CDO Research Synthesis

This process provided an opportunity to extract all the interview data from the 10 Career Development Officers (CDO). The team utilized methodologies such as affinity mapping, identifying themes, and developing insights from the interview data.

Data Points: ~637
Themes: 11
Sub-Themes: 35

One of the most critical aspects of any project is the vision and principles. The interviews provided us insight on user behaviors and stories that would help understand their needs and wants. However, CDOs did voice several other concerns. These concerns were categorized into the following themes:

• Purpose
• Priorities
• CDO Needs
• CDO Actions
• Balance

Objective 1: Purpose

Sub-Themes
CDO’s go through different stories and experiences but their purpose to coach and mentor individuals within the Department of State gives them purpose and importance during their job.

Passion	Important	Confusion
“Be empowered by this knowledge”	“My role as a CDO is easier than AO”	"Clients confuse me for AO"
"I LIKE WORKING WITH PEOPLE"	"Guide people into their assignments is the goal"	"Clients think they are working with positions"
"It is gratifying on what I've learn on this job. Its helpful"	"A good window into HR side of foreign service"	"CDO has special responsibilities"
"My priority is my clients"	"Learning something new everyday"

Objective 1: Priorities

Sub-Themes
CDO’s constantly work with a large number of clients and the interviews allowed us to see how they interact and organize their time with their projects and clients.

Workload	Availability	Personal Organization	CDO Training	Advising	Bureau Knowledge
"I have 400 clients"	"50% on CDO client orientated issues"	"I have a system on my job: "I don't leave the office until I email everyone"	"1 week CDO training helped to learn about her role as a CDO"	"Crisis clients always go first"	"It’s important to make sure her bureau needs to understand"
"Some times emails gets lost in the 100 emails that day"	"The more senior you become the HR process becomes an important job"	"The "client folder" is a Shared Folder on Outlook"	"Some days I work with 40% of my time with my clients"	"80 positions but only 50 people to fill"	"Reaches out to Bureau for important questions"
"When request from client comes through I will get it done"	"100% of my time is spent on CDO tasks"	"The MAIN THING varies on panel action: "Make sure everyone is on the same page"	"Everyone's trying to improve the HR office"	"BIDDING IS THE BIGGEST TOPIC TO GO OVER"	"It's important to keep a relationship with the bureau's"