Forte IMC Plan

8/3/2019 Forte IMC Plan

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In tegrated MarketingCommunication PlanAnna Kate BabnikLindsey BaggettScott BurgessKatie EagleTiffany EvansMicaela FouhyChad GravesRyan KelleyAndrew Mayer

Carissa NiederkornKatelyn Truss

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I. The ConsumerA. Target Buying Incentive

1. Product CategoryThe Forte Institute Survey is a communication assessment survey that evaluates a

person's communication strengths and areas of growth. Through a five-minute initial survey andfollow-up adapting reports, the Forte profile presents a comprehensive view of an individual'scommunication style as it develops and evolves. The Forte Survey currently emphasizesinterpersonal relationships and team building. Presently, the target publics for Forte arecorporations and higher education institutions for leadership development.

2. Group DescriptionThe consumers of Forte include large corporations, such as Wells Fargo and Walt

Disney, and the administration of higher education institutions, such as Boston College andBrown University. The current consumer is trying to assess the communication styles andstrengths of their employees, individually and in teams.

The current Forte customer at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) isthe Department of Communication Studies. The department uses the Forte survey both internallywith department faculty and in some courses within the major. Courses in the CommunicationStudies department that have used Forte are Introduction to Communication Studies,Interpersonal Communication I, Research Methods, Integrated Marketing Communication I, andthe Discipline Capstone. The current Communication Studies professors that utilize Forte in theircourses are Dr. Jeanne M. Persuit, Dr. David E. Weber, Dr. Richard Olsen, and Senior LecturerTamrnala A. Bulger. Since some Communication Studies professors use the Forte surveys intheir classes, most students in the discipline are familiar with Forte. These students are eitherPre-Communication Studies majors or current Communication Studies majors at UNCW acrossall class standings.

3. Group Perception of Products in the CategoryThe group perception of products in the category is currently limited to the use of thecommunication assessments within the classroom. Faculty perceives the Forte profile as a tool to

evaluate students and their communications strengths and weaknesses. Dr. David Weber saysthat he is "a cheerleader for Forte." He mentions "swift, easy access," "reliable product support,"and "accurate," as likable characteristics of Forte. For a complete listing of faculty responses,refer to Appendix A. Communication Studies students are familiar with the Forte profile as a

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classroom tool, but the majority of students at UNCW are not familiar with the Forte Instituteand the resources it offers.

4. Current Consumer Purchase & Use of ProductsCurrently, UNCW uses Forte in one academic department, Communication Studies. The

Communication Studies department uses the Forte surveys with its department faculty and insome of its core curriculum, such as Research Methods.

Students at UNCW do not currently buy the Forte survey products independently. Moststudents in the Communication Studies department are familiar with the Forte profile. However,their knowledge of Forte's use is limited to coursework and many have not expanded the resultsoutside of the classroom. Currently, students who live on-campus are required to complete ashort roommate compatibility survey that only asks smoking and music preferences (seeAppendix B).

5. Consumer Lifestyles, Psychographies, &PerspectivesThe potential users of the Forte profile are 17 - 23 years old, have been admitted to

UNCW, and are seeking on-campus housing. The users will be traditional college students, eitherregular freshmen admits or transfer admits. Currently, they have no attitude towards thecategory, since the incoming students will have never used the Forte profile before. As ofOctober 2010, 11,640 undergraduate students and 1,328 graduate students were enrolled atUNCW, bringing the total enrollment to 12,968. A composition of the total undergraduatepopulation is located in Table 1.1Table 1.1

Class Standing Total # of StudentsFreshman 2,298Sophomore 2,589Junior 2,958Senior 3,498Special 297

During the 2010-2011 academic year, 37.1 % of undergraduates (4,204) resided on-campus. 94.5% of the Fall 2010 freshman class lives on campus. The Resident Assistant toStudent ratio is 1 Resident Assistant for every 52 students.

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The average high school Grade Point Average (GPA) for the Fall 2010 freshman classwas 3.80. A breakdown ofUNCW student's average cumulative GPA is located in Table 1.2(Lindsay, 2010).Table 1.2

Type of Student Average GPA

On-Campus3.043.033.37

All Students

Off-Campus

The target demographic group belongs to Generation Y, also known as Millennials orEcho Boomers. This group of 'twentysomethings' , ages 16-35, were born between 1978 and1994. The term 'Millennial' refers to this group's coming of age around the year 2000. 70million people belong to this generation. The millennial generation is characterized as beingtechnological savvy, preferring to communicate "with e-mail, chats, texting, and Facebook"(Berg, 2009).

6. Key group insightForte is looking to expand the usage of its tools at UNCW. We propose implementing the

Forte survey as a tool for the offices of Transition Programs and Housing & Residence Life. Webelieve the use of the Forte survey in these offices would improve on-campus roommaterelations, group work situations, professional development, and the overall experience forUNCW students.

7. Current Group Need to be FilledThe focus group was made up of 19 anonymous Research Methods students split into 3

groups. Each group consisted of 6 students, with the exception of one group of 7 students. Thegroups were facilitated by students in Dr. Jeanne M. Persuit's Advanced Integrated MarketingCommunication class. We asked the groups a series of questions concerning their perspectiveson current roommate situations, group work, perceptions of Forte, and how they have utilizedForte in classes or otherwise (see Appendix C). For complete transcripts of each of the 3 focusgroups, please see Appendix D.

According to their answers, students wanted minor changes made to the Forte survey set-up and survey results. Students were quoted saying they "didn't like the way the questions wereworded", "didn't like the set-up", "and didn't understand the way the graphs were set up" (FocusGroup, 2011). The focus groups also showed a gap between current roommate surveys andstudent satisfaction. A focus group participant said "When I entered as a transfer it would have

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been nice to know my strengths then" (Focus Group, 2011). Another participant who acts as aresource for UNCW freshmen said "it would be good to use it in the UNI classes and outside ofjust COM" (Focus Group, 2011).

100% of focus group participants would recommend taking the Forte survey to othermajors before working in groups.

B. Target Buying Incentive:"I will buy a product that yields quick and accurate results, is easy to understand, and

helps to improve my interpersonal relationships at UNCW."II. Product Compatibility with Group

A. The Reality of the Product1. Product Description

The Forte profile starts with a short survey, which provides the user with acomprehensive report of his or her communication style. The report covers strengths,weaknesses, motivators, and de-motivators. The report also comes with communicationworksheets to help the user work on their areas of improvement (see Appendix E). In addition tothe initial survey, the Forte tools also include adaptation surveys, team building exercises, andcommunication reviews. By offering the additional tools, Forte provides a more complete pictureof the user's communication style, as well as how it grows and changes.

2. Product DifferenceThe Forte difference is the emphasis on providing users with a comprehensive report

showing how their communication styles are adapted over time. Forte also stresses theimportance of turning the survey results into actions and results for their clients. They providethe tools to turn the results into tangible actions by providing communication worksheets in theinitial survey.

Another Forte difference is the tracking of communication changes through the adaptingreports. By sending adapting reports to its users, Forte is able to track their consumers' changesover time and offer new suggestions for communicating those changes.

One difference that is apparent to the Forte user is the brevity of the survey. A participantin our focus group said "I like it because I've taken other surveys like the one with the letters thattell you 'introverted' or 'extroverted' and it's so long. I mean halfway through I was like, 'Idon't even care anymore" (Focus Group, 2011). Since the initial survey takes only a fewminutes to complete, but has such incredibly accurate results, the user is more likely to have apositive response to the survey.

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B. Consumer Perception of ProductExisting customers of the Forte System see the product as a way to help corporations andindividuals improve interpersonal communications, build effective teams, and increase

productivity (The Forte Institute, 2011). Forte is seen as a tool to help users understand how theycommunicate. The users are given their individual communication styles and are also giveninstructions on how they personally can communicate with others more effectively. According toour focus group research, the Forte survey is seen as easy to complete and the results are accurateand self explanatory. The participants in our focus group found that the survey showed "aspectsof their communication style that they had never really recognized" (Focus Group, 2011).

