Deck 12: Task Groups: Specialized Methods

Question 1

Preferred methods for working with community groups do not include

A) Mobilization strategies
B) Capacity-building strategies
C) Social action strategies
D) Conflict strategies

Answer 1

D

Question 2

First proposed by Richards in 1974, this procedure can be used to list the negative consequences of actions quickly and thoroughly. It is most useful after a variety of ideas have been proposed.

A) Synectics
B) Multi-attribute utility analysis
C) Reverse brainstorming
D) Hitchhiking

Answer 2

C

Question 3

MAU includes

A) Constraints
B) The round robin
C) Generating ideas
D) Decision points

Answer 3

A

Question 4

In parliamentary meetings, the motions that assist in the handling and disposal, postponement, or amendment of motions on the floor are called

A) Main motions
B) Subsidiary motions
C) Incidental motions
D) Privileged motions

Question 5

Procedures for using the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) do not include

A) Develop a clear statement of the problem
B) Round robin recording of ideas generated by group members
C) Choosing highest priority items by ranking them
D) Voting

Question 6

In brainstorming,

A) Freewheeling is welcome, i.e., all ideas are welcome no matter how wild, repetitious or obvious
B) Criticism is allowed
C) Quality of ideas is valued over quantity of ideas
D) Combining, rearranging and improving ideas should be done only after all ideas have been presented

Question 7

Philip's 66 is useful in

A) Small groups
B) Large groups
C) The size of the group does not matter
D) Medium size groups

Question 8

Uses of focus groups do not include

A) Obtaining in-depth information about a topic
B) Generalizing to a population
C) Generating or evaluating impressions and opinions about the services an organization plans to offer
D) Generating information to help develop client-satisfaction questionnaires, needs assessments or other types of questionnaires

Question 9

Focus group leaders should not

A) Listen carefully to each member's opinion
B) Demonstrate a genuine interest in each member's views
C) Use sophisticated terminology to explain the exact nature of complicated points
D) Know what topic to introduce to maintain a smooth flow of discussion

Question 10

Findings from the brainstorming literature suggest that

A) Nominal brainstorming is better than regular brainstorming
B) Brainstorming has few if any drawbacks
C) Brainstorming has been extensively studied in the social services
D) Members of brainstorming groups say that communication can be confusing because so many ideas are generated

Question 11

Multi-attribute Utility Analysis (MAU) does not include

A) Weights
B) Voting
C) Functional Forms
D) Attributes

Question 12

Factors inhibiting group interaction that NGT tries to prevent do not include

A) The pursuit of a single thought pattern for a long period of time
B) Social loafing
C) Overt judgments
D) Dominant and talkative group members

Question 13

In parliamentary meetings, the motions that are concerned with procedural questions relating to issues on the floor are called

A) Incidental motions
B) Privileged motions
C) Main motions
D) Subsidiary motions

Question 14

Elements of focus groups do not include

A) A detailed analysis and interpretation of the results
B) The development of a discussion guide that should be strictly followed
C) The careful recruiting and screening of a selected group of participants
D) The planning of a specific agenda for the focus group

Question 15

Benefits of NGT include

A) Stimulates activity by everyone working in silence
B) Prevents premature decision making
C) Encourages the expression of majority opinions
D) Tolerates conflicts and incompatible ideas

Question 16

In parliamentary meetings, the motions that deal with the agenda of the group meeting as a whole, including adjournment and recess motions, are called

A) Incidental motions
B) Privileged motions
C) Main motions
D) Subsidiary motions

Question 17

Quality circle core principles include

A) Everyone on the team must participate to ensure that it works
B) A commitment from top level management
C) A focus on problems identified by workers
D) A focus on data-based problem solving

Question 18

MAU is best for

A) Generating good ideas
B) Reaching high quality decisions
C) Encouraging minority opinions
D) Using a simple method for making decisions

Question 19

The specialized task-group method that uses suspending judgment of ideas and reducing analytical and evaluative thinking as rules for generating creative thinking is known as:

A) Synectics
B) Brainstorming
C) Triggering
D) Nominal Group Technique

Question 20

In parliamentary meetings, the motions that introduce the central, substantive issues for group consideration are called

A) Incidental motions
B) Privileged motions
C) Main motions
D) Subsidiary motions

Question 21

Interview a supervisor or a manager of a large non-profit organization. How does the organization involve its employees in organizational decision making? Are there group formats for employees to contribute to the management of the organization? What types of standing and ad hoc committees are used in the organization? To what extent are managers, supervisors, and clinical staff expected to be leaders of these groups?

Question 22

Identify a social action group or organization in your community. Interview a leader of the group. Ask the leader to describe how the group originally formed. How were individuals mobilized to engage in collective action? What obstacles had to be overcome? What strategies were used to build the capacity of the group and its members to effect community change? What types of social action strategies have been used by the group? What types of strategies would not be used by the group? Why?

Question 23

Strategies in capacity-building for community organizations do not include

A) Helping the group become familiar with structures in the community that can aid change efforts
B) Helping the group learn how to influence local government
C) Helping the group make an inventory of its existing resources
D) Helping the group to include members with opposing views who can challenge the group's premises

Question 24

Bootstrapping is

A) Engaging in actions that slowly build interest and commitment
B) Mobilizing people to action
C) Highlighting incentives for collective action
D) Engaging in person-to-person contact where community members feel valued

Question 25

Limitations of parliamentary procedure do not include

A) Private deals can be made outside of meetings
B) The rights of the minority are protected
C) It is not well-suited for complicated problem solving
D) Members who are not familiar with all the nuances of parliamentary procedure

Question 26

You have been asked by the Director of Catholic Charities in your area to help the Committee on Children and Youth plan a series of focus groups in several parishes in the Diocese. The focus groups are designed to gain a better understanding of parishioners' views of the most pressing problems and needs of teenagers in the Diocese. Develop an agenda and a specific series of questions that might be used during focus group meetings. What suggestions would you make to the committee to help ensure that appropriate participants are recruited? How would you help the committee ensure that there was effective moderation during meetings?

Question 27

Trigger groups do not include

A) Members working alone for 5 or 10 minutes
B) Each member presenting their lists of ideas to the group
C) Voting to arrive at a single solution
D) Clarification and combining of ideas

Question 28

MAU is a procedure for

A) Decision making
B) Idea generation
C) Idea generation and decision making
D) Coming up with choices

Question 29

Form a small group. Using the brainstorming procedures described in this chapter, come up with as many creative ways as possible to learn group leadership skills. Write down the different ideas the group came up with, or turn in the newsprint you used to gather ideas and rate them.

Question 30

Seek permission to attend a board meeting or the meeting of some other group that uses parliamentary procedure. How knowledgeable did the chairperson appear to be about the rules of parliamentary procedure? To what extent were parliamentary procedures used? Do you think that a different level of adherence to the rules of parliamentary procedure would have affected the meeting?