NIRES - Alnwick
18 - 19 June 2013

Facilitated by:Ron Donaldsonknowledge ecologist

The Story of the workshop ...Welcome

First I would like to dispel the myth that

Water Theme flow sandpit
for Early Career Researchers

NIRES The Newcastle Institute for Research on Sustainability (NIReS) coordinates research across traditional discipline boundaries to deliver practical, engaged solutions to real-world issues, under the banner of Enough, For All, Forever.Setting the scene, traditional classroom layout, listening, powerpoint slides, but not participating, yet ...

A knowledge ecology approach entails:

Creating the starting conditions fornew relationships and collaboration.

Exploring the narrative landscape.

Removing constraints and disruptinglinear thinking, to allow an anticipatoryawareness of the present to emerge.

Seeding, triggering and encouraging creative thinking.

Amplifying the positive and dampening thenegative, by way of feedback.

Promoting storytelling as a way to share knowledge and ideas.

The location

The Youth Hostel at Alnwick, NorthumberlandTaking an ecological approachExploring the narrative landscapeRemoving constraints and disrupting linear thinkingCreating the starting conditions for new relationships and collaborationTriggering and encouraging creative thinkingAmplifying the positive and dampening the negative by way of feedbackPromoting storytelling as a way to share knowledge and ideasIlluminating, from within the context of the challenge, at least an acknowledgement that certain things are unpredictable and require an appropriate response.

The 8 Global water challenges explained as a backdrop to this 'sand pit' event ...The 8 Global water challenges explained as a backdrop to the event ...

A different room, light, airy, buzzing with enthusiasm. Minimal instruction, maximum self organising,self realising and experiential learning.A different room, light, airy, buzzing with enthusiasm. Minimum instruction, maximum self organising, self realising and experiential learning.

An energiser to get everyone started...An energiser to get everyone started

Purposefully leading the witness into self-realising the failings of human problem solving...Purposefully leading the witness into self-realising the failings of human problem solving...

Experiencing the problem of human, pattern matchingand embedded linear thinkingExperiencing the problem of embedded linear thinking

Future Backwards
A 'Cognitive Edge' Method

Future Backwards starting with Today

In relation to Water and Sustainability: What is the current situation ?... In relation to Water and Sustainability, What is the current situation...

The facilitator uses only light constraints to keep the exercise on track ...Light constraints to keep the exercise on track

Other marker pens are available ...

The past is plotted out, by key event, decision and turning point, but always backwards ...The past is plotted, but always backwards

What if, in five years time, everything that could go wrong, does go wrong ? ...What if, in five years time, everything that could go wrong, did go wrong...

What if, in five years time, everything that could go right, does go right...

What if, in five years time, everything that could go right, did go right...

A volunteer storyteller from each group prepares to share their story ...

Once upon a time ... sharing the story with the other groups.Another story, different perspectives...

Three stories, three different perspectives...Once upon a time ... sharing the story with the other groups.

Having made sense of the current situation by way of the three stories.New collaborative groupings discuss creative ideas to tackle each of the Grand ChallengesCollaborative groups discuss creative ideas to tackle each of the Grand Challenges...

Then rotate and build on each others ideas...Then rotate and build on each others ideas...

Co-creating ideas and deep thinking...Co-creating creative ideas and deep thinking...

All the creative ideas are shepherded into an 'Idea Park'All the ideas are shepherded into an 'Idea Park'

86 Creative ideas collaboratively emerged from under two hours of facilitated activities.86 Creative ideas collaboratively emerged from under two hours of facilitated activities.

Ideas are considered and sponsors invited to pitch for a collaborative, inter disciplinary team on an idea that attracts or intrigues...Ideas are considered and sponsors invited to pitch for a collaborative, inter disciplinary team on an idea that attracts or intrigues...

We have crossed the bridge from divergent creative thinking with new colleagues to the convergent development of ideas by connected and committed collaborative groupsOne of two local excursions to take participants minds off the challenge, allow new ideas to form and more importantly opportunity to chat and connect with each otherWe have crossed the bridge from diverse creative thinking with new colleagues to converging development of ideas by connected and committed collaborative groups

One of two local excursions to take participants minds off the challenge, allow new ideas to form and more importantly opportunity to chat and connect with each other

The newly formed groups develop their ideas, roles and relationships ...

The newly formed groups develop their ideas, roles and relationships

CHAOS SIMPLE

COMPLEX COMPLICATED

One outcome

certain and predictable

One Outcome

takes time but repeatable

Many outcomesmake sense in retrospect

Outcome unpredictable

CognitiveEdgeProjector bring in an expert

Safe to FailExperiment

Take controlMove situation into another domain

To Do List

diagnosed using the CYNEFIN FRAMEWORKcontextualised using material from Future BackwardsCynthia Kurtz:the act-sense-respond items are repeate here, also the green and red are a little weak and apple/orange comparisons

Pitching and receiving feedback

In response, everyone completes a yellow Things that I would amplify and an orangeThings that I would dampen post-it and gives these to the group as feedback.Initial thoughts are pitched to all the participants and tutors as a peer review.Initial thoughts are pitched to all the participants and tutors as a peer review

Everyone completes a yellow Things that I would amplify and an orange Things that I would dampen and gives these to the group as feedback.

Embedding the feedback

Participants make their own sense of the feedback and adapt their project and pitch accordingly.The idea improves and its weaknesses are minimisedBenefits increase, costs and harms are reduced.Participants make their own sense of the feedback and adapt their project and pitch accordingly.

The idea improves and its weaknesses are minimised

Benefits increase, costs and harms are reduced.

Deadline for submissions

Finally the proposal is captured in a pre-determined format and submitted, digitally, to the Tutors, for assessment against pre-determined and published criteria.Finally the proposal is captured in a pre-determined format and submitted, digitally, to the Tutors, for assessment against pre-determined and published criteria.

A Dragons Den style pitch of the ideas then followsA Dragons Den style pitch of the ideas then follows

Time to relax with a drink while decisions are made...

The proud winners emerge triumphant and pose for publicity shotsThe proud winners emerge triumphant and pose for publicity shots

Ron is a very experienced trainer and facilitator. He has worked in Change and Knowledge Management (KM) for more than 15 years.

He is accredited in Cognitive Edge (narrative and complexity based methods)Knowledge Associates KM Methodology andTRIZ (the Russian Problem Solving method).

He has brought together the best methods currently available into an ecological approach which focusses on (and amplifies) the flow of ideas through communities (not individuals) within a wider 'ecosystem'. Facilitated Workshop

Satisfied clients include:

BAE Systems, Oracle, MOD, Mars, MBDA,Dept of Health, Pfizer, Girl Guides Assoc,Envision, Peterborough Racial Equality Council

Lead facilitator: Ron Donaldson

FEEDBACK

So thats 100% then...So if you know of anyonewho might benefitfrom a workshop like thisplease get in touch ...

Ecology of KnowledgeNarrative Complexity - Community

Based: Peterborough, UK

email: ezrond@gmail.com

mobile: 07833 454211

twitter: @rondon

blog: rondon.wordpress.com

Ron Donaldsonknowledge ecologist

Accredited Knowledge Associates, Cognitive Edge & TRIZ practitioner