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Where are we?
Welcome to Shape, a resource to help develop better services in the public sector.
We believe that before starting the task, it is helpful to check your starting position by using the, ‘Where are we?’ stage and tool. This stage is designed to help you more fully understand and communicate the starting point and context for your work.
However, if you believe you have a clear understanding of both the problem to solve and how to do it – then click on the ‘Start using Shape’ button below.
There is likely to be one of three outcomes from your work in this stage:
- There is nothing to do at the moment, and the reasons why
- There is a problem to solve but you are unsure how to approach it (Shape calls this a Challenge)
- There is a problem to solve and you know how to approach it (Shape calls this a Project)
Select an option below…
Method/Process
We believe there are three important points that can help us decide on the best approach to planning a project:
- Properly understanding where we are
- Full clarity and agreement on where we are going
- The specific circumstances, timing and context surrounding that
The Where are we? tool starts by asking you to write down in one sentence a statement of your task.
It then has six themed sets of questions for you to answer and fill in about your task. Each is linked to a stage of Shape, which contains further information for your guidance.
You can complete this online and save as a Word document or you can download and print them, using the complete printed sheets on your challenge wall to guide your approach.
The questions can either be answered by the project leader, researching as required to give complete answers, or they can be individually assigned to team members to complete and then be compiled for analysis later.
Where are we? tool
First, clearly and concisely write down the task you are considering in the box at the top of each theme page.
It then has six themed sets of questions for you to answer and fill in about your task. Each is linked to a stage of Shape, which contains further information for you guidance.
1. Background
Your task statement
2. Assumptions
Your task statement
3. Task
Your task statement
4. Significance
Your task statement
5. Value and cost benefit
Your task statement
6. Delivery and budget
Your task statement
Conclusions
When you have completed the six themes, bring the answers together to:
a) provide a clear analysis of your current scenario
b) point towards one of the three routes indentified in the introduction
