Actionkit pub final by Saul Garlick

THE ACTION KIT INSTITUTE 2013

Think about the opportunities and challenges you faceâ&#x20AC;Ś What assets do you have? What actions will you take? What perspective will you gain? What impact will you make?

THIS ACTION KIT BELONGS TO

FINAL YOU’ HERE.

LY RE

INTRODUCTION

I N S T I T U T E 2013

INTRODUCTION

Dear Scholars, IN 2002 I SAW SOMETHING that shattered my worldview when I was meeting with teachers and principals in the dusty village of Delani, South Africa. I was confronted by the legacy of Apartheid, which left a generation of children earnestly learning under trees. My response to this injustice was pity, mixed with a little anger. On the spot, I promised to raise $10,000 to build several classrooms at the school. It seemed the least I could do. SEVERAL YEARS LATER, I returned with a group of 18 students to visit the schools we built. On that trip I learned a hard lesson - instead of desks with children studying, the original classrooms were being used as storage space for old boxes and unused textbooks. My vision for our work was to do better than put band-aids on problems. TODAY, THE WAY THINKIMPACT approaches communities is the result of a shift that began in that empty classroom. If we wanted to see progress, we had to focus on seeking opportunities for growth in lieu of tackling challenges. Instead of funding schools, clinics, libraries and sports fields, we began to partner with community leaders to leverage their resources in seizing opportunities for growth. WE CHOOSE TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS on entrepreneurial community members because of their essential role in developing communities. Inspired by individual potential when working in a community, ThinkImpact partners on equal terms, learning constantly and offering an outsider’s perspective. TOGETHER WE WILL HIGHLIGHT assets, emphasize skills, resources, physical spaces, and access to local financial partners, government or civil society institutions. We encourage individuals to experiment, gain perspectives and iterate on pioneering new ways to use assets to seize opportunities. The process shifts daily decisions, actions and approaches to overcoming obstacles. This shift provides everyone involved the space to create a vision and empowers us to take action, thus revealing the power of mindsets. That’s why at ThinkImpact we believe: “NOBODY IS POOR.” We realize that everyone has something to offer. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE WHEN a group of intelligent, resourceful, connected, and eager people come together. Thank you for joining ThinkImpact to partner with our communities. I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS INSTITUTE.

THINKIMPACT, FOUNDER & CEO I N S T I T U T E 2013

INTRODUCTION

ThinkImpact Philosophy At ThinkImpact we are committed to approaching education differently. With technology (think mobile) and travel (think airplanes) people are now able to accomplish anything no matter their location, financial position or educational background. When people access and engage the right resources they begin to own their future. With people working together across cultures, departments, and borders, learning experiences become profound. An individual’s confidence rises as barriers fall. ThinkImpact provokes you to believe you can. By providing you with a clear path and the steps to tackle absolutely anything, our programs help scholars to learn and grow. Stagnant wages, student debt, global integration, uncertainty, war on terror, great recession, hyper-competition, toxic politics, nuclear threat, a bleak future? We think not. ThinkImpact creates opportunities to break into new markets, to innovate with people you’d otherwise never meet, and to develop the habits, skills and perspectives to tell the world, I’ve got this. You’ve joined us because you refuse to settle. You want to take on the world, know who you are made to be, and build a future that is proud, secure, and creative. You will leave our programs with answers. Be anywhere. Do anything. ThinkImpact.

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Table of Contents 00 INTRODUCTION

01 MIND

02 IMMERSE

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Dear Scholars Philosophy How to Use the Action Kit How We (YOU) Make an Impact

Curious Culture Leadership Prism Manage Around Experiences Difficult Conversations Sharing Ideas with Community Members Norms and Practices in the Community Allocate Your Space & Time The Power of Habits Exercise and the Brain Traditional Welcome Ceremony Homestay Explore Shared Cultural Experiences Seek Understanding Developing a Communication Plan P.S. Letter Home Observe Material Library Making Your Ideas Real Six Word Stories Village Facts Five Whys Where Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Been Character Profiles Empathy Map Who Are We Active Listening Remembering Names Shadow a Community Member Transcend Culture Understanding Enterprise Asset-Based Community Development Mapping Daily Activity Clocks Hidden & Financial Transactions New View

9 10 16 18

22 24 32 36 40 42 44 49 52 56 58 60 62 66 68 70 71 74 76 78 80 84 85 86 90 92 94 97 98 100 102 104 106 107 108

INTRODUCTION

03 INSPIRE

04 INNOVATE

Imagine the Design Team Ask Workshop Create Your Design Team Communicating Through Instructions Communicating Through Nature Five Tips For Engaging with Design Team Members Design Team Introductory Meeting Tackling Challenges as a Group Design Thinking Workshop Day-to-Day Patterns and Surprises Jump Start Pages Naturally Inspiring Brainstorm a Path Pick a Path Innovation Action Plan “Three Whats” for Context Positive Deviants Day in the Life Know Thy Customer Business Model Stakeholder Maps Back It Out Storyboard & Presentation Extract Key Insights Diagram Bring Ideas to Life through Song or Story Five Whys Five Hows Reframe Pick a Prototype Action Plan Begin Prototyping Unstick Yourself Agile Development Gathering Feedback Iterate with Materials Innovation Showcase Innovation Exhibition

114 118 120 121 122 125 126 129 130 132 133 134 135 140 142 152 155 156 158 160 162 164 166 168 170 172 173 174 176 178 180 182 186 188 190 192 194 194

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Table of Contents 05 SHIFT

00 ENDNOTES

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Shift Introduction Community Action Plan Leaving the Community ThinkImpact Graduation Transition Back Home Listening Map Sharing Your Story ThinkImpact Family Applying the Action Kit Back Home Acknowledgments References

198 200 203 206 208 210 212 214 219 222 223

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How To Use the Action Kit THE INSTITUTE WAS DESIGNED

with rockstars in mind. We thought about how you and community members might change the world, and we said, “we can provide techniques, methods, and activities to unleash human potential.” The Institute is the result. THIS BOOK IS ABSOLUTELY UNLIKE

any manual, textbook, workbook or other book you have ever held in your hands. In fact, it is not a book at all. Sure, it looks like one, but really, it’s a launch pad. A tool for you to cultivate your habits, skills, and perspectives and build teams that create something meaningful. “HOW DO YOU DO THAT?” YOU WONDER…

WE MEAN IT WHEN WE SAY:

this is not like any traditional guide. Don’t treat it like just another book. Use the material here differently. Live it. Breathe it.

SO GLAD YOU ASKED. THE KEY TO THE ACTION KIT IS

to understand that it offers a complex structure (and can be used as a rigid guide) OR it can be a flexible document with the capacity to be adapted in ways you need for a successful Institute. After all, the Institute is about bringing out the best in everyone; the community, your fellow scholars, your advisors and others you meet along the way.

LET’S START WITH THE FUNDAMENTALS.

THERE ARE FIVE MAJOR SECTIONS: MIND

IMMERSE

INSPIRE

INNOVATE

SHIFT

Throughout the program you need to adhere to the sections, also known as phases. The whole curriculum is designed to build on top of itself, leading up to a remarkable conclusion to your work on the Institute. MOST OF THE ACTION

sections are broken down with a short introduction: highlights some things you’ll need to be successful, PARTICIPATE describes the action itself and PROCESS offers tools for reflection upon completion of the action. PREPARE

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INTRODUCTION

NOW THAT YOU KNOW

what is in the Action Kit, we need to discuss how you will actually use the Action Kit.

FIRST, WE RECOMMEND

that you get creative on the order of things. Don’t start on page one, and begin to go through the major sections page by page. Rather, deliberate with yourself and others on which activity to do first, then which one should follow, and so on. Skip around within each phase. Repeat activities as needed. Doing something a second time usually reveals a ton of new information. Reflect each evening with your team of scholars if you are doing everything in the most effective order for you. Consult the local community. Continue to refine your approach so you are able collect the most information possible in the most appropriate way possible. PREPARE FOR EACH ACTION.

SYMBOLS KEY CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

Take notes along the way. Use a personal journal in addition to the Action Kit.

Don’t wake up thinking, “I need to do something, so let me pick a random page.” Be deliberate and make sure to prepare thoroughly. Preparation is the simplest and most effective means to improve outcomes. WRITE ALL OVER THE ACTION KIT.

It’s not going to be turned in to the office, and even though it is awesome, it doesn’t have feelings. Scribble, doodle, draw. Do what you need to do.

MANDATORY

These sections are essential for success on the Institute.

WHILE THE CURRICULUM IS FLEXIBLE,

ON YOUR OWN

REMAIN OPEN MINDED

Actions that would likely work best with personal reflection.

there are mandatory actions. Prepare for those well, participate fully, and make them high impact. to what the Action Kit has to offer. Apply it in creative and new ways. And enjoy. The Action Kit is filled with some of the most fun you will ever have and also some of the greatest intellectual challenges you will ever grapple with.

ONE ON ONE

Work with a friend on these actions. TEAM OF SCHOLARS

When the team in your village will definitely come together for an assignment.

THE PROGR AM IS SHORT.

You have 56 days in country with ThinkImpact. Every day is critical. 4 days are dedicated to training, and 3 are focused on wrapping things up in the community. You’ll spend a couple of days on excursion. That means you have 45 days in the community. Make every moment high impact.

WORKSHOP

A session led by your Advisor.

CONTINUED

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How We (YOU) Make an Impact EVERY ACTION

we take in life has meaning and can provide value. We are positioned every day to change our lives and the lives of those around us through adjustments to our daily habits. We encourage the following 6 High Impact Practices throughout the Institute and even in your daily life: BELIEVE IN THE PROCESS

ThinkImpact provides an innovation process that takes time, but it works.

VALUE PEOPLE

People are people everywhere. Respect everyone and seek their strengths.

LISTEN TO LEARN

Understanding perspectives requires active listening and will fuel growth.

SEEK MINDFUL COUR AGE

Approach situations consciously and confidently.

BREATHE

Take a step back. Relax.

BRING IT HOME

Follow through makes for successful completion.

AFTER THE INSTITUTE ,

we wonder are scholars and community members doing anything differently? THE INSTITUTE YIELDS SPECIFIC OUTPUTS INCLUDING:

number of scholars that participate each year, number of community members involved through interviews, design teams, exhibitions, and financial literacy trainings, and innovations or enterprises established that reach the market. THE ADOPTION OF HIGH IMPACT BEHAVIORS

within the cultural context will determine whether the Institute has had meaningful impact in the community and in your life. Adoption of these behaviors represents the mindshift we seek. SOME OF THE INNOVATIONS AND ENTERPRISES

will succeed while others will fail; in either case there is a meaningful outcome from the Institute. Mindshift can happen to us and all around us. THE HIGH IMPACT WE SEEK RESULTS FROM

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every moment, every decision, every relationship in our lives. We couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be more excited to see how the scholars in the Institute Class of 2013 unleash human potential this summer and beyond!

INTRODUCTION

SHIFTS IN MINDSETS

are at the core of ThinkImpactâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approach. We seek to engage all stakeholders in the program with this shift, including you. We hope that you fully engage with our program, analyzing our approach and through this process experience growth in your own values and beliefs. HERE ARE TWO QUESTIONS THAT SCHOLARS REGULARLY CONSIDER ON THE INSTITTUTE:

Scholars are often concerned about the impact they will make on the community. Each question will help you to define your role and will ultimately inform the actions you take during the Institute.

WHAT VALUE CAN I ADD?

YOUR EXPERIENCES AS A PROFESSIONAL,

complemented by your academic studies, have provided you a set of strategies that are of great value to community members. Use them for everyone to benefit.

HOW WILL MY CONTRIBUTION HERE BE MEASURED? BY TR ACKING CHANGES

in daily activities, skills and perspectives, the type and frequency of risks taken, and the ideas scholars and community members pursue, we can establish baseline information to inform us of our impact over time.

WE OFFER YOU THIS:

The high impact results you seek are in every moment you engage, every decision you make, and every relationship you build. Aim to make an impact on ONE community member, ONE design team member or ONE fellow scholar. EVERY SCHOLAR DIVES INTO THE INSTITUTE

determined to make an impact on their homestay, design team and the wider community. Immediately questions arise about the methods that will be used to evaluate this impact. FEW CONSIDER THE IMPACT

this experience will have on their own mindset. Yet, by the end of the program, scholars often feel that the community has given them more than they could ever offer in return.

WE MEASURE IF INNOVATIONS CONTINUE

after 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. We focus on the innovations that are creating employment opportunities, are environmentally sustainable and are healthy for the community members. We meet with the entrepreneurs who experienced failure and find out if they plan to or already have begun to pursue new opportunities. AS SCHOLARS RETURN FROM THE PROGR AM ,

they may elect to pursue their ideas further. Outcomes from their return will include capital raised for ideas born on the Institute and the establishment of formal entities both in the US and abroad. UPON RETURN ALL SCHOLARS

will face opportunities of graduate school, majors, internships and jobs. We track these decisions among our alumni, along with other education and career choices. I N S T I T U T E 2013

MIND

01 MIND

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GOALS PREPARE HABITS IDENTIFY SKILLS TEST PERSPECTIVES

MIND

Curious Culture THE ACTION KIT CAPTURES A POWERFUL PROCESS

for seeking opportunities. These opportunities will affect your life and the lives of rural community members who you meet and interact with. Before you get too far into the process, it is helpful to think of what this is not. IT IS NOT A DISORDERLY MELEE OF ACTIONS

with no specific purpose or set of principles. It is not tangential, chaotic, or lost. THE ACTION KIT IS A RESOURCE

that helps make the disciplined creative extremely successful. Just as discovery emerges from the scientific process, the high impact products and services you develop this summer will emerge from the innovation process. MANY PEOPLE HAVE ADOPTED THE IMAGE

of the messy creative: people who are truly ingenious are zany, look like Albert Einstein, and forget to tie their shoelaces. IT IS THROUGH EXPERIENCING THE INNOVATION PROCESS

that you will gain a complete appreciation for discipline, intense planning, rapid prototyping, strict deadlines and iteration that even the greatest genius embraces. FOCUS ON OUR THREE PRINCIPLES OF INNOVATION TO APPROACH THE DESIGN PROCESS WITH COUR AGE AND CURIOSITY:

People are people everywhere Innovate around experiences Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about the opportunity, not the challenge. CULTURE IS AN AGGREGATION OF HABITS

on a societal level. It includes learned practices, history, memory and community. Every group can cultivate a culture. Indeed, at ThinkImpact we seek opportunities on a daily basis to grow rather than feel compelled to overcome the myriad obstacles, challenges and hurdles that building a social enterprise presents. Our collective habits lead to a culture of curiosity. The entire team takes risks and works hard to design experiences that change the world. You and your team will develop your own culture: one that captures your essence, values and beliefs. Use the techniques in the Action Kit to support you in that journey.

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Leadership Prism WHEN YOU BECOME A LEADER, EVERYTHING YOU DO IS REFR ACTED THROUGH A PRISM.

Refining the leadership characteristics of that prism can determine your effectiveness. Leadership remains one of the most discussed, intangible, yet powerful qualities in the entire world. Think about what leaders have been known to accomplish: Microfinance, Civil Rights, Women’s Suffrage. Each word evokes some image of a leader. The way each leader makes decisions, works with others, and achieves remarkable feats is unique. What kind of a leader will you be? TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION,

ThinkImpact has developed a Leadership Prism to help you sift through the myriad questions that leaders face. If you can boil down your ambitious goals for social innovation into a set of actions through the prism, we believe you will be a more effective leader. Determined leaders can achieve nearly anything. BUT LEADERSHIP DOES NOT COME EASILY.

Even for the natural born leader, leadership habits and skills are developed through repetition across experiences. Every moment that one can lead, and does, is a moment that person becomes a more effective leader overall. The Leadership Prism is a resource you can use daily to prepare for leadership opportunities.

PREPARE

LIFE IS ABOUT PREPARING FOR MOMENTS

and leadership opportunities could arise at any time. Throughout the Institute you will find hundreds of opportunities to lead. The question is, “Will you do what it takes to prepare for these moments?” THE BEST WAY TO PREPARE FOR TR ANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP MOMENTS

is by cultivating your leadership skills on a daily basis. Alone, in groups, and with strangers, you are always being handed opportunities to lead and follow. Leadership requires you to understand the motivations and desires of those you hope to lead. Make it a priority to understand others. FOCUS ON ONE OPPORTUNITY YOU CURRENTLY HAVE TO LEAD AND CONSIDER THESE THREE QUESTIONS:

What goal inspires you and your team? Where is the opportunity to make a difference? How will you and your team achieve the goal? 24

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PARTICIPATE

TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR ANSWERS

to the three questions you have prepared. Now analyze them through the 5 Elements of Enlightened Leadership.

5 ELEMENTS OF ENLIGHTENED LEADERSHIP

VISION

COMMUNICATION

EXECUTION

FEEDBACK

APPRECIATION

ESTABLISH YOUR VISION (AND HOW TO START) WRITE OUT THE ANSWER TO QUESTION 1 IN PREPARE:

The outcome that inspires my team and

me is… DESCRIBE THE IDEAL SCENE

(consider products, services, networks, resources, or experiences)

that achieves the outcome. IDENTIFY THE FIRST 3 STEPS

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3

that you can take in order to make the scene a reality.

CONTINUED

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COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY DESCRIBING WHERE YOU ARE GOING

or how you hope to work with others is immensely challenging. Everyone has their own interpretation of events, ideas and experiences. The leader is able to capture the essential pieces that relate to the entire group. Make sure the ideas you are sharing are communicated effectively. When you are communicating, make sure that you respect their time and opinion and that you are mentally present in the conversation.

IS MY MESSAGE AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE?

To find out if you have created a simple message, review your message in the following scenes: You are at a bar and someone asks you to share your vision. How would you answer? Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re running a 10k and someone asks you to share your vision, but can only hear every other word, which words are most important to share? You have a 35 second encounter with the one person who can make your vision real, what will you tell them? You are sharing with a 7 year old what you want to achieve, how will you explain it to them so you keep their attention? AM I BEING CONSISTENT?

Jot down the messages you have given about the vision. Is it grand or is it small? Will it require many people? What information is available and where did you get it? Why are you committed to the vision? Who is with you? CHECK YOURSELF:

Are any of the notes you wrote down contradictory? Is anything different from what you have said in the past? If so, why? Does your message reflect reality? Is there anything that is unpredictable that could undermine your credibility? How will you achieve the vision every day? Is it sustainable? Will you become burnt out? Where will you find the energy to continue even when things get difficult?

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HOW CAN I COMMUNICATE CHANGES?

Heraclitus, a ancient Greek philosopher, noted: “The only constant in life is change.” There will be bumps in the road, deadlines missed, new ideas and frustrations as you work with others. Embrace change; don’t resist it. Once you appreciate that change is inevitable, you can focus on communicating the changes that have occurred and seek opportunities from them. Consider changes that may occur in the following:

TIMING QUALITY ENVIRONMENT RELATIONSHIPS COMPETITION TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES ISOLATE CHANGES THAT HAVE AFFECTED YOUR PLANS AND ASK:

What change has occurred? Why has the change occurred? How can we innovate around this change? If the change causes friction between two people, remember two invaluable practices. Don’t waste energy looking for what others are doing wrong. Look for what you could do to improve the situation. Don’t label others and don’t label yourself. Everyone is multidimensional and every solution requires more than one part of each person. CONTINUED

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EXECUTE EFFICIENTLY LEADERSHIP IS ONE ROLE IN AN OPER ATION.

Several other roles are often required to get something done. Just think about a standard company: There might be people in the strategy role, the engineering role, the marketing role, the administrative role and the sales role. All of these roles make the whole possible. To execute efficiently, the roles need to be defined and the individuals in each role needs to be supported, prepared, and motivated to achieve the vision. It is the leaderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role to make sure others are in the role that fits with their skills and desires and then to support them to be successful. AS YOU PURSUE THE EXECUTION OF THE VISION, CHECK HOW YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE DOING IN YOUR ROLE THROUGH THE FOLLOWING LENSES: RIGHT SEAT ON THE BUS LENS :

Is each member of your team in a position to succeed? Do they have the habits, skills and perspectives required for the tasks ahead? CONSISTENCY LENS : As the leader are you sending a consistent message? Is the vision changing? When things change are you ruffled or do you hold strong? INNOVATING LENS : Are you leaving room for others to share ideas or test them out? Are you holding on to old ideas that are stifling opportunity? OPTIMIST LENS : Do you convey a sense of opportunity to your team? Have you been able to reframe small or menial tasks into critical pieces to achieving the vision? OPER ATIONS LENS : Is the team working cohesively to achieve the goal? Is information being communicated efficiently? Are ideas being shared? Are tasks moving from one person to the next on time? Do people know what they are responsible for? OWNERSHIP LENS : Is the individual working on the task or project feeling truly in charge? Are you focusing on what they are doing wrong? If so, redirect your energy towards how you can be more supportive.

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GATHER AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES ARE PRESENTED THROUGH FEEDBACK.

Everyone wants to know how he or she did when they have completed a task. Think about how excited you are to get exam results on a test you prepared for. FEEDBACK COMES IN MANY FORMS. HERE IS HOW TO MAKE GIVING AND RECEIVING FEEDBACK HIGH IMPACT. RECEIVING FEEDBACK:

If feedback feels negative, remember that you are learning. Seek improvement. Nothing was built in a day and nobody is perfect. Identify how you can be better, and be proud of that. If feedback is discouraging, don’t’ let it undermine your ambitions. Simply put, don’t be too hard on yourself. We are often our harshest critics. Feedback is meant to help, not to destroy. Don’t let feedback be destructive. No matter what feedback you are receiving, make it constructive. Reflect on the feedback. Reject the impulse to react. Sit on it without letting your ego or pride get in the way. Come back around to it after a couple hours or days. Then move from there. Don’t misinterpret positive feedback as meaning you are perfect. Be grateful for the affirmation but recognize that we can always improve. Once you have received feedback and processed it, think about how you can apply it. APPLY IT EARLY AND OFTEN , and see if there are any tangible improvements in your outcomes. GIVING FEEDBACK:

Offer feedback in the right physical space. Don’t sit above or below the other person. Be at eye level and have a conversation. Find a private space to offer feedback to avoid embarrassment. Establish the context of the feedback first. Avoid words like “always” or “never.” Blanket statements lack context. Organize your feedback. Begin with something positive (be authentic!) then offer something constructive, and find a way to end on a positive note. Discuss next steps. Consider setting goals and check in points to track progress. CONTINUED Explore ways that you can be a resource. I N S T I T U T E 2013

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APPRECIATE ALL AROUND THE SECOND HABIT TO MAKE EVERY MOMENT HIGH IMPACT IS “VALUE PEOPLE.”

The easiest way to do this is to tell people you value them - but be cautious. Being authentic will determine if your appreciation is taken the right way. In fact, using specific examples is the most powerful way to show your appreciation. Every day people do remarkable things big and small on our behalf. How we appreciate their efforts will determine if they want to continue to help us with our vision. Ask yourself: Who has done something you truly appreciate? Beyond saying “thank you,” how can you appreciate their efforts? CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

Recognizing someone in front of the whole team. Showing your appreciation through reciprocation. Give a specific example of how a team member has contributed toward the goal.

PROCESS

ARE YOU UTILIZING THE LEADERSHIP PRISM EVERY DAY?

How are you tracking your progress? How has cultivating your leadership skills in the past (day/month/ week) helped you achieve your goals? Have you led in an isolated situation? Have you been leading to achieve an ambitious bigger picture?

