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| marine_colab:workshop_201505 [2015-05-07 13:55] – [Experiments] nik | marine_colab:workshop_201505 [2015-05-07 14:27] – nik |
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| Louisa ended with with a quote from "Playing for Time" by Lucy Neal, that described CGF’s view on what a lab approach should be: a liminal space where possibilities aren’t fixed and the participants inhabit a field of continuous transformation, where trying, failing and trying again is an encouraged practice… | Louisa ended with with a quote from "Playing for Time" by Lucy Neal, that described CGF’s view on what a lab approach should be: a liminal space where possibilities aren’t fixed and the participants inhabit a field of continuous transformation, where trying, failing and trying again is an encouraged practice… |
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| Andrew talked about the need to find balance between 'small incremental initiatives' and 'large ambitious scope', with lower level interventions (like short term experiments) feeding into the big galvanising projects. It might be worth looking at other initiatives that are knocking at the Foundation’s door and using the Marine CoLAB as a sounding board. He urged the participants to ensure 'what we do plays to our unique strengths', for example the connection with Lisbon’s Oceans Initiative with their economic valuation studies, but also focus on communication, social investment, attitude change, (re)framing and public engagement. While working on smaller experiments, larger possibilities should be kept 'in the back pocket', keeping in mind the infrastructure needed to deliver these possibilities, e.g. setting up platforms and protocols to make the larger initiatives happen (ref. Campaign to end loneliness) | <blockquote> |
| | Liminal space [...] was tricksterish and, like Raven stealing fire from the gods, I learnt one of the secrets of the universe: up close, the laws of possibility are not fixed. They can be risked, experimented with and gambled on. Between the boundary of what is possible and what is not there is a field: a space of transformation the universe only releases in the dusty arena of action, trying, failing and trying again. The threshold between what is and what could be is rich in potential for change. |
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| Maja framed the third Marine CoLAB workshop with a twofold purpose: building on the themes and experiments from the previous workshops and deepening the connection with the participants’ organisational contexts and current work. The day therefore began with introductions - while the first two workshops focused on individual personalities and talents, this introduction was meant to present participants’ professional situations. The introductions were meant to help the group learn how the existing work can contribute to Marine CoLAB and perhaps find new connections for (bilateral) collaborations and experiments. After the introduction the participants would move into a group-wide 'fishbowl' discussion on the emerging themes and experiments: | Andrew talked about the need to find balance between 'small incremental initiatives' and 'large ambitious scope', with lower level interventions (like short term experiments) feeding into big galvanising projects. It might be worth looking at other initiatives that are knocking at the Foundation’s door and using the Marine CoLAB as a sounding board. He urged the participants to ensure 'what we do plays to our unique strengths', for example the connection with Lisbon’s Oceans Initiative with their economic valuation studies, but also focus on communication, social investment, attitude change, (re)framing and public engagement. While working on smaller experiments, larger possibilities should be kept 'in the back pocket', keeping in mind the infrastructure needed to deliver these possibilities, e.g. setting up platforms and protocols to make the larger initiatives happen (c.f. Campaign to end loneliness) |
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| | Maja framed the third Marine CoLAB workshop with a twofold purpose: building on the themes and experiments from the previous workshops and deepening the connection with the participants’ organisational contexts and current work. The day therefore began with introductions. While the first two workshops focused on individual personalities and talents, this introduction presented participants’ professional situations. This showed how the existing work can contribute to Marine CoLAB and perhaps form new connections for (bilateral) collaborations and experiments. After the introduction the participants moved into a discussion on the themes and experiments developed so far. |
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| * Systems Change | * Systems Change |
| * Public Engagement | * Public Engagement |