A strong initial reaction to the Forte survey is how well it matches the users' perceptionsof themselves. A focus group participant said that the report "pretty much sums up reallyeverything that would take me far too many words to say" (Focus Group, 2011). The profile alsopoints out aspects of the user's communication style that he or she may not have realized untilreading it in the report. Another focus group participant said that the survey "[pointed out] littlethings I never really recognized" (Focus Group, 2011).

According to the results of the survey that was completed by 103 undergraduate studentsat UNCW, 81 percent would take a survey to improve the way they communicate with theirpeers. Of the 78 percent of survey participants who were not familiar with Forte, over threequarters of them would complete a Forte profile to improve their current relationships andcommunication styles. Refer to Appendix F for a copy of the survey as well as Appendix G for acomplete listing of survey results. Student participants in our focus group said that the surveywas "easily constructed" and "self explanatory" (Focus Group, 2011). Focus group participantsalso "didn't believe it would only take 5 minutes" (Focus Group, 2011).

1. Consumer Description of ProductAt UNCW, students in the Focus Group viewed The Forte Communication Profile as a

short, accurate, and easily constructed survey to help show your communication strengths andweaknesses. They also found Forte useful in group work and as a preparatory tool for life aftercollege (Focus Group, 2011).

Some students from the focus groups commented on Forte's look and feel which theystated, "Forte reassures yourselL.who you are, don't second guess yourself, if! see that I am thisway. I am not going to try and fight it or second guess Forte, this is prooL. it is right on" (FocusGroup, 2011). They also found that with the roommate situation and evaluating Forte regardingliving with others, that the results "look good on paper" (Focus Group, 2011). They also felt thatregarding the layout of the pages and evaluating your communication style, "The way they splitit up was easy to understand" (Focus Group, 2011). Overall, students that were surveyedcommunicated that the layout of Forte profile is a straightforward representation of theircommunication styles and a very effective tool in their personal and professional lives.

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C. Consumer Perception of ForteForte is an effective Communication Assessment profile. Forte is viewed as actively

improving interpersonal communication, building effective teams and increasing productivitywithin individuals and organizations. About one quarter of our participants were already familiarwith Forte. Of those, 83% would be willing to let Forte help them with their current roommatesituations and/or analyze their communication styles. "Forte reassures you of who you are, don'tsecond guess yourself. If! see that I am 'this way' I am not going to second guess Forte" (FocusGroup, 2011).

D. Internal Strengths and Weaknesses of ForteThe Forte Institute's internal strengths include its ability to deliver accurate results after

taking a brief, but detailed survey, the capability to apply itselfto multiple types of groupsettings including teams, companies, clubs and classroom work groups. The comparative reportsand adapting updates are also strengths for Forte, as they show how group and individualdynamics change over time. The internal weaknesses of Forte are its lack of IntegratedMarketing Communication (IMC), including advertising, Public Relations, web presence, socialmedia, and consistency. The website offers minimal details about the uses and purpose of thesurvey. Another weakness is the significant lack of presence on social media websites includingFacebook and Twitter. Each of the three competitors, Kolbe, Myers Briggs, and Predictive Index,have a presence on social media, which helps them build and maintain relationships with theirconsumers (Kolbe, 2009); (MBT!, n.d.); (PI Worldwide, 2011).

E. External Opportunities and Threats of ForteThe Forte Institute also has opportunities and threats externally. An opportunity to

develop Forte's brand recognition is to extend its IMC strategies to social media. This will allowForte to connect with new target audiences while reminding them to remain active with Fortethrough their adapting updates. The opportunity to branch out at UNCW to various departmentscould bring in new clients and more ways to use the surveys. Because several ofUNCW'sdepartments have their own Facebook pages, this could encourage more communication betweenthe departments. Forte could be implemented into Housing and Residence Life programs withinmany different university settings including roommate selection for freshman and transferstudents as well as conflict management for roommates and resident assistants. For instance, thesurvey could be given to freshmen before they move in to show the different communicationstyles between them and their new roommates. Resident Assistants could also use the Fortesurvey results, team-building reports, and interaction reports to help resolve conflicts among hallmembers by examining the charted differences between the two studies that the results provide.

The importance of social media in business development is currently a major threat toForte, but has the potential to become a great opportunity. As of now, The Forte Institute is farbehind its competitors on such websites, giving them an access to a market that Forte is missing.

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Another threat concerns the credibility that other tests, specifically Myers Briggs, have overForte. The Myers Briggs Type indicator is "the single most popular psychometric system, withthe full formal version of the test given more than 2,000,000 times a year" (Dunning, 2010). TheForte Institute must increase its IMC to become a top name in personality profile tools. If thecompany is to broaden itself throughout UNCW by targeting different departments, it couldeasily become the most recognized name for personality assessments. By making itself wellknown in the UNCW community, there is opportunity to bring Forte to the other universitieswithin the University of North Carolina System as well.

F. Recommendation of Product UtilizationThe survey results showed that 94% of students at UNCW participate in group work in

their classes. Some classes require group work more often, dependent upon their prospective areaof study. The Likert Scale measured respondents' experiences with one being least positive andfive being most positive. A breakdown of respondent satisfaction is located in Table 1.4.Table 1.4Feeling Towards %Group Work

Neutral 36%Negative 21%

Positive 43%

Participants in the survey belong to 37 majors that fall under four different schools withinthe university, or the category "Undecided". A breakdown of the different schools andparticipant responses is located below in Table 1.5.

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Table 1.5School Percentage of Take 5min Had 3 or less Had 4 or morerespondents survey classes with classes withgroup work group work

77% 85% 15%

College of Arts 43%& SciencesCollege of 8%Health &Human SciencesCameron School 16%of BusinessWatson School 6%of EducationUndecided 27%

78% 45% 55%

67% 50% 50%

92% 46% 54%

100% 20% 80%

All of the schools at UNCW have classes that require group work, and the majority ofrespondents would take a five-minute survey to improve the way they communicate with theirfriends. Though the amount of students in the "Undecided" major category responded a highpercentage of not participating in group work, this is in part due to the high number of largebasic studies courses that do not require group work. Forte could be implemented into all majors,as a tool for students and professors, since group work is required for all students at some pointin their college career. UNCW is embarking on "a multi-million dollar, long term, university-wide project" called the Quality Enhancement Plan, "meant to improve, enrich, and enhance thestudent learning experience" (The University of North Carolina Wilmington, 2010). Due toUNCW's commitment to applied learning, many courses are including more group work andpresentations as requirements. The success of a group project is dependent upon how well groupmembers work together, and the Forte profile "can accelerate team building through specificcommunication strategies" (The Forte Institute, 2011).

45% of survey respondents live on campus. A breakdown of the respondents' satisfactionwith their current roommate situation in located in Table 1.6.

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Table 1.6Level 0 / Percentage Take a Survey to Take a Survey to ImproveSatisfaction 0 / Improve Relationship Communication with Friendswith Roommate Respondents with RoommateDissatisfied 13% 0% 100%Neutral 20% 80% 88%Satisfied 67% 63% 80%

It is clear that Forte could be implemented into Housing and Residence Life in order tohelp students be matched with roommates, and as a tool for Residence Assistants to mediate anyconflicts that may occur.

Regardless of the roommate or classmate situation, the majority of respondents are stillwilling to complete the Forte survey to improve their communication styles for personal matters,or otherwise. If implemented as an element of the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), Forte wouldhelp enhance student learning, one ofthe goals of the QEP.III. Competition

A. Effect of Competition on Objectives1. Forte &Kolbe

a. SimilaritiesForte and Kolbe (2009) both offer ways to improve team building and development.

Forte allows a business or team to identify interpersonal communication strengths andweaknesses. Kolbe has a similar style and focuses on relating the instinctive strengths of teammembers to factors that determine group success. Both Forte and Kolbe aim to improveinterpersonal planning and coaching. Forte accomplishes this goal through its "simple-to-complete survey questionnaire." Kolbe and Forte both accomplish relationship building thatstretches from work relationships to even family relationships. Both accommodate differentapproaches to problem solving, and put a premium on foster personal and professionalrelationships. Kolbe pinpoints the sources of conflict and stress, and Forte uses the adaptingsurvey to show how the respondent has been adapting to their environment over a 30-day periodof time.

b. DifferencesThe Forte Primary Survey takes only 5 minutes and brings together the respondents

interpersonal communication strengths while also focusing on how the respondent is self-

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motivated. Kolbe takes approximately 20 minutes and does not offer the adapting updates. WhileForte focuses on interpersonal communication the Kolbe survey is much broader and focuses onmany more communication tendencies. Forte emphasizes measurement and correlation ofrelationships and team dynamics, and each report the respondent receives outlines how theircommunication style has changed within their environment.