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Manage Around Experiences MANAGEMENT IS A STICKY TOPIC,

one that has perplexed professors and leaders for generations. Some get a bad taste in their mouth at the word “management”, feeling boxed in just at the thought of it. Others see power and control. Still others see a tool for doing great things. We are going to pick apart the essential ingredients for entrepreneurial management (our favorite flavor of management) in the 21st century and provide you with some tools to practice and work on throughout the Institute. AS A GENER AL PRINCIPLE,

it is important that you treat everyone you work with like a customer. Everyone has a perspective and deserves to be listened to, but more importantly, just as with customers, we need to understand their experience to increase satisfaction. That includes satisfaction with the team, with the manager and with the results. Management can and should be a process of building up through concrete actions – harnessing the power of human nature to ultimately yield great achievements. AS PETER DRUCKER NOTED,

management is primarily about getting “things done right.” This means relentlessly improving the process, developing systems, executing efficiently and producing remarkable results. PREPARE

CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT THE EXPERIENCES

around working in team, following a clear process, or conquering a goal and seeing the results. Each can be inspiring. The question is, how can an organization institutionalize such an inspiring concept and make it common? FIRST, EVERY MANAGER MUST BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING 3 KEYS TO MANAGEMENT: WHAT WILL WE ACHIEVE? HOW WILL WE ALLOCATE RESOURCES (TIME, TALENT, TREASURE)? WHO WILL DELIVER RESULTS?

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WITH ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS,

you can see the path ahead. As an entrepreneurial manager, it is critical that you communicate the answers to the three questions above to your team. The trick is to communicate often. One business leader, Ari Weinzweig, co-founder and CEO of the world famous Zingermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Deli, explains that managers must communicate something in 9 different ways to get the message across. You read that correctly: 9. IDEAS FOR HOW YOU MIGHT TO DELIVER SOMETHING USING THE 9 WAYS TO COMMUNICATE: ONE ON ONE MEETINGS GROUP MEETINGS LETTER WRITING DR AWING JOKE TELLING ROLE PLAYING STORYTELLING BODY MOVEMENT SHARING MANTR AS

CONTINUED I N S T I T U T E 2013

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PARTICIPATE

AS A MANAGER,

you will be responsible for presenting the answers to the three keys to management for every important goal that exists in your group or organization. BEGIN BY WRITING OUT THE 3 KEYS TO MANAGEMENT FOR A SPECIFIC GOAL. TO GAIN COMFORT

with communicating your message to your team, come up with three ways (out of the 9 above) to communicate the answers to each of the 3 Keys. 3 KEYS = GOAL, RESOURCES, TEAM 9 WAYS = COMMUNICATING THE PLAN PROCESS

Did your team find any holes in your answers to the 3 keys? Were there any inconsistencies? How would you engage your team earlier to build stronger answers to the 3 keys? Which way of communicating helped the team digest the information most effectively? Test all 9 ways throughout the program and identify your preferred medium of communication.

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Difficult Conversations THE INSTITUTE IS A TRULY INTENSE EXPERIENCE.

There is no skirting around that fact. As a result, you will at times feel like you have been pushed to your limits. As a scholar, you are adjusting to new experiences without your daily routines. Your host families will be trying terribly hard to make sure you are comfortable, at times causing you to feel uncomfortable, as though you are an intruder in their space. And, of course, the Country Team will be working every day to ensure that your time in the community is high impact. Energy, expectations, and emotions will run high. THE KEY TO SUCCESS

is responding appropriately to situations. Impulsively reacting can cause you even more frustration, discomfort or even embarrassment. SOMETIMES YOU WILL DOUBT THE PROCESS

and your purpose for being in rural Africa. You will likely question the Action Kit itself. This is actually positive. We want you to think through each element of the process, ask difficult questions, confront awkward situations, and identify the right path forward for your goals. THE KEY TO MANAGING TIMES OF DOUBT

is by having open and honest dialogue. The quality of your communication with others is directly related to the trust you and other scholars will feel toward one another. AT TIMES YOU WILL NEED TO ENGAGE

in what Douglas Stone calls â&#x20AC;&#x153;Difficult Conversations.â&#x20AC;? Difficult conversations are anything you find hard to talk about. Fortunately, there are some tricks, detailed below, to successfully working through these conversations. The sooner every member of your team engages in this action when confronted with a difficult conversation the more you will enjoy the Institute and accomplish your goals.

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PREPARE

BEFORE YOU HEAD INTO A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION, GO THROUGH THE FOLLOWING THREE STEPS. STEP 1 SORT OUT WHAT HAPPENED:

Where does your story come from (information, past experiences, rules)? What impact has this situation had on you? What might the other party’s intentions have been? UNDERSTAND EMOTIONS

Explore the array of emotions you are feeling. Your feelings are valid; this is your chance to label them. Ground your identity (we will call this your “Identity Conversation”) What’s at stake for you? What truth can you accept that will help you to feel more grounded? STEP 2 CHECK YOUR PURPOSES (WHY DO YOU WANT TO ENGAGE IN THE DIFFICULT CONVERSATION?).

What do you hope to accomplish? Shift your stance to support learning, sharing and problem-solving. Is this the best way to address the issue and achieve your purpose? Is the issue really embedded in your Identity Conversation? Can you affect the problem by changing your contributions? If you don’t raise it, what can you do to help yourself let go?

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PARTICIPATE

STEP 3 THIS IS WHERE YOU ACTUALLY START THE CONVERSATION. DESCRIBE THE PROBLEM AS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR STORIES.

Using a third-person perspective, include both viewpoints as a legitimate part of the discussion. Share your purposes. Invite them to join you as a partner in sorting out the situation together. STEP 4 EXPLORE THEIR STORY AND YOURS IN MORE DEPTH FIRST, LET THEM SPEAK:

Listen carefully to understand their perspective on what happened. Ask questions. Acknowledge the feelings behind their arguments or accusations. Paraphrase to see if you fully understand their argument. Try to unravel how the two of you got to this point. SHARE YOUR STORY:

What were your intentions, experiences, feelings? REFR AME:

Take the negative points and reframe them into explanations of what is really going on with you personally. For example: Re-frame from perception to truth From accusations to intentions and impact From blame to contribution From judgments and characterizations to feelings From “What’s wrong with you” to “What’s going on for you” STEP 5

Identify a solution and how to keep communication lines open as you go forward.

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PROCESS

REMEMBER :

Believe in the process. This process will genuinely help you understand different perspectives and handle difficult conversations with grace and humility. Think back on the conclusions of the conversation. Where do you stand? What do you need to do? What have you agreed on? Thinking back on the whole situation, what would you have done differently?

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Sharing Ideas with Community Members THE ACTION KIT IS A COMPLEX TOOL

for uncovering assets, building relationships, establishing teams and testing ideas. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably unlike any other guidebook or program youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever experienced before. Now consider how difficult it is for people in a different country, with a different language and a different cultural heritage to understand! The task before you is to not only become deeply familiar with the actions you will take in the Action Kit, but to create the circumstances for your African friends to use the Action Kit as well. TO SUCCESSFULLY WORK

alongside community members on the Institute, you will be the communicator of the Innovation Process as captured in the Action Kit. This will require constant effort on your part throughout the program. To assist you in communicating the contents of the Action Kit, we have prepared this framework.

PREPARE

FOR EVERY ACTIVITY

where you are working with a community member, think about the goal of the activity. Once that is clear, choose simple language that you would use to explain the goal. CONSIDER CONTEXT AS YOU DECIDE THE LANGUAGE TO USE:

Cultural relevance Jargon and complex English words are useless here Why you want to work with the person Make an invitation to the community member out of the interaction

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PARTICIPATE

YOU HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THE LANGUAGE YOU WOULD USE, BUT NOW YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO COMMUNICATE IT!

This is where the

rubber meets the road. WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZER

Explain the idea to the community organizer. Does it make sense to them? Is anything getting lost in translation? Use some tricks to double check the quality of your communication. COLLABOR ATE ON A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE IDEA.

Have the community organizer explain the activity in a different way (perhaps through a scenario). PRESENT THE IDEAS TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

With the support of the community organizer, decide how to best present the ideas to the locals. Visual? Scenario? Through the community organizer? IDENTIFY WAYS TO TR AIN OTHERS ON THE ACTION BEFORE YOU DO IT TOGETHER.

Should you ask targeted questions? Should you present something through pictures? Should you provide clear steps for the team to complete the actions? Listen to the questions as they come. Adjust accordingly.

PROCESS

What messages were communicated? What about your approach worked? Was there a particularly complex action that you were able to communicate? Was it rewarding? How can you learn from the positive experience? Are you involving the community members in your planning as much as possible? How can you involve them earlier and more often?

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Norms and Practices In the Community ThinkImpact takes the health and safety of scholars and advisors extremely seriously. Every practice and norm on the program is the product of thoughtful review of what health and safety risks visitors face during a full immersion program. The practices and norms (below codified in a behavior policy you have agreed to and signed) are for your benefit and the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well-being and will help to ensure the success of ThinkImpactâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s involvement in communities. We do not take public transportation, except in the case of life threatening emergencies. Public transportation includes any form of motorized transportation not organized by or provided by ThinkImpact, including motorbikes, public vans or taxis, and scooters. We do not travel beyond our neighborâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homestay at night, except when accompanied by a staff member, or in a case of extreme emergency. We do not take part in any illegal activity during this program, including use, purchase, and/or handling of illicit drugs, based on local, national or United States law. We realize that some local rituals may include illicit drugs and we choose to not participate in using any drugs during such activities. We do not go to the bottle store and/or liquor store at any time while in the village. We do not consume alcohol when in the community. We understand the challenges that alcohol consumption produces in this community and therefore intend to be role models for change. We do not travel outside of the community without the consent of our team leader, except in cases of extreme emergency. We do not climb to the roof of a hut, house or building. We understand that injury and death can result from falling from a high structure. We do not physically harm delegates, staff or community members. We do not spend the night in homestays other than our own unless otherwise arranged by the country staff for logistical purposes.

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We never make promises to the community and its members. We never mention bringing money or providing capital. We always keep fellow delegates, team leaders and the country team informed about our health (mental, physical and emotional) throughout the Institute. We always arrive at meetings on time, with a special effort at being five minutes early. We realize our timeliness might cause us to wait for some meetings, but we are patient and try to set a good example. We always listen and learn from others, including community members, delegates, team leaders and the country team. We agree not to eat in public while in the community. We agree to keep our room neat and clean while in the community by making our bed and keeping our belongings tidy. We agree to maintain a clean appearance while in the community, choosing to bathe, wear clean clothes and shoes, and ensure that our belongings are also kept clean.

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Allocate Your Space & Time OVER YOUR LIFE YOU HAVE BUILT, TESTED AND MODIFIED YOUR DAILY ROUTINES.

As you immerse in a village in Africa, you will realize that most of your habits are extremely difficult to apply to your new environment. From the way you brush your teeth to the way you eat food, you will find yourself outside of your comfort zone. This is an exciting experience and you will begin to appreciate how much change you can handle. THIS MUCH CHANGE CAN BE DISRUPTIVE, but you want to maintain your capacity to operate in this environment. As you are a faced with your new reality, you may begin to feel overwhelmed. For example, in the village you might feel like you are always exposed. With kids running around, locals pointing, smiling or even laughing at you as you move from place to place, you may feel like privacy in the community does not exist at all. MEANWHILE, YOU ARE AN EXPLORER,

learning the landscape or even where you have room to put your shoes, bags and toothbrush while you sleep at night. Acquainting yourself with the area will take time. It’s hard to get into a flow when your mind is out of ease. TO CONQUER THAT FEELING OF UNEASE,

it is critical to create space: physical and mental space that you can own. This action helps you create space and increase your capacity to function in a rural village. BELOW ARE SOME KEY TERMS THAT WILL HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND “SPACE”: WORKSPACE:

This is your physical place of work. It’s where you sit down and get things done. Think of your desk at school or in an office. But now you have the additional challenge of creating space where there might be very little room for flexibility. Creating a workspace in your homestay, as well as a “portable workspace” as you move around the community will become a tremendous asset as you work through the innovation process.

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TOOLS:

Within your workspace you will need tools. Pens and pencils, rulers, staplers, tape. These are all examples of typical office tools. We want to take that a step – or perhaps a couple of steps – farther. You don’t have a local office supply shop for you to have everything you might need at school or work. So you will have to imagine every asset around you as a tool for your success. THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES WILL HELP YOU GET STARTED: POSTURE :

Everyone in business says your greatest asset is your people. In this case, your greatest asset is your person – your body, your mind, and your health. The way you carry yourself matters. It can help you relax to lie down, or you can stay focused with a straight back while sitting on a chair. Think about your posture and be intentional with it. Your posture will help you achieve your goal at any given moment. SURFACE :

A desk is a critical tool. But it is only one type of surface that can help you work. The walls in ThinkImpact’s office create our open brainstorming space. The floors indicate where people stand at different times of the day (we literally have a meeting where everyone has to stand on a green circle). Think about which surfaces inspire you. Sitting on a tree stump next to a river might help you process a reflection more than lying on your bed in the dark. Think about what surface you will use to write on, sit on, think on. ENVIRONMENT :

In a rural community people use different parts of the village at different times of the day. Intuitively, the local community works where they believe they are most comfortable and most likely to achieve their goals. Now that you are in a new environment, think about where you might feel most effective. Working in a cement room with poor halogen lighting is not going to keep you energized and inspired. Similarly, being cramped among a large crowd is a terrible place to hold a meeting. Select your environment carefully for the task at hand. Test options out. As you figure out where works best for you for different tasks, put that into your daily planning routine. Where do you need to be to succeed? SIZE :

When it comes to space, size matters. Similar to environment, remember, you cannot be cramped and expect to be operating at your peak capacity. Find the space to work, then build out the workspace.

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STOR AGE:

It’s important to think about where you will keep materials when you aren’t using them. We are not just thinking about a closet for paper or clothes. We are talking about everything you might need to store so it is readily available to you whenever you might need it. Where will you store your thoughts during the institute? Where will you store your index cards while you are walking around the village? Where will you store your water bottle so it is not a huge hassle to carry around? Think about what you can use to create the convenient storage tools that you need to operate in rural Africa: small notebook, Ziploc bag, backpack, small cardboard boxes, plastic, rubber bands, string and more. HABITS:

When you are in your “space” you hold the power over your actions. Your actions will reflect how you feel: inspired, energized, disappointed, frustrated, bored, whatever. The key is for you to create routines that support you in achieving whatever it is that you are working towards at that moment. Ideally routines become so consistent that it becomes virtually effortless to be in the right mindset to work on the task at hand. Healthy habits and routines are formed with great effort and take time. Intentionality will determine how successful you are in creating these habits and what they can be used for. As Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” CLEAR YOUR MIND:

Get things out of your head and onto paper. It is one of the greatest tricks around for letting go and de-stressing. Simply putting the vast number of ideas, tasks and responsibilities in a safe place that you can reference later will lead to clarity in your mind. Refer to MAKING IDEAS REAL for some additional tricks! GET ORGANIZED:

Putting ideas and tasks on paper is the beginning, but sorting it out is a critical step towards effective action. Take the ideas and notes, and begin to organize them by subject. What is redundant? What is not important? Cross off anything that you are comfortable ignoring. You’ll never regret being more focused. If you are stuck, look at REFR AME or NEW VIEW to look through different lenses.

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FLOW:

You now know what is important, sort of important, and really unimportant. You’ve just put it all on paper, reviewed it, and thought to yourself, “Wow, I really need to do that” and “whoa, I definitely don’t need to do this.” Those gut instincts should guide you through this next action: You are going to write a quick goal statement. The goal statement will, very simply, state what you are going to achieve. Zone in on your goal; ignore the noise around you. TR ANSFORM:

You know what you need to do, you are ready to zone into achieving the goal. You are doing this with ease after a while. The next step is to create a logical process to approach accomplishing your goal. Just like the Action Kit overall, accomplishing goals large and small requires three steps: 1) understanding context, assets and culture, 2) brainstorming and sharing your ideas and finally, 3) testing ideas and iterating after receiving feedback. IMMERSE, INSPIRE, INNOVATE . To build the habit, start by using this framework on a small goal twice per week. Develop an idea into a concept by considering your assets, think of ways to make them come together into a prototype and gather feedback. You may find that you want to use this approach more often! PROCESS:

Reflect on your experiences in the community every day. Write down your thoughts; sit down with friends to review the day, make sure to really comprehend what affected you for better or for worse. The more you do this, the more you will gain from it. STATE OF MIND:

Know yourself. We discussed above how the environment around you might affect your ability to work. Similarly, everyone has a different cycle in the day and certain activities are best executed or enjoyed in the morning, afternoon or evening. Know your state of mind at different times of the day. Then choose to engage those activities when you are most likely to succeed. In fact, we even think that “Impact” is a state of mind. That’s why we say, “I THINK IMPACT THEREFORE I AM.”

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PREPARE

DURING YOUR FIRST THREE DAYS IN THE COMMUNITY,

explore and identify at least three ideas under each of the following categories: SPACES –

Where will you set up your workspace? Will you have more than

one? TOOLS – HABITS –

What will you leverage to be successful in your workspace? What routines will you engage on a daily basis?

STATE OF MIND –

Who are you in this space? How might you divide your

day?

PARTICIPATE

ORGANIZE ALL THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE GATHERED. PICK ONE IDEA FOR EACH OF THE CATEGORIES YOU PREPARED. PLAN WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO EXPLORE EACH OF THESE IDEAS.

PROCESS

HOW WELL DID EACH OF YOUR IDEAS WORK FOR YOU?

Reflect on what worked well, what was missing, and what was surprising. Did you pick the right time of day? Were you able to focus? EVERY THREE DAYS REASSESS AND ITER ATE.

of learning and doing in the village.

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Tweak to create your ideal day

MIND

The Power of Habits THE INSTITUTE IS DESIGNED

for every scholar to experience a Mindshift. While most scholars approach the summer with the intention of making an impact on the lives of community members, their host family or the community in general, the feedback is that most students leave having personally experienced a transformation. YOU WILL, VERY LIKELY,

make a profound impact on the community, but complex change emerges from small personal adjustments. A powerful place to begin is with your individual habits. As some put it, habits make hard tasks easy. THE MINDSET YOU

will need to successfully impact the community will be one of learning. Literally every part of the Institute is a learning opportunity. If you embrace the potential for learning that is embodied in the Institute, others will too, and that has a powerful impact on other people’s lives. BEGIN TO LOOK

at the details in your life. How do you function? It is in the “how” that you will find the key to “impact.” WE ALL KNOW

that nothing can be sustainable if it is a single action. Indeed, it is the repetition that creates lasting value. As Aristotle noted, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” THE AUTHOR

of “The Power of Habit: Why we do what we do in life and business,” Charles Duhigg argues that a “neurological loop is at the core of every habit, a cue, a routine, and a reward.”

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ROUTINE A PHYSICAL, MENTAL OR EMOTIONAL RESPONSE TO THE CUE.

CUE

REWARD IS THE FEEDBACK THAT HELPS

A TRIGGER THAT

INFORM YOUR BR AIN IF THIS

TELLS YOUR BR AIN

PARTICULAR LOOP IS WORTH

TO GO INTO

REMEMBERING. IN OTHER WORDS,

AUTOMATIC MODE

DOES YOUR BR AIN LIKE THE

AND WHICH HABIT

REWARD? IF SO, IT WILL CREATE A

TO USE.

HABIT.

UNFORTUNATELY,

notes Duhigg, your brain cannot differentiate between good and bad at the habit level. So you can easily develop both types of habits. Both result from a cue and reward loop that becomes ingrained in our brain. This leads to a basic truth: “What a habit emerges, the brain stops fully participating in decision making. It stops working so hard, or diverts focus to other tasks. So unless you deliberately fight a habit – unless you find new routines – the pattern will unfold automatically. WE INVITE EACH SCHOLAR TO IDENTIFY A HABIT THAT THEY WANT TO DEVELOP, BREAK OR REFR AME. PREPARE

DUHIGG NOTES

that “once you break a habit into its components, you can fiddle with the gears.” Let’s do that here! LIST OUT THE HABITS

you would like to work on. Big or small, it doesn’t matter.

ZERO IN ON ONE HABIT THAT YOU’D LIKE TO MODIFY OR DEVELOP. THINK ABOUT WHY

this habit is worth being disciplined enough to work on with your time and energy. WRITE A GOAL STATEMENT. ENVISION SUCCESS. PARTICIPATE

USING DUHIGG’S FR AMEWORK, FOLLOW THESE FOUR STEPS: STEP 1 – IDENTIFY THE ROUTINE BREAK DOWN YOUR HABIT

into cue, routine and reward. This builds your habit loop. Looking at your habit loop, identify what you can do to interrupt, or redirect, your habit. Can you avoid certain cues? Can you change the routine? 50

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STEP 2 – EXPERIMENT WITH REWARDS REWARDS ARE POWERFUL

because they satisfy cravings. The tricky part is that we aren’t always conscious of the cravings that drive our behaviors. To understand our cravings, you will want to experiment with different rewards. TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR HABIT.

What does it include? For example, if you wake up each morning and instantly slurp down a cup of coffee, ask why. Obviously you feel like the coffee will wake you up. But is coffee the only tool that can achieve this? What if you woke up and went for a 20 minute run? What if you took a cold shower? What if you went to bed earlier? All of these might satisfy your reward of feeling awake. Perhaps it is the smell of the coffee? Perhaps it is the feeling that right when you wake up you have done something. These may be satisfied in different ways. Running or a cold shower may help you feel accomplished. Going to bed earlier may help you feel awake. TEST OUT OTHER ROUTINES

to figure out what reward you are chasing. Perhaps you will find a healthier or more satisfying approach and build a new habit. STEP 3 – ISOLATE THE CUE SOMETIMES ITS DIFFICULT

to figure out what cue is triggering your routine. Listed below are a number of categories that most cues fall into which may help you think about the different cues that you respond to: LOCATION

(Where are you?) (What time is it?) EMOTIONAL STATE (How are you feeling?) OTHER PEOPLE (Who else is around?) IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE ACTION (What happened just before you felt the urge to hop into your routine?) TIME

STEP 4 – HAVE A PLAN ORGANIZE ALL OF

this information into a plan that will help you combat: When I see CUE, I will do ROUTINE in order to receive REWARD.

PROCESS

DEVELOPING A HABIT REQUIRES DISCIPLINE.

The best way to stay on track is through keeping a clear record of your actions. Write down what you have done and review the progress you have made on your habit each day. Once you get the hang of it, consider working on new habits. I N S T I T U T E 2013

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Exercise and the Brain THINK OF YOUR BR AIN LIKE A MUSCLE.

The more you use it, the more it grows, but with inactivity, it withers. Fortunately, your brain, just like your muscles, loves exercise. Your brain functions are enhanced when you release neurochemicals – serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine – through physical activity. TR ANSITION SHOCK AND CULTURE SHOCK

can leave you feeling depressed. The quickest and most powerful fix is exercise. Getting up early to move your body will have the powerful effect of also waking up your mind and getting you excited about your day. THIS IS IN SYNC WITH THE COMMUNITY’S HABITS

as well. You will notice that the community members you live with are up early in the morning. Join them in that practice, it will pay off nicely. EVERY MORNING THINKIMPACT’S PROGR AMS

offer 45 minutes of group exercise. Take advantage of them with the following activity. PREPARE

IDENTIFY THE EXERCISE LET YOUR ADVISOR

meet up location before heading to your homestay.

know you are going to be there.

SET YOUR ALARM CLOCK. OFFER TO LEAD AN EXERCISE. TELL YOUR HOST FAMILY

about your plans in the morning.

SET OUT YOUR

exercise clothes, shoes and water bottle the night before so you can move quickly. HAVE A NOTEBOOK

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ready to track your results and your progress.

MIND

PARTICIPATE

DO A BRIEF WARM UP

(3 minutes)

STRETCH EXERCISE

(45 minutes with your heart rate at 55-65% of its maximum is

ideal). COOL DOWN

for 3 minutes.

BONUS:

5 minutes of group breathing. Close your eyes and take it all in. Nothing ever felt so good!

PROCESS

TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK YOURSELF FOR COMMITTING TO YOUR PR ACTICE. RECORD

your workout.

REVIEW

the progress you’ve made!

