Web of Actors and Resources

Establish actors, resources and perceptions of association. pdf download

Goal: Understand the network in which the organisation exists and operates.

Audience: Adult residents.

What you need:
– 3 sizes of Post-It notes/coloured paper
– Marker pens
– Notebook
– Camera
– Stickers/marker pens

Description

In order to visualise the network in which the organisation with whom you are working exists, it is useful to produce a web of actors with a small group of leaders. The exercise is split into two stages.

Facilitators provide participants with three sizes of Post-It notes to list external actors of large, medium or small importance to the organisation. The discussions should remain focused on identifying and qualifying relationships between different actors as well as exploring the existing resources to navigate such relations. During the exercise it is important to allow participants to negotiate amongst themselves to determine which actors belong in which category and list reasons behind the choices made.
For the second stage of the exercise it is useful to then arrange the Post-It notes in terms of the organisation’s relationship with the different stakeholders. For example, an actor could be important to the organisation but it may be perceived as distant, in which case a relationship needs to be fostered. Once all the actors are arranged, give participants stickers to show the impact these actors have on the organisation (red for negative and all other colours for positive).

Instructions:

Step 1: Provide paticipants with 3 sizes of Post-It notes for them to list different actors.

Step 2: Allow discussion between participants about which actors should go on which size of paper.

Step 3: Take notes about key points made during discussions about why actors are allocated to the specific size.

Step 4: Ask participants to arrange Post-It notes in relation to the organisation with whom you are working. This will need to be facilitated and notes need to be taken of any comments made during negotiations about relationships.

Step 5: Give stickers to participants and ask them to add them to the organisations that they feel have a negative or positive impact.