Integrity, Professional Ethics, and Anticorruption Programs for the Public Sector and NGOs.
What are the objectives of a MINDDS© project?
MINDDS is the acronym for the ‘Multi-Issue, Non-Didactic, Diagnostic Scenario’. This is an effective teaching methodology developed by the author originally for use in Competency-Based Training in Ethics and Anti-Corruption with senior officials in Australia and New Zealand, in 1997-98.
The methodology was then adapted for use in public sector professionalisation capacity-building projects in Ethics and Anti-Corruption applications in six countries in Europe and Africa between 2003 and 2006. Further projects using the methodology, focused on induction-level training and skills development for NGOs and independent agencies, are currently in development for three other countries in Africa and South East Asia, in partnership with a major international NGO.
Although originally developed to deal with ethical dilemmas, the methodology is equally applicable to capacity-building in other subject-matter domains – for example AIDS Education, Judiciary capacity building, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Public Policy Development, and Strategic Management .
Each project aims to build the capacity of public sector managers and leaders to implement the established standards of their organisations, in the context of relevant laws, institutions, and values, and workplace norms, and to build the capacity of organisations themselves to make managers accountable against objective, professional standards. Multiple target groups and capacity-building objectives can be focused in a single project.
The outcomes of a MINDDS project in the Integrity System / Ethics professionalisation / Good Governance fields are achieved through the collaborative use of rational, objective, manageable, teachable, assessable, and enforceable standards and related competencies, based in part on local understandings of the concepts of ‘Conflict of Interests’, ‘corrupt conduct’, ‘integrity’, and ‘professionalism’.
Additionally, the MINDDS product is intended to provide a very cost-effective solution to the problem of providing not only the produced training materials, but also the relevant laws, policies, procedures, and standard documents, with other supporting materials, to large numbers of end-users. For example, an entire Public Service of 100,000 officials can be furnished with not only the training materials, but also copies of the legislation and policy documents relevant to their work, which are included as a resource on the training DVD, at a nominal cost of about EUR1:00 per head, a greatly reduced cost compared with the cost of traditional paper documents.
The principal beneficiaries of the outputs of a project include:
- Government ministries and agencies
- Anti-corruption and public sector reform authorities
- Training and development institutionsProfessional organisations and unions
- NGOs and civil society, journalists.
How is a MINDDS project different?
Professionalisation of civil servants involves a rational, technical, and skills-based, approach to setting objective standards for the performance of duties and functional responsibilities, and making judgements as between competing priorities.
Each project therefore uses an innovative and tested combination of Problem-based Learning (PBL), and Competency-Based Training (CBT), together with realistic video case-scenarios, delivered with other supporting resources on DVD or CDROM.
Competence requires the possession of necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes which must be taught and learned, (and supported with relevant incentives and sanctions), by public service managers and senior public officials: the MINDDS methodology can be used diagnostically to identify what is required for effectiveness at both the individual and organisation / system level.
The project can be also used to establish or strengthen a locally-relevant normative framework for objective and enforceable standards concerning corrupt, abusive and improper conduct by officials at all levels. These standards can be linked to existing Human Resource Management processes, such as recruitment and promotion, and Discipline, to ensure that ‘ethically competent’ officials occupy key positions. The author has developed an assessment process to test participants’ skills and knowledge objectively.
How is a MINDDS project developed for a particular country?
The major technique of the project is to work with local stakeholder groups to develop a basic suite of realistic problematic issues which closely reflect the work context of the target group(s).
These issues become the basis for suite of video case-scenarios which realistically depict challenging integrity and corruption problem-situations. An initial suite of eight to twelve short video scenarios is developed, using local professional scriptwriters, filmmakers, and actors (where available), assisted by experts in other fields (investigation, prosecution, Public Governance, Accounting, Law, etc) as required.
The competency-based approach does not rely on any particular tradition of moral or religious belief, or political theory. It can incorporate the particular values of the society concerned, including religious values where appropriate, to define and deal with issues such as responsibility, corruption, ethical conduct, and proper use of the powers and resources of the State, or a particular organisation, in a locally-relevant way.
