Below is a growing—and somewhat organized—list of tools, templates, and other resources that we have used in our facilitation and planning work and that we have learned about from colleagues. You are welcome to use this list for your own activities, and we would be very happy to guide you through the list. If you have additional ideas to share, please let us know.
Tools for planning for an event, meeting, or other effort
- Chaordic Stepping Stones
- Planning tool developed by Chris Corrigan and the work of the Art of Hosting community for designing participatory processes (events, meetings, movements, and more). Whereas a traditional project plan may be useful in an ordered environment, the stepping stones process is more suited to unordered, complex, and emergent environments. Use the Chaordic Stepping Stones when you don’t know where to start, when you know you need to do something but aren’t sure what. The questions and prompts walk you through a thought process that helps you develop a more clear idea of what to do and how to get started. Although it can be used alone, it is best used with a group.
- Video of Chris teaching
- Art of Hosting Workbook from 2019 (Chaordic Stepping Stones on page 81)
- Jamey’s stepping stones templates
- Art of Harvesting
- Before you begin a retreat or other activity, think about what you want to get out of the experience—your harvest. Consider both the tangible and intangible outputs. And consider both the collective and individual perspectives.
- Example harvest matrix for the 2019 CLA Data Day.
- In depth content on the Art of Harvesting (doesn’t show the matrix, though)
- See page 60 of the 2019 Art of Hosting workbook.
Tools for sense-making
- Cynefin: a framework for sense-making in a complex world
- Article: A Leader's Framework for Decision Making (Dave Snowden, HBR 2007)
- Video: The Cynefin Framework (YouTube)
- Wiki: Cynefin.io
- Related techniques
- Future Backwards is a side-casting technique. An alternative to scenario planning, it helps groups see more possibilities. We've used this for LATIS leadership team retreats.
- Estuarine Mapping was "developed as a counter to traditional approaches to strategy that are fixed in nature and reflects the key principles of change in a complex environment."
- Cynefin is taught as part of Art of Hosting training. We've used it for facilitating multiple groups in CLA.
- Anecdote Circles
- Based on the work of Anecdote and Cynthia Kurtz, this complexity practice is a group sense-making experience through the sharing of stories. Insights are generated through discussion with other participants.
- Read more:
- Interrelationship digraph
- Tool for analyzing cause and effect relationships
- Description for how it works.
- We've used this in many different groups (e.g., CLA Dean's Group, DCoP Organizing Committee) when we have lots of issues or ideas and need to prioritize and focus.
Tools for strategy development
- Wardley Mapping: Both a strategy development process and a visualization of a group's strategy, Wardley Mapping helps teams raise contextual awareness, challenge assumptions, and develop a shared language for moving forward together.
- Here's a video: Here is a good video of a keynote presentation on mapping by Simon Wardley who developed the idea.
- Here's a book as a series of Medium posts. You can find an eBook, too.
- A website: There is no official website, but this site by Ben Mosior is about teaching mapping. A few of us have attended a course facilitated by Ben.
- Here's an example series of "maps" about how LATIS evolved to what it is today. Jamey also made a video that walks you through the story with the maps.
- Maturity Mapping: A modification of Wardley Mapping more narrowly focused on a team's capability to carry out the work.
- Business Model Canvas: A popular tool for describing the value an organization provides to key stakeholders. It can be helpful in improving services and, if you use business terms, products.
- Porter's Five Forces Analysis: A classic business positioning strategy model. The focus is on competition and “customers” from a market perspective.
- Scenario planning: A simple 2x2 model for developing scenarios.
- Lencioni's Playbook: A tool for developing clarity for leadership teams. Covers purpose, values, strategy, goals, and key metrics. We've used it for our own strategic planning retreats and when we facilitate those of others.
- Visual Strategy Mapping (ViSM) by Bryson, Ackermann, and Eden. John Bryson is professor emeritus at the Humphrey School. We used this process for the current LATIS strategic plan. The book seems to be out of print, but used copies can be found.
- SWOT Analysis: A classic internal analysis tool for identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Can be a useful tool, but best used in conjunction with other tools.
- SOAR Model: Considered a more positive-focused alternative to the SWOT. Helps you identify strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results.
Tools for facilitating participatory leadership (Art of Hosting-style) events
- Art of Hosting: World Café (see page 48 of the 2019 Art of Hosting workbook)
- Art of Hosting: Open Space (see page 50 of the 2019 Art of Hosting workbook)
- Art of Hosting: Proaction Café (see page 52 of the 2019 Art of Hosting workbook)
- Art of Hosting: Design Lab (see page 93 of the 2019 Art of Hosting workbook)
Tools for managing projects
- Asana (see the Tech Tools page for more info)
- One-page project manager template
Tools for team building
- Lencioni's Playbook: A tool for developing clarity for leadership teams. Covers purpose, values, strategy, goals, and key metrics. We've used it for our own strategic planning retreats and when we facilitate those of others.