The Kolbe A Index is a onetime test that does not incorporate updates because they feelthe innate abilities that they test for will not change over time. Forte offers the Forte PerceiverProfile which shows the respondent how they are "most likely" coming across to others. Thisdynamic element allows the respondent to see how their actions are directly effecting others theywork or live with.

Forte can be used in professional settings, and maximizes the "real world" understandingof individual and team communication styles. While Forte has a business focus, Kolbe offersmany different "indexes" focusing on family and personal relationships. Kolbe owner KathyKolbe is active on Twitter (@KathyKolbe) and has a blog (http://kathyblog.kolbe.comJ).

2. Predictive Index System (PI Worldwide) & Fortea. Similarities

Forte and Predictive Index System employ a behavioral assessment that allows therespondent to see their behavior traits. Both Forte and PI Worldwide want to identify theirrespondents' motivators and what drives them. The Predictive Index is designed to improveemployee retention, coaching, leadership development, talent management, and teamperformance. Forte also identifies what environment the respondent needs to be to be a self-motivated, self-starter, effective and productive. Also, Forte identifies each person's top fiveself-motivators. Forte and the Predictive Index are designed for team building. Forte breaks teambuilding in to a four modular system: individual strength, meeting the team, team problemsolving, and team empowerment (The Forte Institute, 2011). PI Worldwide and Forte also offertraining in interpretation and application of data ..

b. DifferencesPI Worldwide has a much more interactive website than Forte. While both provide

testimonials to users, PI Worldwide uses video to interact with the user, and these videos do agreat job of explaining their process. PI Worldwide has a strong online presence and incorporatesa blog and a twitter page directly on their website.

The Predictive Index System seems to focus on the "warm and fuzzy"(Morgan) aspectsof interpersonal communication, while Forte provides numbers and buzz words that respondentscan use. Forte is excellent at providing information on the entire team and not just the CEO,which is essential in team building. PI Worldwide incorporates information on their website withnews and events going on with their company and clients. Their website also has a "client voice"feature allows their clients to give specific examples of how the Predictive Index System hashelped strengthen their organizations.

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3. Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) & Fortea. Similarities

The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Forte work to improve interpersonalcommunication in a variety of ways. Both have similar goals and are used for the betterment ofhuman interaction. Forte and MBTI are constantly updating and researching to make the productbetter. Also, both services are available to individuals or organizations. Each offers a feature thathelps with career planning. MBTI and Forte have a helpful "coach", or trained person, that canexplain the results to the user. Myers-Briggs offers a roommate survey, and with Forte we wouldimplement their survey questionnaire into Housing and Residential life also.

b. DifferencesMBTI and Forte want to improve interpersonal communication, but both have different

ways of accomplishing it. While Forte is a quick test that offers very descriptive feedback theMBTI questionnaire has 6 different versions and each version has 93 questions. MBTI claims tobe the "most popular personality test" (MBTI Basics) but the test is long and time consuming.While the Forte System offers adapting updates, the MBTI questionnaire is only taken once anddoes not take into account how the user is evolving in their environment. Myers Briggs has aFacebook and Twitter (@Myersbriggs) that allow the users to give feedback

B. Current Competitor Communication to the ConsumerBelow in Table 1.7 is a breakdown of each company's online presence.Table 1.7Company Website Facebook Twitter BlogKolbe See Appendix HMyers Briggs See Appendix IPI Worldwide See Appendix JForte See Appendix K

No Yes YesYes Yes NoNo Yes YesNo Yes No

Competitors of the Forte Institute now communicate to consumers through their websitesand contact information provided. They offer different scenarios in which their product can bebeneficially used. The Myers and Briggs Foundation offers a section on their website that says,"Type Use for Everyday Life." Within that section, they explain how the MBTI helps with work,personality, careers, professions, learning, relationships, and personal growth. The website alsooffers a quote from Isabel Briggs Myers about the product stating, "Whatever the circumstance

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of your life, the understanding of type can make your perceptions clearer, your judgmentssounder, and your life closer to your heart's desire." This allows consumers to understand whatthe MBTI is all about. They allow consumers to contact them through the foundation emailwhich is located in "Contact Us."

Kolbe's website also offers different approaches to their product. There are two sectionson the home page oftheir website. First, "For Your Business," which states, "Develop YourHuman Capital to Boost Growth and Efficiency." They offer information on how to build betterteams, develop leaders, hire successfully, and get Kolbe certified. Second, "For Your Life,"which states, "Make Strides in your Family, Life, Career, and Relationships." This section offersinsight into how to boost your career, maximize children's abilities, improve relationships, andimprove parenting. You can also follow Kathy Kolbe on Twitter, and read her Blog. Kolbe'swebsite does not have a "Contact Us" section, but it does offer a list of Kolbe CertifiedConsultants and their email addresses at http://www.kolbe.comlindex.cfm?view=consultant-network.

PI Worldwide offers a regular or toll free number and a fax number. They also provide anemail address for consumers to easily communicate with the company. They also communicateprimarily through their website that offers information on all services and the purposes of theproduct. They allow consumers to follow them on Twitter and a Blog (@PIWorldwide andwww.piworldwide.comIBlog.aspx).

C. Consumer Perception of CompetitorsCompetitors are currently perceived positively by consumers. The Kolbe website offers

consumer feedback on the home page. They have quotes, videos and a whole entire section titled,"What are Clients Saying." Clients state that the results are fast, but do not note that the test isfast. PI Worldwide also has a section on their website called, "Client Voice" where consumerstell their success stories from using PI Worldwide.

The Myers & Briggs Foundation is the most well known of the competitors. CPP Inc. isthe publisher ofMBTI and claims that it is, "the world's most widely used personalityassessment." (MBTI Basics)

All competitors are perceived positively by consumers as credible company's which willmake it a challenge for Forte to rise above and stand out. One advantage that Forte has is that itsresults are perceived as extremely accurate even though the test is significantly shorter than itscompetitors.

D. Competition Retaliation Against ProgramCompetitors Kolbe and PI Worldwide would implement their own programs similar to

Forte's. With the success expected from Forte's involvement in university programs across thecampus PI Worldwide and Kolbe would focus their products toward students. While MyersBriggs has a roommate survey we want to use Forte across the entire campus. With the expected

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success of Forte, Myers Briggs may retaliate by using their survey program throughout thecampus setting.

E. Competition VulnerabilityLuckily for Forte, for our purposes at UNCW there is little to no competition. When

working with Housing and Residence Life, the only competition is the small, brief, vague surveythat the department has created to give to incoming freshmen. This survey asks simple questionsabout student's preferences about music, sleep and whether they are a smoker or not. The ForteInstitute profile provides much more substantial information for new students who are looking tounderstand the communication styles of their new roommates.

On a bigger scale, the Myers Briggs exam is used widely in the education field and couldbe some competition. Because of their well known and long standing reputation of analyzingpersonalities for the purpose of education, if we are to break into this field, it could possibly betaking away from Myers Briggs' business.IV. Competitive Consumer Benefit

A. Primary Competitive Consumer BenefitThe customer will see an immediate improvement between the current tests being offered

by the university and The Forte Institute's survey and quick, accurate results. These results willgive consumers a better understanding of the different communication styles between their newroommates and group members. From a Housing and Residence Life standpoint, that customerwill be more satisfied because the results given could help minimize conflicts in residence halls.The adapting surveys offered will help show students how their personality will grow anddevelop over the course of the year at the university.

