Here's a simple graphical template I developed for brainstorming sustainability drivers and internal factors - effectively a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. Despite the crudeness of my artwork (despite a little help from clip art), I find the graphical approach gets people into a more creative mood. The analogy of the organisation as a yacht (inspired by Dame Ellen MacArthur) has a nice sustainability theme - limited resources, renewable energy powered, working with nature etc.
The four factors are:
- Winds: external forces blowing you in the right direction (opportunities, threats of 'do nothing')
- Choppy waters: external factors holding you back (threats)
- Sails: internal ability to catch those winds (strengths, internal opportunities)
- Anchor: internal factors holding you back (weaknesses, internal threats)
Typically, I will print this onto an A0 sheet and pin it to the wall. I ask participants to write their ideas individually on Post-Its then take it in turns to put them up, debating them as we go along. It helps to use different colour Post-Its for each of the four areas and have a fifth colour ready to record the other ideas and insights that inevitably tumble out as you go along.
Enjoy!
This is excellent thanks very much. There is an iPad teaching app called 'ScreenChomp' where you can draw on screen, recording the screen as you go and audio- and tweet/broadcast the results. You could draw and talk through this blog post and tweet the recording.
Sounds great Dan.
By the way, lots of people have asked about using the template. I am happy for you to take single copies AS LONG as the copyright and web address are in place.