DesignWISE
Collaborative Change - Engaging People and Communities
DesignWise: Collaborative Change - Engaging People and Communities is a tool that can be used as a starting point for creative processes not just in the field of design, but also in the management of innovation and the facilitation of processes of change.
The various elements of the tool are not new in themselves, and the structure is reminiscent of many other models. But the key idea of the tool is to restructure experiences and approaches that are well-known from design and creative work into a more long-term, cyclical and holistic form.
INITIALIZE
How can we, with the knowledge from our past, prepare for the future?
Background/framing
Initialize is located in the northern quadrant of the circle and is connected with winter. It is a time when we, in the northern hemisphere, retreat indoors and gather strength for the spring.
The trees have shed their leaves and draw back into their core.
The symbol of the Initialize phase is Janus, the Roman god of change, beginnings, and endings – and the namesake of the month January. Janus’s face looks both backward and forward, symbolising transition and transformation.
The northern quadrant can also represent old age, a time in which we look back at our life with experience and clarity. In this phase of introspection, we step into ourselves and look back in order to move forward.
How to
The group is divided in groups of 4-5 people.
The journey can begin.
What is the present condition (of our organization, our team, our community or society)?
Write down three or four sentences that describe the current situation.
Stay with the present condition and accept this as the starting point from which new visions can emerge.
Share your insights with the group.
INTUIT
Tapping into the field of the future
Background/framing
Intuit is located in the northeaster quadrant of the circle, corresponding to the end of winter and the threshold of spring.
It is here that we let go of old habits and step into a new season, a new world.
We represent this phase of the wheel with the mythical bird Phoenix, first depicted in the Egyptian cult of the Sun at Heliopolis, symbolising the endless rise and fall of the solar cycle.
According to legend, when the Phoenix bird dies, it bursts into flame, and the bird is then reborn from the ashes into a new, younger version of itself.
This movement of burning and rebirth is also connected with the apocalypse, a word that originally meant ‘lifting of the veil’, allowing something new to emerge.The inward-looking journey lies at the hart of all creativity, whether in the arts, in business, or in science.
How to
Close your eyes and turn your attention inward.
Enhance your awareness. Allow visions to emerge. Give your intuition and imagination free rein. What is emerging? What matters to you/us? What do I/we dream of at a deeper level?
Find words, images, or metaphors that describe your inner vision.
Share your visions with the group. At this stage you must collectively choose one vision or group of ideas that you will work on together throughout the following phases,
INSPIRIT
What roads can take us closer to our goal?
Background/framing
Inspirit is located in the eastern quadrant of the circle, symbolising fire and the sun, as well as rebirth and early childhood. In terms of seasons, this phase marks the beginning of spring and the re-emergence of life.
The symbol of this phase is the Trickster, a recurrent mythological figure that appears in many cultures: in the Greek mythology, he is Hermes, in the Nordic, he is Loke, in the Hindu, he is Krishna.
The Trickster is always teasing gods and men, but also contributes to a more balanced society, through his cunning resistance to figures of authority that are too caught up trying to achieve their goals as effectively as possible.
By contrast, the Trickster figure is playful. When a situation has congealed into serious-minded rituals and efficacious rules, the Trickster begins moving things around and disrupting the proceedings. Artists and professional designers are often connected with this figure.
How to
Enter into a collective stream of consciousness, where you brainstorm possibilities and initiatives that would lead you closer to the vision or dream from the previous phase. You can go through this process in silence or share your ideas while writing or drawing.
Use a huge paper where you can write down or draw the ideas in a catalogue.
If you have completed the process in silence share your visions and ideas in the group.
INSEMINATE
Chose a path, draw a map
Background/framing
Inseminate is located in the south-eastern quadrant of the circle, again symbolizing fire and the sun, but now as the end of spring and the beginning of summer.
In terms of age, this phase corresponds to the early teenage years.