B. Primary Consumer BenefitOne main benefit is that Forte offers more comprehensive results, offered by adapting

surveys, than the current tool utilized on campus.C. Primary Competitive BenefitForte is better than the competition because it consists of a quick, easy to take survey

followed by immediate and extremely accurate results. Forte also offers update surveys to keepyour personal communication profile recent. The adapting surveys are one thing that iscompletely unique to Forte, these brief updates allow consumers the chance to keep their friends,roommates, and group members updated on how their communication style has changed, whilemaking themselves aware as well.

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v. Marketing Communications of the Benefit to the ConsumerA. Transition ProgramsIn order to make the benefit of Forte believable to Transition Programs, we must use

evidence of previous successes, specifically in colleges and universities, as well as feedbackfrom the students themselves. It is important to use evidence presented on the Forte website andthrough our surveys and focus groups to convince transition programs that the Forte profile isbeneficial. Testimonials from the students stating that, "I'm a Seahawk Link, (TransitionPrograms Student Leader), and I think it would be good to use it in the [freshman seminar]classes and outside of just [Communication Studies]" or "When I entered as a transfer it wouldhave been nice to know my strengths then."

The freshman seminar classes at UNCW are used to educate freshmen during their firstsemester about how to get involved, guide them in their search for majors, and provide them withresume and interviewing skills early on. Many students in our focus group stated that they usedForte to "help write cover letters and resumes." These courses are offered at many of the majorpublic and private universities across the country and are an easy way to integrate Forte into thetransition from high school or another college into their current college or university.

B. Housing and Residence LifeFor the purpose of this plan, Housing and Residence Life will be the most important

consumer to initiate and influence the Office of Student Affairs to purchase and use Forte. Wemust appeal to the needs of current Resident Assistants, Resident Coordinators, and Directors ofResidence Life. Providing testimonials directly from Housing staff members is a great way to letprofessionals know that Forte is the best option. One of our focus group participants was a staffmember from UNCW Housing and Residence Life and that person said, "[We] should replacethe survey in Housing with Forte, [it] would save problems." We also completed a short emailsurvey to 4 Resident Assistants at UNCW, asking ifthey had dealt with roommate conflicts andif they would be willing to use a survey such as Forte to assist with mediation. One ResidentAssistant said, "Any information to get to know my residents better could help" (Williams,2011). To view the complete list of questions and answers, please refer to Appendix L.

Also, the results from our survey at UNCW will be proof that students are willing toparticipate in something that will improve the current housing survey and current roommaterelations.

C. StudentsIn order to connect with students it is vital that we prove to them that Forte can help with

more than just allowing them sign up for classes. Benefits of taking the Forte survey andcontinuing to update the adapting profile include better roommate relations and insight into

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personal strengths and weaknesses. It is important to also emphasize how efficient the Fortesurvey is by providing a quick survey and immediate results. Students also want to participate inthings that are fun or that intrigue their interest. It is important to use the website and any emailor university contact to highlight how Forte is fascinating because it is "so short but so accurate,"as a focus group member pointed out.

Students view many surveys and questionnaires as a burden that has no benefit to them.One Resident Assistant said that, "Although the upperclassmen are more responsible thanunderclassmen, they still blow off surveys and questionnaires." (Kusko, 2011). Even if Forte isrequired before a student can register for classes, there must be an incentive for completing theirsurvey. All communication received by the students must be enticing and provide them withtestimonials from other students who have used Forte. They must feel like they are benefitingfrom the results and that it enhances their current lifestyle and view of themselves.VI. Proposed Brand Personality

A. Unique Brand PersonalityForte is designed to be quick, accurate, and functional. It offers easy to understand results

that promote personal understanding and growth. Being able to see these results as they arehappening makes it easier to identify strengths and weaknesses within an individual, team, ororganization. The focus groups reported that Forte did increase personal growth thoughimproving their interpersonal communication, prepared them for the business world, and helpedwith cover letters and resumes. Students were quoted saying that Forte taught them theirstrengths and weaknesses, showed them how they worked well with others, and how they learnbest.

Most importantly, after you take the short survey the results are extremely accurate. Inthe focus group, Forte's personality was defined in this quote by a student, "so short but soaccurate." Others stated, "It was easy and self explanatory, so simple I did not know how theygot all the information they did combined with the accuracy. It is weird, creepy." Another said,"With my results I just thought 'Oh yea, that's me." The short length also made a bigimpression as students stated, "I didn't believe it would only take 5 minutes."VII. Communication and Action

A. Main Consumer Communication PointThe main point the consumer should take away from is the idea that Forte will providethem with a better understanding of their communication style and have the tools to improve

their communication with their friends and peers. By understanding the different types ofcommunication styles, we want consumers to feel comfortable that using their results, there willbe fewer conflicts between roommates, and if conflicts do occur there will be a better chance ofeasy negotiation and mediation between the conflicting parties. Resident Assistants will also be

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able to use the results to their advantage by better knowing how to approach the situation to eachdifferent student.

B. Anticipated Consumer Action1. Product Utilization

The goal is for the consumer to utilize Forte services to better student learning withinuniversity courses and to enhance the university's Housing and Residence Life.

2. Product UsersWe hope for the users (students, professors, Housing and Residence Life, and Resident

Assistants) and Transition Programs) to send feedback of the product to Forte. Give thestrengths, weaknesses, success stories, and problems that occurred while using the product inclassrooms and residence halls.

3. Product FrequencyOur goal is to showcase the product as a selling point for the excellent academic

environment at the university and to recommend the product to other universities.VIII. Perceptual effect

A. Future Effect of Product Utilization1. Effect on UNCW

If the communication efforts are successful, ten months from now UNCW will perceivethe product as superior to the competition. By that time, we hope to have started using the Forteprofile in the Office of Transition Programs during the first-year spring admission and transferorientation programs.

2. Effect on Office of Housing and Residence LifeIf the communication efforts towards Housing and Residence Life are successful, in 13

months their staffwill view Forte as superior to the competition. After 13 months, a full semesterof the initial implementation of the survey will have past. Forte's benefit will be seen through thedecrease of roommate relation problems.

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3 . Effect on Office a/Transition ProgramsIf the communication efforts toward students are successful, thirteen months from now

they will perceive Forte as superior to the competition. The competitive advantage will be seenthrough the quick results of the survey, the accuracy of the results, and the translation of surveyresults into actions. By implementing Forte's suggestions, students should also improve on theirroommate and peer relations.IX. Consumer Contact Points

Consumer contact points for Forte should be associations pertaining to higher education,college and university housing, and department chairs. To most effectively reach the consumerwith a believable, persuasive message, attending annual and regional conferences are animportant way to communicate the Forte survey to potential consumers. For a full list of contactsfor UNCW see Appendix M

A. External Organization ContactsNational Association of College and University Residence Halls (NACURH) is a student-

run association that provides programs to improve the lives of student living. NACURH holds aconference every year at a different school. This conference would be an important contact pointfor Forte to communicate to new universities. Also attending NACURH's annual conferencewould allow current users to provide feedback about their success of Forte for roommateassignments. The Association of College and University Housing Officers-International(ACUHO-I) is a professional association that offers an annual conference as well. Theirconference is directed towards developing leadership, operating and renovating college anduniversity housing facilities, as well as creating a positive living experience for students.ACUHO-I would be an important consumer contact by providing success stories to housingfacilities on different campuses about Forte and its use in transition programs, roommateassignments, and peer mediation.

The National Orientation Directors Association is also an important contact to consider.Implementing Forte into transition programs would allow the orientation leaders to explain whatForte offers and how benefiting the results are after taking the survey. Orientation leaders arestudents as well and communicating on a peer-to-peer basis would create better understandingabout the reward students get after completing the Forte survey. The National OrientationDirectors Association has an annual conference. This conference specifically allows orientationdirectors to create new ideas on how to serve their incoming students. With that said, theorientation directors could discuss potential roommate surveys and Forte could be an example ofone.

Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASP A), American CollegePersonnel Association (ACPA), and National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) areall important organizations concerning administrators and advisers at the university and collegelevel. If the university or college wanted to require students to update their Forte profile before

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registering for class, the registrar's office along with student affairs would have to be contacted.Also, academic advisers could use the Forte profile to direct their students to take certain classesand to help them advise the student better. Attending a conference in regards to student affairswould be a good first step to reach potential consumers of Forte and to also explain how Fortecan allow students to get a better understanding of who they are and how they work with peers.Every year there is an Academic Chairpersons Conference with over 172 campuses represented.This conference allows department heads of different majors to come together, network, andbrainstorm ideas. This conference would be a good consumer contact point because once Forte isapplied at the university level; department heads have the option to use Forte in their classroomsfor group work. Forte helps professors understand how they can effectively reach their students.On a personal level, Forte points out ones strengths and weakness and therefore would bebeneficial for professors to know in order to cooperate with their students more effectively.

B. Internal ContactsIn order to ensure the success of Forte on the UNCW campus it will be important to reach

the university at a student level but also at an administrative level. The success of Forte needs toinvolve everyone on campus. We feel there are enough contact points at universities and collegesto create a relationship with their brand and the Forte brand. 'For a full list of contacts for UNCW see Appendix M.x. Future Research

A. Future Research to Develop the Communication Strategy1. Research Recommendations

The first kind of research needed to develop communication strategy is a database ofcurrent roommate matching methods used by universities throughout the United States. Adatabase that covered these different methods will allow Forte to see which universities wouldbenefit from the implementation of its survey system. It would also be useful to research andinclude current orientation programs utilized by each university.

After determining which universities would benefit from the implementation of Forte, acontact list of decision makers at each of these universities must be established through researchon the institutions' websites. The initial contact can also be made by researching conferences thatare attended by higher learning institutions and setting up marketing tables at these conferenceswith informational materials.

Other future research that would be useful to develop communication strategy would bethe use of qualitative research, such as focus groups, and quantitative research, such as surveys.Suggestions for future focus groups are a group of incoming freshmen on roommate relationexpectations, a group of current sophomores who lived on-campus during their freshmen years, agroup of Housing and Residence Life staff, and a group of Transition Programs staff.

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2. Reasoning behind Research RecommendationsThe feedback from the group of incoming freshmen would allow Forte to see which

student expectations would be filled by the survey results and use this information to marketForte to Housing and Residence Life. The feedback from the group of current sophomores wouldprovide insight for attitudes and opinions of the current roommate survey used by Housing andResidence Life. By establishing the current attitudes of students, Forte can better market theirsurvey as superior to the current tools used by universities.

Feedback from the Housing and Residence Life staff would allow Forte to see what needsthe consumer needs to be full-filled. By showing how these needs are addressed by the toolsoffered by Forte, the company has a better chance of being chosen by the consumer. The groupof staff from the Transitions Programs Office would also give insight into how successful theywould believe the implementation of Forte would be during student orientation programs.

Surveys that are specifically targeted at sophomores who lived on-campus during theirfreshmen years would also be useful in providing hard evidence to present the gaps that could befilled by the implementation of Forte. A survey of Housing and Residence Life staff would alsobe useful in collecting quantitative data for the degree of success of the current roommatematching tools utilized.

3. Future IssuesOne issue to consider is the legality issues of the Forte survey being a requirement in

order to register for classes. A disclosure form about student privacy might have to beimplemented in order to convince students and parents about the safety of their information.Further research into legal issues will be required.

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XI. ReferencesAbout (n.d.). Nacurh, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.nacurh.org/aboutlAbout kolbe corp (2009). Kolbe corp. Retrieved from http://www.kolbe.com/aboutUs/about-

us.cfm.About Us (n.d.). PI Worldwide. Retrieved April 22, 2011, from

http://www.piworldwide.com/About -Us.aspxBerg, S. (2009). Background and facts about twentysomethings. Retrieved from

http://chooseonpurpose.com/he1p- me/BackgroundF actSheet. pdfBulger, T. (2011, May 1). Email interview.Dunning, B. "The Myers-Briggs Personality Test." Skeptoid podcast. Skeptoid media, Inc., 31Aug 2010. Web. 1May 2011. http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4221Focus Group, April 4, 2011.Kusko, N. (2011, April 14). Email interview.Lindsay, N. (2010). Students@uncw: A profile of uncw students and student life. Retrieved from

http://uncw .edu/stuaff/ documents/StudentsatUN CW20 1o .pdfMBTl basics (n.d.). The Myers and Briggs Foundation. Retrieved April 22; 2011, from

http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/Morgan, Claude D'Val. (2011, January 19). Personal interview.National Association of College and University Residence Halls. (n.d.).Retrieved from

http://www.acuho-i.org/?tabid=125dNational orientation directors association (2009). Retrieved from http://noda.orgsync.com/Olsen, R. (2011, May 1). Email interview.The Forte Institute. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.theforteinstitute.com/

The University of North Carolina Wilmington. (2010). Quality enhancement plan. Retrievedfrom uncw.edu/qep/about.htmlWeber, D. (2011, May 1). Email interview.Williams, A. (2011, April 17). Email interview.

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http://www.nacurh.org/aboutlhttp://www.piworldwide.com/Abouthttp://chooseonpurpose.com/he1p-http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4221http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/http://www.acuho-i.org/?tabid=125dhttp://noda.orgsync.com/http://www.theforteinstitute.com/http://www.theforteinstitute.com/http://noda.orgsync.com/http://www.acuho-i.org/?tabid=125dhttp://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4221http://chooseonpurpose.com/he1p-http://www.piworldwide.com/Abouthttp://www.nacurh.org/aboutl


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UNCW Forte Group Contact Information

Anna Kate [email protected]

Lindsey [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

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mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Appendix Reference Sheet

Appendix A: Consumer Contacts and Consumer Responses

Appendix B: Current Housing and Residence Life SurveyAppendix C: Forte Focus group questionsAppendix D: Original Focus Group Transcripts, Groups 1-3Appendix E: Example of Forte's action planAppendix F: Research surveyAppendix G: Survey coding ResultsAppendix H-K: Home pages of Kolbe, Myers & Briggs, PI Worldwide, and Forte websites.Appendix L: Questions for Resident Assistants and their responsesAppendix M: UNCW Student Affairs and Transition Program Director's contact information


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APPEND IX A


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Initial Consumer ContactDr. Weber, Dr. Olsen, and Professor Bulger,We are finishing up a marketing plan for The Forte Institute Interpersonal survey in ouradvanced IMC class. We understand that you are currently using the Forte profile insome of your classes. We were curious if you could provide us with a few wordsregarding your opinion about Forte, your perceptions of the product, and how you useForte in your courses.Thank you,The Advanced IMC Forte TeamConsumer Responses

Tammy Bulger-Senior LecturerI use the Forte Profile in my COM 220 Interpersonal Class. The students are able toassess their communication profile at the beginning of the semester. It is always veryinteresting to read their journal entry and how shocked they are at how accurate theprofile is.In COM 490 - I have a group project and use the profile and the interaction reports. Thegroups are provided information at the beginning of the semester that assist them in theirinteractions in their groups. As the groups are formed by blackboard, the interactionreports are an important tool that allows them to communicate effectively.With COM 220 and COM 490 I look at the teambuilder report to adapt mycommunication to the students.I hope this helps.Tammy

Dr. Richard Olsen-Department ChairpersonI reference Forte in the context of group development and peer evaluations. I hope tocreate an assignment around this in future semesters because I think it is so powerful forour students reflect on their own behavior and predispositions and to relate with othersmore intentionally and more effectively. Forte is such a great match for our studentsbecause communication is at the heart of what we teach but it really is an ideal catalystfor team building for any college student.

Dr. David Weber-Associate ProfessorNo jokes about "Weber is long-winded!" Notice that I am giving you a short response ("afew words") and then, in case you would like further information, a longer response. Ifyou like, ignore the long response and use only the short one.


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SHORT RESPONSE (i.e., "a few words"):Forte is easy to complete, oriented to communication (as opposed to some other featureof organizational life), accurately profiles a person, and tends to be popular among thestudents. I use Forte every semester COM 105 and am willing to incorporate it into anynumber of other classes. Two thumbs up for Forte!