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01 IMMERSE

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GOALS BUILD RELATIONSHIPS LEARN THE CULTURE UNCOVER ASSETS

IMMERSE

MANDATORY

Traditional Welcome Ceremony

PREPARE

GETTING YOUR MIND AROUND

the experience you will have from the beginning is challenging. We suggest you dress conservatively and respectfully, mindful that many in the community will be in their best attire. REMEMBER TO

go to the bathroom, eat a light snack, bring your water bottle and be patient. The length of time that any welcome ceremony might last is totally unpredictable – and completely up to the community – so it’s helpful to approach the day and the event with patience and gratitude.

PARTICIPATE TRANSFERRING TO THE COMMUNITY

PARTICIPATE EN JOYING THE CEREMONY

TIP On the bus ride to the Welcome Ceremony, try practicing with your fellow scholars simple phrases in the Local Language.

THE VAN RIDE TO

the welcome ceremony is sure to keep everyone on their toes. Unsure exactly what to expect, you might be excited, nervous, anxious or just numb. The best thing to do is practice the greetings in the local language so that the first people you meet hear you making an effort to speak the language. Everyone loves it when visitors make an effort to learn their culture and speak their language. GET IN A MINDSET OF

calm and patience. Be open to learning about everything around you, and most importantly, engage with the community whenever possible. If asked to speak, please say a few words about your excitement for being there and appreciation for their hospitality. If people are inviting you to join in a dance don’t hesitate or think about your skills on the dance floor. Everyone is there to have fun without judgment.

ENGAGE THE GROUP BY INTRODUCING YOURSELF IN THE LOCAL LANGUAGE:

Hello my name is...

I’m from...

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IMMERSE

“

My first week here has been nothing less than memorable. The hope that they can make an impact on me. Hope that together we can make an impact on this community.” – PHILIP JOHNSON, KENYA

REFER TO Page 97 Technique: Remembering Names

PARTICIPATE FOLLOW UP

PROCESS

YOU WILL ALREADY HAVE MET

several local community members in the first few minutes in the village. Do your best to hear, pronounce, and remember their names. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if you are having trouble pronouncing the names. If you use a person’s name during the conversation and when you say goodbye, it helps you to remember it. You never know – one of the people you meet may become your design team partner! AS YOU SETTLE INTO YOUR HOMESTAY,

make sure to mention the welcome ceremony, ask your host family any questions that you have about the event, dances, clothes, or traditions. This is your first opportunity to take in a local cultural experience and to learn from your host family.

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IMMERSE

Homestay WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME.

We have spent many hours meeting with the local community, training host families, and preparing the village for your arrival. Host families know that you are coming and are excited to have you. Everyone has been selected through a careful process to have you as their guest. Each homestay typically has two scholars of the same gender and you are expected to share a room. You should get to know the community by spending meaningful time with your host family, learning about daily routines, likes and dislikes, eating habits and cultural norms. Remember, the host families are an incredible resource for you to engage more effectively with the community. Learn from them at every opportunity! YOU WILL BE DROPPED OFF

to your host family with your bags and your curiosity. This is your new home for the next seven weeks. Some visitors might want to give a small token of appreciation to their homestay (for example, a small gift from the US); check with your advisors and country coordinator on the appropriate time to do this (it may be at the end of the Institute!). Go ahead and walk around the homestead to get a sense of where everything is. You will need to know where to go for food, the bathroom (by the way, bathroom sometimes means shower, so also ask for the toilet), cleaning, water, and more. PREPARE

FIND OUT

where and when you are supposed to meet back up with your fellow scholars and advisor after you have settled in. LEARN

PARTICIPATE

a few welcome phrases in the local language.

GR AB ALL

of your belongings out of the van.

REMEMBER SHARE How many brothers and sisters you grew up with. What kinds of food you enjoy. Any hobbies or interests.

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that what you are doing is extraordinary! You are about to experience life in a new place, living with a culture and community that is new to you. Sometimes you might say something with a thick accent or community members might be shy. Along the way, your attempts at the language may make people laugh or giggle. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be discouraged. Everyone is warming up.

IMMERSE

BEGIN WITH THANKING THE HOST, but as you settle in, also be sure to share something about yourself. It’s important that there is a two-way dialogue and that your hosts learn from you, too!

TRY TO GET TO KNOW YOUR HOST ASK YOUR FAMILY

IT’S ALWAYS OK AY TO ASK QUESTIONS.

How many people live on the homestead? Is there anything you need to know about their home? Where is their room? Where is the bathroom? Where should you shower? Where can you get water? Where will the food be stored? When do they wake up in the morning? When do they go to bed in the evening? Does anyone else live on the homestead? Over time you will learn not to be so direct with your questions finding 3 or 4 ways of asking each question rather than just the one you have in mind. Here is an example – If you are interested in learning about a woman’s family, you may ask her: How many people live on the homestead? Do any children live here? Are any of the children hers? Do they go to school?

PROCESS CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

WHEN YOU MEET UP

with the other members from your team, share stories about your homestay. Tell others how your room is set up, how much space you have, if you are concerned about privacy, and interesting things you learned about your host family. Relax and share. This is a good time to debrief and compare notes on how community members structure their home life. I N S T I T U T E 2013

IMMERSE

Explore PREPARE Map of the communit y that ThinkImpact provided Bring water

IT’S TIME TO GET THE LAY OF THE LAND! Learn where your host family is in relation to the schools, the community gathering places, the water pans, or the local clinic. But don’t take this exploration too seriously. This is your chance to casually walk around the area and get to know your new environment.

PARTICIPATE BRING YOUR INQUISITIVE SIDE.

It’s likely that as you walk around you will attract a few or maybe

You are going to be walking around a village over hills and around corners with a guide. Notice what the guide is sharing with you. Are they pointing at the obvious landmarks or are they telling you where they went to school and what it was like? Every guide – just like everyone in the village – has a personal story to share. They may only show you places, speaking very little.

dozens of onlookers and kids from the community. Bring them along!

ASK QUESTIONS & OBSERVE

Remember, relax and unwind. This is a peaceful way to get to know your new home. *The guided tour will end back at the place where it started.

Which direction am I going – away from my host family or toward the school? What kind of traffic is there? What are some short cuts to major landmarks? What kind of plant life is there? What are to the roads like? What are the roofs of houses like? What are they made of? What are the kids using for soccer balls or any recreational activities?

PROCESS CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

AN AWESOME WAY TO PROCESS

the ground you covered is by reviewing the map and identifying where things are in relation to one another. Just mark down a bunch of things that you noticed and landmarks you passed. GR AB YOUR JOURNAL

and write down some thoughts. Even if you are exhausted, spending even 5 minutes on that could capture an emotion that inspires you later on during the Institute.

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“

It was then, sitting exhausted in the grass with women I had only just met, that I began to truly feel like a part of the community.” – BECCA TOOLE, KENYA

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IMMERSE

Shared Cultural Experiences PREPARE Pen Journal Water

PARTICIPATE

THE INNOVATION INSTITUTE IS ALL ABOUT EMPATHY, not sympathy. We take the standard definition of empathy: “The intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.” In other words, putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. We have built out a number of ways for empathy to be part of your immersion process. First, we encourage you to share cultural experiences. Below you will find details on what we mean by that. We also believe in a concept called shared austerity, which means that you should also experience some of the hardships of life in the community. Collecting water early in the morning or sweeping the dirt in your hut are a couple of examples. By living as the locals live, you are gaining insight into daily life in the community. INNOVATION COMES at the nexus of two radically different cultures. As you gain more exposure to this culture, you will be laying the foundation for a dynamic innovation process. TO LEARN ABOUT and really experience daily life, we encourage you and your homestay family to work through the following list of tasks and chores that will reveal the local culture and what it takes to live in this community.

SUGGESTED LIST OF ACTIVITES

TIP Visit a local school and learn how children interact with teachers and one another. Children often transcend culture and are frequently curious about foreigners. They are also great teachers, especially of the local language.

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YOUR LIST OF ACTIVITIES

IMMERSE

PROCESS Personal Discussion

PROCESS Experience Tracker

TALK TO YOUR ROOMMATE about what you feel comfortable with and what you are having a hard time with. Discuss ideas for how to make the situation easier or more comfortable. If the topic is awkward, make an agreement with your roommate to share one really uncomfortable thing you learned or had to deal with in exchange for an equally uncomfortable lesson from them. Life is better shared!

WHAT PEOPLE TELL YOU and what they experience on a daily basis can seem quite different. Active engagement in tasks and cultural experiences reveals information, challenges, and opportunities that might not come up during a conversation. Learning by doing is incredibly powerful. AS YOU ENGAGE IN AN ACTIVITY, THINK ABOUT

CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

ASSETS

Did you learn about a new asset or resource that you overlooked before?

MOTIVATION

Have you learned anything new about what motivates community members to perform a particular activity?

EXCHANGES

Have you observed any exchanges (financial, barter, etc.) that helped the community member complete a daily task?

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS

in the Institute is fully digesting your experiences. Taking the time to process the influx of information will yield incredible rewards as the program progresses. Tracking all of these experiences can be difficult, so we have developed a couple of simple tools for you to copy into your journal if you find them helpful. As you complete each shared cultural experience, write down what you did and how it went. When you do it again, update your notes to track your progress. CONTINUED

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MIND

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Experience Tracker (Shared Cultural Experiences continued) CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

Activit y

Date

As you complete each shared cultural experience, write down what you did and how it went. When you do it again, update your notes to track your progress.

Duration

Description of experience

Successes and Challenges / Lessons Learned

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Seek Understanding AS YOU GAIN A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING

of the local culture, you will likely experience a variety of competing views and emotions. Sometimes you’ll feel incredible, other times you’ll feel deflated. This array of emotions – indeed, a roller coaster of emotions – can be attributed to culture shock, an entirely normal and useful personal process. THE SECRET THAT NOBODY TELLS YOU

when you travel to a new country or environment is that your attitude will drive how you deal with each phase of culture shock.

JOURNEY OF CULTURE SHOCK WHERE ON THE JOURNEY ARE YOU?

INITIAL ATTITUDES

POSITIVE

NEGATIVE

OPENNESS

SUSPICION

ACCEPTANCE

FEAR

TRUST

PREJUDICE

FRUSTRATION CONFUSION

INEVITABLE REACTIONS

TENSION EMBARRASSMENT

PERSPECTIVES

IMPACT

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OBSERVE

CRITICIZE

LISTEN

RATIONALIZE

INQUIRE

WITHDRAW

RAPPORT

ALIENATION

UNDERSTANDING

ISOLATION

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“

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been occupied with walking around the community, striking up conversations with random people using different techniques to get a better idea of what it is really like here.” -AMAN GUPTA, SOUTH AFRICA

HERE IS AN EX AMPLE

of a scenario and two ways to approach the situation.

It is the beginning of the Institute and you meet several community leaders and wonder if they are corrupt. You have read about corruption in Africa, you have mapped assumptions, and you cannot get the idea that local leaders steal from their population out of your head.

Which would be your approach?

When you arrive at the Welcome Ceremony, you meet the chief. You look into his eyes, smile, and determine, this guy is definitely corrupt. You decide that he is someone to be suspicious of. His shoes are too nice in a community where everyone else is wearing sandals or no shoes at all. This emotion extends to your attitude about his subordinates – the four sub-chiefs. As the program progresses, you avoid working with the local leadership and at times find yourself frustrated, critical and generally a bit isolated throughout the summer.

You learn the same facts about corruption, but you actively decide that you do not have enough information to judge the chief. Perhaps the chief gets shoes for his status as a leader? Perhaps he hates those shoes? You simply don’t know, but you are excited to gain information, and you trust that the complexities of a community reach far beyond the surface – for better and for worse. You listen a lot, ask great questions, and eventually, you build a deeper sense of belonging and understanding, even when you encounter frustrations along the way.

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Developing a Communication Plan WE ARE... In the community as partners not as providers of charity.

THIS IS NOT A MARKETING EXERCISE. This is how you will communicate your story (the who, what, when, where, why, and how) of why you are in the village and what you are doing there, as well as how you will deal with difficult and even awkward communication moments.

Consistency is critical.

THE MOST DIFFICULT COMMUNICATION CHALLENGE

for scholars (from our experience, at least), other than the language barrier, is constantly responding to requests for money. While the community has been told that you are not here to provide donations, grants, or to distribute cash, you will get the question all the time. In some communities, children will routinely ask for candy, goodies, food, or even your iPod.

WE IMPLORE YOU: PLEASE DO NOT GIVE PEOPLE MONEY, SCHOLARSHIPS, SHOES OR ANYTHING ELSE. WE COMPENSATE

homestays fairly and we cannot confuse our role in the

village. We are not there to provide money. We are there to create social innovation.

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with community challenges is good planning. Use the following chart to develop your own communication plan. THE KEY TO DEALING

Why are you here? Think about your core motivation and be authentic.

What is ThinkImpact? What do YOU think we are about?

Can you give me money? Answer is always â&#x20AC;&#x153;noâ&#x20AC;? but think about reasons, i.e. you are here to work with them.

Are you here to help us? You are there to learn about a new culture and share ideas, etc.

What other questions have you gotten in the community?

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P.S. Letter Home MANDATORY THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY

to review the letter that you wrote to yourself on the plane to Africa. That letter was meant to capture what you were thinking on route to the other side of the globe. Now that you have the letter, it’s time to complete it with that classic finish, the P.S. (post script). YOU CAN THINK

of the P.S. as something that surprised you, something you overcame, you love, or you are shocked by. It’s always fun to appreciate how your perspectives have shifted in just a short period of time. If your letter is too personal, please share parts that you feel comfortable with. Sharing is a

WRITE YOUR P.S .

and share it with your team. If you are comfortable sharing your original letter, please do that, too!

part of the process of connecting and learning.

“

When they told me to “think impact” I thought of the impact I would make on others. I never considered the impact on me.” – PHILIP JOHNSON, KENYA

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Observe IN OUR LIVES ,

we never seem to step back, take a deep breath, and gain perspective. For many of us, the minute we are expected to stop, observe, and not participate, is the minute we become bored or uncomfortable. To appreciate your surroundings, to truly listen to sounds in an environment, and to become familiar with a place’s daily rhythm, you can simply observe. BY OBSERVING,

you can learn how spaces play a role in the community; you can appreciate how the environment and nature have adapted to the village; and you can cross paths with community members. PREPARE

REVIEW THE COMMUNITY MAP

and mark routes and places you’d like to

get to know better. FIND 3 NICE SPOTS

in the middle of the village where you

can sit comfortably. EX. Under a tree, a small chair, perhaps in a cafe

PARTICIPATE

YOUR TASK IS

It may be more fun to sit in the

AS YOU OBSERVE ,

center of town in the afternoon, but you might also want to see the women collecting water in the morning.

to take 45 minutes in each of the three spots to observe the community. Ideally, you will do this action during three different parts of the day, and each location will be dominated by a different landmark or feature. you might feel uncomfortable, like you are a visitor at the zoo. We understand your sentiment, but we encourage you to interact with people as they pass by, and to be relaxed. It is also important to recognize that hanging out in the community is probably not too uncommon, and there are other community members there with you. If you feel uncomfortable because people are staring at you, don’t worry: this is totally common. You are a visitor, which is novel and bound to attract attention.

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DEEP DIVE

Observe CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO OBSERVE

assets, activities, and transactions in the village. Use your senses (yup â&#x20AC;&#x201C; seeing, feeling, touching, smelling, hearing) to the fullest while doing this action.

ASSETS

are resources with inherent value that can be leveraged to create change. What assets did you notice? Even a latrine is an asset (a pretty damn important one!). Were there any unexpected activities? What is the most common transaction? Anything surprising?

QUESTIONS FOR HELPING YOU DIVE IN:

ASSETS Record your findings.

LOOK AROUND

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What kinds of tools do people use in their daily activities? Did most of these tools appear to be produced in the community or from outside? Were people traveling alone or in groups? Through engaging in these cultural experiences, did you come across any skills? Where are resources coming from? How are they using spaces to their advantage for each activity? Have you noticed any established institutions? What about local associations between people? What kinds of water sources do people use? How do people collect water? How do they treat water? What are the roads like? Who is on the roads? What are the houses made of? Are they all the same? What do people do with trash? What kinds of clothing are people wearing? Do people wear shoes? What are the differences in the way men and women dress? How do people greet one another? How do people greet you? Where are the restrooms?

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ACTIVITIES Make note of the time and duration of each activity. Record your findings.

Close your eyes, focus on one of your senses.

TRANSACTIONS

When, how, and why are community members engaging in a particular activity? What types of activities were being performed during the 45 minutes you spent observing? Were these activities being performed by an individual, a small group of people, or a larger organized unit? What time of day did this activity take place? Have you noticed this activity happening in other areas of the community? Did you dig a little deeper and find out the WHY behind this activity? Did you notice any informal transactions between community members?

TIP Pay attention to interactions that occur through donating, loaning, and exchanging materials, labor, and other resources.

PROCESS

AFTER YOU HAVE COMPLETED

the three segments of the Observe action, allocate 30 minutes to spend with your journal to synthesize all of the new information that you have gathered. We suggest that you organize your thoughts according to categories based on emotion. Below, you will find an example:

EXPECTED

UNEXPECTED

TOTALLY SURPRISING

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Material Library IN A COMMUNITY IN AFRICA,

it is always remarkable to see how creative the local community is with their resources. The way the chairs are made, the use of palm leaves, and even tires can provide you inspiration. It is important to begin to understand the differences between natural materials, local materials, and foreign materials (foreign meaning not from the community). PREPARE Large Ziploc Bag Journal

PARTICIPATE

THE COMMUNITY IS FULL OF MATERIALS.

Everything from batteries to baked goods are available. You’ll see local liquors on bikes and women walking around with jerry cans.

1 2

SELECT A FUNCTIONAL GENRE

that has specific materials associated with it (examples include: eating, working, entertainment, cleaning, building, and nature) that you would like to focus on for this action. COLLECT MATERIALS

that relate to the genre or pick a different genre. For example, if you choose cleaning, you may collect rags, brushes and soap. They all need to fit into your bag, and remember, don’t just think of the final product. Only take a small piece of each material.

TIP Consider different surfaces, fasteners and structures that are the critical inputs to creating an end product.

PROCESS CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

FIND A PARTNER TO PROCESS

this action. Pick a large clean surface where both you and your friend can lay out everything you have gathered. Keep your materials separate from your partner’s. What an array of goodies! Explain your logic behind the materials you collected to your partner. What do they help make possible? Pick the three most important materials for the genre (perhaps soap is critical for cleaning).

ANALYZE WHAT EACH MATERIAL MEANS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

Are they costly? Are they safe? Are the sustainable? Where do they come from (inside our outside the community)?

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“

I hope that our team will find ways to innovate using resources and materials that are already available and will empower the local people with ideas for growth.” – AYUSHI GUMMADI, SOUTH AFRICA

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Making Your Ideas Real PREPARE Carry your journal everywhere Pen

ONE FRUSTR ATING FEELING

that may arise is not being able to articulate your ideas, big or small. Worse still is being stressed about all the things that you want to do that are on your mind but not written down in a reliable place. The first step to making your ideas real is to put them on paper. A CLUTTERED MIND IS A STRESSED OUT MIND.

On top of that, if you have a good idea and you don’t save it somewhere, you will feel even more anxious at the prospect of losing it when you have another good idea. ALSO, IDEAS DO NOT STAND ALONE.

It is incredibly valuable to appreciate how ideas build on one another and can integrate into new, even better ideas as you gain new information. Here, you take action and begin the process of making your ideas real.

PARTICIPATE

AS YOU GO ABOUT YOUR DAY,

make sure to jot down everything that comes to mind that you’d like to think about later on (could be later that day, that week, your last night in the village, etc.). BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON DURING THE INSTITUTE,

WE WILL CALL THIS THE

EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY SPEND

TUESDAY-FRIDAY REVIEW.

1 HOUR COLLECTING YOUR IDEAS.

We steal this practice directly from Getting Things Done (GTD) by David Allen.

COLLECTION IS WHEN

you capture all of your loose ends activities you want to pursue, connections you want to make, and completed actions. 1. 2.

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Collect them all in a big list. Now put them into categories.

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“

With one complete month out of the way, a lot of things have changed –my perception of the community, its people, project opportunities, and even myself.” – BRIAN BERGMAN, KENYA

GTD SUGGESTS SEVER AL LISTS

(some below) and we have added a few of our own, but you can create other lists that may be helpful WAITING FOR

IN GROUP

SOMEDAY/MAYBE

WITH COMMUNITY

NEXT ACTION

READ/REVIEW

CALL/CONNECT

PROJECTS

AT HOME

KEEPING LISTS

in appropriate categories will help unleash your creativity and help you feel organized.

PROCESS

CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

GO THROUGH YOUR LISTS

and star your priorities for the week. Every Tuesday and Friday, review your last set of lists. Did you accomplish more or less than you had hoped? Did you pick the right priorities? Check off your successes, and cross off things that are no longer important. Feel proud of all you are achieving. It’s important to celebrate your successes.

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Six Word Stories MANDATORY SIMPLICITY IS BLISS.

The more specific and clear we are about actions in our lives, the more relaxed and energized we will feel. But getting to “simple” is not, well, simple. Here you are invited to create a six-word story that will help you process a large undertaking (sometimes a really overwhelming one) into a simple one. Don’t be mistaken: We use this technique for really difficult or intimidating activities, not “simplistic” ones. Here’s how it works:

A SIX-WORD STORY IS BROKEN INTO THREE PARTS:

THINK

What you are thinking about, the thing you want to get done.

ASSETS What you have working for you that makes the thing you are thinking about doing possible.

ACTION

Get to the heart of what needs to get done.

Practice in your groups.

Imagine you are thinking about scheduling a meeting with the chief, so you might put on a traditional to-do list or calendar, “Get a meeting with the chief.” Here we encourage you to get simpler. Instead of “Get a meeting with the chief,” you might write it as “Chief Meeting.” Those are the first two words of your story.

You may know the chief’s wife, and maybe the country coordinator mentioned that they will be meeting with the chief tomorrow. Great! You have assets in the form of connections working on your side. Here you may jot down the words “Wife Coordinator.”

It’s time to get something done. You want to ask those assets you’ve identified (Wife Coordinator) for help arranging a meeting. We often procrastinate or avoid asking because we don’t want to offend or disturb others, but a simple request is all we need to make. For example, you might write, “Ask Arrange.” You need to ask for help and arrange the meeting. Nothing else!

Your six-word story now reads: CHIEF MEETING, WIFE COORDINATOR, ASK ARR ANGE.

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DEEP DIVE

Six Word Stories CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

WE ARE LEADING YOU

somewhere exciting with this action. In fact, we are helping you build a long-term solution to thinking through daily tasks and big strategy. Below you will find the Impact Map, a format that we use in the office to manage our daily and weekly responsibilities.

TIP

THINK , ASSETS

The THINK column should look a lot like your Next Action list from Making Ideas Real.

and ACTION are the first three columns we use when taking on challenges big and small. Feel free to copy these columns in your journal (we do it every day) to manage all the things on your lists that you plan to do that day. YOU ARE PROBABLY

wondering what the PERSPECTIVE and IMPACT columns are all about. PERSPECTIVE is where you jot down big takeaways, lessons learned, and mistakes made. If we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t track the lessons we learn, we are destined to repeat the same mistakes. Finally, IMPACT is the value you hope to have created through the action taken. Does it look like what you had intended? Sometimes we surprise ourselves!