The symbol of this phase is the Greek god of love Eros, who in Roman mythology is called Amor and, like the Hindu god Kama, strikes humans and gods alike with arrows that make them fall passionately in love.
In this phase, the ideas of the Inspirit phase are chosen, and begin to procreate. This process includes a reflection on which seeds carry most potential, where and how they can be planted, and how they might mature.
How to
Choose one or two ideas from your catalogue, keeping two criteria in mind:
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The criterion of energy: Which idea gives you joy, warmth, enthusiasm, and a desire to create?
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The criterion of logic: What is actually going on in the area you are looking at? What is the situation like, what would make most sense?
What would it take for the ideas or visions to grow? What would it need in order to thrive and survive? What do you think the vision will lead to, and what can it contribute in terms of resources, happiness, experience, or stories?
Over the next four phases, you will extrapolate the potential of this idea/vision and imagine what it would be like to carry it out. You may repeat these phases later, as the project progresses, to reflect on how things actually unfolded.
INCUBATE
The maturation phase begins – do I have what I need?
Background/framing
Incubate is located in the southern quadrant of the circle, representing earth and summer, as well as youth and adolescence.
The symbol of this phase is the Greek goddess Hera, Juno in the Roman mythology, who was the goddess of motherhood, childbirth, and families. In Nordic mythology, Frigg represents many of the same aspects.
It is in this phase that the seeds chosen in the Inseminate phase are planted and begin to take form.
How to
What can you do to ensure the best possible foundation for your vision or idea, the best precondition for its realisation?
What stakeholders have to be sworn in and empowered to help?
Where should the process begin? What are the first steps?
Share your ideas and plans in the group, while writing them down or visualizing/drawing them.
INDUCE
On a long and winding road, every step counts
Background/framing
Induce is located in the south-western quadrant of the circle and corresponds to the late summer, where we water and tend the plants to make the flowers bloom and the grain grow.
The symbol of this phase is the Greek god of fire Hephaestus, who represents craftmanship, helpfulness, and justice.
In this phase, the focus is on keeping the course and the goal clearly in the collective mind, ensuring that the process has everything it needs, while avoiding waste and putting the time and ressources to good use.
In this phase is the time to unfold the full potential of your mutual vision, allowing it to take deeper root, grow, and bloom.
How to
Do you have access to the necessary resources? What obstacles should be cleared from the path?
How should the process proceed? How should it be managed? How can the vision be kept alive? How can the goal be kept in sight? Does the project need more motivation?
Share with the group while writing down your reflections.
INJOY
Celebrate your success: Have you fully cherished your achievements?
Background/framing
INjoy is located in the western quadrant, symbolising the autumn and the element of water, as well as adulthood and parenthood.
The symbol of this phase is the Greek god Dionysus, god of ecstasy and pleasure.
In this phase, you enjoy the fruits of your resourcefulness and hard work. You take stock of what you have done, not yet evaluating, but simply enjoying the results. It is a feast of thanksgiving and a celebration of the harvest, in which you honour the work of all involved, without criticism or censure.
How to
What were the results of the process? (Or: What results do you expect from the process?)
Review the process, enjoy your achievements, and celebrate the efforts of all involved. (Or: Imagine what it will be like when the process is concluded).
Write down the achieved (or: expected) results in as much as detail as possible, appreciating both the individual elements and the integrated whole.
INTEGRATE
Tell your story: Who are we now, and how did we influence our surroundings?
Background/framing
Integrate is located in the north-western quadrant, which represents the transition from autumn to winter.
The symbol of this phase is the Greek goddess of justice Dike, Justitia in the Roman mythology, who is often depicted with a sword in one hand and a balanced scale in the other. She is also depicted with a blindfold, because justice is blind to the influence of power and money.
When we have taken responsibility for our actions, we can begin to evaluate and tell stories about what we have done and achieved – and who we have become as a result.
How to
What can we learn from the process? What have we learned about ourselves?
(Or: What do we hope to learn from the process?)
What stories will you tell?