LONG RESPONSE:I use the Forte product in my COM 105 class. I am willing and motivated to use it inother courses I teach, but I haven't yet integrated it into them. No reason for that otherthan I simply haven't in my mind yet worked the survey into the designs of those courses.

With more and more of our majors having completed the Forte survey at least once (inCOM 105,200 or 220), and with, I hope, results updates being received and read by thosewho have completed it, the Forte experience, the Forte way of thinking aboutcommunication and groups, and the Forte vocabulary, surely can have as high a profile inthe COM Department's curriculum and culture as we would like it to. The departmentfaculty members are continually reflecting on and discussing what half-dozen or soconceptual, theoretic and praxis pillars may best serve as a grounding and foundation forour program - - curricular material that will show up regularly and with increasing depthand nuance in the curricula of our subdisciplines. (Two examples are Core Skills and thefive canons.) Forte has been proposed as one such pillar, and I am for that. Itwill take awhile to accomplish that, but it is something several of us who are familiar with Fortehave briefly and informally begun envisioning.I am a cheerleader for Forte. I have taken and administered many surveys over the pastquarter of a century as an educator and organizational professional. Only two haveultimately impressed me and Forte is one of them; and indeed, it is the one I prefer of thetwo. (The other is much more time-consuming to take, much more complicated tointerpret, and is far less oriented to communication behavior than Forte.)What I like about Forte are the following characteristics. First, it can be done swiftly and(in terms of accessibility online) easily. Second, if lor anyone has a problem with someaspect of the survey, product support is readily available, right here in Wilmington, byemail with a rapid reply from a "real person," or by phone. Try that with Myers-Briggs(which for a variety of reasons I think is overrated) or some other high-profile survey!Indeed, however client-centered the Forte organization is (and I perceive it to be veryclient -centered),Third, as I suggested earlier, it is oriented to behavior, not "attitude" or "personality" orsome other less measurable factor. It also takes into account the possibility that a person


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can change in various ways over a period of weeks or months, and therefore the vendor(Forte Institute) builds profile updates into the program.Fourth, I am impressed by how accurately it profiles a person. I know I recognize myselfin my profiling, and almost everyone else (including many of my COM 105 students)who takes the survey recognizes himself or herself. Every semester, I receive at least 3-4emails that say almost exactly the same thing: "Dr. Weber, I just took the Forte surveyand got my results. I have taken many surveys and I took this one only because I had to.But I was AMAZED at how perfectly it described me!"Fifth, the specification of what kind of communication motivates and demotivates therespondent is an EXCELLENT feature.In COM 105, I use the survey primarily to have the students reflect on their profile as acommunicator in a group or organization. I tell them that, among other things, the surveyresults give an abundance of information about who you are and what you do effectively.No one who takes the Forte survey should ever, EVER be at a loss to say somethingmeaningful and true about his or her strengths as a member of a group or organization.When I teach COM 490 in the fall, it will be the first time a significant number of my 490students will have taken Forte survey with me in COM 105. If! catch any of them beinginarticulate, vague, generic or superficial about talking about their strengths as acommunicator, I am going to get in their face about it -- "Get your Forte profile, study it,and be able to state precisely what you think you can bring to the organization you sayyou want to be part of after you earn your bachelor's degree!"


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APPENDIXB


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Roommate Matchingl~:'l~~(;::li;i';;,.~)';'.:'.~ ~[i)';;,wl~~::"l~m..1I'IF.i(",lhI'II."l.I(oJ.f: 1:J...-f t !11 ~

1 I am a non-smoker1 2 I object to a smoking roommate1 3 am an early riserf 4 like to stay up late1 5 keep my room neat and orderly~ don't mind guests in my room1 7 plan on studying in my room1 8 prefer a quiet study environment1 9 don't mind sharing my belongings,1 0 embrace diversity1 1 1 l ike Country Music1 1 2 like Rap Music1 1 3 l ike Christian music1 1 4 l ike Pop Music1 1 5 like Rock and Roll Music1 1 6 like Heavy Metal Music1 1 7 l ike Alternative Music1 1 8 l ike Classical Music


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APPENDIXC


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Forte Focus Group Questions

CAMPUS LIFE QUESTIONSWho lives on campus? Have you used Forte in your personal life? Groupwork?Who came here as a freshman?Do you have a roommate?How would you describe your relationship with your roommate(s)?Talk to me about your experience with ForteDid you "get" Forte? Understand the questions?What do you think Forte is trying to do?What is the thing you remember most about your Forte profile?How easily could you understand the Forte Survey results?What do you feel is the purpose ofthe Forte survey?What was your first impression of Forte?

USE OF FORTE SURVEY (OUTSIDE OF CLASSROOM)After you took the Forte Survey, did you change the way you communicated with others?Do you think Forte was accurate?How often would you be willing to take your Forte adapting profile? (every 30 days, 60,90)


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APPENDIXD


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r

Original Focus Group TranscriptsGroup 1:Facilitators-Lindsey Baggett & Katelyn Truss

Transcriber-Chad Graves3 of 5 on campus, 2 transfer students.Its horrible, last year we all lived in the same floor in Galloway and one of the girls I livewith now she lived with two of the,. But this year is horrible,. We do not even speak toeach other-awful, cant wait to leave, in the same situationMine is kind of, did not know any ofthem but they all knew each other. They are notnecessarily bad people but they are messy they are my only complaint I don't have tonecessarily react with them.Never horrible situation, I am an only child I don't like sharing things especiallybathrooms.I just moved off campus, used to be best friends. I live with people I work with now, guyand girl, use to live with three guys. Hated the one guy that he lived with. Got in a fistfight and everything.Moved back in with my parents I had a roommate that I moved win with and we grew uptogether, her name was on place, made it clear it was her placeTook it last year with comI05, did not look at it againIt was head on and talked with a lot of people and it was right, different characteristicsare right, we are all different in 200 and we work together very well.Took it in 105, looked at it again, spot on. If it would have remembered it would havehelped it with com 200.My com 200 group, dr. 0mentioned it and we looked it over to figure out whocommunicated well with what. Who send out emails, it helped us a lot being productive.Taken it for multiple classes, right where I was as far as stress level in my life coulddetect updating it has been helpful, how to get back organized if you were meeting yourgoals and now you are not. I really like it.----used it in com220 (1 st time ),randomly did itwithout classes.It would have helped my roommate situation, I would know how to communicate betterwith the issues we've had, I don't know how to approach them about things so I leave italone, I don't want to start a whole thing with four girls. It would have been really nice.Everyone understood. It was easy and self explanatory, so simple I did not know howthey got all the information they did combined with the accuracy. It is weird, creepy.Agree that they could figure out without reading every page.I think the point of it is making you aware of your strengths and weaknesses are and howto use those to work in groups and get ajob. Esp. with com majors, we have to work ingroups effectively; have to be able to tell a company this is what your good atI like how it showed what jobs would be best for you; it was spot on for what I wanted todo. For someone who is confused, I feel like that I would be really goodThere were some jobs that I had never even heard of and it was a random job title, but itwas very hands on and it sounded interesting so I looked into it after.


