Delaware Children's Museum
Strengthening a Community Institution through Data, Dialogue, and Alignment
The Situation
Recently, the Delaware Children’s Museum sought to develop a new strategic plan that would align leadership around shared priorities and prepare the organization for an evolving future. The Board wanted a process that combined community input, data analysis, and structured collaboration to guide clear decisions.
The Approach
North Star Strategies designed and facilitated a process that blended strategic planning with scenario planning and uncertainty analysis.
Board members, staff, funders, educators, community leaders, and museum members were invited to share their views on the museum’s current strengths, opportunities, and future direction. These perspectives, along with factual and financial data, informed a planning committee of the Board as it explored desired outcomes, assumptions about the present state, possible pathways forward, and barriers to success.
Using a structured methodology supported by SchellingPoint’s software, process, and AI-assisted collaboration tools, North Star Strategies guided the committee through a series of facilitated dialogues designed to surface key insights, sequence decisions, and maintain focus.
The Outcome
Through six focused two-hour sessions over four weeks, the committee advanced from raw input to a detailed, actionable strategic plan.
The result was a unified framework for the museum’s next chapter, grounded in evidence, shaped by stakeholder voices, and owned by its leadership.