Preparing for Exams

Kieran Lenihan

Year 1

Innovation and Modernisation• Characteristics of the Public Sector• Understanding of history reform initiatives in Irish

public sector• OECD Reports, Task Force Report, Org Reviews• Evolving emphasis in recent years• Understanding of customer service• Creating and promoting a more innovative culture• Characteristics of an innovative organisation• Barriers to creating a more innovative

organisation

Understanding the Customer

• Terms Client, Customer and Citizen etc. Meaning and use

• What orgs need to do to improve customer service

• Involving and Consulting customers• Organising services to meet customer needs• Channels to provide service• Dealing with customers• Challenge of being customer driven in public

sector: trade-offs

Managing Change

• Understanding Public sector change• Reasons for public sector to change• Difficulties in implementing change• Role of leadership• The steps in the change process• Change skills and strategies• How people deal with change• Lewin’s change model• How to apply Kotter’s Change principles• PDCA cycle• Involving stakeholders

Managing Change 2

• Implementation Styles• Difficulties implementing change in

public sector organisations

Managing Projects

• Understanding of projects and project management

• Project structure and roles of sponsor, project manager and Board

• Managing Stakeholders• The project lifecycle and what happens

at each• Know the purpose and application of the

scope, WBS

Managing Projects 2

• Importance of Milestones

• Managing Risk

• Scheduling and Monitoring Resources

• Performing a review

General Tips

Read the Question• Discuss=to consider or examine by argument,

comment, etc.; talk over or write about, esp. to explore solutions

• Describe=To give an account of in speech or writing. • Consider=to view carefully or thoughtfully • Compare=to examine in order to note similarities and

differences • Contrast=to compare in order to show unlikeness or

differences; note the opposite natures, • Explain=to make plain or clear; render

understandable or intelligible

How to prepare for answering

• Think about subject when studying• Don’t just give me back a summary of notes• Try to convey your understanding or

ownership of the ideas• How does subject refer to your organisation

and public sector organisations?• Have an understanding or opinions on its

relevance• Use examples to illustrate your answer

(Easier if you prepare these as you study)

Answering a question• Look at the verb words e.g consider, explain, describe. Some

parts may require two or three actions. • Brainstorm the ideas. Throw everything down on a piece of paper.• Arrange ideas into categories• Think of examples to illustrate your answer.• Organise your answer into organised paragraphs/sections with

headings.• Keep your sentences short. • Generally use active verbs ‘The Government regards the matter’

and not ‘The matter is regarded by government’• Do all parts of question. If stuck for time, use bullets with short

points.

Good luck!