During our Community Insights session, we explored various approaches to building student networks across SSN and identified key challenges to address in Improvement Lab: Building Student Networks.

Welcome to the Student Networks Improvement Lab! At our kick-off meeting, we brought together improvement teams from six organizations to dive into continuous improvement and explore how we will work together throughout the year to strengthen students' personal and professional networks. 

Key takeaways:

• Continuous Improvement Approach: Continuous Improvement can help address systemic challenges in building student networks by testing small changes.

• Relationship Mapping:  We created relationship maps to visualize our own systems of support.  We started here to consider our own experiences, perspectives, and assumptions, which positions us to better understand and support young people in their network-building journeys. 

• Root Cause Analysis: With the Christensen Institute's framework for measuring students' social capital, we conducted a root cause analysis to explore why all students are not building strong networks. 

• Driver Diagrams: We mapped out the key factors (primary drivers) and specific actions (secondary drivers) that contribute to building strong student networks in our programs. 

• Empathy Interviews: Teams began planning for empathy activities to gather insights from students in their programs. Teams started planning empathy questions using Measures for Building Student Networks.

NEXT: Teams will (1) Conduct empathy activities with students and adults, (2) Complete a capacity self-assessment to better understand their strengths and learning goals, and (3) Meet with coaches to plan next steps.

Slide Deck | Session Materials  [Improvement Team Access Only]

In this session, we started developing our theories of improvement.

Key Takeaways:

• Data Reflection: Teams explored the specific problems they aim to address by debriefing their empathy activity data using a Data Discussion Protocol. These reflections guided each team in revising their root cause analysis and articulating a problem focus.

• Brainstorming Change Ideas: Participants identified their current practices and systems that address their root cause and explored new change ideas from the Christensen Institute's Playbook on Building and Strengthening Students' Networks. Afterward, teams presented their proposed change ideas and provided feedback to one another.

NEXT: Teams will meet with their coach to solidify their change ideas and a plan for their PDSA cycle.

Slide Deck | Session Materials  [Improvement Team Access Only]

In this session, we reflected on our theories of improvement. 

Key Takeaways:

• Reflection and Feedback: School teams partnered to share their theories of improvement, engage in dialogue, and receive constructive feedback using our Tuning Protocol. 

• Measuring Networks: Teams learned about practical measures to assess whether their change ideas are improving student networks. 

NEXT: Teams will continue their first improvement cycle, either by launching their change idea, continuing to implement it, or scheduling time to study it with their team and coach. 

Slide Deck | Session Materials  [Improvement Team Access Only]

In this session, we reflected on our work, shared key learnings, and began thinking about spreading and scaling success. 

Key Takeaways:

• Reflection and Sharing: Teams reflected on their change ideas and created posters that captured the details of their change idea, key learnings, successes, and a visual representation of their work. We concluded with a gallery walk, where teams shared their work with one another.

• Planning for Scaling: Teams began thinking about what is next for their work.

Slide Deck | Session Materials  [Improvement Team Access Only]