Funnel Interventionist Lab™

A 6-hour virtual intensive for graduate admissions leaders shaping next-cycle enrollment strategy.

Graduate admissions leaders are under growing pressure to navigate discount rate strategy, shifting applicant behavior, funnel disengagement, forecasting uncertainty, and rising institutional expectations — often without enough time for strategic thinking before the cycle becomes reactive.The Funnel Interventionist Lab is a six-hour virtual intensive designed to help leaders diagnose funnel friction, clarify strategic priorities, and shape more intentional enrollment interventions before the next cycle begins.

What Happens During the Lab

Participants move through a structured strategy process adapted from behavioral design and design thinking.

The lab helps leaders:

  • diagnose funnel friction

  • clarify the real strategic problem

  • generate targeted intervention ideas

  • identify the most actionable opportunities for the next cycle

Participants leave with:

  • a clearer view of where friction exists

  • sharper strategic focus

  • 2–3 intervention ideas to test during the upcoming cycle

The Lab Structure

Phase 1: EMPATHIZE

Diagnosing Funnel Friction: Identify where resistance, hesitation, or disengagement exists across the enrollment funnel.

Areas explored may include:

  • application abandonment

  • yield hesitation

  • melt risk

  • financial anxiety

  • messaging disconnects

  • timing friction

  • internal bottlenecks

Phase 2: DEFINE

Clarifying the Real Strategic Problem: Use insights from the funnel friction phase to identify the core problem worth solving before jumping into tactics.

Participants work through:

  • problem framing

  • root-cause exploration

  • institutional constraints

  • competing priorities

  • “How Might We…” exercises

Phase 3: IDEATE

Designing Strategic Interventions: Use the defined strategic problem to generate targeted interventions tied directly to diagnosed funnel friction.

Participants explore ideas related to:

  • reducing application drop-off

  • strengthening yield confidence

  • improving scholarship communication

  • reducing decision delays

  • increasing event engagement

  • addressing melt risk

  • improving follow-through across the funnel

The lab concludes with prioritization exercises focused on identifying the most actionable ideas for the upcoming cycle.

Included Materials

Participants receive:

  • Funnel Reflection Workbook

  • Funnel Friction Mapping Templates

  • Strategic Problem Statement Exercises

  • Intervention Prioritization Tools

  • Post-Lab Reflection Guide

About Daniel

Daniel Dinkins is Assistant Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, where he leads graduate admissions strategy, enrollment forecasting, and financial aid operations.Over the past several years, he has helped lead the two largest incoming classes in the school’s history while improving enrollment forecasting precision and navigating complex challenges related to discount rate pressure, scholarship strategy, funnel performance, and enrollment planning.His work sits at the intersection of enrollment strategy, behavioral design, systems thinking, and facilitation.Funnel Interventionist emerged from his experience leading enrollment strategy in increasingly high-pressure conditions — and from recognizing how little dedicated space many graduate admissions leaders have for structured strategic thinking before the cycle becomes reactive.Daniel holds a master’s degree in Educational Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship from UNC Chapel Hill and a certification in Design Thinking from Northwestern Kellogg.

Pilot Information

The Founding Summer Cohort is currently being developed as an initial pilot experience for graduate enrollment leaders interested in more intentional, behaviorally informed enrollment strategy work.

Questions about the pilot or cohort experience?[email protected]