1. I think it would be interesting to see these conversations actually visualized. I wonder if that could also be a useful tool in this dialogue with those who may not have participated previously? 2. Love the idea of making it accessible in other forms. 3. For those of us outside the hub of CA, it would be awesome to have a live feed of future connecting events (similar to the model proposed by The Feast). While you can’t replace presence, the idea of being able to “sit at the table” is a great bonus (as some of our budgets don’t always permit travel to where the real time conversation is going on). 4. I’ve been attempting to use sketched visualizations with people I’m seeking to communicate with about these ideas. So simple, but for me this has become a new method of engaging my constituents with the complexities that have been discussed here. Not everyone uses visualizations as a communication tool so it can become a fresh way to encounter metrics and evaluation in general.Such a great series. Looking forward to what comes next.

1. I think it would be interesting to see these conversations actually visualized. I wonder if that could also be a useful tool in this dialogue with those who may not have participated previously? 2. Love the idea of making it accessible in other forms. 3. For those of us outside the hub of CA, it would be awesome to have a live feed of future connecting events (similar to the model proposed by The Feast). While you can’t replace presence, the idea of being able to “sit at the table” is a great bonus (as some of our budgets don’t always permit travel to where the real time conversation is going on). 4. I’ve been attempting to use sketched visualizations with people I’m seeking to communicate with about these ideas. So simple, but for me this has become a new method of engaging my constituents with the complexities that have been discussed here. Not everyone uses visualizations as a communication tool so it can become a fresh way to encounter metrics and evaluation in general.Such a great series. Looking forward to what comes next.

I’m really delighted to see these conversations occur in a way that others can participate (like me!). I would say that everyday holds some form of uncertainty and in that place, be it simple or complex, I appreciate these words by St. John of the Cross: “To arrive at the point that you don’t know, you must take the road that you don’t know.”I think this is why I love travelling to new places so much. It allows me to see experiences in a different light and this helps me to think differently about multiple things. Transfer this concept to your business or non-profit – and you have the capacity to see those scenarios differently. Not everyone gets to travel in the way I have been fortunate to so I wonder how the notion of a shift in location could help everyone think in new ways in order to develop something innovative in the familiar?

I love the way the dschool uses post-it notes for a course syllabus – it allows for shifts in the process without abandoning the notion of focus. It leaves room for regular evaluation and multiple voices seem to be able to contribute to its shape. When dealing with social initiatives, this concept could help in evaluation. When things have room to move and be adjusted, which seems part of any social scenario naturally, individuals could feel like breathing room is offered in the process. To me, this represents a token of comfort in the midst of uncertainty. In fact, it seems to celebrate it.I also wonder if personality plays into this conversation. Some individuals love uncertainty and forget that others crave comfort and vice versa. To me, this discussion is as much to do with method as it is to do with leadership and the power of invitation. The HCD Toolkit is an example of how people are invited to move beyond the daunting aspects of entering an unfamiliar community by offering frameworks/structures that allow for uncertainty to exist but with enough guidance or comfort to make it accessible and doable. In light of this, I wonder if some people are meant to be the leaders in offering the structure, while others will use it and build something out of this structure. This can be noted by the emerging organizations who have leaders willing to step into uncertainty but who have enough structure in place to allow others to participate in some measure. When people can participate, then they also feel like they can contribute to some form of evaluation of the process.The thing I’ve appreciated about being involved in a design dialogue on this topic is that design is about iteration, process and potential failings. This tone allows you to more easily embrace uncertainty as part of the process. Watching a group of weavers in Rwanda navigate uncertainty in their social enterprise reminded me that sometimes organizations return to what is most familiar out of survival. If funders had this information, would they allow for social innovation (and all its ambiguities) without a traditional five-year plan? Lastly, “evaluation” can be a word with varying weights – some negative and some positive – depending on who you talk to. For some, evaluation means outcomes could make or break their future while others are pleased to have some way to measure their endeavor. Because of this, I wonder if the word itself might be part of the difficulty in understanding how to measure more effectively.

Looking forward to hearing what comes of this! Love this conversation already.

I’m surprised this hasn’t been brought to the table earlier. The other idea would be to just get re-usable cards (lose the paper version!) that can have money added to them via cellphones or at the subway kiosk until such time that the technology catches up to the activity.

Let’s translate this to those who don’t live in North America. Analog Blogger is an example of how mobile phone technology might be a an additional direction to consider in giving access to people. I agree that so much information is on the internet now and access does make a difference to information exchange among other things. Add in the cost of a computer and it’s more than just an internet issue. I hope we can make it more cost efficient and mobile for everyone too!

I’m also surprised that Vancouver isn’t in this mix. 

I don’t know that it is the norm in developing nations yet. It still seems to be a matter of bottom-lines: How much money are you willing to drop?

Two words. Awe. Some.

Brilliant idea and so sustainable. Especially for those textbooks I wish I could have done without in college!