MAQ Events and Awards
MAQ Open Partners
MAQ Open Partners Meeting
May 13, 2003
9:30-12:30
The Association for Leadership Development
Ronald Regan Building
Washington, DCParticipants: John Stanback (FHI), Marcel Vekemans (PRIME II), Marc Luoma (PRIME II)),haron Rudy (PLP), Thada Bornstein (URC), Roy Jacobstein (EngenderHealth), Michelle Heerey (JHU/CCP), Timothy Allen (MSH), Vathni Amirthanayagam (USAID/W/RCS), Caitlin Auld (USAID), Mark Austin (USAID), Joseph Dwyer (MSH), Ellen Eiseman, Stephen Goldstein (JHU/CCP), Jay Gribble (Georgetown), Jim Griffin (USAID), Sarah Harbison (USAID), Debra Kosko (USAID), Jan Kumar (EngenderHealth), Shawn Malarcher, (USAID), Cindy Mangan, Maureen Norton, (USAID), Palmore Susan, (Advance Africa), Gail Rae (PLP), Jeff Sanderson (JSI), Matthew Sattah (USAID), Jim Shelton (USAID), Jeff Spieler (USAID), Kellie Stewart (USAID), Dana Vogel (USAID), Matthew Tiedemann (FHI), Mary Vandenbrouke (USAID), Julie Wallace (USAID), Sylvia Wong, (UNFPA), Susan Wright (USAID)
- Welcome
Jim Shelton welcomed the group. He discussed the importance of building on collective knowledge. There is a great deal of knowledge in bilateral programs, but we don't have a systematic approach for retrieving and documenting that knowledge. Much of that knowledge transfer currently is done by word- of- mouth. The SEATS project tried to tell stories and document lessons learned, but we need to document those stories in a better way.
- Knowledge Management and Getting Best Practices from the Field
Gail Rae facilitated a discussion on knowledge management and how do we elicit best practices from the field. Main points that came out of the group discussion were:
- You can't design a systematic approach to retrieve and share knowledge unless you understand your audience, i.e. missions
- You need to know what they need to know
- The biggest challenge for MAQ is implementing packaged best practices?
- The best communities of practice are informal and centered on problem solving.
- Exploring the role of MAQ-Where is it going?
- Next, the group discussed the MAQ Evaluation and potential changes/future directions the Initiative could take.
What were some positive pearls from the MAQ Evaluation?
- Importance of an empowered champion
- Well recognized, high-profile leadership
- Some programs have had an impact in the field, i.e. client-provider interaction
- Initiative valued for advancing knowledge in the field
- "Guidance" documents have been taken up by WHO
- Provides a safe meeting space for CA's to share ideas
- Special Initiative funding as a mechanism has worked well in leveraging additional funds from missions and multilateral organizations
- More contact from field - need to find an effective means to get info from the field
What needs to be improved in the MAQ Initiative?
- Transform MAQ into a Bureau-wide initiative(?)
- Specifically identify who is doing what in terms of defining "Best Practices'
- Bring about awareness of the MAQ Initiative in field missions
- Brand MAQ as an Initiative (?)
- Make an effort to move information from the field to Washington
- Improve documentation of the "so what" of best practices
- Start continuous "MAQ Exchanges" in the field
- MAQ activities should become more demand (field) driven rather than supply (Washington) driven
The group then broke into smaller groups discussions and focused on answering these questions:
Who is the "Field"?
The "field" is: Missions, bilaterals/CA's, MOH, NGOs, donors, clients, providers, professional organizations.Who are we connected to?
How do we identify "the needs"?
- The needs should be identified by the field rather than US-based CA's and USAID/W
- Identify MAQ Champions in missions who could function as brokers to identify field needs
How can the MAQ Initiative/Community respond?
- Focus on priority countries (?)
- Have field missions compete for MAQ Special Initiative fund
- Contact specific missions and offer MAQ funds and the opportunity to program as they saw fit
- Direct MAQ Special Initiative funds into bilateral programs
- Engage missions when they are doing their strategic plans. It may be seen more as helpful rather than disruptive
- There is a need for advocacy in the field to generate awareness and interest in utilizing MAQ Special Initiative funds
- Establish an ongoing "MAQ Exchange" at the field level.