IMPACT MAP Try one of the tasks you want to get done. 1

THINK

ASSETS

ACTION

PERSPECTIVE

IMPACT

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Village Facts PREPARE Journal Pen Map Water A good amount of time (maybe an hour)

CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

YOU ARE READY TO

get into the details of life in the community. The information you have gotten from various conversations, actions, and your Team of Scholars has undoubtedly been conflicting at times or unclear. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to get to the bottom of things. Learning and confirming a fact through three different sources will help you become confident that you are getting accurate information. This is harder than it may seem. Communication barriers abound, so you are likely to misunderstand answers or ask questions in a way that the locals or even your community organizer struggle with. GO THROUGH YOUR JOURNAL

and highlight everything you learned about the community that is not concrete information. Look for notes about relationships (how many children people have, who is married to whom, etc.), about motivations behind activities (the nurse is from the village and works there to help her community), and other assumptions of facts that you are making. Do you really know how many kids are in that family? Do you assume the best about the nurse without really learning about her job benefits? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to dig deeper. Critical thinking will go a long way as you begin to understand the community context.

CONSIDER AT LEAST THREE

different contexts that may provide

unanswered questions: PEOPLE SPACES NATURE

TAKE THE INFORMATION

you have gathered and decide your

next action: What questions do you need answered? Think of 3 ways to phrase/approach each question. Where are you going to get answers?

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PARTICIPATE

BUILD A LIST

of the questions that you have. Feel free to use the list below as well.

Who is the chief? Is he married? Who is his wife? Wives? Do they have children? What religion do people practice here? Who makes decisions about the community? Who calls community meetings?

What do children do when they are not in school? Is there a favorite game or activity they take part in? Are sports a part of life outside of school? Do sports leagues exist? What is the most common way to earn money here? What are other ways people earn money here? What are some other ways people subsist? Who runs the bakery,school,local store,etc.?

Are there influential people in the community besides the chief? If so, who are they and what do they do? What kinds of interactions do they have? What are the male and female roles? Are there any social groups? Is there a womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s group? Does anyone from the government come here? Is the water clean? What vegetables can grow here? Does anyone farm? Why or why not? Are chickens around? Goats? Pigs? Cows? How have nature and animals adapted to the environment? Do many people sit idly? Why? Does anything seem out of the ordinary? What are the people doing? What are the weather patterns, seasons here? What are the local holidays, festivals, celebrations?

CONTINUED

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Village Facts PROCESS

THE ANSWERS FROM

the first days of the Institute may serve to inform your ideas and decisions later on in the program. Make sure to maintain careful notes, and consider using photographs and other documentation in your journal. Don’t be surprised if you make an observation one day and revise that very observation the next day. Understanding someone else’s culture and way of life is a significant undertaking that requires perseverance. A great way to process information is to Mind Map.

TAKE AN IDEA OR OBSERVATION

that you’ve recorded to the next level by developing a Mind Map. A good Mind Map is a visual representation of the subject. It can provide the relative importance of individual points and detail the ways in which facts relate to one another.

DEEP DIVE

Mind Maps are easy, fun to review, and help keep information fresh!

STEP 1.

WRITE THE TITLE

STEP 2.

THINK ABOUT

STEP 3.

AS YOU DIG

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of the subject (example, Chief) you’re exploring in the center of the page and draw a circle around it. subheadings of the topic (component parts that contribute to the concept) and write them in circles connected to the center. into the subject and uncover more information, continue to add connected circles further out.

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MIND MAP

Contitnue to add connecting circles

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Five Whys PREPARE

EVER WANT TO GET

to the root cause of an issue? Here’s how! Ask the five whys. We know it seems too good to be true, but rest assured, this is the best way to dig into a big question. Give it a try and you will see what we mean.

Find a partner Pick a topic

PARTICIPATE

START WITH SOME

nagging issue that just seems to keep arising in the

community. FOR EXAMPLE,

you notice that people don’t have ready access to transportation. You know there are taxis (matatus, trotros, etc.), but for some reason, people have almost no reliable access to transport. TOPIC: PEOPLE DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO TR ANSPORTATION. 1

WHY?

The vans don’t come to the village. 2

WHY?

People cannot afford to pay. 3

WHY?

sure your assumptions are based on fact.

PROCESS CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

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WHY?

They are within 1 mile of a marketplace

Scarcity. Work through 3 TOPICS and make

WHY?

They know that in normal circumstances, the distance is walkable to ready transport.

WHY?

Gas prices are high.

WHY?

People refuse to pay.

The cost of the van is based on distance. 4

WHY?

The vans don’t come to the village.

WHY?

Village is close to a major hub.

Do you feel like you got to the root of a problem? How different were your conclusions compared to where you started? Are there similar, recurring problems in this community? Did you identify anything that seems easy to change? What makes you think it would be easy to change?

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Where We’ve Been MANDATORY PREPARE Please take a moment to consider your trip thus far.

WHERE WE’VE BEEN IS AN

opportunity for the team of scholars to come together in the village to recap the Institute so far. We’ll highlight any recurring themes, lessons, or questions that have emerged and re-visit Immersion’s learning objectives. This group session will end with looking at the week ahead.

ASK YOURSELF

What perspectives have you gained? Do you feel drawn to a specific subject because of your experiences? Which was your favorite Action? Which Perspective activity provided you the most insight?

“

Little did I know that in only a few short days, these passerbys would occupy a new place in my heart as undoubtedly the kindest people I’ve ever met.” – ADAM DUNN, SOUTH AFRICA

COME TO THE SESSION PREPARED TO SHARE.

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Character Profiles THIS IS THE ENTRY POINT

into the lives of individuals in the community. It is one of the most crucial actions and will probably consume more time than the previous Actions. We used to call this Capacity Inventories, because we were focused on learning about people’s specific skill sets and associations. We are broadening the goal slightly to include some more information about the individual’s context, relationships, desires, and ambitions. However, the goal remains to become familiar with the myriad capabilities that individuals throughout the community have, as well as to help them to fully appreciate all that they bring to their family and village. YOU WILL BE PUSHED

to meet individuals across the entire community. You should make special effort to meet with people of varied socioeconomic statuses within the village, as well as a variety of ages and genders. Ideally, you will really connect with a couple of these individuals, and they may provide a starting point or a direct partner as you build your design teams later in the program.

PREPARE & PARTICIPATE CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

PREPAR ATION FOR

the Character Profiles is critical for success. Do not begin until you have completed this section. You will want to complete 10-15 CHAR ACTER PROFILES .

AS YOU CONSIDER how you will approach a community member and derive meaningful information about them and their lives, you should prioritize the following: QUESTIONS YOU WILL ASK FLOW OF THE CONVERSATION WORKING THROUGH A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER

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QUESTIONS YOU WILL ASK:

If you would like to visit with them again, jot down their contact information.

THINK IN TERMS OF CATEGORIES

and fields of expertise, as well as relationships and associations. People work together, build together, and live together in any community around the world, and getting a deeper sense of how people spend their time, expand their skill sets, and bring value to the community is inspiring and helpful for the design process. Don’t hold back. The more inquisitive – and less likely you are to know the answer before asking the question – the better!

BELOW IS A TEMPLATE

of possible questions and categories. Create your own template and begin to build a set of questions. INTRODUCTION

CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIRS

FOOD

Name

Painting

Cooking meals

Age

Latrine construction

Preparing meat

Skills

Electrical repairs

Occupation

Farming

MUSIC

DISABILITIES AND PHYSICAL CHAR ACTERISTICS

Singing

Talents Education Level

RELATIONSHIPS

(just observe don’t ask)

Siblings

Hair color

Significant others

Eye color

Children

Height

Grandchildren

Approximate weight

Do they have relationships

Dress

with any other characters in your

Goals: Short term, medium and long term?

story?

Is there anything you would like to change

Hobbies

about your life? What do you want out of life?

HEALTHCARE

What motivates you? What is the greatest challenge you face?

Caring for the elderly

What do you find is working well in the village?

Caring for the sick

Are they religious? Spiritual?

Caring for babies/children

What frightens them?

MANAGEMENT

TR ANSPORTATION

Dancing Playing an instrument

ART/HANDCR AFTS Sewing Basket-weaving Beadwork

CARPENTRY Furniture-making Building houses Woodwork

EDUCATION Teaching in the classroom Assisting in the classroom

Managing others

Driving a car

Reporting on others

Driving a motorbike

Keeping records

Riding a bicycle

Administrative schoolwork

CONTINUED

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Character Profiles FLOW OF THE CONVERSATION:

WORKING THROUGH A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER:

NOW THAT YOU HAVE

spent time developing questions, do your best to put them in the order that makes the most logical sense. Consider local cultural norms. What might people feel comfortable sharing first? What happens if people say they don’t do anything or know anything? How will you respond? Keep alternative questions on hand if you are finding certain skill sets are not present in a certain individual.

ANY LANGUAGE BARRIER

is a challenge. Having a translator, or community organizer as we call them, is an imperfect solution to this challenge. It may be worth doing the capacity inventory on your translator first to familiarize them with the types of questions and the goal of the interviews. They will be your resource to translate the questions ahead of time, as well as to reach the meaning of each question. We are also providing a number of tricks taken from the Center for Disease Control (which works all over the world) on how they work through translators effectively.

PROCESS CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

AS YOU LEARN MORE

about a community member, it’s important to question whether or not this character is representative of the wider community.

WHY OR WHY NOT?

If they are representative of the wider community, question why and how? If you decide they are not representative, think more about what separates them? What are they doing differently from other community members?

LOOK CLOSELY AT COMMUNITY

members who are not representative of the community in a very positive way. Give these individuals a second look, digging deeper into their “uncommon strategies, unconventional, and counter intuitive methods” to daily challenges. The people who have separated themselves from the conventional approaches often are driving game-changing innovation. 88

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TIPS FROM CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL

When communicating through a translator, speak slowly and clearly.

Use a positive tone of voice that conveys your interest in the community member.

Face the community member, not the translator.

Speak in short units of speech, allowing sufficient time for the interpretation.

Avoid jargon or slang. Clear, simple, lay language is generally most effective.

Encourage the translator to translate the community members words as closely as possible and not to paraphrase, polish, or omit anything that may result in loss of the community memberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true meaning.

Pay attention for nonverbal communication such as silence, distance between individuals, eye contact, emotional expressiveness, and body movements.

Feel free to ask the translator for clarification of the meaning of any nonverbal cues to be sure you have understood correctly any cross-cultural meaning.

Above all, be patient: Careful interpretation often takes considerable time.

DEEP DIVE

I N S T I T U T E 2013

IMMERSE

Empathy Map PREPARE

EACH DAY AFTER YOU

Pen

have completed several Character Profiles, we encourage you to work with a partner on an Empathy Map. Empathy Maps are about stepping into someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shoes. Here you will analyze the answers and understand skills, networks, preferences, and family through the eyes of the community member.

PARTICIPATE

WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU THINK

Journal

the community member was thinking, feeling, doing, saying, seeing and hearing throughout the course of the interview. Next to each major group of questions (i.e. Cleaning, Caretaking, Fixing, Associations) write what you think the individual was feeling. EX.

if you asked a man who his wife is, and he has several wives, how would the question sound to him? If you asked a grandmother if she has a job, but she has never been paid for the work she does for the majority of her day, how might she understand the question? PRESENT YOUR INTERPRETATION

of the feelings that the community member had to your partner. Analyze this Empathy Map and critique it together with an open mind.

DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING

with your partner

PROCESS CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

Where, if anywhere, do you and your partner disagree on the emotional interpretation? What did you find to be common among community members, and what was surprising and different? Did you encounter any challenges?

SWAP TIPS

I N S T I T U T E 2013

and tricks for effective interviews.

IMMERSE

HEARING EMPATHY MAP

THINKING

SAYING

FEELING

SEEING

Information about the interviewee

DOING

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IMMERSE

Who Are We? AS THEY SAY,

it takes two to tango. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve spent time learning about the community, the culture, and the people, but the beauty of the Institute is that we work together with local community members as partners in innovation. Therefore, we need to spend a bit more time understanding ourselves and what each of us can contribute in the process. YOU STARTED WITH

a communications plan, but you will need to take your profile to the next level. This will push you to become more introspective, asking questions about your skills and talents you never even knew you had. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get started.

PREPARE

BEFORE BEGINNING

this activity, ask yourself three question sets based on your time in the village, as well as your Character Profile from ThinkImpact University (TIU).

ASK YOURSELF

1 2 3

What skills can you offer in this community? Is there a soft skill you should value more than you expected? Is there a hard skill you could learn easily? Am I accountable? In other words, am I living up to my potential and holding myself accountable? Am I holding others accountable? What choices am I making on the two tracks of culture shock? What is my vision, if I dream big, about my time in the village? What will I need to do to achieve it?

PARTICIPATE

I N S T I T U T E 2013

SHARE THESE ANSWERS

with your Team of Scholars and Advisor.

IMMERSE

PROCESS

IF YOU WANT TO

CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

take this activity a level further, you can categorize your skills, accountability, vision, and what you have learned about yourself into the Impact Map.

IMPACT MAP EXAMPLE: Am I living up to my potential and am I holding myself accountable? 1

THINK

GET UP IN THE MORNING READY TO WORK

ASSETS

ACTION

1. Watch the clock at night. 2, Plan for dinner to be early.

PERSPECTIVE

IMPACT

My attitude is

I used to be slow

usually negative. I

to move in the

will change that to

morning, but now

positive.

I love it!

3. Socialize when it is light outside.

REFER TO Page 78 Six Word Stories

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DEEP DIVE

Active Listening ARE YOU A GOOD LISTENER?

We want you to spend 5 minutes answering that question. We ask because active listening is an important skill for building meaningful relationships and networks. You can only really process what someone is telling you if you are an active listener. Superb active listeners are completely present in each conversation and spend time during the conversation working through ideas, connecting dots, and finding inspiration through others. The alternative is to be absorbed in your own thoughts, aloof to other people’s feelings, and incurious about their work and lives.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS

from an education site called Mindtools to increase active listening.

PAY ATTENTION

GIVE THE SPEAKER

your undivided attention, and acknowledge the message. Recognize that non-verbal communication also “speaks” loudly. Look at the speaker directly. Put aside distracting thoughts. Avoid being distracted by environmental factors. “Listen” to the speaker’s body language. Refrain from side conversations when listening in a group setting. SHOW THAT

you are listening.

SHOW THAT YOU ARE LISTENING

I N S T I T U T E 2013

Use your own body language and gestures to convey your attention. Nod occasionally. Smile and use other facial expressions. Note your posture and make sure it is open and inviting. Encourage the speaker to continue with small verbal comments like “yes.”

IMMERSE

PROVIDE FEEDBACK

OUR PERSONAL FILTERS , assumptions, judgments, and beliefs can distort what we hear. As a listener, your role is to understand what is being said. This may require you to reflect what is being said and ask questions.

Reflect what has been said by paraphrasing “What I’m hearing is” and “Sounds like you are saying” are great ways to reflect back.

Ask questions to clarify certain points “What do you mean when you say?” “Is this what you mean?”

Summarize the speaker’s comments periodically. DEFER JUDGEMENT

INTERRUPTING IS A

waste of time. It frustrates the speaker and limits full understanding of the message. Allow the speaker to finish. Don’t interrupt with counterarguments.

RESPOND APPROPRIATELY

ACTIVE LISTENING IS A

model for respect and understanding. You are gaining information and perspective. You add nothing by attacking the speaker or otherwise putting him or her down. Be candid, open, and honest in your responses. Assert your opinions respectfully. Treat the other person as he or she would want to be treated.

I N S T I T U T E 2013

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I N S T I T U T E 2013

IMMERSE

Remembering Names IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT to remember names. It is also extremely difficult because the names may be difficult to pronounce. Working hard to remember names will help you connect with the community members. Some would say that a person’s name is their favorite word to hear. If that’s true, it’s good to use a person’s name in whatever work you are doing.

HERE ARE SOME TRICKS

FACE ASSOCIATION

REPETITION

we yanked from Mindtools to help you remember names:

Examine a person’s face discreetly when you are introduced. Try to find an unusual feature: ears, hairline, forehead, eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, chin, complexion, etc. Create an association between that characteristic, the face, and the name in your mind. The association may be to link the person with someone else you know with the same name. Alternatively, you can associate a rhyme or image of the name with the person’s face or defining feature.

When you are introduced, ask for the person to repeat their name. Use the name yourself as often as possible (without overdoing it!). If it is unusual, ask how it is spelled. Keep in mind that the more often you hear and see the name, the more likely it is to sink in. Also, after you have left that person’s company, say the name to yourself a couple times. If you are particularly keen, you might decide to write it down and make notes.

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IMMERSE

Shadow a Community Member ONCE YOU HAVE INTERVIEWED

about a dozen community members, you can pick three to shadow (with their permission!) to get a sense of their daily routine. We recommend mixing it up: Try to shadow a diverse group. Jobs, genders, ages, and geographies all affect oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daily rhythm. This activity can be broken up across several days.

PREPARE

LIST

the people you have met who have inspired you

Journal with Character Profiles

PUT A STAR

next to your top six who you would like to learn

more about WRITE

why you would want to shadow him/her.

LEARN

what it means to be respectful of cultural norms regarding gender relations before you act

PARTICIPATE

BY NOW YOU SHOULD KNOW

whom you would like to shadow for part of the day. To complete this activity, you should ask these individuals for permission and set up a good meeting time and location. Make clear that you cannot go with them beyond the village. We are interested in shadowing locally, not wherever they may lead you. Also, request that they do not change their typical day to accommodate you. The more consistently they stick with their average day, the more insight you will gain into their life. SPEND FOUR TO SIX HOURS

shadowing each individual. You do not have to do this in the same day or even in two consecutive days. TIP

WHILE YOU ARE SHADOWING,

If you need a community organizer, ask for one. Ideally, you

write down what their daily schedule looks like as if you were their assistant. Get a sense of where they spend their time, what they do first, second, etc.

will push through the activity and communicate without language if that is the primary barrier.

I N S T I T U T E 2013

What is their top priority with their time? How much do they meet with others?

IMMERSE

PROCESS CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

OBSERVE AND WRITE

about how your community member engages these three areas: 1.

Relationships with other Community Members Materials they use every day for work and basic needs 3. Relationship with nature and use of the environment 2.

“

Our days are like identical suitcases, all the same size, but some people can pack more into them than others.” COMMON SOUTH AFRICAN SAYING

AS YOU ENGAGE IN THE ACTION, THINK ABOUT... ASSETS

Did you learn about a new asset or resource that you overlooked before?

MOTIVATION

Have you learned anything new about what motivates community members to perform a particular activity?

EXCHANGES

Have you observed any exchanges (financial, barter, etc.) that helped the community member complete a daily task?

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Transcend Culture THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE

our approach to social change is “PEOPLE In other words, if someone has the ability or the potential to build opportunity in any part of the globe, it is possible in all parts of the globe. People make up the structures that govern society. They create the businesses, support their local community organizations, and build sports leagues. Transcend Culture is an opportunity to put our cultural differences aside and to gain a deeper understanding of what is common among all people: think about how everyone enjoys food, water, entertainment, and relationships. ARE PEOPLE EVERY WHERE.”

SEPAR ATE

culture from fundamental human nature.

Below is a definition of culture for you to consider as you identify the line between culture and human nature.

CULTURE

n. The total of the inherited ideas, beliefs, values, and knowledge, which constitutes the shared basis of social action. What are examples of culture?

CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

What are examples of human nature?

REMEMBER , this is merely one approach to conceptualizing that “people are people everywhere.” ASK Is that statement even true? Can you really remove culture? What are we without our culture? What boundaries would exist between you and the community members you have met if culture were taken away?

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MIND

I N S T I T U T E 2013

101

IMMERSE

Understanding Enterprise IT’S TIME TO GET A SENSE

of how businesses are run in the community. You have learned from a number of individuals by now. Undoubtedly, you have familiarity with the markets that exist, you know how people exchange money (cell phones, cash, etc.), and you are familiar with the stores that exist around you. Now it’s time to go past the daily routine of being a local to learn about the business operations.

PREPARE

IDENTIFY THREE TYPES

of businesses that you are interested in learning more about (try to branch out beyond the individuals you shadowed).

STUDY

the following business components below.

Marketing Pricing & Profit Planning & Records Product & Supply Chain

PARTICIPATE

CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

Learn about how the BUSINESS OPER ATES

and their HISTORY with the business.

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APPROACH THE THREE BUSINESSES

to find out a good time to sit down and learn about their business operations. You will want to set aside about 30-60 minutes per business. BEGIN BY ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS...

When did they start selling this product? Why are they in this type of business? What is the business cycle? When are things busy?

IMMERSE

Learn the basics about the PRICE OF THE PRODUCT and how much it COSTS TO BUY THE INPUTS for each product.

Where do they buy the inputs? How much does it cost to ship things into the village? Do they pick things up in the city? How much is a taxi ride? Does the entrepreneur keep a record of every transaction? Where do they keep it? Do they ever add up the totals from the week, month, or year? Do they keep a bank account? Which banks are available in the area? Who are their customers? How do they reach their customers?

THESE ARE JUST A FEW

questions you can ask while spending time with an entrepreneur in the community. Take tons of notes, and make sure to ask for clarification whenever something does not seem clear.

PROCESS

COMPARE NOTES

with your team. Consider creating a chart of all the entrepreneurs you met with and determine commonalities and differences in business practices.

I N S T I T U T E 2013

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IMMERSE

MANDATORY

Asset-Based Community Development

WHEN? THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY,

WHERE?

ThinkImpact has explored different approaches to development. We began with a needs-based perspective that is still popular among various governments and international aid organizations. We joined the army of development organizations raising funds for schools, libraries, and water projects. After supporting dozens of projects, we eventually realized how much we were perpetuating the cycle of dependency among community members. We needed to find an approach that would empower community members to tackle social problems on their own terms. We needed to shift the mindset from one of dependency to one of independence. IN THE FALL OF 2008 ,

we learned about Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) pioneered by John McKnight and John Kretzmann of the ABCD Institute at Northwestern University. Through years of experience working in Chicago’s low-income areas, they found that asset-based community development empowers communities, focusing on a community’s skills, knowledge, resources, associations, and abilities. This encourages sustainable development in contrast to a needs-based approach that, as we had learned, created a reality in which communities identified themselves based on deficiencies and dependencies. AT THIS POINT, YOU ALL SHOULD

have read “Reflections on the Catalytic Role of an Outsider in Asset Based Community Development.” You will notice a difference in the way that we have adapted the ABCD approach for the goals of our program. McKnight and Kretzmann recommend that an outsider should remain as a facilitator throughout the development process, rather than becoming an active participant. Through the design team process, we encourage scholars to become fully engaged partners in the creation of a product or service that will ultimately have a social benefit in the community. Rather than focusing exclusively on development as a general concept, ThinkImpact takes it to the marketplace where business is born, tested, and grown. As equal partners in the creation of products and services, we think there is a higher likelihood for social change.

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ADOPTING AN ASSET-BASED perspective marked a turning point in how we approach communities. We value meaningful relationships with local residents, marginalized community members, associations, and institutions. Such relationships are built over time through trust, empathy, and mutual understanding. Together, we can leverage local resources and promote self-sufficiency, with the aim of changing the paradigm (leading a mind-shift) in the way that communities view themselves. Informed by this shift, we have adopted the philosophy that no one is poor: everyone has assets and something to contribute.

PREPARE

READ

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Reflections on the Catalytic Role of an Outsider in Asset Based Community Developmentâ&#x20AC;? by Terry Bergdall.

Drawing on your experience in the community, how would you define

REVIEW

the following questions before the workshop:

an asset? ThinkImpact defines an asset as a resource with inherent value that can be leveraged to create change. Examples may include institutions, associations, material resources, skills, and physical spaces. Would you modify this definition?

How does Bergdall define the ABCD approach? In what way has ThinkImpact adapted ABCD to fit the Innovation Institute? To what degree, if any, has the ABCD approach supported you in recognizing potential within the village and overcoming the apparent poverty?

THINK

of 3 examples.

RECORD

a list of assets that you have identified in the community.

BRING YOUR THOUGHTS

on the Bergdall essay and your list of community assets with you to the ABCD Workshop. PARTICIPATE & PROCESS

YOUR ADVISOR

will implement the workshop; show up prepared!

