PDC was invited to design and facilitate two half-day sessions at a retreat for Senior Staff. One session was on the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative, the other on expansion of San Jose International Airport. The overarching issue in both sessions was to help members of the various departments work together as a staff for the City rather than work in vertical “silos” in their own departments.

The PDC assisted in the design and facilitation of three staff meetings with members of the project steering committee, and assisted in a fourth meeting held shortly after the third. The purpose was to engage participants in a dialogue on issues related to organizational review and service delivery. The design made use of the Concerns, Vision, Action model (CVA) with the aim of delivering successful parks and recreation services to the public.

The PDC worked with the Town of Los Gatos Planning Commission, Town Council, and Planning Department staff to help identify communication challenges and improve communication processes with the ultimate goal of improving the Town’s planning process. The project consisted of one-on-one interviews in advance of staff and council retreats, a half-day retreat with Town Council, and a day-long joint retreat with the Town Council, Planning Commission, and Planning Department staff.
Results included the generation of specific actions that the groups could take to improve communication, as well as a better understanding of each individual segment of the planning process and how each segment contributed to the overall process and outcomes. The event opened new lines communication beyond the more formal structures that were previously used. Following the retreats, the PDC was invited to help design a public meeting with Council Members and representatives from the Town Commissions and Boards.