Role challenges Flashcards
Conducting desk-based research into corporate actions and risks.
What are the challenges/how would you overcome them? (4)
- Knowing where to get information from: see what has been done previously; ask the team what they do; find out what key partners/stakeholders do; assess if there are any knowledge gaps and think about logical ways to fill them
- Assessing whether sources are legitimate: are they reputable, trusted organisations? Who are they funded by? What might be their biases? Is the content verified?
- Actions/risks vary by sector: conduct tailored research based on sector to account for all possibilities
- Deciding which actions/data are essential: quantify the impacts and identify timescales of actions, prioritise most impactful/earliest deadlines (use a technique like MoSCoW to help)
Give 2 examples of when you have conduced desk-based research.
Uni (BSc and MRes dissertation)
UKERC (EDI best practice, managing the WSNF, setting up a webinar series)
Analysing and mapping CDP’s questionnaire content to other key external frameworks, such as the Accountability Framework (Afi).
What are the challenges/how would you overcome them? (4)
- Ensuring CDPs key points are not lost: be clear about what is non-negotiable for us to include from both technical and branding standpoints (i.e. bullet points)
- Ensuring external frameworks’ key points are represented: identify their key points (i.e. bullet points)
- Collating the two frameworks: colour code the bullet points for each organisation (so you know whose is whose), put them in a list with the most similar ones together, condense similar ones into one where possible
- Ensuring enough similarity to show that they are clearly linked: mimic the language they use, clearly credit them (link to their website, add their logo etc.)
Analysing response data
What are the challenges/how would you overcome them? (3)
- Knowing which analyses to use: look at the data type, list the options for that data type/what each test is for, choose one that best fits your purpose
- Ensuring analyses are correct: check it yourself (in different ways if possible), ask team members to review your work
- Organising / storing data effectively so other people can use it: follow an established process if it exists; if not, write a process document for how you collected/cleaned/analysed the data, with justifications, and save all data in a clear spreadsheet; ensure a clean, logical filing system with sensible folder/file names
Give 3 examples of when you have analysed response data.
- WSNF surveys (consultation, post-application)
- EDI survey
- Webinar survey (where people hear about them)
Improving questionnaires
What are the challenges/how would you overcome them? (2)
- Identifying areas for improvement: meetings/roundtables with colleagues and other CDP teams, surveys and interviews with users, meetings with external stakeholders/key partners on best practice/their experiences, test
- Aligning questionnaires to the 2025 strategy: work backwards – bullet point what the strategy aims to achieve (overarching goals), break those down into smaller, achievable steps and feed those into the questionnaire
Give an example of when you have improved a questionnaire.
Webinar (feedback) survey
Development of scoring methodology
What are the challenges/how would you overcome them? (4)
- Deciding on criteria/metrics: identify the ‘gold standard’, i.e. what full marks would look like, and set that as the criteria users should strive to; get colleagues’ feedback on the criteria
- Deciding how to score each criterion/metric: identify the options (i.e. what is possible based on data type, what other frameworks use), assess which of these is most simple/efficient/transparent
- Scoring mixed data (quantitative and qualitative): convert it into the same data type (e.g. establish range categories for numerical data)
- Ensuring the criteria is reflected in the questionnaire: have a question per criterion (i.e. turn the criterion into a question, or series of questions), use the same wording for consistency
Give an example of a time that you developed a scoring methodology.
WSNF assessment criteria
Development of materials for investors, customers and other data-users
What are the challenges/how would you overcome them? (2)
- Identifying what the audience wants/needs to know: identify their motivations, opportunities and challenges based on sector; either create tailored resources for each group OR tailored sections in the same document; establish commonalities between groups and create some FAQs
- Making materials useful and accessible to non-specialists: provide background/context/rationale, keep documents as lean and concise as possible, make them readable/digestible (i.e. use bullet points), minimise the use of jargon, assist reader understanding (glossaries, keys, footnotes, references/links to further reading etc.).
Give an example of a time where you developed materials.
WSNF call guidance
Reporting guidance to deliver CDP’s annual reporting cycle
What are the challenges/how would you overcome them? (3)
- Identifying what needs to be reported: write bullet points from the original project spec/funding bid of things we said we’d do and/or follow guidance provided by the funders
- Identifying how it needs to reported: if not outlined in the guidance, devise a simple/logical way of recording each item
- Communicating instructions in a concise, accessible way: briefly explain why it needs to be done, bullet point instructions to make them easier to follow, provide an example/template if possible, provide contact details of responsible staff to ask questions
Providing subject matter expertise and analytical support re forests & land-use
What are the challenges/how would you overcome them? (3)
- Knowing the level of technical detail required: identify the audience’s area of expertise and/or level of seniority and tailor advice accordingly e.g. only use jargon when appropriate
- Communicating complex concepts in an accessible way: minimise the use of jargon (or explain it when you do use it), break a complex idea down into smaller parts, use analogies, provide links to further reading, encourage questions
- Relating to the people you’re assisting: don’t assume prior knowledge, don’t patronise, encourage them to ask questions, check understanding (‘does that make sense?’), repeat the idea in a different way if they’re not getting it (e.g. auditory vs. kinesthetic learners)
Give 2 examples of times when you’ve provided subject matter expertise/analytical support.
- ICL: specialist funding advice
2. UKERC: WSNF, EDI, webinars
Drafting and proofreading content for technical documents
What are the challenges/how would you overcome them? (2)
- Knowing the level of technical detail required: identify the audience and their level of expertise, assist reader understanding (glossaries, keys, footnotes, references/links to further reading etc.).
- Fast turnaround times: prioritise your workload to manage your time effectively