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IMMERSE

MANDATORY

WHEN?

Mapping Daily Activity Clocks AS YOU BEGIN TO

wrap up the immersion phase of the Institute, it’s important to clearly represent how people in the community spend their time. This information should be readily available in your notes from previous activities, but now it’s time to find a creative way to represent that information and make it useful.

WHERE? CREATIVELY DISPLAYING

each individual’s daily activity clock, and how they do and do not overlap with each other, will reveal gaps in your knowledge, connections to be made and opportunities never before realized. This is the moment when you can see the individuals in the community from a birds-eye view.

PREPARE

REVIEW YOUR NOTES

and list all individuals you have met with so far, especially those you have spent significant time getting to know.

REVIEW YOUR ACTIVITIES

and note what people were doing when you

interacted with them. How were they spending time? What part of the day was that?

PARTICIPATE & PROCESS

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I N S T I T U T E 2013

YOUR ADVISOR

will implement the workshop; show up prepared!

IMMERSE

Hidden & Financial Transactions WHEN?

WHERE?

SOCIETY FUNCTIONS OR FAILS

based on its members’ ability to work together, support each other and trade in goods and services. No matter the political or economic structure in a community or country, there will always be transactions between people. Some will be traditional financial transactions where you pay a store for a good or service. Others will be less obvious. Think of going to your neighbor for milk. That is a trust-based transaction, where you may or may not repay the individual who gives you the milk. The same activities occur in rural Africa. People support each other in small and sometime very large ways: The family that takes in the orphaned child, the community member who helps their neighbor fix their roof, or the woman who sends a text message on behalf of her ill sister. The examples are infinite. UNDERSTANDING THE TYPES

of transactions that take place – some more obvious than others – offers a glimpse in to the levels of trust and social capital that exist in the community. This is incredibly important for economic well-being. PREPARE

BR AINSTORM

with a partner the difference between informal and formal transactions. Use your host families as examples. WRITE DOWN

15 examples of each from your experiences and notes.

NEXT TO YOUR

examples, write down where the transaction originated and where it was completed. FOR EXAMPLE ,

the milk is at the store. You are at home. You walk to the store for milk. Consider which store you go to, the distance, the cost, and the frequency.

PARTICIPATE & PROCESS

YOUR ADVISOR

will implement the workshop; show up prepared!

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IMMERSE

New View MANDATORY

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH ,

it’s time for a different perspective. We call that getting a “new view” on your situation. Throughout the immersion phase of the Institute you have undoubtedly confronted some pretty serious challenges. Maybe you cannot get meetings to start on time or your community organizers have proven unreliable. Perhaps you are finding local politics to be more confounding or obstructive than you ever anticipated. Maybe you are struggling to communicate with your fellow scholars or you feel that there is competitiveness among your team that is undermining your ability to focus.

THE SUREST WAY

to find a solution is to look at the situation through multiple lenses. We offer the following four: 1.

The Entrepreneur The Strategist 3. The Community Member 4. The Leader 2.

ENTREPRENEUR SAYS:

Are you seeing the market opportunity? What are you providing? What are you excited about?

STR ATEGIST SAYS:

What difficult choices do you have to make? What are your priorities? What do you want to see happen in 2 weeks, 3 months and 1 year from now?

COMMUNITY MEMBER

What influence are you having on my life? Are you listening to me? Are you treating me fairly and as an equal?

SAYS:

LEADER SAYS:

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How can you overcome the challenge directly? Who can you work with to build a following? What relationships are necessary to make your work more effective?

IMMERSE

PREPARE

PICK A CHALLENGE WRITE IT

PARTICIPATE

or obstacle that you would like to solve.

as a statement.

WRITE YOUR

obstacle statement on a card.

OUTLINE FOUR LARGE CIRCLES

pre

ist

Str

g te

neur

on the ground with one scholar standing in each (if your team is larger than 4, you will have observers that will rotate in).

EX.

LABEL EACH CIRCLE:

M e mb

L it y un

de ea

Entrepreneur, Strategist, Community Member and Leader. These will be the perspectives that you will process. EACH SCHOLAR WILL SHARE

their obstacle by reading it aloud and placing the card in the middle between the four circles. Then each scholar in a circle will represent their view on the obstacle through their lens. EX

If your obstacle statement reads, “The local politician is corrupting meetings,” then the entrepreneur might say, “Is there a market opportunity to improve communication with the politician?” PROCESS

REFLECT AS A TEAM

after everyone has gone on how you can consistently gain unique perspectives about your work. Are you asking the right people? Are you empathizing with others’ situations? What did you learn about your obstacle from getting a new view? ULTIMATELY,

the most important question is how can you get a new view on a regular basis and engage with this action throughout the Institute as challenges arise?

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03 INSPIRE

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IMMERSE

GOALS BUILD A DESIGN TEAM BR AINSTORM PICK A PATH I N S T I T U T E 2013

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INSPIRE

Welcome to the third phase of the Institute: Inspire. YOU ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK

on the exciting journey of building a design team and selecting the social issues and solutions that you will work toward for the remainder of the summer and perhaps beyond. BEGINNING WITH THIS PHASE

of the Institute, the daily structure of your work in the community becomes increasingly unpredictable. You are responsible for planning carefully, collaborating with community members fully, and successfully making difficult decisions that will determine the types of innovations you develop. THIS IS AS APPROPRIATE A SPOT

as any to note that you are not a consultant. Your role in the Institute is to explore design opportunities, to think creatively, and to devise new ideas for products and services with locals. You are not here to tell local business owners how to run their businesses better. You simply are not in a position to analyze the economic environment sufficiently to tell someone in the community how to do what they do more effectively. WE REALIZE THAT THIS MIGHT SEEM LIKE A CONTR ADICTION :

Go to rural Africa, work with locals to develop a product or service, perhaps an innovative way of delivering it, and even go as far as developing a business model around it, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a consultant? Seems inconsistent. HERE IS WHY IT ISNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T WHEN SOMEONE HAS

an established business in a community, they have figured out a way to make their business work. They are living off of it, and hopefully generating a small profit that covers their basic needs. It is fine to ask a ton of questions about how they operate and explore ideas, but we are not there to push local businesses to behave like the businesses we were raised around. We can always provide some help in the form of general education (i.e. how to keep records), but we should not get into the business of showing them how to scale an existing business based on our aspirations for their shop. Rather, we are there to be creative with community members, to explore new thinking including ideas, solutions, and possibilities that have eluded the community until now.

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INSPIRE

SIX KEY INSIGHTS TO INSPIRE BEFORE YOU GET STARTED:

SHARING IDEAS IS THE ROOT OF ALL OPPORTUNITY.

STAY FOCUSED.

You will need to listen actively and to process collaboratively to maximize the design challenge. Think of all the lifetimes of experiences available when five people sit together to solve a problem.

WORK WITH PEOPLE YOU LIKE SPENDING TIME WITH.

Your goal is to build partnerships with community members who you will work with on brainstorming, choosing a challenge, and prototyping.

Everybody enjoys work when it is done with people who share your interests and enthusiasm. Look for the right fit in the community, and you will enjoy more success.

BE OPEN-MINDED.

You may think you have the answers or know the direction that your design team is heading, but remember, it’s always healthy to keep an open mind— otherwise, you and your team may miss out on great opportunities.

HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE.

This whole process will be at times exhilarating and disappointing. You may look for excuses, displace blame, or otherwise disconnect when the going gets rough. Set high expectations for yourself, be your best, and solve problems as they arise.

TAKE RISKS WITH INNOVATION.

You are not here to ask simple questions or dream small. Work with community members to define challenges that really push you to your intellectual limits. You never know what creative solutions might be born out of the right challenge.

INSPIRE IS THE PHASE WHEN YOU GET TO EXPERIENCE THIS DYNAMIC PROCESS AND PROACTIVELY BUILD ON IT. YOU ARE NOW READY TO ESTABLISH A DESIGN TEAM.

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INSPIRE

Imagine the Design Team AS YOU ENTER THE

Inspire phase, begin to think about what is possible â&#x20AC;&#x201C; particularly with respect to the people in the community who you might work with. Reviewing the local network you have built and identifying possible partners will be the first step in creating your design team. WE HAVE CREATED A MULTI-STEP

process for developing your design team (which at times may seem onerous) to avoid some mistakes and set you up for success. First, we want to make sure you are able to find design team partners from the community who are able to commit the required time to the program. Second, we want to reduce overlap in pursuit of design team members. Third, the more time and effort you put towards understanding the relationships you have built in the community and with other scholars, the more likely you are to have a productive and successful working relationship. PREPARE

ON YOUR OWN,

pull together the massive stack of notes you have written, photographed, videoed, or otherwise created. Develop criteria for identifying and selecting community members for your design team.

IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO YOU TRUST AND YOU BELIEVE WILL WORK COLLABOR ATIVELY THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

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CONTINUED

I N S T I T U T E 2013

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INSPIRE

Imagine the Design Team PREPARE

THE FOLLOWING ACTION SHOULD BE COMPLETED ON YOUR OWN. THINK ABOUT

who should be a part of your design team as you peruse your notes of the conversations youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had throughout the Immerse phase. RELIVE

the myriad activities that you did with local community members and highlight potential design team members. IDENTIFY

12 people, scholars and community members, you might work with. If necessary, use the techniques from Immersion to extend your list before you move on to the next step. CONSIDER WHY YOU

selected these individuals. Was it their skills, assets, desires, or personalities? What is influencing how you feel about these possible partners?

BELOW ARE A FEW QUESTIONS

to help you identify the reasons.

What intrigued you enough that you wanted to spend more time with this individual? Was it a particular skill or asset that sparked your interest? Can they afford the time to work on a project with you? How much time could they dedicate each day or week? Are they honorable, and do they have a track record of working hard and effectively with others?

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INSPIRE

PARTICIPATE

AFTER CONSIDERING INDIVIDUALS,

look at the twelve people collectively and analyze the group’s diversity. You will get to determine your own criteria for your design team, but before you do that, it helps to look at any themes and trends in your current network.

Does your team reflect gender equality, different ages, or a variety of roles in the community? Does your team represent the range of stakeholders and different backgrounds within the community? Is there anything noticeable the members have common? Would their assets complement each other? How well would they work together? Are you aware of any community politics that would cause issues, even conflict, among these individuals?

PROCESS

THINK THROUGH OTHER POSSIBLE QUESTIONS. TAKE A LOOK AT

who is inspiring you most among the twelve individuals on your list and write down why. REFLECT ON HOW DIFFICULT

or easy it was for you to come up with a list of twelve individuals. Why was it easy or difficult? What could you do now to expand your network if necessary? Discuss with another scholar if you need new ideas. ASK YOURSELF,

“Do I want to build a design team on my own or with another

scholar?”

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INSPIRE

Ask Workshop MANDATORY

BEFORE YOU START BUILDING

your design team, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to reduce overlap and possibilities for conflict from the very beginning. Sharing information is the easiest way to reduce conflict. This is true in business and in life. THE ASK WORKSHOP

is your opportunity to ask the rest of the team of scholars who they would like to work with, what they hope to work on, and how they are planning to form their design teams. It will reveal potential challenges and certainly some opportunities.

PREPARE

A LIST OF THE TWELVE INDIVIDUALS

you have identified to possibly work with on a design team, including both community members and scholars. YOUR CRITERIA R ANK

PARTICIPATE

for how you selected the people you will reach out to.

your prospective partners from one to twelve.

DURING THIS STEP,

you will share your names in a creative way developed by

your advisor. THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS,

please remember that you have limited information about the individuals you hope to work with, and there will be some unexpected changes to your plans as you build your design team. Keeping an open mind about your partners is essential. FINALLY, YOU SHOULD

not dictate who becomes a member of the design team. Rather, it should be a collaborative process between you and the individuals in the community you think would be interesting to work with. Enlist them as you consider who is available in the community to work with. Locals know more people in the community, and they know what different community members might bring to the table.

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INSPIRE

YOU HAVE NOW CREATED

PROCESS

a concept of what you want your design team to look like. That was the easy part. The hard part is engaging people from the community to get involved in a deep and meaningful way. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO BUILD OUT AN ACTION PLAN FOR CREATING YOUR DESIGN TEAM. BEGIN BY ASKING 5 QUESTIONS: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

“

Who will I reach out to first, second and third? How will I reach out to them? Do I want them to introduce me to others that may be part of the team? How will I ask them? What is our time frame to organize the complete team? What do I need the community organizer to help with to make this happen?

Searching for a design team for a project has been a great challenge but at the same time it has been fun. People are very enthusiastic and eager to be part of a design team and ready to contribute something on their behalf to make the project a grand success.” – BY K AL BHAKRI, KENYA

CONTINUED

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MANDATORY

Create Your Design Team IT’S TIME TO IMPLEMENT

the action plan you have developed to create a successful design team. You can call upon your advisor for assistance in setting up meetings, but ultimately you are responsible for making the connections in the community that lead to an active and successful design team.

PREPARE

REVIEW

your Action Plan

DISCUSS POSSIBLE PARTNERSHIPS

within the Team of Scholars. Who would you like to work with? Are they interested in working with you? Don’t be offended if they aren’t. Everyone has their own agenda and that is acceptable. Everyone is here to make the most of their summer and has a their own definition of what that looks like. Respect people’s choices.

PARTICIPATE YOU ARE NOW READY

to reach out to your list, in order of priority. Set up meetings, make requests, and be engaged. The community is large, and there are many great people to partner with. Remain encouraged even when people cannot participate in the team. It just means they have other things that they have prioritized in their lives. PROCESS MEET WITH YOUR NEW TEAM

members individually, as they accept, and ask them some introductory questions: What are they looking forward to in this process? Why are they joining? Respect their ambitions and goals early – it will directly impact your collaboration.

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Communicating Through Instructions PREPARE Three pieces of paper (approx. 8.5 x 11) Pen Scholar partner

COMMUNICATE! COMMUNICATE! COMMUNICATE!

Those are the three most important words in any organization and for working with any team. Often we hold thoughts in our head because we assume that others already know what we are thinking. Other times, we are afraid of the consequences of speaking up. On more mundane tasks, we may not want to be overbearing or cause anxiety by offering too much input. There is a balance to communicating effectively. There is hardly a more important leadership skill than communication. ONE SIMPLE WAY TO

mitigate the challenges that come with teamwork is to offer clear instructions and expectations at the beginning of a project. If there are clear instructions at the beginning, then the process will start on a track towards success. Candid feedback throughout the process will keep it on track until you reach your goal. Sometimes the feedback should go back to the instructor. Other times, it will go from the instructor to the participant. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practice communicating. IN 15 MINUTES MAKE

a paper airplane and write out instructions (no drawings) on how you made the airplane.

PARTICIPATE

PROVIDE YOUR PARTNER

the instructions

YOUR PARTNER WILL HAVE 10 MINUTES

to create the airplane based on your instructions. Watch them make the airplane. Observe their struggles and successes. SWITCH ROLES AND CREATE

an airplane based on your

partnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s instructions.

PROCESS

Did your partner create the plane you had in mind when you were creating the instructions? What went well? Where could your instructions have improved? What guidelines could we establish for how we will communicate with each other?

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Communicating Through Nature PREPARE

LEARNING THE NUANCES OF COMMUNICATION

from nature (keep them hidden!)

and how we process information, is a powerful tool for working with others. We wanted to give you the opportunity to think this through with an activity from a South African EcoTraining workshop we learned about.

PARTICIPATE

BLINDFOLD

Cloth for a blindfold Bag with three small objects

GIVE TIP

your partner.

them an object.

ASK YOUR PARTNER

Whether or not they know

to describe the qualities of the object using all five

senses.

what the object is does not matter. Focus on the finer details that define the existence of the object.

WRITE DOWN

the first 5 descriptive words that your partner uses to describe the object. LEAVING YOUR PARTNER BLINDFOLDED ,

explore each of the descriptive words and what their function might be (for example, a spiny shell may serve to deter predators). FINALLY ASK REPEAT

PROCESS

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the scholar what the object is.

the activity with the remaining objects.

CONSIDER TWO ANGLES TO REFLECT ON THIS ACTIVITY COMMUNICATION

Did you and your partner communicate effectively?

ANALYSIS

“What did you learn about the objects and their functionality in nature that you WOULD NOT have realized if you weren’t utilizing all of your senses?”

IMMERSE

THE WORKSHOP LEADERS DESCRIBED THE FOLLOWING REALITY:

“

Source: Eco Training South Africa Workshop

Many of us rely most on our vision when we learn something new. Because of these strong links between our eyes and our minds, when we see something and are asked to think about it, we tend to refer to what we already know rather than to consider what we don’t know and hence what we might learn. This exercise, in which you try to identify mystery items blindfolded, is designed to engage your ability to learn as you did when you were a child (with all your senses). “

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IMMERSE

“

A catalyst for change is someone who inspires an individual to leverage existing and potential resources to build a brighter future. In this context, in any community, the possibilities are endless.” – FROM “ASSET BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT”

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Five Tips

For Engaging with design team members

TAKE A LOOK AT

the list to consider how you engage with your design team. Brainstorm effective ways to implement the five tips. CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

BUILD TRUST: PAY ATTENTION

MAKE SURE

to non-verbal cues. you’re not only asking questions—share something about

yourself. SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS

about why you’re in the community. friendly but professional.

ALWAYS KEEP RELATIONSHIPS

2 3 4 5

EXEMPLIFY A GENUINELY

democratic style of leadership by creating equal partnerships with community members. Everyone must contribute to your team. ALWAYS SHOW UP PREPARED ,

SET AND REVIEW GOALS

on time, and ready to work.

for each member individually and for the team

as a whole.

CARPE DIEM.

Seize each and every day. Things will take longer than you expect, so get the ball rolling soon and try be patient about the inevitable delays in the process.

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MANDATORY

Design Team Introductory Meeting IT’S TIME TO GET your entire design team together. You should begin with introductions so you can all get to know each other. Once you have established rapport with the group, it’s important to set expectations about what the design team will be doing for the next month. FROM THE MOMENT

you begin the introductions in the “participate” step of this Action, you have begun to work completely as equals with the local population. Your primary aim is to work through design challenges and prototypes as partners. THIS MEANS THAT YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WILL PREPARE, PARTICIPATE, AND PROCESS TOGETHER ON ALL ACTIONS FROM HERE ON OUT. SIT WITH

your scholar partner (if you have one) and run through the preparation together to divide responsibilities.

PREPARE

IDENTIFY

a convenient time for everyone to meet.

Easel paper

THINK OF A CREATIVE WAY

Pens Index Cards

to facilitate introductions: think of icebreakers and questions you might ask.

Design team information

ASK YOUR PARTNER AND YOURSELF

What do you expect the design team to accomplish?

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DEVELOP A WAY TO PRESENT THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES TO SET EXPECTATIONS NO MONEY

for grants, gifts, or projects beyond the prototype phase.

THE DESIGN TEAM

comprises individuals who have agreed to be Partners in

Innovation. EVERYONE WILL

have to commit a considerable amount of time until early August. EVERYONE WILL

have to agree to do their best, share their networks, and

work together.

PARTICIPATE

IMPLEMENT THE INTRODUCTION

activities you had planned.

WORK WITH

the community members to set expectations based on what you have planned.

PROCESS

INVITE EVERYONE

in the design team to share with the group what they are most excited about for the rest of the Institue.

NOW LETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GET TO WORK!

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IMMERSE

“

Our group has remained consistent in our effort to keep our comfort secondary to the needs of the community that we will be a part of for only a short season. Situating our actions in the context of this knowledge has been challenging and usually results in more time being consumed, but it is always time well spent and an opportunity for truthful discussion.” – TARIK PATTERSON, SOUTH AFRICA

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Tackling Challenges as a Group Come together with the other

CONSIDER THREE CRITICAL QUESTIONS

scholars in your community

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON?

Share a challenge and a success from your first design team meeting. 2.

WHAT IS INSPIRING YOU?

Tell the group about a community member or moment today that inspired you. See what you can learn from listening to the way other scholars are approaching their work. 3.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THE GROUP TO SUPPORT YOU IN ACHIEVING?

Think of one thing that you would like to achieve over the next two weeks. Share this goal with the group and a way they could support you. Hold each other responsible for achieving these goals.

Now on your ownâ&#x20AC;Ś

START, STOP, CONTINUE

is a technique to help you process the ideas that you generated with the Team of Scholars. Reflect on the answers to the questions above, and then categorize your thoughts by asking

START

What are things I need to start doing?

STOP

What am I currently doing that I can or should stop?

CONTINUE

What am I doing now that works that I should continue doing?

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MANDATORY

Design Thinking Workshop DESIGN THINKING IS THE METHODOLOGY

that provides the Institute a critical bridge from understanding the community to implementing meaningful ideas for social impact. The concept originates with the work and philosophy of IDEO, an award-winning global design-consulting firm that uses a human-centered design approach toward product innovation. This approach is “powered by a thorough understanding, through direct observation, of what people want and need in their lives and what they like or dislike about the way particular products are made, packaged, marketed, sold, and supported.” TIM BROWN,

CEO of IDEO, explains that this approach to design assumes three “lenses”: desirability, feasibility and viability. Desirability is the first element to explore; Through this lens, you examine what the community wants. The feasibility lens forces you to think about products and services that are technically feasible, while the viability lens analyzes whether or not an innovation is financially viable. ENGAGING IN DESIGN-THINKING

as equal partners with locals will allow you and community members to generate sustainable products and services that address social challenges through the lens of the community’s culture and context. Products and services developed through the Institute are grounded in the local community’s preferences, aspirations, assets, resources, likes and dislikes. DESIGN THINKING IS A PROCESS

that includes a variety of activities within a continuum of innovation. While some design processes comprise orderly steps, design thinking may sometimes feel chaotic. Ultimately, however, it will yield the desired outcomes. The chaos stems from the creativity and flexibility involved in designing social innovations.

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WELCOME TO THE INNOVATION PROCESS.

PREPARE Pen Paper Water

THIS IS THE CORE PURPOSE

of the Institute: collaborative work that pushes you and your design team to reach beyond assumptions and expectations. This process will push you to imagine what is possible in a community traditionally described as poor and neglected. Iterations, prototypes, and failed attempts lead to innovation. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to get started.

SET UP THE MEETING

time and location with your design team and in coordination with the other teams

PARTICIPATE

THIS WORKSHOP 1. 2. 3.

PROCESS

will cover three topics:

Design Thinking principles The Path Statement The prototyping process

AFTER BEING INSPIRED

by the innovation process, plan your next meeting with your design team!

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Day-to-Day Patterns and Surprises YOU’VE JUST COMPLETED

the Design Thinking Workshop and you are ready to roll. Consider taking a moment to gain some perspective on everything you have just been exposed to. Re-engage your instincts, and ask yourself some probing questions that may help you unlock brilliance and creativity. Even if you don’t gain new ideas, you may gain understanding of all that is going on around you. Missing an opportunity to make the most of your inner resources – passions, interests, critiques – could be a great loss to your design team and the innovation process.

1. ARE YOU NOTICING ANY PATTERNS

in how you are working with others? Are there daily routines or habits that you have created to minimize frustration, discomfort? Have you developed strategies and perspectives for understanding the motivations of others?

2. WHAT DO YOU FIND SURPRISING

about what you are experiencing? Pay attention to surprises throughout your day because they may spark creative pathways to insights contained in unexplored areas.

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Jump Start Pages JUST IMAGINE,

if you wrote down everything that came to mind each morning for five minutes – total free association – what you might discover. Dreams captured, people you hope to meet, lessons you want to learn, and more. INSTEAD OF TALKING

about it, we are giving you space to get started. Replicate this each day and you will reap the benefits. It’s incredibly easy: It frees your mind of any anxiety or stress because it puts it on paper and gets your creativity going. Think of it as a warm up for the synapses in your brain! Rise and shine pages: Copy something like this in your journal each day… or don’t! Find your own way to jump start your day.

ND SH A IN E IS

EX.

