Focus Groups Report

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Focus Groups Report

• Prepared for CIT Staff Retreat
• September 14-15

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Purpose of Focus Groups

• Identify needs
• Determine perceptions
• Develop buy-in and support
• Demonstrate strategic initiatives

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Focus Group Strategy

• 40 interviewees
• 4 sites
• 7 basic questions
• recorded and handwritten notes
• campus and field faculty

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1. Perception of CIT services

• Lacks planning, responds to crises
• Unaware of services, procedures
• Too long to produce a publication from start to
  finish
• Lack of assistance with web development and
  technology

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Theme Analysis perception

• Generally, participants were appreciative of the
  quality..but were frustrated with processes,
  lack of responsiveness, and lack of proactive
  direction in marketing and IT.

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2. Describe your greatest communications needs
(1-5)

• Internal and external marketing
• integration of technology
• training on marketing and IT
• access to publications on-line
• developing DL programs

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Theme Analysis comm needs

• There was a wide range in awareness of how
  technology can be integrated into daily
  functions. This points to a strong need for
  training in all aspects of CIT operations,
  especially IT.

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3. Will needs change in the next 3-5 years? If
so, how?

• Increased use of Web
• Greater use of bi-lingual materials
• Increased training in digital, DL
• Increased funding for technology

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Theme Analysis future needs

• increased use of technology to develop, design,
  and deliver programs to a diverse,
  technology-savvy clientele would be a likely
  communications need within the next 3-5 years.

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4. CIT training sessions

• Train support staff on advanced use of Web
• DL using Web, instructional design
• Principles and practice of marketing
• CIT help desk for campus and field faculty

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Theme Analysis CIT training

• wide range of responses with most centering on
  web-based technologies and marketing/media
  relations. Regional computer associates are
  highly effective, however, most participants
  agreed that line of reporting to REDs is
  inefficient and ineffective.

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5. Improving quality of service

• Increase responsiveness
• Increase awareness of services, process
• Assign to specific areas/programs
• workshops/training

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Theme Analysis quality improvement

• focused on improved responsiveness to e-mail
  and telephone calls as well as following thru on
  projects in a timely manner..expressed
  satisfaction with quality of products, but
  dissatisfaction with process and service.

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6. Greatest communications need

• Internal/external marketing
• logos create an us vs. them mentality
• CIT contact for each dept.
• improved media relations, on/off campus

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Theme Analysis Greatest need

• Marketing is the major concernMCE clientele
  have an outdated image of Extension..on campus
  faculty generally interested in student
  recruitment and data base management.

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7. Other information

• Need updated image
• consistency in use of logos
• electronic publishing
• Briefs as internal marketing

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Theme Analysis Other info

• Logos continue to be a source of major concern.
  Briefs seems to be generally accepted as a useful
  strategy for internal marketing and community
  building, however the content does not seem to
  generate much interest or excitement.

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