While current organizations may initiate and collect feedback, the Monarch Voice team initiates, collects, and acts on the feedback collected. Furthermore, the team uses all available modes of communication to actively engage while offering a centralized and streamlined platform to bridge communication gaps.
Training Members of the Monarch Voice team undergo 3 weeks of training, during which they will experience Team Bonding (Week 1), Introduction to Design Thinking (Week2), and Gathering & Responding to Data (Week 3).
Week 1: Team Bonding - Team-building workshops and role development.
Week 2: Design Thinking - Students apply Human Centered Design Thinking toODU-basedissues.
Week 3: Gathering & Responding to Data -Organizing and collecting data and applying design thinking.
Information Gathering
Monarch Voice maintains a database of information that highlights continuing issues, draws reports, and uses the Design Thinking process to develop solutions to report to the Old Dominion University staff.
Collaboration
The Monarch Voice initiative is a strong complement to existing organizations and programs, bolstering the communication line between Old Dominion University staff and students. Monarch Voice places focus on both students' and university needs, bringing balance and encouraging a mutually beneficial partnership between students and staff.
Professional Development
Monarch Voice is an excellent opportunity for students to develop leadership skills which can be used to start or boost their career, as well as initiate an entrepreneurial pursuit.
Innovation - What is new and innovative about this product or solution?
At ODU, many issues go unheard due tolack of university awareness. This lack of awareness affects students. However, students can help fix student problems, since we have first-hand experience of being a student. We are determined to make changes that better lives. Additionally, as students, we feel as if our problems are being heard (due to organizations such as SGA), but theyare not being fixed in the way we want.The problems are being fixed ina way thatadministration thinks we want. Furthermore, we want our voices and fellow students' voices to be heard. If ODU students are succeeding, then ODU inevitably succeeds as well.
Uniqueness - What is unique about it?
SGA and other organizations areprimarily focused on students' issues, while our program is interested in both student and university issues. We are presenting studentideas to ODU faculty, thus building a better relationship between ODU and its students. Our program allows the university to easily receive feedback from students through the design thinking process. Our team can collect data on a mass scale so that ODU can incorporate student opinions and quickly fix many problems that would have taken years to figure out.
Alternatives - How do you help your customers get results differently to your competition, or alternatives?
Monarch Voice is a dedicated staff that develops reports and consolidates data using the Design Thinking Process. Our team compliments other programs that already exist, but Monarch Voice is different from organizations such as SGA or the Board of Visitors. For instance, SGA has been around for a while, yetfinding "Amplify your voice" took them years. Meanwhile, we have been ideating for a month or two, and we were able to come up with a similar concept that is more efficient. Also, if SGA has been around for such a long time, why does ODU still have a problem with retrieving information? As stated previously, SGA is focused on student issues, not ODU related issues as well. Lastly, SGA still uses indirect methods like polls and just because they are taking issues down does not mean they are considering them.
Another example would be the Board of Visitors.Students on the Board do not have any voting power; therefore, student issues can be heard,but not necessarily implemented. Meanwhile, Monarch Voice is a way to provide feedback for ODU when they desire student opinion, so student voices are still being heard.
Lastly, our program provides experience to ODU students for future careers such as experiential learning opportunities, a way to connect ODU to their students, and cost saving measures for the university, since our idea is being tested through students first.
Call to Action...
To streamline communication between students and decision-makers, Monarch Voice needs to be formed today! By gaining approval for the program and having investments from potential stakeholders, the team can be created. The initial first step would be to have a team that creates the framework of this wonderful program. Once the framework has been created, the Monarch Voice team can start streamlining communication.