Exhibit Change has been working on the principles and methodologies of design thinking and community engagement for 5 years. Often, I find when I explain this to people, they are initially kind of puzzled. It is hard to explain and far easier to show.
Making that first mark on the paper and planning the process is daunting.
Making that first mark on the paper and planning the process is daunting.
I have become familiar with laying out a process for clients, visualizing it, explaining the components and laying out what the potential outcomes will be when we are first meeting. I know this is going to change. The hardest part for me is creating a comfort in this uncertainty for my clients. Usually organizations with limited funding, like community organizations or schools, are not used to banking on something that doesn't feel like a "sure thing". The difference is that I know it is a sure thing. I know that the process will get us where we need to go. It's just that where we need to go is not usually what was exactly originally imagined.
This is why we say you have to trust the process.
This is why we say you have to trust the process.
That being said, I am getting that sense of anticipation that our clients might feel. A flurry of questions are filling my mind as the process starts. What's the scope of the design challenge? Where to begin diving in?
Intuitively, I start with a mind map, first the words that come up feel generic - I write Who? What? Why? and as I started to add bullet points to those categories I see that I am going to have to do more defining work. Ultimately, I take out a big black marker and circle Who and Why. This is where I will begin.
WHO?
Exhibit Change has worked with a variety of clients, collaborators, friends, volunteers and every single one has made a contribution that has made Exhibit Change what it is today. The diversity and spectrum of the community comes from 5 years of taking on projects that had differing outcomes and with each project a slightly different community emerged. I had always defended the projects as having a consistent thread of design-driven community engagement, but I now recognize that's not enough to really make an impact.
Through this process, I will be going to as many clients, collaborators, friends and volunteers to see if I can get a better understanding of why they have supported and worked with Exhibit Change over the years.
For clients, I will be calling them up to interview them directly about their experience working with Exhibit Change.
For collaborators, friends and volunteers; I will be sending out a survey to see what they think Exhibit Change is.
WHY?
Exhibit Change is a design-driven community engagement firm - at least that is what it says on the business card, website, and other marketing collateral. Design-driven community engagement is a method, a process, even principles, but it is not a vision or mission. The reason why people work with and continue to support Exhibit Change is not just for the methods.
My goal is that through interviews and surveys that I will get a sense of why Exhibit Change is where it is. I have a assumption or maybe even a preferred future for Exhibit Change, but for the sake of the process, I am going to do my very darnedest to reserve my opinions as I am in the need finding phase.
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Jenn - buzzing to get out there and connecting with clients and collaborators
Intuitively, I start with a mind map, first the words that come up feel generic - I write Who? What? Why? and as I started to add bullet points to those categories I see that I am going to have to do more defining work. Ultimately, I take out a big black marker and circle Who and Why. This is where I will begin.
WHO?
Exhibit Change has worked with a variety of clients, collaborators, friends, volunteers and every single one has made a contribution that has made Exhibit Change what it is today. The diversity and spectrum of the community comes from 5 years of taking on projects that had differing outcomes and with each project a slightly different community emerged. I had always defended the projects as having a consistent thread of design-driven community engagement, but I now recognize that's not enough to really make an impact.
Through this process, I will be going to as many clients, collaborators, friends and volunteers to see if I can get a better understanding of why they have supported and worked with Exhibit Change over the years.
For clients, I will be calling them up to interview them directly about their experience working with Exhibit Change.
For collaborators, friends and volunteers; I will be sending out a survey to see what they think Exhibit Change is.
WHY?
Exhibit Change is a design-driven community engagement firm - at least that is what it says on the business card, website, and other marketing collateral. Design-driven community engagement is a method, a process, even principles, but it is not a vision or mission. The reason why people work with and continue to support Exhibit Change is not just for the methods.
My goal is that through interviews and surveys that I will get a sense of why Exhibit Change is where it is. I have a assumption or maybe even a preferred future for Exhibit Change, but for the sake of the process, I am going to do my very darnedest to reserve my opinions as I am in the need finding phase.
---
Jenn - buzzing to get out there and connecting with clients and collaborators