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Naturally Inspiring WE’D LIKE TO INTRODUCE

you to a new way of looking at the world. Enter Biomimicry: a powerful framework for understanding what is possible by learning directly from the natural order of things. Biomimicry sounds like a scary word, but don’t be alarmed. All it means is that we want to mimic or imitate things in real life, nature. Below you will learn how to make the most of it.

DEFINITION OF BIOMIMICRY BIOS

means life; MIMICRY means imitate.

BIOMIMICRY IS

the practice of learning from and then emulating life’s genius to solve human problems and create more sustainable designs. Biomimicry is a design and leadership discipline that seeks sustainable solutions by emulating nature’s time-tested ideas. Biomimicry is a branch of science, a problem-solving method, a sustainability ethos, a movement, a stance toward nature, and a new way of viewing and valuing biodiversity.

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MANDATORY

Brainstorm a Path Statement START DEFINING THE TEAM’S PURPOSE,

principles or even your habits. As a group, consider what your purpose might be and what your operating principles are. “Purpose” refers to why the design team exists, for example, to identity a powerful opportunity for community or individual improvement and understand experiences that are related to improving that opportunity. “PRINCIPLES, VALUES, HABITS” REFERS TO HOW YOUR DESIGN TEAM WILL OPER ATE. TO REFRESH, HERE ARE THINKIMPACT’S 6 HIGH IMPACT PR ACTICES .

We feel our practices embody our values and our principles and make them concrete. THINKIMPACT’S 6 HIGH IMPACT PR ACTICES: BELIEVE IN THE PROCESS VALUE PEOPLE LISTEN TO LEARN SEEK MINDFUL COUR AGE BREATHE BRING IT HOME

With your team, identify your own habits, values or principles. Come up with your own and write them down as a team so everyone can see and appreciate them!

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PREPARE Easel Paper Index Cards Markers

IT’S TIME

to put in some thought about what is possible. Social change through market forces is only accomplished when great ideas are uncovered. In rural communities in Africa, great ideas will always meet local consumers where they are: attuned to local preferences, social challenges and daily routines. THIS ACTION

puts you on the path towards creating a product or service. Undoubtedly, it is the most exciting turning point for the Innovation Institute. Everything that you have done thus far was leading up to this process, and now it is time to utilize your facilitation and leadership skills to bring ideas to life. THE FIRST STEP

TIP Refer to Leadership Prism

is to identify a series of possible paths that you can discuss and review with your design team. Picking the right path will set you up for success. THE STRUCTURE

of a “Path Statement”, a formal declaration of where your team is going, requires a clear statement of the ultimate outcome and the changed experience that your team will offer the customer or individual. WE FOCUS ON EXPERIENCES,

not products, at this stage in the innovation process. The better we understand what people do, rather than what they use, the more likely we are to create successful innovations. AS YOU KNOW,

the innovation process is driven by the belief that ideas are powerful but people make every moment high impact. This is a statement on being human-centered in our approach. To successfully remain humancentered, we much resist the urge to solve problems first. Instead we focus on the experience one has in his or her daily life. Solutions emerge from a deep understanding of how people live. NOTE:

It is a common tendency to jump to conclusions about what people need. This happens because scholars become unsure about the process that is offered in these pages. Doubt is healthy as you engage the people and process. After all, you are creating space for innovation to happen, and that is unclear and uncomfortable. However, successful innovation emerges by deepening your participation in the process, not by blowing past it.

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PREPARE

Meeting time with the full design team

TIPS FOR

Notes review from immersion and inspiration actions

BR AINSTORMING

Asset maps, daily activity clocks, hidden and financial transactions Defer judgment, think as largescale and broadly as possible and build on the ideas of others.

Easel Paper

Welcome unusual ideas and

Index Cards

combine and expand those that inspire you.

Markers

Set a time limit for each brainstorming session. Document every idea. Seek to multiply your options,

Write down the following “Path Statement” structure for all to see: ACHIEVE X BY IMPROVING Y EXPERIENCE.

considering as many of the assets and skills the community has and as many challenges as it is facing as you can. Include all insights and visions that surface. Do not jump to solutions in the form of a made-to-order product

Review the participate section. How will you present these topics, work through your community organizer, and create a lesson plan to guide the brainstorming discussion? Keep in mind that you do not want to focus on your own agenda. See their ideas as much as possible. It will take time, but it’s worth it!

or service as this will limit your thinking. Take a step back

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PARTICIPATE

BEGIN BY ASKING THE TEAM TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS: WHAT CHANGE DO WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE IN THIS COMMUNITY?

TIP If you need a community organizer, ask for one. Ideally, you will push through the activity and communicate without language if that is the primary barrier.

Think about your experiences in the community every day; also think about your interactions with community members. What could enhance the quality of life for people that you have shared experiences with? You may notice a seemingly small issue but there might be a much larger set of issues around that small problem. Consider different lenses as you look at the community around you, especially as you consider what might enhance quality of life. Think of the myriad opportunities for innovation in health, education, business, energy, technology or other areas that impact people’s daily lives. Explore. WHAT HUMAN EXPERIENCES WILL WE FOCUS ON TO UNDERSTAND THE OPPORTUNITY AND ULTIMATELY ACHIEVE THE CHANGE WE SEEK?

As mentioned above, we are not interested in thinking about what people might use. We want to learn from their daily experiences to identify what they will use. The challenge here is to actually think about their daily experiences as meaningful data points for what they would like to do differently or with greater efficiency. Carrying water, posting jobs, renting services, delivering babies, fixing bikes and countless other daily tasks can be enhanced through great products and services. Understand what people like doing (don’t change that!) and what they find cumbersome, difficult or even dangerous to uncover the opportunity to innovate. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO GET STARTED?

Recall mapped assets and ask the members of the design team to provide examples of resources. Then think about the wider community’s assets and resources, people’s desires and aspirations, and how people are currently approaching them. Consult your notes and other forms of documentation (photographs, sketches, recorded interviews, etc.) to dig up information that may help.

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PROCESS

Capture the full array of ideas you have shared as a team. What goals are inspiring? Which experiences stood out? Have you gotten to something truly fundamental â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the root of a problem? What surprised you? Did you notice any patterns or themes? As a team, discuss and write out key words, highlights, or topics that seem to have priority. RECONSIDER THE QUESTIONS:

What do you want to achieve? What experiences impact the bigger goal you hope to achieve? Organize your thoughts so everyone can understand.

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Pick a Path Statement MANDATORY

PICKING A PATH

will determine the direction that your team will take over throughout the Innovate phase. It could determine what people end up doing for the rest of their lives. This is an exciting opportunity and you may be tempted to tackle several paths. However, your team has to pick one path, no exceptions. PREPARE

REVIEW THE NOTES

from your brainstorm session.

WORK WITH YOUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZER

to clarify what ideas were shared to ensure that you did not miss any critical points. DETERMINE THE EXPERIENCES PICK 3-5 EXPERIENCES

that you would like to explore further.

and spend up to one day doing, learning, and

documenting them.

PARTICIPATE

BRING YOUR NOTES TO A TEAM MEETING. DISCUSS WHICH EXPERIENCES

were most surprising? Which are problematic? Which require new tools? Where are there gaps in the experiences? How are people compensating for these gaps? What are they doing? What are the structures around these experiences? EXAMPLES DETERMINE WITH YOUR TEAM

which experience is most ripe for change.

THEN DETERMINE WHICH GOAL PULL THE EXPERIENCE

the group would most like to achieve.

and the goal together to craft a clean Path Statement:

We will ACHIEVE SOME REMARKABLE FEAT by IMPROVING UPON A SPECIFIC HUMAN EXPERIENCE. THE CAPITAL LETTERS INDICATE WHERE YOUR OWN WORDS WILL FIT. GIVE YOUR PATH STATEMENT TO YOUR ADVISOR. 14 0

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PATH STATEMENT:

PROCESS

IS THIS PATH STATEMENT FOCUSED?

Is this experience a daily event? How frequently does it happen? Make sure that it occurs often enough so that you can experience it yourself and improve upon it. It wouldn’t do much good if you couldn’t work on the idea during the institute. Will you be able to build a relationship with your potential customer? What aspect of the experience can you really engage in? Consider writing out a narrative of the entire experience to identify where you might hone in.

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Innovation Action Plan MANDATORY THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY

to compile the results of the Inspire phase just before you enter the final phase of the Institute: Innovate. The Innovation Action Plan will help you strategically approach your next steps to ensure that you are able to use your time wisely. THE INNOVATION ACTION PLAN

will present your Path Statement and the way you and your team will make it real. You will cover Objectives that will help you achieve the goal throug the Path, Outcomes so you can measure your success, and the critical Assets, Actions, Deadlines, Outputs, Scholars, Community Members and Measurables that will make your Path successful.

PREPARE

SELECT A MEETING

time with your design team

REVIEW NOTES

for any final decisions that were made by the design team, and highlight them in your journal. After you have completed the PARTICIPATE section of the Action in following pages, hand inyour Innovation Action Plan to your advisor. Together you will PROCESS what you have completed.

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Innovation Action Plan PARTICIPATE

GOAL: PATH STATEMENT

Write the overarching goal

OBJECTIVE 2

OBJECTIVE 1

OBJECTIVE 3

LET’S DIVE DEEPER INTO EACH OBJECTIVE. USE THE CHART.

CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

OBJECTIVE : Break down the

OUTCOMES : What positive

ACTION: What are you going to

OUTPUTS : What simpler

Goal into three separate deliverable

activities do you want to result from

do to make this outcome happen?

measures are available as you

items. Some people use the acronym

the objective? We are drilling down

SMART to determine if they have

here on purpose to get your ideas

the right objectives. SMART means

out of your head and onto paper.

Specific, Measurable, Achievable,

This should help you imagine several

Realistic and Time-bound. Think

possibilities and eventualities.

about what you are trying to do, what needs to be done to motivate and

ASSETS: What resources are

engage others, what the process

available for you to be successful in

to set up the team might look like,

this action plan?

and more!

SCHOLARS & ROLES:

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Think of the number of people you

Who’s involved and what are they

will interview, the number meetings

responsible for?

you will hold, the number of focus

COMMUNITY MEMBERS &

groups you will conduct.

ROLES: Who’s involved and what

MEASURING IMPACT:

are they responsible for?

How can you tell if the design team

DEADLINES : Remember, it has

was developed effectively? What

to be time-bound. When will you execute the action plan?

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pursue the objective and outcomes?

worked and what didn’t work? Who are you reaching and why? What are you doing to evaluate your impact?

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OBJECTIVE 1 FIRST ENVISION

OUTCOME 1

OUTCOME 2

OUTCOME 3

OUTCOMES

ASSETS

ACTION

LIST BY PRIORITY

DEADLINES

SCHOLARS & ROLES

M/D

COMMUNITY MEMBERS & ROLES

DEADLINES

OUTPUTS

MEASURING IMPACT

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OBJECTIVE 2 FIRST ENVISION

OUTCOME 1

OUTCOME 2

OUTCOME 3

OUTCOMES

ASSETS

ACTION

LIST BY PRIORITY

DEADLINES

SCHOLARS & ROLES

M/D

COMMUNITY MEMBERS & ROLES

DEADLINES

OUTPUTS

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OBJECTIVE 3 FIRST ENVISION

OUTCOME 1

OUTCOME 2

OUTCOME 3

OUTCOMES

ASSETS

ACTION

LIST BY PRIORITY

DEADLINES

SCHOLARS & ROLES

M/D

COMMUNITY MEMBERS & ROLES

DEADLINES

OUTPUTS

MEASURING IMPACT

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04 INNOVATE

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GOALS ESTABLISH CONTEXT PROTOTYPE GATHER FEEDBCK I N S T I T U T E 2013

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I N N OVAT E

The Innovate phase is about to begin; this is the moment you have been waiting for. INNOVATION IS AT THE HEART OF SOCIAL CHANGE,

but it’s not easy. Creating high impact products and services with your design team requires that you push yourself and your teammates beyond your intellectual comfort zones. By bringing together different cultures and ideas, opportunities will emerge that can radically improve the daily lives of individuals in this community. THINKIMPACT’S INSTITUTE

is about providing market-based solutions to poverty. In practice that means everything you create will be designed to be self-sustaining and scalable at the local level, or beyond. This is not a time to hold back, fall into traditional patterns or grab for the lowest hanging fruit. Go after big ideas. Imagine something that changes the game. INNOVATION IS WHERE

the highest level of impact occurs. Creating something tangible that everyday people can use to live a better quality of life is both positive for the consumer and the producer. Job creation, economic growth and development, empowerment, and dignity all follow. AS YOU GO ABOUT THIS PHASE,

be sure to engage with other scholars and community members to gather constructive feedback on your ideas. This is not a time to be competitive with each other, but rather, it’s an incredible opportunity to gain insights into what works, might not work, and what can be tweaked to create more value in people’s lives.

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I N N OVAT E

TO SUCCEED

in the Innovate phase, think of the following four themes:

GAINING CONTEXT PROTOTYPING GATHERING FEEDBACK ITER ATING

BEFORE YOU DIVE

into Innovate, take a moment to consider Jugaad, a Hindi word that represents a powerful concept that can be applied the world over. JUGAAD MEANS AN INNOVATIVE FIX ;

an improvised solution born from ingenuity and cleverness; resourcefulness. Think of it as DIY – Do-It-Yourself solutions. THESE ARE THE SIX PRINCIPLES OF JUGAAD SEEK OPPORTUNITY

Use constraints as an invitation to innovate.

DO MORE WITH LESS

Work with what you’ve got.

THINK AND ACT

Adapt readily; move past old structures.

FLEXIBLY KEEP IT SIMPLE

Don’t overthink solutions; they should be roughly and rapidly produced.

INCLUDE THE MARGIN

Seek out marginal, underserved customers.

FOLLOW YOUR HEART

Intuition, empathy, and passion are more than fuzzy emotions.

WITH ALL THIS IN MIND, LET’S GET STARTED.

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“Three Whats”, for Context YOU HAVE A “PATH STATEMENT”.

Do you know what market offerings are already engaging your Path Statement’s experience? Before you begin prototyping, find out what exists in the market and what should be created or improved. PREPARE

ON YOUR OWN, WRITE OUT YOUR TEAM’S “PATH STATEMENT” AND BREAK IT DOWN INTO TWO PARTS

Underline ONCE the goal you want to achieve and underline TWICE the

What you want to achieve The experience you aspire to improve

experience you want to improve

PARTICIPATE

EXPLORE THE COMMUNITY

and meet with locals to find out how community members are currently engaging the experience and what people are already doing with local assets to improve their own personal experience. Explore this information without worrying about your ideas for a product or service.

ASK THE “THREE WHATS” QUESTIONS AS THEY RELATE TO YOUR PATH STATEMENT

What’s being done? What’s not being done? What needs to be done? CONSIDER THE QUESTIONS THROUGH THREE PERSPECTIVES FOR GREATER DEPTH

What are individuals doing to meet needs (i.e. the social issue)? What is the public sector (including government and NGOs) providing to address the social issue? What is business offering/selling to address the social issue?

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WHAT’S BEING DONE?

WHAT’S NOT BEING DONE?

By individuals?

By the public sector (government & civil society)?

By business/private sector?

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? This is where your design team comes in…

CONTINUED

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PROCESS

WHAT GROUP OR GROUPS

are most involved in addressing the social issue you are interested in working on? How is information delivered? How are products or services delivered? Who are they delivered to? Who ultimately benefits? ONCE YOUR TEAM HAS CONTEXT

for the “Path Statement”, it is time to choose your next steps. You have numerous options: You might want to work on identifying your customer (it may not be who you think!) or you might feel the need to dig deeper into the question of what the public sector is doing to address the social issue or you might feel ready to pick an idea and start prototyping. AS A TEAM,

reflect on where you are and what you want to do next. Create an Action Plan that utilizes the actions in this phase of the Institute (or create new actions that we didn’t think of). However, throughout this phase you will have to meet certain deadlines.

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Positive Deviants WHEN WE LEARNED

about positive deviants, we felt like we found the Holy Grail. Of course, there are no silver bullets in the world, but there are some very powerful concepts that resonate because they are both inspiring and true! A POSITIVE DEVIANT

is an unlikely success story. Think of why one child is healthy where everyone else seems to be unhealthy. Is it just lucky biology? Perhaps. Or not. What is that child eating? Where does he spend his time? THERE ARE MANY EX AMPLES

like this if we open ourselves to them. In a community where the economic activity is seemingly limited, why does one person have a larger house? A cleaner latrine? Regular income? The ability to read? WHAT MAKES SOMEONE

or something successful in an environment where it seems like nobody is able to succeed?

PREPARE

WRITE OUT WHAT

“success” would look like in the context of your “Path

Statement”.

PARTICIPATE

ACTIVELY SEEK EXAMPLES

PROCESS

HAVE YOU IDENTIFIED a positive deviant? If so, does it impact your design? Is the idea suddenly more scalable because someone has done it.

of success in the community. Find out the stories behind the success. As you meet with others who fit the label of “success” in the face of adversity, note anything in their daily habits, attitudes, philosophy on life, or any other observable differences they may represent. For example, a wealthier woman in the village has committed to only having two children, while everyone else you have met has three or more children. Why did she make that decision?

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Day in the Life YOU ARE GETTING MORE ADVANCED

in your thinking about the business dynamics in the community, including who works where, who sells what, and how people use materials. It’s time to put your new thinking and knowledge into context. FIRST THINK ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALS

who will ultimately use your product or service. This is called the END USER in some business jargon. Think about buying a computer. You go to Amazon.com to buy the computer. But Amazon.com is not the creator of the product, they just think about the retail process. The more successful computers – the ones that sell the most – will be the ones that best meet the final consumer’s needs. The retailer, who can charge more for the product and make a bigger margin, will then purchase the best product in larger quantities. that your end user might have. How do they make money? What’s their role in the community and the advantage of the product? Would you need a middleman to reach this customer? SECOND, THINK ABOUT THE GOALS

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PREPARE

YOU WILL WANT TO THINK

PARTICIPATE

WORK WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS

about the two types of customers described when you think about the Day in the Life of a consumer (perhaps you have other stakeholders, too, but we offer these as a starting point). in your target audience (mothers, children, students, elderly, whoever it might be) to develop answers to the following.

1 2

What would they like to gain from using your product or service? How will they interact with it? What makes it special to them? Where does it fit in their day? Where would they get the product or service? Would your team use direct sales by the producer or perhaps through a middleman or a retail shop? Do you have to build out the distribution as part of the product or service, or is the innovation in the way that the product is distributed, financed, shared, or sold?

REFER TO

your hidden and financial transactions maps, the daily activities of how people operate, where they work, and what they do for survival as you begin to understand the daily routines and opportunities that exist for improving the way consumers interact with the product or service and how they procure it.

PROCESS

WITH YOUR TEAM,

share insights: Any big revelations? Are you pushing your innovations? Did you rethink what innovation might mean in this context?

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Know Thy Customer PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

require customers to have impact. Your customer may not be the ultimate beneficiary. EX. A business that sells vaccines may sell them to a clinic. However, the clinic does not need vaccines. Patients who go to the clinic need vaccines. As mentioned above, understanding that there is a market dynamic between your product, the buyer, and the ultimate beneficiary is critical for designing a business model that can succeed. IT IS TIME TO BETTER UNDERSTAND

your customer: the individual, company, clinic, school, or other entity that will actually buy the product in a direct transaction. What do they want?

PREPARE

FROM YOUR EFFORTS

to establish context answer the following question:

Who is the best consumer to ensure that benefit is delivered efficiently to improve your Path Statementâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience?

PARTICIPATE

CREATE A CUSTOMER PROFILE

that aggregates attributes from many actual customers. This profile will represent a character or business that your design team can engage with throughout the prototyping process that would be a likely buyer. DR AW A PICTURE OF YOUR CUSTOMER.

What are the unique elements of the customer? What makes them unique? How do they think about their role in the community? Do they keep a budget and plan, or do they live a subsistence life? When is revenue likely to spike or drop? What is their willingness to pay for a product or service? How do they make money? Does your idea help them make more money? PROCESS

IS THIS THE

customer you think you should work with? provide value to this customer? YOU KNOW that they might be interested in this idea?

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INSPIRE

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Business Model WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS MODEL?

These are questions that people ask all the time when entrepreneurs are working on big ideas. The real question they are asking is, “Where do you make money? Who pays you?” We just analyzed this question through the Day in the Life and Know Thy Customer action. It is time to see what it means for a possible enterprise.

PREPARE

REFER TO THE NOTES

PARTICIPATE

FILL OUT THE TEMPLATE

PROCESS

DO YOU FEEL LIKE

you took on what’s being done by businesses and the private sector right now to address your “Path Statement”. Some of the information will apply to the action below.

for a business customer. You will find the definitions for the various segments to be filled in effectively. The table is courtesy of businessmodelgeneration.com.

you have a grasp on the idea of a business model? Is there something inherently innovative in the business model your design team has developed?

KEY PARTNERS: Who

VALUE PROPOSITIONS:

CUSTOMER

can you work with to reach

What value does your product or

SEGMENTS: For whom

more people? Who will help

service bring to consumers?

raise awareness of your idea?

KEY ACTIVITIES: What will your product or service do? What can you imagine this being the best in the world at?

KEY ASSETS: What local assets will you need to create

are we creating value? Who are our most important

CUSTOMER

customers?

RELATIONSHIPS: What type of relationship does each of our

COST STRUCTURE:

prospective customer segments

What are the most important

expect us to establish and maintain

costs in our product or

with them?

service? Which key assets are most expensive? Which key

your product or service? Will

CHANNELS: How do our

you need anything else?

customers want to be reached?

activities are most expensive?

Which ways are easiest? Fastest?

REVENUE STREAMS

Cheapest?

(Who will pay you): What value are customers really willing to pay for? What do they currently pay? How do

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they pay? How else might they pay?

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KEY PARTNERS

VALUE PROPOSITIONS

KEY ACTIVITIES

KEY ASSETS

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

CHANNELS

COST STRUCTURE

CUSTOMER SEGMENTS

REVENUE STREAMS

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Stakeholder Maps AT TIMES IT CAN BE OVERWHELMING

to think about all the people involved in a single idea. At other times, it might feel like you are alone pursuing a dream, perhaps with just a few others on your design team. It can feel confusing to think about who is involved and who is impacted by the work you are doing. This activity is about building a stakeholder map: a complex, true representation of all the different individuals, groups, and entities that are involved in the idea.

UNDERSTANDING INCENTIVES AND MOTIVATIONS

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in other words, what your stakeholders want â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is critical for developing a product or service that is high impact. In many ways, social enterprises and social innovations uncover new ways to align incentives. If incentives to improve the world (say, reduce your carbon footprint) can be aligned with the incentive to make money through creativity and innovation, the impact can be far reaching.

PREPARE

BEGIN BY WRITING THE NAMES

PARTICIPATE

TAKE THE LIST

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of everyone involved in the product or service. Consider the individuals who generate ideas, design team members, suppliers of inputs, customers and more. Write them all down.

you have developed and identify a way to represent the various motivations, expectations, and incentives for each stakeholder. Draw these qualities about the stakeholders on easel paper or in your journal. Adjacent to the figures, estimate the level of motivation that each stakeholder has in each category.

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Consider a businesswoman whom you are working with in the town. You have drawn her “Motivations” out, and decided that community, recognition, money, and family play key roles in her decision-making.

Level of Motivation

EX.

Community

Recognition

Money

Family

NOW TAKE A LOOK

at the stakeholders you have analyzed. What do they each demand from your product or service? What value is easiest to deliver? Where are motivations unclear? DR AW OR WRITE

the stakeholders that threaten the idea because their incentives are not well aligned with the design team’s goals.

PROCESS

DID YOU UNCOVER

any surprising motivations? Did you uncover opportunities for building partnerships, aligning individuals and other stakeholders that could lead to high impact?