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| The discussion aims to discuss these themes as broad challenges for Marine CoLAB as a whole and to look at their relationship to the proposed and new experiments. In a LAB approach we expect to have several feedback loops between the big picture and iterative experiments: while the first version of the experiments was designed in the previous workshop, it is useful to explore if and how the experiments develop the themes (and if they don’t adapt or leave the experiments behind). By the end of the morning the aim was to have a better grasp of the themes and their relationship to Marine CoLAB in general and the experiments in particular. | The discussion presented these themes as broad challenges for Marine CoLAB as a whole and looked at the relationship to the proposed (or new) experiments. As part of a LAB approach we expect to have several feedback loops between the big picture and iterative experiments: while the first version of the experiments were designed in the previous workshop, it is useful to explore if and how the experiments develop the themes (and if they don’t, then adapt or leave the experiments behind). By the end of the morning the aim was to have a better grasp of the themes and their relationship to Marine CoLAB in general and the experiments in particular. |
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| After lunch the group would agree which experiments they would want to work on and either continue designing existing ideas or find new ones. Before the designs would be finalised, we would submit them to a test, using a role playing exercise we call a pre-enactment: the participants are invited to role-play a situation where the experiment-team finds themselves with a group of diverse stakeholders whom they’d like to involve in a larger initiative that would follow-up from their successful experiment. The aim of this lab exercise is to test some of the participants’ assumptions from different points of view, in a safe space, before committing further time and resources. The workshop would end with a design and planning session so that by the end of the workshop the teams can answer the "5 Ws" for their experiments (why, what, how, who and when). This should give the teams a concrete action and reflection plan to finish the first small scale experiments by the next workshop, without losing sight of the big picture. The experiments allow the participants to experience what it’s like to collaborate with each other and to learn of everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, interests and expertise in a relatively low risk environment. This process also allows the participants to have (some) experimental results on which they can build their conclusions and larger initiatives. | After lunch the group agreed which experiments they would want to develop, either continuing existing designs or finding new ones. Before the designs were finalised, they were tested using a role playing exercise called a preenactment. The aim of this lab exercise was to test some of the participants’ assumptions from different points of view, in a safe space, before committing further time and resources. The workshop ended with a design and planning session for groups to clarify their implementation plans (and be able to answer; why, what, how, who and when). This should provide a concrete action and reflection plan to finish the first small scale experiments by the next workshop, without losing sight of the big picture. The experiments should allow the participants to experience what it’s like to collaborate with each other, to learn their strengths and weaknesses, interests and expertise in a relatively low risk environment. This process also allows the participants to have (some) experimental results on which they can build sound conclusions and develop larger initiatives. |
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| For those participants worried that we’re not thinking big or ambitious enough, and for those who think we’re moving too fast and coming up with experiments too quickly, here’s a small reminder: a LAB approach is an iterative process that can encompass different rhythms at different times without losing perspective. With each iteration the experiments gradually expand in scope and complexity, while always being able to fall back on a previous, tested experiment, instead of failing massively and having to start from scratch. | Some participants voiced concern that we are not thinking 'big' or 'ambitious' enough, and others who feel we’re moving too fast and coming up with experiments too quickly. As a small reminder: the LAB approach is an iterative process that can encompass different rhythms at different times, hopefully without losing perspective. With each iteration experiments can gradually expand in scope and complexity, while always being able to fall back on a previous, tested experiment, instead of failing massively or having to start from scratch. |
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| Heather Koldewey, who was absent at the previous workshop remarked that there needs to be a clearer way to include the absentees in the experiments. She volunteered to follow us with two absentees to help them find how they can contribute to the progress of the experiments. There also needs to be a stronger ownership of experiments and one or more people taking responsibility for moving the work forward. | Heather Koldewey, who was absent at the previous workshop remarked that there needs to be a clearer way to include any absentees in the experiments. She volunteered to follow up with two absentees to help them find ways they can contribute to the progress of the experiments. There also needs to be a stronger ownership of experiments and one or more people taking responsibility for moving the work forward. |
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| ==== Organisational introductions ==== | ==== Organisational introductions ==== |
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