, according to the
communication strategies defined in the Speak module.
5. Using a template, learners will be able to complete a 5-year career plan, which
simulates their desired future career path.
6. Without prompting, learners will choose to take action towards their career
advancement 100% of the time.

Evaluation Strategy

Level I—Participant Pre-Survey

The Strategic Thinking for Career Development course will include a short, 3-5 question pre-test
and post-test to capture learners’ attitudes about the topic. The pre-test will capture
information about learners’ current attitudes toward and level of participation in career
development activities. The post-test will contain similar questions to gauge shifts in attitudes
and engagement in applying strategic thinking strategies to career development.

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Level II—Performance
There are no current plans for a formal performance assessment. Instructors for the in-person
training will use checklists, templates, and scenarios to observe whether students are able to
complete the objectives during the class.

Level III—Transfer to the Workplace

The client will seek testimonies from employees stating that their level of success in changing
jobs or advancing their careers as a result of participating in the Strategic Thinking for Career
Development course.

Levels IV & V—Business Impact and Return on Investment

Following the implementation of the course, Workforce Development will assess the business
impact through metrics that measure employee retention rate levels.

Design

Course Title
Get Your Career in Gear - Make Strategic Thinking Work for Your Professional Development

Agenda and Teaching/Learning Activity Descriptions

Introduction
Upon entry to the course, all learners will be asked to complete a pre-test to get them thinking
about the strategic thinking strategies that they currently employ. The lesson will then explain
a brief review of the main principles of strategic thinking before introducing the course
objectives and main activities.

Activities
There will be five main components of this training, and it will also come with an instructor
guide (for in-person administration), a student workbook, and an infographic with key
takeaways for participants. The learning activities are listed below.

1. Introduction: A brief review of Strategic Thinking principles.

2. Know - The learners will work together to create a word or attribute bank for both
positive traits in the workplace and areas of improvement in the workplace. The
learners will then complete a checklist activity to assist them in determining what
interests them about their current occupation, as well as what they enjoy doing, and
what areas of their occupation that they would like to improve upon. This will allow
them to reflect on the importance of knowing what it is that they like to do, and why
both strengths and areas of improvement are significant for career advancement. They
will also identify opportunities for self-growth, as well as interdepartmental growth.

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 3. Think - The learners will apply the Strategic Thinking concepts that they have learned to
a scenario of someone wanting to advance his or her career. They will then discuss their
ideas with a partner. The learners will also be given time to reflect upon the direction
that they would like their career to take, and how these strategies could be applied to
themselves.
4. Speak - The learners will use the information from the previous activities to determine
which people within their organization may help them with information about their
career goals. For an activity, the learners will work in groups to write down the names of
several employees whose opinion they trust (such as a peer, supervisor, or mentor) and
draft a message to them asking about the skills or traits that they feel add value to the
team or organization. This will allow for learners to practice the skill of composing
communication in a meaningful and concise way, while strengthening their professional
relationships.
5. Act - The learners will end the training by using a template to create a career plan,
which will include positions they would like to hold in the future, areas for growth
necessary to qualify for those positions, next steps they need to take to start
progressing toward their career goals, and timeframes for completing them.

Summary
The instructor will review the infographics and steps of Strategic Thinking for Career
Development. The learners will then complete the post-test. The instructor will remind them
that if they have any questions about what next steps to take, or about anything in the training,
to go to Workforce Development for more information.

Development Notes

References
 Bowman, N. (2016, Dec 27). 4 Ways to Improve Your Strategic Thinking Skills. Harvard
Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2016/12/4-ways-to-improve-your-
strategic-thinking-skills
 Bradford, R. (2019). Strategic Thinking: 11 Critical Skills Needed. Retrieved from
https://www.cssp.com/cd0808b/criticalstrategicthinkingskills/
 Carucci, R. (2016, Oct 26). Make Strategic Thinking Part of Your Job. Harvard Business
Review. Retrieved from Make Strategic Thinking Part of Your Job
 Carucci, R. (2018, Apr 8). Three Ways to Be Sure You're A Strategic Thinker. Forbes.
Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/roncarucci/2018/04/09/three-ways-to-
be-sure-youre-a-strategic-thinker/#1794c7964218
 Clark, D. (2016, Dec 6). Thinking Strategically About Your Career Development.
Retrieved from
https://hbr.org/2016/12/think-strategically-about-your-career-development

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  Hansen, R. (2019). Developing a Strategic Vision for Your Career Plan. Retrieved from
https://www.thethinkingcoach.com/thinking-strategically-about-the-development-of-
your-career/
 Kabacoff, R. (2014, Feb 7). Develop Strategic Thinkers Throughout Your Organization.
Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2014/02/develop-strategic-
thinkers-throughout-your-organization
 Oestreicher, C. (2017, Feb 2). How to Master Strategic Thinking. Forbes. Retrieved
from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/02/02/how-to-
master-strategic-thinking/#cf01e3711e73
 The Thinking Coach. (2019, Jan 18). Thinking Strategically About the Development of
Your Career. Retrieved from
https://www.thethinkingcoach.com/thinking-strategically-about-the-development-of-
your-career/
 Yuval, A. (2017, May 2). How to unleash your strategic thinking. McKinsey & Company.
Retrieved from
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-
insights/the-strategy-and-corporate-finance-blog/how-to-unleash-your-strategic-
thinking

Budget
This project will proceed without a dedicated budget or funds and within an accelerated time
frame. To be successful within its scope, the learning solutions will employ Microsoft Office
Suite tools along with vetted, free reference and graphic design materials. We greatly
appreciate the time and expertise that Dr. Carey has offered to us as we complete this project.