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Back It Out PREPARE Blank sheet of paper or the Impact Map

PARTICIPATE CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

THIS WORK CAN BE OVERWHELMING.

Selecting products and services, managing stakeholders, learning about new cultures and economies, and pushing for innovation are not easy. We have developed an activity that will help ensure that you are able to gain perspective all along the way. Use this tool regularly to feel back in control of your personal and team responsibilities.

ON THE IMPACT MAP ,

build a collective “To Do” list with your team. You can do this on your own as well. IN THE COLUMN THINK ,

begin by saying, “Think of all that we could be

doing, including…” FINISH THE SENTENCE

with 15 different things you could be doing! Go for

quantity, not quality. IN THE COLUMN ASSETS,

write out stakeholders and resources that are available to support you and your team in getting through the bigger task. GO BACK TO THE THINK COLUMN ,

and underline the five most important things you should do (considering the context of all the assets and incentives involved). NOW THAT YOU HAVE

five items to work on, write the next step for each of them in the “Action” column. PICK THE MOST IMPORTANT

three items, and circle them. That is your

starting point.

PROCESS

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WHAT DID YOU FIND CAUSES THE MOST STRESS?

Is it the stress of not knowing what needs to be done first? Is it leaving an idea behind? Is it the complexity of working with different stakeholders, all of whom have their own incentives and demands? What would make this easier?

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IMPACT MAP 1

THINK

ASSETS

ACTION

Think of all that we could be doing, including…

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MANDATORY

Storyboard & Presentation THIS IS WHEN YOU SHARE ,

in a series of drawings or pictures like a comic strip, the story of the individual who will benefit from your product or service. The purpose is to understand their daily activities in simple terms and to see where the product or service fits in and how it makes a positive impact in their lives.

PREPARE

SELECT THE IDEAL PROFILE

of an individual who would use your product or

service. ISOLATE THE BARRIERS

for social change that the individual you will profile

faces on a daily basis.

PARTICIPATE

IN NO MORE THAN TWELVE PICTURES

(no more than half page each in size, 8.5 x 5.5 inches) draw the individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daily life and their interaction with your product or service. PRESENT THIS STORYBOARD AS A DESIGN TEAM

to the ThinkImpact Country Team, including advisors, country coordinator, and associate. Present for no longer than 10 minutes per design team. Make sure to include at least one scholar and one community member in your presentation. PROCESS

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USE THE POINT TECHNIQUE

(found below) as you process the feedback you gain from your presentation.

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USE THE POINT TECHNIQUE AS YOU PROCESS THE FEEDBACK YOU GAIN FROM YOUR PRESENTATION.

P O I N T

PROBLEM

What problems did they identify with your storyboard or target audience profile?

OBSTACLE

Did they foresee any obstacles that would be a barrier to you proceeding forward?

INSIGHT

Did they highlight any insights into your target audience that you had overlooked?

NEED

Did they highlight anything in particular your presentation was lacking or needed?

THEME

Did they highlight any themes, such as commonalities, differences, and relationships in the information you presented that provided additional meaning.

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Extract Key Insights DIGGING DEEPER

into ideas and reviewing past notes will almost always inspire new ideas or save you time. We invite you to do that once again. This time, you will extract and write down key insights and takeaways.

PREPARE

REFER TO THE

PARTICIPATE

READ ALOUD

“Three Whats” activity PG.

152

how your group answered “What’s being done?” Ask your design team, “What was surprising or missing from this?” WRITE OUT

notes and then consider the themes. Where do people seem to overlook opportunity? What do they gravitate towards? Why? WRITE A STATEMENT

that articulates the theme or themes that you noticed. FEEL FREE

to do this for the “What’s not being done?” section as well!

PROCESS

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ANY SURPRISES?

Ask your design team members what they feel when they experience such a deep and open assessment of activities in the community.

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WHAT’S BEING DONE?

WHAT’S NOT BEING DONE?

By individuals?

By the public sector (government & civil society)?

By business/private sector?

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? This is where your design team comes in…

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Diagram PREPARE Large Easel Paper Markers Split design team into two groups

EXPLAINING YOUR PRODUCT

through diagrams, visualizing spaces, processes, and structures, can help you identify powerful areas for efficiency gains and also the key moments where your product or service provides the most impact. THIS IS VERY MUCH

a part of the prototyping stage. You are getting closer to making your idea a reality!

PARTICIPATE

DR AW THE PROCESS OR EXPERIENCE

that your product or service creates in the community. Include where the productâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s or serviceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inputs come from, where the necessary inputs are sold, resold, transported, and ultimately, used. WRITE WHERE PEOPLE EXPERIENCE

happiness, relief, or frustration. What is oppressive for the individual, and what is easy? NOW DO THE

same activity for other businesses in the same industry or category. How do others operate? EMPATHY IS

going to be critical here. Make no assumptions about how people experience different activities. Ask, listen, and learn.

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PROCESS

WHAT IS

the value to your target audience? you display that in the diagram? Why? WHY AND HOW would this idea be better than current options? DID YOU NOTICE any new challenges? HOW MUCH IS this benefit worth to the people who will use it? HOW DID

EX AMPLE

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Bring Ideas to Life through Song or Story ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME TO HAVE TIP Think of a scenerio where a potential customer would use your product

fun with your ideas and add emotion to the work you are doing. Here you have the opportunity to understand what your design team is developing in the community through the value it brings to individual lives. Pick a subject for your story, ideally a consumer who will benefit from your product or service.

or service.

EX.

a small boy, a mother or a local shopkeeper

PORTR AYING THE VALUE

to an individual through a short story or a song is a powerful reminder of what makes the Institute so powerful for everyone involved. TAKE SOME TIME AWAY

from the daily work of building a prototype to develop a story line, poem, song, or other medium to express the emotional experience that is so central to the product or service. DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T LET US BE CREATIVE.

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get in your way with more instructions!

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Five Whys LET’S DIG DEEP INTO THE EXPERIENCE YOU ASPIRE TO IMPROVE. Let’s

back to the five whys.

PREPARE

WRITE DOWN

PARTICIPATE

ASK THE FIVE WHYS

CONTINUE IN YOUR JOURNAL

PROCESS

the social issue that your design team agreed to tackle.

with your design team.

PATH STATEMENT:

WHY?

DO YOU FEEL LIKE HOW DIFFERENT

you got to the root of a problem?

were your conclusions compared to where you

started? ARE THERE SIMILAR,

recurring problems in this community? I N S T I T U T E 2013

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Five Hows PREPARE Find a partner Pick a topic

THE FIVE HOWS ACTION

is used to develop the details of how something works. Once you and your design team have identified an experience to improve you will need to understand how each aspect of the experience works. The Five Hows will help transform your understanding as an outsider into that of an insider.

PARTICIPATE FOR EXAMPLE,

your design team may identify cooking as an experience you want to improve. Together you need to understand the entirety of a cooking experience to grasp what product or service would improve that experience. Use the Five Hows to flesh out this plan. PICK A TOPIC

Fill in the five hows for your topic. Use cooking (above) if you need an example to work with.

PROCESS

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HOW?

Do you understand the necessary details? Did the Five Hows reveal the best opportunity to seize?

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MANDATORY

PREPARE

Reframe TAKE A LOOK AT

your initial Path Statement. It may not really be relevant after all this new information. The most important thing at this stage is to find a balance between open-mindedness and focus. Be aware of where you are focusing your time and energy. Stubbornness will not lead to innovation, while reflection and openness with thoughtful conclusions will. Your conclusion might be that your initial Path was ideal, though that is rare. NOW YOU HAVE

a target audience, a set of stakeholders, and clarity of how you can refine, and refocus your energy. PARTICIPATE

ON A PIECE OF EASEL PAPER a member of your design team should write the “Path Statement” for all to see. IS THE SOCIAL ISSUE

still the primary concern for your design team? to focus it down? IMPROVE it in any way? RETHINK it entirely? ARE THE ASSETS and resources that you hope to leverage the most efficient vehicle to create change? ARE YOU FINDING positive deviants? WOULD YOU WANT

TAKE A MOMENT

to ensure that everyone is in agreement on the “Path Statement” question and the direction you want to go regarding assets you will leverage. LISTEN TO THE

different options, perspectives, and alternatives that are presented with an open mind.

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REVISIT YOUR PATH STATEMENT.

Reframe it with more focus and nuance, applying lessons learned. Remember to build consensus with the design team. ORIGINAL PATH STATEMENT:

REFR AMED PATH STATEMENT:

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Pick a Prototype MANDATORY

YOU WILL NEED TO FIND

a way to vote on each idea as you progress through the prototyping phase. Use the following decision-making process (or amend it to make more sense for your design team) to select what you will prototype.

BOTTLE CAPS:

This is a quick way to narrow the field of possibilities by eliminating ideas that may sound cool but receive zero votes. Write your top few ideas on separate note cards and spread them out across the table. Every design team member will receive 5 bottle caps to â&#x20AC;&#x153;voteâ&#x20AC;? on their favorite ideas. Any note cards without bottle caps get eliminated. The three cards with the most bottle caps move on to step two.

5 MINUTE DEBATES:

Take your top three ideas and create a structured forum to debate the merits of these competing ideas.

STEP 1

STEP 2

There are two rules: 1. All sides get equal time 2. Limit the time to 10 minutes for each side.

STEP 3

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IMPACT SCORECARD:

This is an easy-to-use scorecard that prompts specific questions for your team to consider in measuring the value of an idea. Score ideas against the following questions from 1 to 10, where one is lowest and ten is highest.

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“

The simple act of creating a prototype gets people thinking in new ways. When they can physically see a new concept, they understand it and immediately become passionate about it and begin thinking creatively.” – BRIAN MEDLOCK, KENYA

IMPACT SCORECARD IDEA 1

IDEA 2

IDEA 3

DESIR ABILITY: Does the community want your prototype?

FEASIBILITY: Is the product or service technically feasible?

VIABILITY: Is your prototype financially viable?

TOTAL

PERHAPS YOU SHOULD GO WITH THE IDEA WITH THE HIGHEST SCORE?

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MANDATORY

Action Plan THIS ACTION PLAN

is different from your last plan. Here you will write a strategy for action (not more than two pages plus an appendix) that includes the following sections:

Project Summary

Goal

Budget

Timeline with daily objectives

Division of responsibilities

Accountability plan

Testing prototype

Gathering feedback

into budget details. We provide each design team a little bit of money to build a prototype. This is NOT seed capital. Don’t try to save it for the new enterprise. This is specifically to be used on your prototype to learn and test ideas as a design team.

Questions to still answer

SET UP YOUR BUDGET WITH THE

BUDGET IT’S TIME TO GET

FOLLOWING TEMPLATE ITEM

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NUMBER OF UNITS

COST PER UNIT

TOTAL COST

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ACCOUNTABILITY PLAN

ACTIVITY

WHEN WORKING IN A TEAM ,

it is extremely important to define roles clearly, and to follow up. Often groups make the mistake of assuming someone will take care of required tasks and a few team members end up scrambling to make up for these gaps. Think through every personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in the process. Everyone should know what he or she is responsible for, when it needs to be completed and what success looks like (what the goal is for their work). At Thinkimpact we call this a framing meeting.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

WHEN IS IT DUE?

WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE?

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Begin Prototyping INNOVATION IS LIMITLESS.

It offers the promise of solving nearly any problem in the world. As you think about your products and services, think about how you can contribute to the future through connecting people and ideas, how the right mix of existing resources could spell the end to some of the world’s greatest suffering. THE KEYS TO SUCCESS

on this program, as many past scholars have found, is an eagerness to explore ideas, a willingness to adjust and redirect their approach, and most importantly, a honed capacity to listen. We like to use the phrase that our friends at For Impact came up with, “Think big, Build simple, Act now!” But we offer an important addendum: “Listen, Iterate, Learn!” YOUR DESIGN TEAM

will begin prototyping a product or service as a solution to your “Path Statement“. PROTOTYPES ARE

a powerful form of communication and force us to think in realistic terms about how someone would interact with a concept. Prototypes are not precious. They should be built as quickly and cheaply as possible. They can be made from basic, simple materials and should be crude and ugly. A prototype is “anything tangible that lets us explore an idea, evaluate it, and push it forward.” They are disposable tools used throughout the concept development process, both to validate ideas and to help generate new ideas. THIS IS THE MOST EXCITING STAGE

of the Institute; you will begin to see the fruits of all your efforts to develop an innovation. Yet, the process of prototyping and testing ideas is also the most challenging and intense. It’s easy to hit a creative block or become overwhelmed by the scope of your design team’s ideas while running into limitations of time and resources. We have established opportunities for you to share your progress with people outside of your design team. These feedback sessions will challenge you to keep up with the flow of the Innovation phase and are designed to support your team.

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YOU’LL WANT TO CREATE

an action-oriented culture among your team. Putting this action-oriented culture into play means taking small steps, like spending a“few minutes at the end of every meeting to go around the table and allow each person to recite the action steps that he/she is responsible for executing.” THERE ARE COUNTLESS WAYS

to approach prototyping (we provide several suggestions below). There is no “right” way to do it. Just make sure not to focus on building a final product. Imagine your ideas in action, build it quickly, leave it rough around the edges, and gather feedback on the concepts. PROTOTYPING TECHNIQUES SKETCHING

SKETCH IDEAS

that inspire you. your artistic talent because creating beautiful sketches doesn’t guarantee that you will be able to solve problems elegantly. THE PURPOSE OF SKETCHING is to think and communicate with drawings. SKETCHING WILL HELP YOU visualize concepts and communicate many ideas quickly; this will be useful for figuring out details. GET IDEAS OUT of your head and begin to make them take form on paper so that others can visualize. INVOLVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS throughout! They may be great at sketching insights you overlook. DON’T WORRY ABOUT

USER LIFECYCLE MAP

VISUALIZE

a user’s overall relationship with the service. EX : A series of user journeys over time, from the user’s initial contact with a service, right through to the point where they eventually stop using it altogether. HIGHLIGHT THE KEY STAGES a typical customer would pass through when using this service. AT EACH OF THESE STAGES , incorporate information about the customer’s drive and motivation.

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EXPECTATION MAPS

INVESTIGATE AND CHART

SERVICE STAGING

ACT OUT A SCENARIO PROTOTYPE

what customers expect when they interact with a service. INVITE X NUMBER of potential customers to share with you their expectations for what, when, how, and why they would need a solution. HIGHLIGHT EXPECTATIONS that need attention from your customer and support you in building a stronger system. in a situation that resembles a

theater rehearsal. BRING YOUR EARLIER STORYBOARD

to life to help you understand a consumer’s interaction with the service. FOCUS ON THE SMALL DETAILS of people’s reactions and emotions, which are crucial to understanding the real-world situations in which a service is delivered. ACT OUT THE SITUATION in an iterative cycle, moving from the starting storyboard to a new design. DESIGNATE SOMEONE the director to help coordinate the group.

MIMICRY

MIMICRY REFERS

to copying properties of familiar objects, organisms, or environments in order to improve the usability, likeability, or functionality of an object. DR AW INSPIR ATION

from these three basic kinds of mimicry

Surface: Making a design look like something else Behavioral: Making a design act like something else 3. Functional: Making a design work like something else 2.

MIMICRY IS AN EFFECTIVE STR ATEGY

to begin exploring a design problem, but it should not be assumed that mimicked solutions are correct or best.

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3D MODELING

TIP Form follows function.

“

A PHYSICAL MODEL

of a product, quickly mocked up using rough materials, is a simple means of prototyping that allows you to consider your ideas in 3 dimensions. NEEDS TO CLEARLY be a model, not a first draft of the real thing. EX Use wood not actual soap. USE structures, fasteners, and surfaces to develop a model that you can engage. BRING YOUR IDEAS into the real world for further assessment and to answer questions such as desirability, usefulness, usability, viability, or feasibility.

Although the few challenges and threats are known by the members, the team is ready to roll together with a definite vision to achieve its objectives. I can feel those positive vibes from my team members in carrying this project to the next level.”

– K AL BHAKRI, KENYA I N S T I T U T E 2013

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Unstick Yourself IF YOU ARE FEELING FRUSTR ATED

or feel like you are getting carried away with your prototype, complicating matters in the hot pursuit of innovation, you may need a fresh perspective. REVIEW THE FOLLOWING

lenses to assess where your prototype currently is.

CONSTR AINT

THIS IS A TECHNIQUE FOR LIMITING

HIER ARCHY OF NEEDS

IN ORDER FOR A DESIGN

AFFORDANCE

THIS IS A PROPERTY

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the actions that can be performed by a system. Proper application of constraints makes design easier to use and dramatically reduces the probability of error during interaction. Think of the few buttons on an iPad. Sometimes less is more. There are two basic types of constraints: physical constraints and psychological constraints. Physical constraints limit the range of possible actions by redirecting physical motion in specific ways. Psychological constraints limit the range of possible actions by leveraging the way people perceive and think about the world. Would there be value to using constraints?

to be successful, it must meet peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basic needs before it can attempt to satisfy higher-level needs. What basic needs does the product or service meet? What are higher level needs that the product or service might address?

in which the physical characteristics of an object or environment influence its function. Whenever possible, you should design objects and environments to afford their intended function, and negatively afford improper use. For example, a knob affords twisting, and perhaps pushing, while a cord affords pulling. What is an example of affordance in your prototype?

I N N OVAT E

COLOR

COLOR IS USED IN DESIGN

80/20 RULE

THERE IS A COMMONLY HELD BELIEF

to attract attention, group elements, indicate meaning, and enhance aesthetics. Number of colors, combination of colors, saturation, and symbolism are all variables that can explain the meaning of different objects (for example, red emergency boxes for fire extinguishers). Color can make designs more visually interesting and aesthetically pleasing, and can reinforce the organization and meaning of elements in a design.

that approximately 80 percent of the effects generated by a system are caused by 20 percent of the variables in the system. For example, 80 percent of a productâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s usage involves 20 percent of its features. Is this true for your product? Do you want it to be? All elements in a design are not created equal. Get rid of anything that is excess. Use the 80/20 rule to assess the value of elements and keep the 20 percent that matters!

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Agile Development ADAPTING THROUGHOUT

the Innovation phase is essential for success. Adapting is a proactive action; it does not happen by accident. In fact, you can view adapting in two ways, one positive and the other negative. Imagine that you say in the Innovation process, “This didn’t work well, but I can see why, and I am excited to adjust my assumptions and find ways to be more resourceful,” rather than saying, “This didn’t work well, and we are failing to solve problems in the community.” The difference in attitude and the embrace of the constant need to adapt is apparent. ADAPTING INVOLVES

frequent team meetings where your design team can openly discuss the ongoing development of your project. During these meetings, encourage your team to place an emphasis on the individual user and their interactions over processes and tools you’ve been using. Remember the big picture! IF ISSUES ARISE ,

keep in mind that effective communication is often the greatest challenge for any team. Spend extra time to explain what you mean when you say something; to listen more carefully to what others’ views are; and to flesh out an issue more thoroughly. In the context of the Institute – rural villages in Africa with different cultures and languages – communication is particularly difficult. NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO REALLY HONE YOUR SKILLS AND BECOME AN EXCEPTIONAL COMMUNICATOR NO MATTER THE ENVIRONMENT. AS YOU’RE EXPERIENCING,

innovating is an iterative process. Agile development meetings will support your team in reflecting on Innovation’s key objectives, abandoning formalized processes and establishing a time to discuss how your service is developing and reflecting on your next actions. Keeping your project agile is key to developing a true innovation.

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INSPIRE

“

As business developers our goals should not be to impose Western infrastructures on communities with such powerful ecosystems already set in place. Instead we should strive to build on them. How can rural business developers transform impoverished rural regions into centers of economic prosperity while maintaining their rich culture of community solidarity? This will be the biggest challenge facing all businesses and non-profit organizations focusing their efforts in impoverished rural areas.” – DEKUNLE SOMADE, SOUTH AFRICA I N S T I T U T E 2013

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MANDATORY

Gathering Feedback NOW THAT YOU HAVE

a working prototype, you can begin gathering feedback from your target audience. It is important to include as many stakeholders as possible in the feedback stage: people from new places (as well as familiar faces), the end users, and even the people along the supply chain (potential producers, distributors, etc.). INVOLVE

some of the different perspectives you explored at the beginning of Innovate. The most important point for your design team to remember when soliciting feedback is that you are seeking honest responses. If feedback is negative, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best to know early on how people respond to a given innovation and work with that new information to improve upon your ideas. FEEDBACK CAN

be gathered by asking individuals directly, or by conducting feedback sessions during which groups of consumers may try out the product and then provide their thoughts and reactions in smaller groups. For example, consumers should be able to test, taste, sample, try, and generally experience your suggested innovation. PREPARE

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AS A TEAM ,

develop a list of three to five questions you would like to ask.

I N N OVAT E

PARTICIPATE

DIVIDE AND CONQUER.

Scholars and community members should split up and ask the same three or five questions to a variety of individuals. AS A FOREIGNER

TIP

in this community, you may get feedback that is different from what your design team’s community members hear. There are dynamics at play in the village that you will not understand or be familiar with. Accept this as part of the process.

Don’t take any criticisms

MAINTAIN A NEUTR AL TONE

personally. Listen to the feedback and determine where you can improve. The feedback

rather than selling the product. Seek advice for how you might improve the product. Encourage users to build on ideas with more questions.

may say one thing but really mean another. Try analyzing the feedback with 5 whys (pg.173) and find out the root of the problem.

EX. If

“

someone asks, “Would this service be purchased by the community or just an individual?” Respond: “Should the service be purchased by the community or individuals?” Or, “How could this be better for you?”

Along with several other community

PROCESS

members I met ... [he] told us point

IT IS IMPORTANT

has focused on doing, but rather that

to discuss the feedback you receive as a group, because some words or phrases may have different meanings in a local context; it’s crucial to understand the true meaning of a community member’s words.

they wanted the training and knowledge

COMPARE NOTES

blank that they didn’t want handouts, as USAID and the traditional aid system

so that they can pull themselves out of poverty.”

– KELLY SOULS

with your design team members. Is there anything significantly different between what you learned and what your local partners learned through their interviews?

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Iterate with Materials WE LEARN

the most when we confront a challenge with our full energy and when we reflect on what we have done. As your team explores your “Path Statement” with various prototypes, try not to think about how you’ve seen the problem solved before, and if your prototype is as good or better than what already exists. An exercise that will help you break away from the “everything has been done” block is to brainstorm with different materials. REMEMBER

we are focused on locally available resources, materials, and supplies. “Materials are like words, the richer your design vocabulary, the more solutions you can see and express.” It is important to learn where materials come from, how they function, and where they end up at the end of a product’s life. THROUGHOUT IMMERSE AND INSPIRE

you should have recorded a number of materials in your material library. It is now time to explore each material that might be relevant to your prototype as you iterate. By analyzing and thinking about each material, everyday objects become a source of creativity. You will come to appreciate the most simple, disposable, and inexpensive objects. Being resourceful in the prototyping process will pay off since supply costs add up, so start now and get the ball rolling with locally available materials.

PREPARE

CATEGORIZE THE MATERIALS

you used in your first prototype by their

function: SURFACE:

Outermost layer Internal or exposed support FASTENER: Connecting mechanism STRUCTURE:

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I N N OVAT E

“

I hope that our team will find ways to innovate using resources and materials that are already available and will empower the local people with ideas for growth.” – AYUSHI GUMMADI, SOUTH AFRICA

EXPLORE THE FOLLOWING

steps to learn more about

each material: SELECT A MATERIAL

you would like to explore further. Establish a goal for how you want to use this material. Think about its function. LIMIT YOURSELF to one type or piece of material, and see what kind of solution you can come up with as you prototype. USE ITEMS you have on hand to try out different ideas in a direct and physical way. ANALYZE why you think the materials are made the way they are.

PROCESS

RECORD THESE FINDINGS

through a short video, series of photos, or by sketching and taking notes in your journal.

