Which tool do I use when?

This is not a straightforward question to answer as the tool to be used depends on the context, the people involved, the purpose of any event and the framework you are following. In AgriLink, we have used design thinking and systems thinking as our guiding frameworks.

The different phase of design thinking lend themselves to different tools. The empathise phase is more exploratory and so rich picturing or conversation mapping can be used to capture different perspectives. The define phase may be best covered with a spray diagram or systems map. Similarly, the key features of systems thinking are multiple perspectives (captured in a conversation map), interconnections (can be done through a spray diagram) and boundary judgements (a systems map is good for this).

The key is to plan any event well, to try and capture as much of the thinking and conversations that surround the creation of a diagram or its explanation by its creators as well as the diagram itself, and to reflect on the outcomes. These tools work best as participatory processes that are subject to reflexive monitoring and evaluation, which is what we cover in the next session.