Ecocycle planning

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I love the ecocycle model for its power to move us beyond linear thinking. It’s also a mirror that we can look into to see what traps we’ve fallen into yet again. My tendency is to not enjoy what’s in the Mature area while having difficulty letting things die!

Ecocycle is one of the LS models that I often use for solo sense-making. Whenever I get overwhelmed with my commitments, I sit down and map things out on an ecocycle.

Facilitation notes

There’s a bit of a barrier to entry because of its unfamiliar shape and vocabulary but with the right introduction, I find that most people are able to embrace the metaphors of earth and the cyclical nature of its seasons as a rythmn that makes sense for all kinds of planning.

Workshop design notes

Since the visual nature of the ecocycle is so striking, it’s nice to keep visible somewhere or even maintain it as a live artefact. That said, it may not translate well to someone who wasn’t involved in creating it. Therefore, action items that come as a result of investment decisions are best harvested into a format that’s more familiar to the wider audience, such as a roadmap or kanban board.

This entry is part of Liberating Structures Field Notes, my collection of stories and reflections from the field. It's written for people who already know LS and are deepening their practice. If you're just getting started and looking for activity instructions, you'll find them at liberatingstructures.com..