Implementation Notes

Training Delivery
The team will deliver the course materials to the client and walk them through the materials
and processes for the in-person and online formats. The client will work with the Workforce
Development team to roll out the course to instructors for in-person sessions and to add the
online materials to the Workforce Development training website. This course will be voluntary,
so Workforce Development will need to promote it to the target audience and encourage
participation.

An instructor’s guide will be provided for facilitating the in-person sessions, which will be
scheduled at times and locations to be determined by Workforce Development. The online
format will contain notes and instructions for the learner within the PowerPoint presentation.

Materials
The team will create several components:

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  Instructor’s guide
 PowerPoint presentation for both in-person and online formats
 Student handbook that will include:
o Pre-test
o Post-test
o Printouts for the activities
o Infographic with takeaways and resources

Project Contributors and Schedule

Training Blueprint Contributors

Role Name Title
Facilitator Kellie Ventimilia-Vicent Graduate Student, CSUMB
Project Manager Sarah Barnhart Graduate Student, CSUMB
Client Dr. Clare Elizabeth Carey Director, Workforce Development DoD
Subject-Matter Expert(s) Dr. Clare Elizabeth Carey Director, Workforce Development, DoD
Designer Michael Vicent Graduate Student, CSUMB
Graphic Designer Heather Rougeot Graduate Student, CSUMB
Editor Sarah Barnhart Graduate Student, CSUMB

Project Schedule
WEEK DATE MILESTONE COMMENTS
2 Sunday, June 9 Initial Client Meeting
2 Monday, June 10 Team Meeting Debrief - Review
agenda Items
2 Tuesday, June 11 Project Definition (PD) document Begin development of content and design
due
2 Tuesday, June 11 Deliver the PD to the client
3 Sunday, June 16 Client Meeting to Ongoing development
review/respond to PD feedback
3 Monday, June 17 Team Meeting Debrief - Review Ongoing development
agenda Items
4 Friday, June 21 Submit Design Document (DD) to Ongoing development
client.
4 Sunday, June 23 Client Meeting to Ongoing development
review/respond to DD feedback

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4 Monday, June 24 Team Meeting Debrief - Review Ongoing development
agenda Items
4 Tuesday, June 25 Design Document due Ongoing development; decide on content
for deliverables; work on Instructional
Product Review
5 Sunday, June 30 Complete draft materials and Begin Design Project Report
share with client
5 Monday, July 1 Team Meeting Debrief - Review Ongoing development
agenda Items
5 Tuesday, July 2 Draft Materials Due Ongoing development
6 Monday, July 8 Team Meeting Debrief - Review Ongoing development
agenda Items
7 Monday, July 15 Team Meeting Debrief - Review Work on Design Project Report; finalize
agenda Items project.
7 Tuesday, July 16 Conduct user testing Ongoing development
8 Saturday, July 20 All edits due from team Final Edits
members for team review
8 Sunday, July 21 Final Client Meeting Final client request adjustments
8 Monday, July 22 Final Team Meeting - Review
Project for completion
8 Tuesday, July 23 Submit final Design Project
Report and materials to client

Critical Success Factors

Project scope: Our client has emphasized the K.I.S.S. approach: keep it simple and short. Due to
time constraints, we will be checking in with our client on a weekly basis to ensure our design is
user-friendly and meets the organization’s needs.

Content: Our subject matter expert, Dr. Carey, has provided a number of resources on the topic
of Strategic Thinking, which we are using to implement consistent themes and methods of
successful strategic thinking.

Delivery: Our team will send Dr. Carey the deliverables via email. Dr Carey has advised that her
team will add the Department of Defense logos and resource links to Workforce Development's
website.

Client involvement: Dr. Carey is very supportive and involved in the development of our training
design. She provides constructive criticism, suggests changes for design improvement, and
continues to address our questions and concerns. We have scheduled weekly Zoom meetings
with Dr. Carey to ensure our project is developing to Workforce Development standards.

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Team commitment: Our team has designated primary roles, as well as secondary support roles
to ensure the work is divided evenly. We have client debrief meetings every Monday at 6:30pm
with additional agenda items to ensure we are staying on track and on the same page
concerning expectations. We have also established a team deliverables timeline to ensure we
each submit our work to review as a team prior to delivering our materials to our client.

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