Practices: We Work By

Prajna works using an array of methods designed to meet the needs of its clients. All our approaches share several common elements—they are not dry, they are consistently relevant, and they will keep you awake. Our approach is always fresh, lively, and highly interactive.

Our experience as school faculty and non-profit staff informs our approach in a unique way. Like most consulting firms, we have extensive training in organizational diagnosis, but unlike some, we also share the day-to-day experience of our clients. This fact sits prominently in the foundation of our practices. We work from the premise that our clients hold the answers to the issues, as much as we do. Our responsibility is to uncover those answers together. To meet that responsibility, we use a number of methods, including organizational diagnosis, curriculum development, workshop facilitation, and speaking engagements.

We utilize Organizational Diagnosis in situations where some form of institutional or curricular change is being considered. This allows our clients to obtain a fresh, thorough, and objective review of existing realities in order to be certain that changes are needed and, if so, to develop and integrate that change in an effective and sustainable way. Our approach is informed by our experience working closely with, being employed by, and studying the same types of organizations and institutions that hire us. We come from real experience, not from mere “consulting theories.”

Prajna offers Curriculum Development as a natural next step after evaluating an existing human development, ethics, or community involvement program. Our curricula are not hypothetical. Charis Denison has written, developed, and taught courses on all of the issues we work on. Prajna’s curricula are re-evaluated and updated every academic year, based on changes in national trends, student or school experience, and general learning success in the classroom. Additionally, we work with many schools who are considering starting programs in those areas, and, if desired, follow our assessments with curriculum recommendations.

Our Talks & Workshops take on many forms depending on the needs and size of our client’s the community. With schools, students, families, and businesses among our clients, we are able to design unique events and present what we see happening as it relates directly to our clients’ worlds. Subsequently, we work with our clients to integrate new information into their own lives and communities. Our workshops and talks often receive high praise for their unconventional, yet, direct and relevant approach.

All of our work may be built around Groups and/or Individuals. In our ethics and human development work, for example, our clients’ goals guide decisions about whether to work with a community leader one-on-one or with community members in groups. In other cases, we use a combination of individual and group interviews to gather information for a curricular assessment or of individual and small group meetings following a community-wide workshop.