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I just took the pages I needed to look at would have been too time consuming.Transferred in as a film studies major, when transferred in I had to take com classes to beopen, had more com credits, interested in the classes, if were still a film major, you donot learn anything about groups in film department, you don't understand why you aredoing this while in this major you do. I think everyone should have to take a group comclass no matter the majorI transferred from cape fear, thinking I wanted to be a psyc major, had multiple classes.The last class I took at CFCC it was interpersonal, forte profile would have been helpfulas a psyc major, limitations of it I did not want to be a therapist but job wise I do notthink it would have helped.I transferred from APP I was com/pr up there, I wish I would have taken it coming in as afreshman because they have 7 different tracks that you have to pick, it would have givenme a more narrow field that I would have wanted to go into.I think it gave me more perspective working with groups, know what roles you will playin that group. A lot of times I did not know what part I could contribute, but when youhave something telling you what your good at, coming up or selling ideas, you knowexactly who you can be in a group and how others in the group can play in yourweaknesses, helpful in applying for jobs in campus.Itdid not change the way I communicated.Its positive reinforcement to see it all lay out; goes into things thinking you know who itis it is proof.Today I was looking back at my profile and noticed that I was doing something that wassaid I was weak at on the profile, helped me recognize some of my weaknesses.100% people say it was effective.Some funny job placements, jobs were really weird and some were broad. The jobscategory was out there, to long of a list.It did change, there was a point last semester where I felt like I was on top of everythingbeing organized, there was another point where I wanted to scream, but the update wason point and one of the only answers that I really changed was the one about anxiety, itpicks up on the little things, takes your emotions and figures out where you are. With thereally detailed paragraphs that most people don't read, they were a little off but thegeneral assumptions were right I would say.I honestly didn't read the entire thing, doctor Weber said bring some in, throw othersaway and that's what I did.100% said they would recommend to other majors.I think it would work for all majors, especially like business and journalismI think it fits a lot of people but they may not understand it, com majors focus more on itand in groups, businesses, organizations, so you can use it more to your benefit everydaywhere another major may not think it down the road as muchEveryone has to communicate so a lot of people would benefit, all of us have jobs likewaitressing, would make live better.Couples should take it together to see if it would work.Everyone says they would be willing to do it every semester.If I'm not doing anythingSome claim they do not get the emails, never updated because I haven't seen the emails.I just took lit last semester, took the initial but I did the year later update.


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* * claim to not getting anymore emails.I think freshman should take it, I was ajunior, and it should be in the freshman seminarclasses. Itshould be something that is done in the first semester different outlook so youcan see how you will work well with others for 4 years or however long you are here.Especially if they get into upper level classes.Should take advantage of it, good references real companies. Would give you detail.Told me I should be an ice skating rink instructorCircus performerSomeone took it to personal, like an actress or something they should try itI wish in 105 I would looked more, just a grade, wish there was more of a meaning in it atthe time. It was blown over.Itwas free to us and that's cool, I wish I would have taken more advantage of it.Professors should have stressed it more. Wish we would have taken it more, keep this andupdate it will help you in the future. Never said anything that like, this is an assignment 0or 100.Dr. Weber's bad not ours, this is what you could really use this for.I feel like 105, gateway course, to get into corn major, none of mine transferred so muchmaterial this and this, I remember everything they told me too.Beneficial older student, 24, still wasn't stressed.Should replace survey in housing with forte, would save problems- says H&RL worker.Someone can quit smoking, not talking. I find that sleep schedule shouldn't matter, moreof a compatibility thing.

Group 2: Facilitators-Scott Burgess & Andrew MayerTranscribers-Anna Kate Babnik &Micaela FouhyWho lives on campus1 person raises their hand, 2 people have lived on campusRelationships on campusRight now: 2 of his roommates are good first semester living on campus, joke around1 of them he never comes out of his room never knows when he is home ... seen him atotal of 3 timeslives with her best friend form high school, friendsBrie: open with her roommates 2 girls all friendsTransfer lives a beachChose who they lived withFreshman year- opposite, always stayed in her room, never had anything in commonDon't like conflict, little things .. brush them off


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Little things start building up ... " if my roommate comes up to me, tell me that I am beinga bitch" important to talkNeed to communicateNon confrontational, like to bring up when the time is right, don't have any problemsIf there is something that bothers, lays it out, you don't know someone until you live withthem including a best friend .. thats what causes friendships to break uplet's things go- one roommate is anally clean, one is messy, the messy one lets the trashpile up, the other one then freaks out--When she has issues will say it or send a message, her roommate keeps putting things inthe way .. such as shoestries to do things so she gets the point that things are in the wayForte:Have you used that in personal life?Have you used in in the group?Used it to help write cover letters, perfect terminology, she did it correctly and took hertime, made sure that she answered the questions honestly. People were impressed, otherswere impressed, helped that way,The results were pretty spot on, interpersonal com ...did a lot with that, made her realizehow she works with other people and how other people work with herForte .. Thought it was good and spot onWhat do you think it was trying to do?THe part where it tells you what conditions you learn best under, helped the most, i do dosome of my best work when i do work independentlyNever really recognized what helped her but highlighted what helped herDidn't understand what the questions would lead to105 weberDId he explain why you had to take it?Had to go back and look at it today to remember what it wastook time on it, had it in one of a folder, intro to imc looked into it when it had to be usedAnything specific about your forte survey?Brought hers with usMichaelas forte: Michaela is outgoing, friendly, persuasionThought it summed up everything, 4 words about what described her. One thing shedidn't understand the graphs, didn't do anything with the performance critic


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if they knew what the graphs would be about, reading the graphs would be pointlesssome people like graphsIf Olsen and weber taught, would you feel better about reading them: yesCompared to everyone else in the class perhapsFirst impression,Thought results were fitting her, didn't like the questions, didn't like reading things likethe questions, the way the pictures were written .. how the questions were in lineHas it changed the way you communicate with others:Still the samemakes it easier to work through problems, better understand my self, recognize what i dosomething, that is the way someone is and work through itreassures yourself ...who you are, don't second guess your self, if i see that i am this righthere, i am not going to try and fight it or second guess it, this is prooL. it is right onDo you believe that the test was accurate?Some of them i wouldn't initially think that of my self, sometimes you think when youread something you make it fit into your life .. like a horoscope .. really good a wordingthings. this could be like me .. i do this sometimesa lot of peoples are similar but they tweak one workAdapting profile: How often would you want to take the profile?30 days, lonce a year pretty consistent, once a semester, people go through big changesand that changes people and sometimes that twists people around .. especially now youare learning thingsOnce you are in the system you are in the system, every 3 months or 30 days .. you cansee during a years time how you change, look at it form year to year. .. every 3 monthswould be betterOnce a yea i wouldn't do it every three monthsHow would you think this helped with roommates:I think it would help, look good on paperlook good on the collegesreading up on product, how important it is for roommatesbetter college experience, helps the college, makes the students stay, if they have a badroommate it could make you go home ... compatible roommatesschools should take it into accountall through a data baseit would kind of just be like "online dating" how the match people


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I think using it like that could be wrongPeople don't have to be exactly alike ... if there was someone exactly like mefeed the bigger population, could go so wrong because other people would be differentforced to share the results with the person you live with ... this is how you workthey just understand you better200 GroupEveryone in the group is difference, 1st project you kind of realize who will take whichroll.. everyone just tried to fit in placeMy group is having problems 4, 2 people want to through one out, not involved with it,have been having problems no one can get on the same pageMy group is people I know for a while we have pre friendships, that has worked throughour downfall... you can feel comfortable not doing workwant people to kick them into gear to actually do the workmy groups been great, schedule, all dudes. i get along with guystook the leader role, all willing to to work together, doesn't mind taking up the leaderpositionGet along really well, know that people have full time jobs have to get it down in certainamounts oftime .. Oh whatever no obligations, get the work done, happy with grades noconflictgroup of3: key, a lot harder if they had a fourth person they way they worked togetherthey kind of recognize on the 1st probe what they did well .. 2 other group members arefilling paper .. she's better with language. And the system works

Group 3: Facilitators-Ryan Kelley & Katie EagleTranscribers-Tiffany Evans & Carissa NiederkornWho lives on campus?All but oneWho came here as a freshman?Do you have a roommate?How would you describe your relationship with your roommate(s)?It started off good, urn it got a little shaky but I think we're building bridges. We kneweach other from our hometown. We said well if we both get accepted to uncw we should


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live together.Urn I live in the suites so I have 9 othersuitemates. A lot of them are my really goodfriends but living with that many girls can be loud. They should have made the roomssound proof. Its frustratingThroughout the year there has been no arguments.Live with totally random people. Good days and bad days theres six of us and its totallydivided. 2 against 4.Started off in the crossing. Roommates were really messy and I'm a clean freak. Metthis other girl and we became friends and now we live together.One roommate from last year and two random roommates. One gone on medical leave.Me and the random are really close now but the one I knew was confrontational andoutspoken so we have to work with her on that.Have you used Forte in your personal life? Groupwork?In weber's class definitely he referenced that a lot and made us go back to it and use it.Outside of weber's class, olsen's class a little bit.COMPREHENSIONTalk to me about your experience with ForteDid you "get" Forte? Understand the questions?When Weber did it I saw it as supposed to prepare us for the business world and be moreconstructed and pick out your learning points.I thought it was good to show you your communication and it showed me that I don't liketo be criticized much.Since I used it I haven't gone back to it since.It was self explanatory though the way they split it up it was easy to understand becausemy results were accurate. For people who were surprised by their results it might beharder.What do you think Forte is trying to do?They help show you your strengths and weaknesses and puts into writing whatLooking at it with a friend and we were similar but dif and opened our eyes to each otherscom


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What is the thing you remember most about your Forte profile?The weaknesses. Seeing it on paper you realize its true. I didn't believe it would reallyonly take 5 minutes. And it was so accurate be it was so short. I even made myroommates take it and they're not even com majors.Easily constructed.Maybe I need to make my roommate do that.How easily could you understand the Forte Survey results?Easy to understand and efficient. I just did it.What do you feel is the purpose of the Forte survey?What was your first impression of Forte?