How does a MINDDS project achieve results?
Genuine Capacity-building comes about as a result of carefully facilitated peer-group discussion of the issues raised in the structured video-scenarios, which strengthens participants’ knowledge and ability to identify and resolve real problems and dilemmas, in real time.
It does not come about as a result of ‘expert’ lectures on theoretical principles or norms, separated from the context of the real workplace and actual dilemmas. The practising of actual procedures and tools for robust decision-making, as well as reference to other resource materials (such as the relevant norms, law, policy, and procedures, ethics codes, and reference readings, etc) which are incorporated in the DVD-based suite of materials, is crucial.
Apparent realism in presentation has been shown to engage participants’ attention effectively. In addition, the case scenarios are structured specifically to allow for a wide range of learning styles, levels of formal responsibility, background experience, and cultural context.
Additional resource materials, (such as updated laws and policies), and a Learning Management System for participants (either self-managed or linked to various institutional processes such as promotion and remuneration), can be provided on the DVD resource or by an interactive website for the ongoing support of users and managers.
Users can also draw on the materials – especially the relevant law and policy, and decisionmaking models - for instant reference, and decision-making support in their daily work, as well as for training.
How long does it take to complete a MINDDS project?
A complete development project usually takes 6-9 months to finalise the video scenarios and build the resource set on DVD, followed by a further period of up to a year working with the partner agency or agencies in training the necessary trainers in the use of the materials. During this period, managers and leaders are introduced to the practical applications of the resources in their work context. A project can be delivered on DVD or on-line via a website in the same amount of time.
How much does a MINDDS project cost?
The cost of a project can vary considerably according to a number of factors – for example, the number and length of the video scenarios to be developed, and the availability of reference documents in the target language(s) and in electronic form.
Online delivery and an associated Learning Management function, is a strongly recommended option, to increase the flexibility in delivery of the training and assessment process.
A typical global budget for the production and initial implementation of the resource, including the training of trainers, is of the order of EUR 500,000 depending on the scope of the project and the method of delivery. A given project can include only the basic training materials, or a combination of resources up to and including full on-line delivery of a semester course, with assessment, student tracking, test management, and certification.
How is a MINDDS project delivered?
The materials can be delivered in a combination of media, including CDROM and DVD, and can also be provided online. The materials can be structured so as to be used with or without facilitation by a trainer.
Carefully-structured case-scenarios can provide a reliable and repeatable environment in which to develop analytical problem-solving and communication skills. Repeatability enables the trainer (or the self directed learner) to engage with different interpretations of events and apparent ‘facts’, test hypotheses, check the applicability of various relevant laws and policies, and consider the likely consequences of a possible decision.
What is the life-span of a MINDDS project?
A MINDDS(c) project is designed to provide a permanent resource. Its contents can be upgraded and extended indefinitely according to the needs of the country concerned.
A project normally contains the following elements:
- The production of a suite of training videos and supporting document-based resources, such as relevant laws and policies, and reference articles from journals and textbooks, in collaboration with partner agencies and Ministries.
- Training of trainers providing initial skills-development for the roll-out of the resource according to the project’s Implementation Strategy.
- A website-based delivery mechanism for ongoing delivery of training and provision of updated materials such as new laws and policies.
What technology is required to deliver a MINDDS(c) project?
The resource materials including video can be delivered by a suitable personal computer or laptop equipped with CDROM or DVD playback facility.
Alternatively, the materials can be downloaded on demand to a central location, such as a training facility’s server for local distribution.
On-line training can be provided through a dedicated website, or locally from an agency’s server.
What degree of involvement by local public sector partners is required?
The successful implementation of such an initiative in a given public sector or NGO context depends on effective partnership with key ministries and agencies within the government. Partner agencies will be engaged at Ministerial or CEO level, through a Memorandum of Understanding, to ensure that the preparation phase is comprehensive, and that the resulting project outputs are implemented effectively.
Agencies, training academies, and university departments (etc) will be engaged in the development process to build long-term ownership and institutional capacities in the use of the materials.
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