Supporting Organizations and Communities to Build a New Future
NorthStar leads design processes to refresh strategic plans, design new approaches to people practices, re-envision pathways to organizational sustainability, and more — all through deeply collaborative and liberatory design processes.
- Technical Expertise
- Deeply Human Approaches
- Measurable, Concrete Results
Liberatory design processes, resulting in transformational results
Using a deeply collaborative and community-centered design process, we support our partners to design solutions to their most challenging problems.
NorthStar utilizes a liberatory design methodology to ensure all design processes center the voices of those closest to the challenge and integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion practices to create safe, joyful, and productive engagement to develop strategic clarity.
Our Process
Our strategic planning process is designed to create impactful and sustainable outcomes for our clients. Here’s how we do it:
We begin by establishing commitments to honor cultural traditions, elevate diverse perspectives, and disrupt harmful practices. Partnering with local stakeholders, we assess the organizational context, strengths, and areas for improvement to identify key issues for strategic planning.
We then form a representative guiding team comprised of diverse stakeholders from within your organization and the broader community. This inclusive approach ensures that multiple perspectives are considered, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment to the strategic plan.
We then lead a series of design workshops to craft your strategic plan. These workshops are collaborative and interactive, allowing participants to engage deeply with the process. Through these sessions, we co-create a strategic vision, define goals, and develop actionable steps to achieve them.
Following the design phase, we facilitate implementation workshops to ensure that the strategic plan translates into tangible results. These workshops focus on developing detailed implementation steps, aligning resources, and setting up systems to track progress and ensure accountability.
Throughout the process, we employ liberatory design principles to notice and reflect on ourselves and the systems within and external to the organization. This approach helps us to identify and address systemic inequities, fostering a more inclusive and equitable planning process.
Our comprehensive and inclusive strategic planning process ensures that your organization can develop and execute a cohesive and effective strategic plan. By engaging diverse stakeholders, assessing your current state, and utilizing liberatory design, we help you build a strong foundation for long-term success.
See. Engage. Act.
We draw on liberatory design practices to “See” current
strengths and challenges, “Engage” staff and stakeholders, and “Act” to develop concrete decisions and strategic clarity .
Leading With Diversity
We center a diverse and representative guiding team (vs.
traditional power structures) to steer the strategic planning process and design of strategic products.
Identify The Challenges
We believe those closest to the work and challenge hold
the deepest insights. We use working groups, surveys, and other methods to identify challenges and surface solutions. NorthStar consultants will own facilitating discussions, drafting deliverables / decisions, and packaging final deliverables.
End-to-End Support
We will draft, package, and own all aspects of facilitation and project management.
Your Trusted Catalyst for Change
At NorthStar, we understand that you have options when it comes to selecting a partner for your organization’s journey toward positive change. Here’s why we believe NorthStar stands out from the rest:
- Proven Track Record
- Expertise and Insight
- Collaborative Approach
- Innovative Solutions
- Dedication to Impact
NorthStar Consultant Spotlight
Shyam Kumar
Luqman Abdurrahman
Brigette Blue
Monique Bonilla
Our partnership with NorthStar has led to many more of our principals operating as Chief Talent Officers of their schools
Skye Duckett
NorthStar’s strategic planning process combined the power of inclusivity and creativity.
Christi Elliott-Earby
I’m amazed by how much strategic clarity we came to in such a short time through our partnership with NorthStar.