When webers helps you prepare for your resume it helps figure out how to talk to peopleand how to talk about yourself. Itcan help point out your strengths and weaknesses.

USE OF FORTE SURVEY (OUTSIDE OF CLASSROOM)"its pretty good to have it as a com major its definitely helpful"After you took the Forte Survey, did you change the way you communicated with others?Do you think Forte was accurate?If you're honest. I was kinda surprised for how accurate it was. It said I neededrecognition and I was like wow ok everyone knows I need a sticker on my paper.How often would you be willing to take your Forte adapting profile? (every 30 days, 60,90)About once a semester. If you take it too much it seems redundant because it doesn'tchange that much.

I like it. Cause I've taken other surveys like the one with the letters that tells youintroverted or extroverted and it was so LONG. I mean like halfway through I was like Idon't even care anymore.


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Itjust opens your eyes. Especially for the people who aren't as self-aware. You don'trealize how other people are perceiving you and if people are taking my voiced opinionas negative or something then I can work on that.I think I was just like yep, that's the way I am but other things I was like maybe I do needto work on that we'll see how we can adjust that.There are things that I wanted to change on there but I can't remember now I guessmaybe I need to take it again.Also I think its more eye opening in the sense that you realize how other people are sodifferent. You have to think about how 'that's just the way they are' and I think withgroup projects and stuff it would help if you just knew that's how they are. You couldstep back and process it before you had your first reaction.With Weber's it was more biz and Olsen was more personal use like interactions andrelationships. Itvaries but it all still comes together and makes sense.

I brought mine. It goes in depth it puts your name in and makes you feel special. Itgivesyou so many words and paragraphs and I was using it the other day when I was writing aresume.At some point in time you have to be professional so the biz and interpersonal all worktogetherI think its good that you have to do it in the intro classes. Ive had 3 classes withgroupwork and it showed me how I can contribute to the group and it would be good ifeveryone took it and looked at it together that way you know."if you guys were able to start this when you became a freshman, do you think that wouldbe helpful?"I think it would be very beneficial. When I entered as a transfer it would have been niceto know my strengths.I'm a seahawk link and I think it would be good to use it in the UNI classes and outsideof just COM.I'm usually really outgoing but I realized that sometimes I just shouldn't talk (hahahaha).


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APPENDIXF


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Age: _Class Rank: (Circle one)

Freshman Sophomore Junior SeniorMajor: _

1.)Are you familiar with the Forte Institute Interpersonal Survey? (Circle one)Yes No

2.)How many classes have you had at UNCW that require group work? (Circle one)o 1-3 4-6 7+

3.) Overall, how positive have these group work experiences been?(Circle one)From 1-5, (1 being the least positive- 5 being the most positive)12345

4.) Do you currently live on-campus?Yes No

If you answered "No", please move to Question 7.5.)Rank your level of satisfaction with your current roommate(s). (Circle one: 1 being theleast positive- 5 being the most positive)

1 2 3 4 56.)Would you be willing to take a test that evaluates and improves your relationship withyour roommate? (Circle one)

Yes No7.)Would you be willing to take a 5 minute survey if it could improve the way youcommunicate with your friends at UNCW? (Circle one)

Yes No8.)How often would you be willing to take a 2 minute follow up survey to track changes inyour communication style? (Circle one)Never Every 30 days Every 90 days Once a semester Oncea year


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APPENDIXG


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Forte Survey Coding Results103 people surveyedFreshman: 30%Sophomore: 17%Junior: 25%Senior: 28%Ages:16: 117: 118: 1519: 2420: 1821: 2622: 1223: 124:435: 181% would take a survey to improve the way they communicate with their friends.19% would not.22% of participants were familiar with Forte.78% of participants were not familiar with Forte.Of the participants who are familiar with Forte, 83% would be willing to take the survey.Of the participants who are not familiar with Forte, 78% would be willing to take thesurvey.Frequency of taking adapting survey10% Once a year45% Once a semester15% Every 90 days24% Every 30 days6% NeverHow many classes required group work at UNCW?0=4%1-3=46%4-6=27%7+=23%


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Overall, how positive have these gro-up work experiences been? (1 being the leastpositive- 5 being the most positive)1= 4%2=17%3=36%4=37%5=6%45% of respondents live on campus55% of respondents live off campusWould you be willing to take a 5 minute survey if it could improve the way youcommunicate with your friends at UNCW?Yes=79%No=21%Ranking of satisfaction with on campus roommates (1 being least positive, 5being most positive)1=2%2=11%3=20%4=41%5=26%How often would you be willing to take a 2 minute follow up survey to trackchanges in your communication style?1=6%2=24%3=14%4=46%5=10%Majors:Accounting=1.9%Biology=6.8%Business=3.9%Economics= 1%International Business=1.9%Chemistry=1.9%Clinical Research=1 %Communication Studies=13.6%Communication Studies & Psychology=1.9%Communication Studies & Film Studies=1 %Conservation Biology= 1%Creative Writing=1 %Criminal Justice=1.9%


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Entrepreneurial Business & Marketing=1 %Education=2.9%Elementary Education=1 %English=1%English & Political Science=1%English & Literature=1 %Environmental Science= 1%Exercise Science=1.9%Film Studies=1.9%Finance, Economics, & Spanish=1 %Geology=1%History=1%Management= 1%Marine Biology=1.9%Marketing=1 %Nursing=4.9%Parks and Recreation=3.9%Philosophy= 1%Political Science=8.7%Professional Writing & Spanish=1 %Psychology=5.8%Spanish=2.9%Special Education= 1%Undecided=12.6%

Comparative DataOut of the 45% who live on campus:13% are dissatisfied with their roommate situation20% are neutral with their roommate situation67% are satisfied with their roommate situationOut of the respondents who are dissatisfied, none would take a test to improve the theirrelationship with their roommate, but all of the respondents would take a survey toimprove the way they communicate with their friends.Out of the respondents who are neutral on their current roommate situation, 80% wouldtake a test to improve their relationship with their roommate, and 88% would take asurvey to improve the way they communicate with their friends.Out of respondents who are satisfied on their current roommate situation, 63% wouldtake the test to improve their relationships with their roommate, and 80% would take asurvey to improve the way they communicate with their friends.Schools:43% College Arts & Sciences

78% would take a 5 min survey45% have had 3 or less classes that require group work55% have had more than 4 classes that require group work

8% Health & Human Sciences67% would take a 5 min survey


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50% have had 3 or less classes that require group work50% have had more than 4 classes that require group work

16% Cameron School of Business92% would take a 5 min survey46% have had 3 or less classes that require group work54% have had more than 4 classes that require group work

6% Watson School of Eduction100% would take a 5 min survey20% have had 3 or less classes that require group work80& have had more than 4 classes that require group work

27% Undecided77% would take a 5 min survey85% have had 3 or less classes that require group work15% have had more than 4 classes that require group work


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r

APPENDIXH


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APPENDIX I


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The Myers & Briggs Foundation 5/2/11 2:06 P M

http://www.myersbriggs.org/ Page 1 of 1
http://www.myersbriggs.org/http://www.myersbriggs.org/


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APPENDIX]


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Human ResourceConsul

Documents

Forte IMC Plan