Diagnosis & Design

A great executive learning experience begins with a great design. To make sure our designs are perfect for your needs, we draw on lessons-learned to guide the way programs, experiences and resources are built. We believe that designing executive development experiences is an organic process that requires creative and rigorous thinking, so we attend to both. The inspiration for a Monitor design comes from thoroughly understanding your business and strategy. Our diagnostic process is likely to include industry and competitor research, executive interviews, focus groups of participants, and a close working relationship with your HR team. Armed with that good assessment of needs and context, the design process begins.

Design Labs are a process we use effectively for almost every client engagement. Several times during design and development, the core Monitor team on your project brainstorms with a broader group of thought leaders and consultants, looking for breakthrough ideas. This creative approach has contributed to acclaimed program designs. Another design process we use with great results is FOCAL (Framework of Cognitive and Affective Learning), developed in collaboration with a Harvard researcher on adult learning. FOCAL ensures that our designs encompass all three stages of learning — activation, internalization, and reflection — as well as the cognitive and affective dimensions of each stage.

All our client work uniquely combines Monitor’s rich tradition of thought leadership with cutting-edge learning methodologies. These methodologies span traditional knowledge building, action learning, experiential learning, immersive simulations, learning journeys and other activities we create just for your needs. Throughout the diagnostic and design process, all decisions about approach and content are made in close collaboration with the client team.