1

Example of an “interactive storyboard,” part of a lesson on ethics in procurement for a government agency.

(This is a draft. Examples are fictional. Drawings not to scale.Your mileage may vary. The hyperlinks work, but if you click in the wrong place, you can get off track. Just start over.)

(Click arrow to continue)Made available under a CC attribution, noncommercial license by David Ferguson (2009)

2

The STRATUS Project

This fictional example deals with the development of the STRATUS system.

• History: in general, a successful project both for the agency and for Megafirm, Inc. On schedule, under budget, good results

Megafirm executive Carl Carpenter is meeting with contract project manager Doug Dawson for a routine update.

3

The Discussion

Carl: Everything looks good from our point of view.

Doug: Yes, here too.C: In fact, we’ve just won the

Megafirm CEO’s SuperTeam award!

D: Great!C: Doug, you’re part of our

team. We’ve got the same goal. And we all decided you should share in the award as we did. So here’s a check for you for $2,000.

(Could be video; could be photo and audio)

4

If you were Doug…

What would you do about Carl’s offer to share the team’s award and give you $2,000?

Talk to someone else

Check some resources

Make a decision

(No arrows to click; you have to make a choice.)

5

People Doug can talk to

These are the people available for Doug to talk to about Carl’s offer of a check for $2,000:

Doug’s BossDoug’s Coworker

Doug’s Peer Other

Check some resources Make a decision

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Doug’s Boss

(opinion / advice)Xxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xxx xxx. Xxx. Xxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx.Xxxxx xxx xxxx xxx xxxxx xxx. Xxx xxxxx xx xxx xx xxx.(Not necessarily the right advice, not necessarily wrong. Plausible/likely.)

Doug’s Boss

Talk to someone else

Check some resources Make a decision

7

Doug’s Peer

(opinion / advice)Xxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xxx xxx. Xxx. Xxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx.Xxxxx xxx xxxx xxx xxxxx xxx. Xxx xxxxx xx xxx xx xxx.(Not necessarily the right advice, not necessarily wrong. Plausible/likely.)

Doug’s Peer

Talk to someone else

Check some resources Make a decision

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Doug’s Coworker

(opinion / advice)Xxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xxx xxx. Xxx. Xxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx.Xxxxx xxx xxxx xxx xxxxx xxx. Xxx xxxxx xx xxx xx xxx.(Not necessarily the right advice, not necessarily wrong. Plausible/likely.)

Doug’s Coworker

Talk to someone else

Check some resources Make a decision

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Doug’s (Other)

(opinion / advice)Xxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xxx xxx. Xxx. Xxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx.Xxxxx xxx xxxx xxx xxxxx xxx. Xxx xxxxx xx xxx xx xxx.(Not necessarily the right advice, not necessarily wrong. Plausible/likely.)

Other

Talk to someone else

Check some resources Make a decision

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Resources

These are resources Doug can consult about Carl’s offer of a check for $2,000:

Resource A(dept. rules)

Resource B(gov’t rules)

Resource C(other legal)

Talk to someone else Make a decision

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Resource A

Guidance from Resource A:• Xxxx xxx xxxx xxxx.• Xxxx xxxx xxx xx xxxxx

xxxx xxx xxx.• Xxx xxx xxxxx xx.

Talk to someone else

Resource A

Check other resources

Make a decision

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Resource B

Guidance from Resource B:• Xxxx xxx xxxx xxxx.• Xxxx xxxx xxx xx xxxxx

xxxx xxx xxx.• Xxx xxx xxxxx xx.

Talk to someone else

Resource B

Check other resources

Make a decision

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Resource C

Guidance from Resource C:• Xxxx xxx xxxx xxxx.• Xxxx xxxx xxx xx xxxxx

xxxx xxx xxx.• Xxx xxx xxxxx xx.

Talk to someone else

Resource C

Check other resources

Make a decision

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What should Doug decide about the $2,000?

Decline the check; tell Carl “we just won’t mention this again.”

(acceptable decision)

(click the letter of the best response)

Talk to someone else Check other resources

Decline the check; report the incident to XXXX.

(best possible decision)

“I can’t take this for myself. Will you take split this money among the five people on my staff?” (unacceptable decision)

Accept the check.

(unacceptable decision)

“Let’s not discuss until the project’s over. Then we’ll have time to think about awards.” (unacceptable decision)

(Grey text in parentheses is for reviewer only; it would not appear in the final version.)

15

How does the decision measure up ethically?

Go on to the next screen to get advice from the local ethics officer.

Your opinion is that Doug should decline the check and tell Carl “we just won’t mention this again.”

