Reimagining CAF Talent Management
SUMMARY
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) People Strategy validation project uses design-based methods to prototype components of the CAF People Strategy with diverse audiences, to reinforce its people orientation and long-term relevance for the operational readiness and sustainability of Canada’s armed forces.
APPROACH
AOD facilitated virtual workshops with participants across demographic, occupational and regional groups, mostly external to the CAF, to identify possible blind spots that might limit the People Strategy’s effectiveness in addressing key challenges in three main areas of the Human Resources value chain: Recruit, Train & Develop; Support, Manage & Recognize.
RESULT
The project will contribute new answers to the question: How do we improve the experience of CAF members, and enhance the CAF’s operational advantage through modernization of the Military Personnel Management System?
CHALLENGE
The new CAF People Strategy is the product of more than two years of consultation with internal stakeholders. It has been carefully developed to provide guidance to military leaders towards a long-term horizon of three decades. The People Strategy must therefore be sufficiently adaptable and agile to respond to changing operational demands, skill requirements and societal trends from now to 2050.
The AOD design-based validation process, applied here to an internal management strategy of a national defence and security organization, will provide additional data, analysis and options to ensure that blind spots are identified in the pursuit of the CAF’s ambitious goals
METHODS
The project’s methods are rooted in strategic foresight and design, which are consistent with the CAF’s own approach to the development of the CAF People Strategy. We use visual tools in a virtual format to make the consultation accessible, and engaging, and to gather data in various formats to support our analysis and development of options.
OUTCOMES
“With this analysis, we will be in a better position to innovate and transform our employment model by listening to our members and their families.”
“Cette analyse nous permettra d’innover et de transformer notre modèle d’emploi et d’être a l’écoute de nos membres et de leurs familles.”
– MGen Simon Bernard, OMM, CD, DGMP Strat/DGPM Strat
CONTACT
Philippe Beaulieu-B is the co-founder and co-president of the Archipelago of Design (AOD). He returned as professor leading the Design, Innovation and Strategy-Making curriculum for mid and senior level officers at Canadian Forces College (CFC) in Toronto after completing a Marie S. Curie Fellowship at the Centre for Military Studies, University of Copenhagen from 2019 to 2021.
At the Archipelago, Philippe is the steward of the present and future of AOD. Philippe translates the orientations of the guild council (Board of Governors) into a cohesive strategy and actions, co-leads a dedicated team of 9 employees, manages a global community and co-leads the AOD Research & Development division. The latter includes leading AOD Game Studios developing transformative games aimed at unlocking the innovative potential of defence & security professionals across NATO members and partners.
Philippe holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of St-Andrews in the United Kingdom.