THE PARTNERING PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A CUSTOM PROGRAM

Smith Executive Education has a strong preference for collaborating, or partnering, with its custom clients. "Partnering" aptly describes the process we have found to be most effective in designing, developing and delivering custom programs. Specifically, we endeavor to work through a process, which includes the following steps, though not necessarily in this order:  

• Upon agreement of a working relationship, a contract for further planning and design of the program is signed.
• Smith team (executive education staff and faculty) meets with appropriate company team members to establish contacts and define objectives for the program in light of scope and goals of the program. The Smith team typically includes an academic director and a program manager.
• Smith team interviews a cross-section of senior-level executives (many times including the CEO and CFO) of company to understand the current and future needs of the business. The Smith team interviews sponsors of the program and potential candidates for participation in the different levels of the program. In addition, we typically request briefings and information regarding company history, current business issues, current leadership challenges, future direction, etc.
• Smith team compiles data, culls major themes from interviews and briefings, and creates a draft program design.
• Smith team meets with company team to review reactions to the design, to make changes and/or additions to the design and to address any other concerns.
• Upon final approval of the program design, a second contract is signed for the implementation of the program.
• Development phase. Dates for the program are confirmed. Faculty is secured for the program. Faculty is thoroughly briefed about company. The faculty develops teaching materials to custom-fit the needs of the program. Teaching methodologies are attuned to the objectives and goals of the program.
• Smith team and company team review the specifics of the program one month prior to implementation for any last minute fine-tuning.
• Delivery phase. The program is implemented. Assessment will occur after each module in order to adjust the design.