Subcommittee Report Outs
OOW- Alison Ellis (MSH)
The subcommittee has identified 9 elements of OOW such as client flow, collection of data and use, and leadership. Many CA's such as MSH, QAP, CEDPA, have done work on this topic, but have not compiled the tools into a concise document.
Vidya Setty from the INFO project has been tasked with writing the OOW SOTA paper based on discussions from previous meetings. This will be a hybrid of a MAQ Concept Paper and a POP Report, and will be circulated to 80,000 English speaking readers. The next meeting scheduled for May 30th will review and provide feedback to Vidya on the Draft report. The paper should be completed by mid-summer and published in the fall. Next Steps: The subcommittee will be revising the MAQ Exchange OOW modules after the Concept Paper is published.PACE- Michelle Heerey (JHU/CCP)
Individual members have been very active even though the committee has been semi-dormant for the last year. It's time for introspection and perhaps consider a re-organization and determine where the subcommittee should go next such as branding products as MAQ. PACE has been involved in preparation work for the Haiti MAQ Exchange in May and the IBP conference. The subcommittee is also developing a process and product for the Best Practices Compendium and Repositioning FP in Africa by Advance Africa. PACE is also involved in maintaining the MAQ website which needs subcommittees to become more actively involved in posting materials to the site.IBP
IBP was rescheduled from March to September 21-25, 2003. The planning committee has received a great deal of local input, especially for the Mini U portion of the conference. WHO unveiled the IBP Communications system at a meeting in Baltimore on May 7th. This web-service will serve as a portal, chat room and data archive for best practices. Those interested in using the service must obtain a userid and password through WHO.MAQ Exchanges
The Haiti Exchange will take place May 19-22. JHPIEGO, FHI and JHU/CCP have been involved in the planning the event. Rather than doing large scale action plans, the facilitation team has decided to take a performance improvement approach and participants to develop simple, focused applications plans of MAQ concepts.The next MAQ Exchange is scheduled for Mali in September 2003. PRIME, JHU/CCP (HCP) and POLICY are coordinating the Exchange.
Management and Supervision
MSH published the M& S Paper as a Pop Report that was made available at the Mini University. M&S subcommittee members Kama Garrison (JHPIEGO) and Ellen Eiseman facilitated a session at the Mini U titled "Supervision: Supporting Good Provider Performance". The last meeting was Sept. 6, 2002 and looked at how CA's deal with knowledge management within their organizations, and how knowledge is transferred from the headquarter office to the field. Jim Shelton tasked the group with producing a white paper on "Knowledge Management" and a KM task force was created. The effort is being lead by Wayne Rhinehart (JHU/CCP). Next meeting is scheduled for July 2003.Client- Provider Interaction
Jan Kumar (EngenderHealth) reported that the focus latly has been on finishing several MAQ Papers that have been in development for quite some time.
- A Training Paper was turned into a Pop Report on Performance Improvement. Publication is expected for the fall.
- Policy Support for CPI is close to its final form.
The next meeting will be June 5 at PATH/DC to discuss how CPI can connect with other MAQ sub-committees.Comments
- Ellen Eiseman (EngenderHealth) made a plea to produce MAQ Papers and other materials available in other languages such as French and Spanish.
- Jim announced that INFO will begin to serve as the MAQ portal. Over the next year INFO will take on the redesign and management of the MAQ website.
Reflections on the GH Mini University held May 12.
- Participants learned a lot
- Report outs were energizing and funny.
- It helped to reconnect with colleagues.
- The Mini U is about learning and networking to sustain energy
- Don't get bogged down in the day-to-day stuff. Stay connected.
Third Annual MAQie Award:
Jim Shelton announced this year's MAQie award winners. Young Mi Kim (JHU/CCP) was recognized in the category of Global Programs for "consistent, innovative leadership in research and promotion of best practices in client provider communication".Milton Cordero (PRIME) was recognized in the category of Field-Based Programs for "building on a distinguished career of over 25 years in family planning and reproductive health. Milton has collaboratively introduced many program improvements and thereby measurably advanced quality and access in many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean Region". Congratulations Young Mi and Milton!
