Change Projects | Communication

All degree students in the Center for Creative Change conduct a capstone change project in an organization or community. Change projects enable students to integrate ideas studied in the classroom with real-world experiences of social change.

These student change projects cover a range of issues and approach them in many different ways. Here are examples of student projects on creating dialogue, improving communication and building a shared narrative.

See What I'm Saying: Relationship and Respect in a Nonprofit Group

Susan Brandt's (Organizational Psychology) project to create a mission statement for Seattle Specialized Residential Support grew into a collaborative communication project. She studied how viewing behavior as a form of communication can inform organizational psychology in a nonprofit agency that works with developmentally challenged adults.

Uncovering a Common Story in a University Department

Gail Cheney (Management) and Arnar Valdimarsson (Whole Systems Design) led a collaborative process to create a common story about personal experiences within a university department. The process moved from the individual experiences of faculty, staff and students to the uncovering of a collective story for the entire department.

Listening by Design

As a participant in the redesign of an undergraduate degree program, Deirdre Duffy (Whole Systems Design) examined how listening affects the collaborative design process. Her work focused on the levels of listening that occur in groups, how the differing levels can help or hinder group creativity and how music can inform levels of listening.

Building Communities of Truth through Dialogue

How can organizations design and engage in a dialogue that inspires authentic, healthy relationships? Barbara Miles (Whole Systems Design) explored this question by facilitating two groups within different organizations. She led the groups through an in-depth dialogue that enabled them to develop a more truthful and authentic sense of community in their respective organizations.

Is It All Just Talk?

Gerald Sexton (Organizational Psychology) conducted a six-month consulting engagement with Synesso Inc., a local espresso machine manufacturing company. He used conversation and facilitation to elicit the organization's vision and values, identify key organizational challenges and prepare the company for the addition of new staff.

Facilitating Effective Communication in the Air Force

As a change agent, Joell Teal (Organizational Psychology) created, implemented and facilitated a management team within the Air Force Reserve. She introduced methods, systems, ideas and tools to facilitate effective communication and create a more cohesive unit.

Getting Beyond Surface Changes Within a Group

Angela Wolle (Organizational Psychology) examined storytelling, trust building methods, ways of exploring the power of possibility and other approaches to help a group of organizational leaders get beyond superficial communication. To do this work, she facilitated the creation of a leadership table as a new organizational structure.