How the course works
The purpose of this course is to help you to focus on a challenge you would like to help solve, identify the most pressing problems and promising solutions, and map these problems and solutions to gain a better understanding of the field you are passionate about. Using a worksheet, you will walk through each of these steps of the Discovery Framework Tool, spotting trends as well as gaps.
Note: Especially because this is a crash course, keep in mind that the point is more about the insights sparked during the process, not just mapping your field of interest.
What you’ll learn
Since Ashoka was founded 30 years ago, we have reviewed tens of thousands of proposals by people passionate about solving social problems. As a result, we have noticed a common skill set among the most successful changemakers. This hands-on course is designed to quickly introduce you to these skills, and to give you a chance to practice them. It teaches you how to use a tool called the “Discovery Framework,” which helps you practice the type of analysis needed to craft a stronger solution for social change.
The changemaking skills practiced while using the Discovery Framework tool include:
- Self-Awareness
- Collaboration
- Authenticity
- Focus
- Problem Solving
- Understanding the Marketplace
- Root Cause Analysis
- Systems Thinking
- Openness
- Resourcefulness
- Solutions Orientation
What you’ll need
- Worksheet: Print both sides of the provided worksheet and place them side-by-side. There is also a sample version of a filled-out worksheet that may come in handy to refer to during the course.
- Discovery Framework Video: You can find the guiding video that will help you discover your changemaking power HERE.
- A Partner: A partner is important for this exercise, just as it is in any project for social change because your partner will help you think of things you might not have thought of alone, motivate you to keep going even if you don’t feel like you know where to go next, and help you have fun along the way. Without a partner, you may not be able to reflect as deeply or uncover as many insights - two things that are essential for successfully taking this course.
- A Social Cause: You will be more successful in benefiting from the steps in this course if you already have an issue that you are passionate about. You might be considering launching a new project or preparing to scale, either way, this course is designed to help you.