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To some extent, this is a gray area because…

Law X and Regulation Y would say that…

The principles to keep in mind are…

(ethics officer)

Thinking about the “decline and don’t mention” decision

(Note: At this point, the ethics officer is not saying “this decision is acceptable” or “unacceptable.”)

17

How does the decision measure up ethically?

Go on to the next screen to get advice from the local ethics officer.

Your opinion is that Doug should decline the check and report the offer to XXXX.

18

To some extent, this is a gray area because…

Law X and Regulation Y would say that…

The principles to keep in mind are…

(ethics officer)

Thinking about the “decline and report” decision.

(Note: At this point, the ethics officer is not saying “the decision is acceptable” or “unacceptable.”)

19

How does the decision measure up ethically?

Go on to the next screen to get advice from the local ethics officer.

Your opinion is that Doug should ask Carl to split the money among Doug’s staff.

20

To some extent, this is a gray area because…

Law X and Regulation Y would say that…

The principles to keep in mind are…

(ethics officer)

Thinking about the “split it among my staff” decision.

(Note: At this point, the ethics officer is not saying “the decision is acceptable” or “unacceptable.”)

21

How does the decision measure up ethically?

Go on to the next screen to get advice from the local ethics officer.

Your opinion is that Doug should accept Carl’s offer to share in the bonus.

22

To some extent, this is a gray area because…

Law X and Regulation Y would say that…

The principles to keep in mind are…

(ethics officer)

Thinking about accepting Carl’s offer.

(Note: At this point, the ethics officer is not saying “the decision is acceptable” or “unacceptable.”)

23

How does the decision measure up ethically?

Go on to the next screen to get advice from the local ethics officer.

Your opinion is that Doug should tell Carl, “Let’s put this off until the project’s over.”

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To some extent, this is a gray area because…

Law X and Regulation Y would say that…

The principles to keep in mind are…

(ethics officer)

Thinking about the “wait till the project’s over” decision.

(Note: At this point, the ethics officer is not saying “the decision is acceptable” or “unacceptable.”)

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Given what you know now, how should Doug decide?

Decline the check; tell Carl “we just won’t mention this again.”

(acceptable decision)

(click the letter of the best response)

Decline the check; report the incident to XXXX.

(best possible decision)

“I can’t take this for myself. Will you take split this money among the five people on my staff?” (unacceptable decision)

Accept the check.

(unacceptable decision)

“Let’s not discuss until the project’s over. Then we’ll have time to think about awards.” (unacceptable decision)

(If technology permits, decision made at end of scenario appears in first place)

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Your opinion is that Doug should decline the check and tell Carl “we just won’t mention this again.”

From an ethical standpoint, this would be an acceptable decision.

• It’s consistent with the principles of A and B.• It’s consistent with the intent of Regulation D and Law E.• Etc., etc.

While this is an acceptable decision, one of the other choices would more clearly comply with the spirit and the letter of ethical behavior. Click here to examine the choices and make another selection.Click here to (conclude this vignette).

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Your opinion is that Doug should decline the check and report the offer to XXXX.

From an ethical standpoint, this would be the best possible decision from the choices given.

• It’s consistent with the principles of A and B.• It’s consistent with the intent of Regulation D

and Law E.• Etc., etc.

You can examine the other choices and see opinions and explanations of the advisability for each. Click here to return to the choices.Click here to (conclude this vignette).

28

Your opinion is that Doug should ask Carl to split the money among Doug’s staff.

From an ethical standpoint, this would not be an acceptable decision.

• It’s inconsistent with the principles of A and B.• It’s inconsistent with the intent of Regulation D

and Law E.• Etc., etc.

Possible consequences of this decision would be X, Y, and Z.Click here to examine the choices and make another selection.

29

Your opinion is that Doug should accept Carl’s offer to share in the bonus.

From an ethical standpoint, this would not be an acceptable decision.

• It’s inconsistent with the principles of A and B.• It’s inconsistent with the intent of Regulation D and

Law E.• Etc., etc.

Possible consequences of this decision would be X, Y, and Z.Click here to examine the choices and make another selection.

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Your opinion is that Doug should ask Carl to split the bonus payment among Doug’s staff.

From an ethical standpoint, this would not be an acceptable decision.

• It’s inconsistent with the principles of A and B.• It’s inconsistent with the intent of Regulation D and

Law E.• Etc., etc.

Possible consequences of this decision would be X, Y, and Z.Click here to examine the choices and make another selection.

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(General debrief for this vignette)

Agency employees cannot accept gifts in these situations:

• Xxxxx • Yyyyy• Zzzzz

Even if the employee doesn’t benefit personally – as in the suggestion that the contractor give checks to the staff – accepting the gift would violate xxx and yyy.

(end of vignette)