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MANDATORY

Innovation Showcase YOU’VE WORKED HARD,

and it’s time to show it off. The Innovation Showcase brings together the design teams in your village for an afternoon of fun, celebration, and idea sharing. Each team will present its “Path Statement” as well as show the latest iteration of their prototype. PREPARE

WRITE

“Path Statement” on a piece of easel paper

BRING

Latest iteration of your prototype.

PARTICIPATE

AS A TEAM,

PROCESS

WITH YOUR DESIGN TEAM ,

present what you have accomplished to the other design teams for 15 minutes. Then take 10 minutes of feedback and Q&A. Keep notes for suggestions and questions to pursue. review the feedback and determine which ideas

you’d like to explore further.

Innovation Exhibition MANDATORY THE CULMINATION of your summer is the Innovation Exhibition. This is the opportunity to launch your idea into the marketplace, to attract local interest and to fully explain your concept to the broader community. Local leaders, community members, other design teams, business people, and more will be in attendance. PREPARE

7 MINUTE

presentation with community organizers from your design team

Presentation board for product or service that you can set up at a table for guests PARTICIPATE

THE EXHIBITION

PROCESS

HOW

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with design teams at their tables welcoming other design teams and guests to learn more about their innovations. The “Tabling” portion will last about 30 minutes. Then, each team will stand in front of the group and present for 7 minutes explaining their project. did the community respond to your ideas? Was local leadership supportive?

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INSPIRE

05 SHIFT

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INSPIRE

GOALS SAYING GOODBYE TR ANSITIONING BRINGING IT HOME I N S T I T U T E 2013

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Shift TAKE A STEP BACK AND BREATHE.

Before going further, reflect on all that you have learned, grown and achieved in less than 8 weeks. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s remarkable. IN THE NEXT PHASE, SHIFT,

we focus on how you can Bring it Home. Bringing it home means finding closure from the experience, preparing to transition back to your home country, and, for long term impact, applying the Action Kit to your daily lives. DURING THE INSTITUTE

you have developed habits, skills and perspectives that can enhance your ability to operate in a highly competitive, interconnected world. The same value has been created in the community. The following actions are about sustaining momentum, building better, and tackling anything.

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MANDATORY

Community Action Plan ONCE YOUR TEAM

has developed a prototype and received customer feedback, you want to set your local community partners up for success. It is critical that you deliberately transition away from being the driving force behind the product or service so that community members may assume full control. This should not be a handoff. The local community has been involved all along. This action should, however, lead to a framework that you have co-created for the local community members to work with after you depart. IN MANY WAYS,

this is where impact can become sustainable. Six months down the line, community members should be able to say, “I partnered with a wonderful scholar to identify an opportunity and for the last many months, I have built something I am proud of that is growing.” ENVISION THAT FOR A SECOND. THINK HOW POWERFUL

it is to have been a catalyst for new livelihoods, personal growth and economic development. THE KEY TO SUCCESS

here is planning. You are going to need a strategy.

WHAT IS STR ATEGY?

At ThinkImpact we think of strategy as a series of interrelated decisions. Some are difficult, others less so. The key is to set goals within a given timeframe that you can execute upon. You want to keep goals concrete so you can see where you are, measure success and adjust appropriately. BY DOING THIS,

you will have broken the idea into its component parts.

THIS INFORMATION WILL

inform your Community Action Plan, which begins with the “Integrated Cascade of Choices” from Playing to Win by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin.

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SHIFT

PREPARE

ANSWERS TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

that create an “Integrated

Cascade of Choices”: WHAT IS OUR WINNING ASPIR ATION? WHERE WILL WE PLAY? HOW WILL WE WIN? WHAT CAPABILITIES MUST BE IN PLACE? WHAT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ARE REQUIRED? NOW REVIEW YOUR ANSWERS

to the Integrated Cascade of Choices. What do you notice that you have? Where are your gaps? Is there consistency across the questions? In other words, does the story fit together logically? UNDERSTANDING THE CHOICES

you are making and the logic behind them is essential. You will need to communicate these ideas to the community. Build out a lesson plan to explain the information you compiled so you can share it with the rest of your team and gather their feedback. Make sure to work with a translator to develop the lesson plan. They need to understand the ideas you want to communicate just as much as you do! You are now ready to begin.

PARTICIPATE

DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

will require multiple meetings with your team. For the first meeting, execute the lesson plan. AFTER YOU HAVE COMPLETED

the lesson plan about what you are hoping to achieve with the Community Action Plan, review each question with the community organizer to make sure that the community members understood the message and that you understood each community member’s feedback. THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZER CAN THEN HELP YOU FILL IN THE GAPS.

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SHIFT

PARTICIPATE

REVIEW IF THE

community members’ feedback to your original answers (to the Integrated Cascade of Choices) makes sense when they are brought together. It’s important to ask your advisor for support here. As an objective outsider they can provide some valuable insights. COME BACK TOGETHER

with your team and identify clear statements of the choices you will make. FOR EXAMPLE

Our winning aspiration is to achieve X. We will play in Y space. We will win by doing Z. We will build A, B, C capabilities. We will develop E, F, G management systems for the team to succeed. WORK WITH

the community to develop a culturally appropriate and effective way to visually express these statements. The visual product (think “infographic”) will become your Community Action Plan. The infographic should display the choices you have made as a team. Translate the statements into the local language. GATHER FEEDBACK

on the infographic from your advisor and other

scholars. ITER ATE TO ENSURE EFFECTIVENESS. MAKE YOUR FINAL

Community Action Plan and deliver to the Country Coordinator for copies to be made for your design team.

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SHIFT

Leaving the Community IT MIGHT SEEM ODD

that the Action Kit includes an “exit” section. However, leaving the community can be as difficult as entering. It’s an emotional time, it always feels rushed, and it can set you up for a positive post-Institute experience if done right. HOW YOU CAPTURE

the memory of being in the community, the systems you set up to share information and stay in touch when you return to the US, and the way you leave your family and team will stay with you for days after you return home. WE WANT TO HELP YOU TO LEAVE EFFECTIVELY. HERE’S HOW: PREPARE

THINK ABOUT THE MEMORIES YOU WANT TO CAPTURE.

What is the time difference between your host country and your home? What time will be best to reach you when you return? Recall the principle that you should never make promises in the village. PARTICIPATE

CAPTURE MEMORIES

You’ve thought about what you’d like to capture, in the last couple days in the village, make sure to find the most appropriate way to capture those memories. Is it a video, sketch, letter, photo or small memento that will help your hosts or you remember the times you’ve shared this summer? Breathe in. Mentally note the uniqueness of the place, its smells, its community. ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

Staying in touch with your host family and your team is never easy. Time change, limited cell reception and simply the feeling of distance can cause you to lose touch with the village. Think about all of your options: Facebook, Email, What’s App, SMS and phone calls all keep you connected. Which would your host family prefer to use? Which communication channel will you consistently check?

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MAKE NO PROMISES LEAVING THE VILLAGE

is an emotional time on the Institute. Not only will you feel sad, you will also feel awkward. You may wonder, “What am I leaving behind to help?” Do not give in to the urge to promise something. You have made your mark. The relationships, the connections, the lessons you’ve learned, the teams you’ve built and more are your legacy. Don’t undermine your time in the village by making quick-fix promises. IN RUR AL AFRICA ,

promises are extremely serious and locals will expect you to follow through. You may have good intentions when making a promise, and then accidentally forget or quite innocently fail to follow up. It may not seem like a big deal to you, but it is to them. When you make a promise you can’t (or forget) to keep, this is a deep offense to your community members and they will wait EVERY DAY for you to fulfill it. This reflects poorly on not only you, but also the culture you inherently represent: the U.S., foreigners, your school, and ThinkImpact. Beyond being a scholar, remember that you are also a cultural ambassador! Your promises will ultimately impact future programs and scholars. WE STRONGLY DISCOUR AGE

making promises. Here are a few examples that will do more harm than good: “I promise to return to the community.” Don’t make that promise. You have no idea what your future travel plans are. Things change. Life happens fast. “I will send you money for school.” Yikes! This is a major offense. When you do this you create a new dependence and unfounded hope. You also face a very tricky set of new questions: How will I send the money? How much? When? Do not promise to send money. And don’t send money! “I will send goods for your house/business/child.” Getting things into Africa often costs more time and money than the good itself. Don’t go there.

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SHIFT

INSTEAD OF MAKING PROMISES…

Invite them to stay in touch. Communicate when they should call. They may not be familiar with time change. Identify some time when you can share what you have appreciated about the experience, how they have made an impact on you, and so you can learn how you have impacted them. Discuss what they will do with the future. SAYING A “GOOD” GOODBYE AND GIFT GIVING

As you prepare to leave, set up an opportunity to see the whole family together. Don’t rush the goodbye. Find some time so you can really show your appreciation. Leave something that will remind your host family of you (photo, book, poem, etc.) Think about how you will thank each family member and in what order. As you think about the gift you will leave for your host family, consult the Country Team for additional guidance.

PROCESS

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR FEELINGS

about leaving the village. Write down how you’re feeling about leaving, use an activity from the Action Kit to put ideas on paper, or simply take a slow walk around the village to reflect.

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MANDATORY

ThinkImpact Graduation COMPLETING THE INSTITUTE

is a truly remarkable achievement. ThinkImpact Graduation is an important moment to recognize what you have accomplished in the last two months. EVERY GR ADUATE WILL BE CALLED UP AND RECOGNIZED FOR:

Identifying a path statement and developing an innovation Completing 480 hours of work in the community over 8 weeks Completing the Mind, Immerse, Inspire, Innovate and Shift phases of the Action Kit. Becoming an Innovator in your own right having learned about assetbased development, design thinking and social innovation. SELECTED GR ADUATES WILL BE RECOGNIZED FOR:

Best in Community Innovation Best in Country Innovation YOUR PARTICIPATION

on the Institute is a milestone in your personal development. It represents a transitional period when you decided to learn to tackle any opportunity no matter the location, the language or the enormity of the challenge. COMPLETING THE PROGR AM

as a scholar entitles you to the benefits of being a ThinkImpact Innovator, a member of a select community of individuals who are engaging people through experiences to make every moment high impact.

“

My faith in the people of the United States

to act in the interest of a better life for all the people of the world is vindicated by people like you at ThinkImpact (formerly ‘Student Movement for Real Change’).” - NELSON MANDELA

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SHIFT

Transition Back Home MANDATORY SCHOLARS MAKE EXTENSIVE preparation before they go on an international adventure. Many expect culture shock when they arrive to their destination and it is not uncommon to go through a sharp learning curve about local customs and norms. WHAT MANY SCHOLARS

donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect is how difficult it is to return home. You will find that people have different priorities than you. They may value material belongings more than you do or not think that Africa is a particularly inspiring place. Each interaction with people upon your return will offer a new set of surprises, disappointments, and opportunities. THE CONCEPT

of reverse culture shock is real and dealing with it effectively can unlock an enormous opportunity to make a sustainable impact. PREPARE

ANTICIPATE:

PARTICIPATE

PREPARE A LIST

What do you foresee when you return? What behaviors do you want to change about yourself when you go home? Will your priorities clash with your family and friends? Do you think others will understand what you have done over the summer? Do you think they will share your excitement? of responses, changes and emotions that you expect when you return home. COMPLETE

an empathy map on a family member or friend back home on how they might perceive your experience in Africa. How will they relate?

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SHIFT

PROCESS

YOUR FINAL BLOG

for the Institute is the Appreciate Blog. Reflect on what you have learned, what you have seen, and how you plan to use the lessons from the summer in your own life. This is a blog that your supporters (friends, family, university) will read to get a complete sense of what the Institute has meant to you. WRITE THE BLOG

to your supporters. Cover topics of achievement and also anxieties about returning home. Are you worried that you will miss your â&#x20AC;&#x153;second homeâ&#x20AC;?? How will you bring the perspectives you have gained into your daily life? How will you direct your career now? What will you be bringing back home from the Institute experience? THE BLOG WILL

be posted when you are back in the United States or

home country.

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Listening Map WHEN YOU GET BACK HOME

you will be excited to share your summer experiences in Africa. You will not want to wait even one minute before launching into the details of the people you lived and worked with, the places you have seen and the things you have achieved. CONSIDER TAKING

it a little more slowly. When you arrive home, make sure to ask how others have been doing, how their summer has been, and what they experienced. To become completely absorbed in your own story can shut people out. Some may even feel bad about their own experiences. Make sure not to impose your views or dominate the conversation. PREPARE

MAP EVERYTHING

that you would want to learn about how your friends and family spent the summer months. Begin planning how you are going to reconnect with your life before Africa. This is not a bad thing. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t downplay how important it is to make sense of both worlds within your mind. You will become the bridge for many people between these two worlds. HERE ARE SOME IDEAS FOR YOUR LISTENING MAP:

Latest trends in pop culture News headlines Campus or community updates Family updates PARTICIPATE

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Put together a table that includes the following: 1) The people you hope to see when you return, 2) what questions you are going to ask and what you are hoping to learn, and 3) when and how you will connect with them. MOM QUESTIONS:

BEST FRIEND QUESTIONS:

Family updates Friend Updates

Campus updates Friend Updates

CONNECT:

Where/When?

ETC.

CONNECT:

SHIFT

PROCESS

TAKE STOCK OF HOW YOU FEEL AND ALL THE NEW INFORMATION YOU HAVE GATHERED FROM YOUR CONVERSATIONS.

What is the most interesting change that has occurred? What is exactly the same? Is there anything about being home that is particularly uplifting or disappointing? When did you learn about it? Were expectations exceeded or not met? What is contributing to how you are feeling now that you are home and back in touch with the people in your life?

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SHIFT

Sharing Your Story THE KEY TO SHARING

your story effectively is to engage people’s curiosity. You have experienced so many new cultural practices, seen beautiful scenery, worked on remarkable ideas and built lifelong relationships across the ocean. Yet, you cannot possibly tell someone everything at once. THIS ACTION WILL HELP

you frame your story so others can ask questions to learn more and more about everything you have just done. YOUR GOAL IS TO GET MANY QUESTIONS FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE CURIOUS TO LEARN MORE. HERE’S HOW: PREPARE

BREAK DOWN YOUR SUMMER EXPERIENCE IN THREE SEGMENTS: STORY OF ME: WHY YOU WENT TO AFRICA ON THE INSTITUTE

Goals for the summer Curiosities about Africa, Social Innovation, etc. Adventures you were seeking STORY OF US: WHAT WE DID ON THE INSTITUTE RELATIONSHIPS YOU BUILT WITH:

ThinkImpact Scholars Community Innovations you developed Path Statement Product or Service Community Action Plan STORY OF NOW: WHAT YOU PLAN TO DO NOW THAT YOU ARE BACK IN AMERICA

Habits you will bring back Skills you will apply Perspectives you will share 212

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PARTICIPATE

WHEN YOU MEET WITH A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER AND THEY ASK ABOUT YOUR SUMMER, START SIMPLY. SHARE: WHY YOU WENT A GOAL YOU HAD OR SOMETHING YOU WERE CURIOUS ABOUT ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU ACHIEVED THE GOAL OR SATISFIED THAT CURIOSITY.

Allow the conversation to follow from there. People will ask questions and you can guide them through the Story of Me, Us and Now. You can unravel the entire summer in a conversation that deeply engages the listener. But if you “overshare” too quickly, you will lose your audience. It is equally important to communicate your story in a way that people can relate to as it is to communicate it at all! PROCESS

DOES WHAT IS

sharing your story help you process your experience? parts really enliven the conversation?

there a common question everyone asks? How do you handle it?

you feel that people are able to relate to the experience in any way? Are they just confused? IF YOU FIND THAT NOBODY IS ABLE TO RELATE TO YOUR EXPERIENCE, THINK ABOUT THE RESOURCES YOU HAVE FOR SUPPORT:

ThinkImpact Innovator Facebook Group Your Advisor ThinkImpact HQ Groups on campus focused on Africa and Social Entrepreneurship or International Development

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ThinkImpact Family WELCOME TO THE GROWING COMMUNITY OF INNOVATORS “A TRIBE IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER AND CONNECTED TO AN IDEA. FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS, HUMAN BEINGS HAVE BEEN PART OF ONE TRIBE OR ANOTHER. A GROUP NEEDS ONLY TWO THINGS TO BE A TRIBE: A SHARED INTEREST AND A WAY TO COMMUNICATE.” - SETH GODIN, TRIBES

When you confirmed your participation on the 2013 Institute, you did not merely sign up for a one off study abroad or internship placement program. You took the first step in joining a community, a family, and a tribe to which you will belong for the rest of your life. Your experience in Africa with ThinkImpact is linked to the experiences of others that have come before you and the community partners that continue to push the boundaries on what is possible in emerging economies. WE BELIEVE…

1. We are the generation that is going to shift the way people seek opportunities. 2. We have the skills, resources and community needed to make change real. 3. We are the future of social innovation. We all have something to bring to the table. We stand ready to act every day and make every moment high impact. ThinkImpact is here for you as you take on this opportunity. At first, we will provide you with a number of resources as you return to the United States or home country. They include writing opportunities, events, and social networking tools. As the year (and years!) progress we will continue to provide you new, exciting ways to make every moment high impact – in your education, your career, your travels, your life. The responsibility to make use of these resources and to share your assets across the community of scholars and advisors is yours. We look forward to all that you will create!

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GET PUBLISHED

Do you have a project that needs some good publicity? Are you an avid blogger and writer? Well, you are officially a lifelong contributor to the ThinkImpact Blog. We have created a unique login for you to submit posts throughout the year. Our team will review your drafts and post blogs on a weekly basis. Please send your blog and corresponding photos and videos to Jessica Morse at Jessica@thinkimpact.com. JOB BOARD

Find a Job You Love. ThinkImpact has partnered with ReWork.jobs to provide ThinkImpact Innovators Fast Track access in their nationwide talent search. Apply to ReWork’s talent pool for the chance to get matched with “clients” looking for all-star talent to fulfill a multitude of roles with companies and organizations that truly think impact. ReWork is building a tight-knit community of talented professionals that are interested in addressing the big social and environmental challenges of our time. ReWork helps these professionals find meaningful work by connecting them to paid opportunities with companies and organizations that are making the world a better place. And, of course, don’t forget to follow ThinkImpact on Linkedin.

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SHIFT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Name) Completes 2013 ThinkImpact Institute Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. – (Date), 2013 – ThinkImpact is proud to announce the return of (FIRST)(LAST) upon successful completion of the 2013 Institute in (COUNTRY). (FIRST) was a key player in a team of top undergraduate and graduate students from around the world for 8 weeks this summer as an innovator in ThinkImpact’s (COUNTRY) program. While in (COUNTRY), (FIRST) collaborated with a design team of local community members to prototype (INSERT YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE). ThinkImpact inspires innovation to seize opportunity in communities across the world. The Institute in rural Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa, takes the brightest U.S. and international university students and young professionals to live and work with community entrepreneurs. Scholars learn through an assetbased community development curriculum, and unleash the potential at the base of the pyramid creating jobs, products, and services that change lives. (“INSERT YOUR OWN QUOTE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE”) By successfully completing the (COUNTRY) Institute, (FIRST) joins a team of visionary ThinkImpact alumni leading the way for social innovation in our time. Share your interest in (FIRST), ThinkImpact, and its programs by contacting: Jessica Morse Strategic Engagement Manager jessica@thinkimpact.com 303-377-3776 ThinkImpact is a Denver-based education company changing how we think in business, school, and life. By looking at ordinary, routine, and commonly accepted worldviews with new eyes, individuals are empowered to do great things, while leading mutually-beneficial lives for themselves and their community. www.thinkimpact.com. ###

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SHIFT

THINKIMPACT INNOVATORS (ALUMNI) ONLY FACEBOOK GROUP HERE ARE SOME HELPFUL TIPS TO CONSIDER WHEN USING THE FACEBOOK GROUP. 1. BRING “ASKS” TO YOUR COMMUNITY.

Looking for a job? Need a couch to surf on in a new city for the weekend? Want to attend an event with a fellow alum? Ask your community...but don’t forget to give back! 2. ORGANIZE A MEET-UP

Use a poll to ask who in your area is interested in a ThinkImpact alumni meetup. Designate a theme or topic of conversation for the event. 3. SHARE ALBUMS FROM YOUR TIMELINE!

Share albums from the Institute or from alumni meet-ups in your community. It is easy to share albums from your Facebook to the group. Simply open an album and click share at the bottom of the page, then designate that you would like to share with the “ThinkImpact Innovator (Alumni) Only” Facebook group. JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

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SHIFT

EVENTS

Football season has begun. It’s time to get in The Huddle! We want YOU to join us for ThinkImpact’s Annual Huddle on innovate like a millennial, to be held in Denver, Colorado this October. Enroll today to join ThinkImpact for this game changing event, where your experience and knowledge will influence the future of experiential education on campuses and within businesses across the country. STORYTELLING

Market Your Experience Consider the advice on how to market your experience on LinkedIn or in your latest resume. Go the extra mile and give your advisor or your fellow scholars a recommendation on LinkedIn for the hard work they did this summer. All you have to do is “CONNECT” with your scholars or Advisor and “RECOMMEND” their work on the ThinkImpact Institute. This is a great way to help craft their story and journey through the Institute in a professional setting.

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Applying the Action Kit Back Home THE ACTION KIT WAS NOT DESIGNED FOR AFRICA. IT WAS DESIGNED FOR YOU.

As you know by now, the Action Kit is a complex tool for uncovering assets, building relationships, establishing teams and testing ideas - unlike any guidebook youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve experienced before. You have become deeply familiar with the actions the Action Kit can offer you in Africa. Now think about how you can apply them in your daily life back in the United States or home country.

PREPARE

FOR EVERY ACTION

PARTICIPATE

WHENEVER YOU FACE

in the Action Kit, think about how you might identify a goal that is relevant in your daily life at home.

a new project, want to create something new, or simply understand something in a different way, turn to your Action Kit first. Leafing through the pages will reveal myriad learning tools and opportunities. There are infinite applications for the activities in your daily life. THE KEY TO MA XIMIZING

the value of the Action Kit is to utilize its framework and apply targeted actions where relevant. WITH ANY NEW

opportunity you will need to learn the context, build teams, and test ideas. Mind, Immerse, Inspire, Innovate and Shift are designed to help you achieve anything.

PROCESS

WHAT ACTIONS DO YOU GO BACK TO MOST FREQUENTLY? WHY?

How have you used the Action Kit in school? When has understanding context proven valuable? Have you built teams where you otherwise might not have? Have you tested an idea and been pleasantly surprised with the results?

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ENDNOTES

Acknowledgements THE ACTION KIT WAS THE RESULT

of a design team at ThinkImpact. Each individual contributed as we navigated the chaotic and exciting process that brought us to this final product. THE DESIGN WORK,

completed by Kimberly Gim, turns basic text and rough boxes into an incredibly engaging and vibrant display of ideas and opportunities. The level of creativity that Kim brings to her work, as well as her passion for the subject and ability to make the complex simple is evident throughout the Action Kit. K ATE LOOSE AND JESSICA MORSE

contributed through revisions, idea development, feedback from previous years and actually making the Institute possible. Their time working with our dedicated team in Africa, Abdallah Mohamed, Noel Ntabanganyimana, Jimmy Mhlanga and Benson Adjei to bring this to life makes our mission a reality. THE ACTION KIT WOULD BE

rife with errors without the careful eye that Kelly Burt has brought with her edits to the document. Her efforts to make this product better have made an enormous difference. WORKING WITH SUCH A BRILLIANT

and collaborative group of individuals is such a pleasure. Though they form the core of the team that has made the Action Kit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the Institute â&#x20AC;&#x201C; possible, any errors, inconsistencies or mistakes in the document are my own. WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED

using the Action Kit as much as we have enjoyed writing it. The future belongs to the innovators!

SAUL GARLICK, CEO

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PATRICK KEANE, CREATIVE DIRECTOR

ENDNOTES

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ENDNOTES

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